World Music & Arts Festival

Cherished and admired in equal measure by listeners and fellow musicians, award-winning guitarist, singer, songwriter and prolific collaborator Kris Drever has been a leading light on the UK roots scene for well over a decade. Orkney-born, now living in Glasgow, his solo career arose concurrently with his membership in the stunning trio Lau, with whom he toured internationally. With the release of his album “Black Water”, which has since become a classic of new Scottish folk, his reputation as a solo performer took off. A highly skilled guitarist who adroitly blends traditional folk and flat picking with more contemporary influences, Drever is an astonishingly fine interpreter of others’ songs, with an increasingly frequent knack for concocting seriously smart lyrical observations and earworm melodies of his own.

We are fortunate out here on the west coast to have some of the world’s finest players from a range of global genres. Miguelito Valdes is one such luminary. Born in Cuba and now living in Victoria, Miguelito will be known to Harrison Festival audiences for performances here with Locarno, but his experience is massive, having begun his musical life at age 11 and then developed a career in music that saw him playing alongside many of Cuba’s top performers. Among the best known of these to Canadian audiences are the performers of the Buena Vista Social Club, including Ibrahim Ferrer. He is a master of the trumpet but also is a percussionist and singer, and will be joined on the piano and percussion for a set that will be sure to get folks up on their feet and swinging their hips.           

The Ranters are the folk/roots duo of Rockland Moran (guitars, mandola, harmonica, vocals) and Gillian Wale (autoharps, mandolin, vocals). Longtime residents of this part of the valley will recognize guitarist Moran, who now lives on Vancouver Island, but who grew up in Chilliwack and was a vital part of the musical scene in this region for years. The Ranters were formed in 2019 and soon embarked on a tour to California and Arizona. The burgeoning duo’s touring was interrupted by Covid in 2020, at which point they hunkered down in the studio to record their first album of mostly original music, “Rant On, Children”. They are joined on the bass by Harrison resident, and Rockwell member, Fred Webber.

We are fortunate out here on the west coast to have some of the world’s finest players from a range of global genres. Miguelito Valdes is one such luminary. Born in Cuba and now living in Victoria, Miguelito will be known to Harrison Festival audiences for performances here with Locarno, but his experience is massive, having begun his musical life at age 11 and then developed a career in music that saw him playing alongside many of Cuba’s top performers. Among the best known of these to Canadian audiences are the performers of the Buena Vista Social Club, including Ibrahim Ferrer. He is a master of the trumpet but also is a percussionist and singer, and will be joined on the piano and percussion for a set that will be sure to get folks up on their feet and swinging their hips.      

Inspired by her African heritage, la chanson française (French ballad), and American gospel, Kelly Bado creates music transcending cultural barriers, bringing audiences together in joy and hope. Born in the Ivory Coast, Kelly’s songwriting captures the beauty of the languages and rhythms she has encountered on her journey from Abidjan to Winnipeg. Collaborating with Grammy and Juno award-winning producers Brian West and Chin Injeti, her latest music blends traditional sounds with modern influences, creating a unique alchemy that sparks curiosity and a desire to explore traditional languages. Kelly’s dedication to her francophone and African heritage is evident in her work, as she strives to keep these cultures and languages vibrant for future generations.