Sechile Sedare
A contemporary roots duo featuring sibling songwriters Leela Gilday and Jay Gilday. Sechile Sedare (pronounced ‘seh-chee-leh’ ‘seh-dahr-eh’) means ‘my younger brother, my older sister’ in the Dene language. This musical collaboration sees Jay and Leela co-write and co-create new repertoire together, harnessing their talents as deeply insightful and genuine storytellers. Their voices blend in perfect harmony, hitting notes of nostalgia, hope, humour and reflection. The songs, created during lockdown in 2021 and during a residency at the Banff Centre, share stories about their family history, their connection to the land and water, and the twists and turns of fate.
Fränder
Fränder is a band from Sweden and Estonia that bring rock energy and invention to the traditional music of their home countries. Their music is commanding and intensely spirited, but at the same time nuanced and mystical. Its melodies and rhythms strongly evoke the magical beauty of their northern woodlands and their deep cultural roots. According to the band, “We are energized by, and find creative freedom within the expressive modern sound of nordic traditional music. But we have never been interested in merely reproducing the past, instead we strive to find new ways back into the future.” Their name evokes a sense of kinship, and comes from an old Swedish word referring to family, and beyond that to fellow human-beings in general.
Suzie Ungerleider
Suzie Ungerleider’s gloriously emotive, crystalline voice and her bewitching performances have captivated audiences for over 25 years. A wordsmith with a keen mind for detail and a wicked sense of humour, Suzie’s songs and voice pierce the heart, inspire a knowing laugh or a welling of the eye. Born in the USA and raised in Vancouver, Canada, this award-winning singer-songwriter began performing under the name Oh Susanna in the mid-1990s, winning instant praise for her striking voice and poetic songcraft. Her musical path has criss-crossed the mountains and valleys of Americana, folk, and roots, yet throughout her journey she has remained true to her own artistic vision.
