We are always delighted to have any of these three artists back to the festival, but to have them all here at the same time, blending their voices in harmony, is a treat indeed. Barney Bentall, Shari Ulrich, and Tom Taylor first played together at the songwriter concert on Bowen Island in 2007. They released “Live at Cates Hill” soon after, an eclectic mix of the work of these three distinctive yet complimentary voices. All three have very different backgrounds as performers – Barney of course is well known for his albums with the Legendary Hearts, Shari for her work with Pied Pumpkin and UHF, and Tom as a member of rockers She Stole My Beer – but if you talk to them about their songwriting influences they run deep and wide, from traditional folk and country to the great Texas songwriters.
Bamba Wassoulou Groove
Bamba Wassoulou Groove was born in Bamako, Mali in 2013 on the initiative of the late Bamba Dembélé, percussionist and co-founder of the Super Djata Band, the mythical group of Zani Diabaté, the most original and funky guitarist to come out of Mali following that nation’s independence. Bamba Wassoulou Groove is composed of 6 musicians (three guitars, one bass, a drum and a singer) who create a wall of sound with intricate guitar interplay, Hendrix-level guitar solos, and intense bass and drum groove. The band is a heavy dance machine that electrifies Malian music and recreates the excitement of hot nights in Bamako. We are excited to present this band, fast rising as one of the premier Malian touring acts, in their first ever performance in Canada.
Ruthie Foster
Fresh on the heels of winning the Best Contemporary Blues Album for her latest album “Mileage” at the 2025 Grammy Awards, Ruthie Foster is making her debut performance at the Harrison Festival of the Arts. However, she is no stranger to Western Canada, having been a returning headliner at major Canadian festivals like Vancouver and Edmonton for the past few decades. Ruthie was raised in a family of gospel singers in the small rural town of Gause, TX, and first learned to sing during worship services at her community church. With a chapel-bred bravado trained on the works of powerful women such as Mavis Staples and Aretha Franklin, her sound grew into an inspired blend of blues, folk, and gospel. “Mileage”, released on the legendary Sun record label, finds her reflecting on a life full of professional triumphs, personal loss, and a musical journey that has garnered her multiple Grammy nominations and collaborations with luminaries such as a Bonnie Raitt, The Allman Brothers, Susan Tedeschi, and Derek Trucks.
Bawah
Born in Ghana and raised between the UK and Western Canada, BAWAH, now a resident of Chilliwack, exists between many worlds, his spirit anchored by the rich traditions of his birthplace, yet shaped by the ebb and flow of life far from home. BAWAH’s Afro-fusion sound is unmistakably his own. He blurs traditional boundaries and defies categorization with his unique blend of influences, spanning Afro, Pop, Hip-hop, Alternative, and Electronic genres. In 2025, BAWAH will pour his soul into one monumental project: MAUVEY TO A BAWAH. This project is a symphony of creative expression. A four-part album series, a film series spanning 48 episodes, and a 48-chapter book. BAWAH’s songs are interpreted with arrangements that include a collection of talented vocalists and instrumentalists that make for a powerful musical and visual experience.
Five Alarm Funk
Five Alarm Funk are returning to the Memorial Hall hot on the heels of their latest album, “Force Majeure”. The band metaphorically lit the hall on fire three years ago, being the first festival act to play there following the pandemic closures. It was a memorable evening of funky, sweaty fun! This Vancouver musical powerhouse is a festival favourite across Canada, with their intensity, humour, and grooves that don’t stop. With a drummer as a frontman, a high octane horn section, psych rock guitar, percussion, and a style that evokes the greatest funk from James Brown to Parliament Funkadelic, this band will be sure to fill the dance floor and make it a Saturday night to remember.
