Folklife Masters: Dirk Powell & John Doyle
When: -
- Events begin promptly at the posted time - doors open half an hour beforehand, so come early to have your choice of seats.
6300 Phinney Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
Tickets: $40 advance / door
Click here to purchase advance tickets.
Northwest Folklife and Empty Sea Studios are proud to present the first concert in Folklife Masters, a new acoustic music concert series.
Folklife Masters presents one-of-a-kind concerts which bring master musicians from different traditions together to collaborate and inspire on stage. A portion of the proceeds go directly to Northwest Folklife.
Dirk Powell & John Doyle
Old-Time and Cajun meet the Irish tradition
Currently on tour as Joan Baez’s backing band, fiddler/banjoist/singer Dirk Powell and guitarist/singer John Doyle will make their way over to Empty Sea after their sold-out ZooTunes gig to present a very special evening of traditional acoustic music.
Dirk Powell’s roots lie deep in the Appalachian mountains, and his recordings and collaborations have been an inspiration to many old-time and bluegrass musicians. John Doyle is one of the greatest living Irish guitarists, and his work with Irish super-group Solas created a whole new style of guitar accompaniment in the Irish tradition. Both of these master musicians are known as much for their innovations in traditional music as for their commitment to the music of their ancestors. Dirk and John are both amazing producers and arrangers, able to rebuild a traditional song or tune from the ground up, imbuing it with new life and energy while never losing sight of what made it so special in the first place. Our greatest hope for traditional music in a new century lies in musicians like Dirk Powell and John Doyle, for they can speak between generations and across divides.
Dirk Powell (fiddle, banjo, accordion, guitar, voice)
Dirk Powell has expanded on the deeply rooted sounds of his Appalachian heritage to become one of the preeminent traditional American musicians of his generation. In addition to acclaimed releases on Rounder Records, he’s recorded and performed with artists such as Loretta Lynn, Sting, Jack White, Levon Helm, Jewel, T-Bone Burnett, Tim O’Brien, Ralph Stanley, and Linda Ronstadt, among others. Dirk founded the Cajun group Balfa Toujours with his wife Christine Balfa and is currently Artistic Director of the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes. His ability to unite the essence of his culture with modern sensibilities has led to work with many of today’s greatest film directors, including Anthony Minghella, Spike Lee, Ang Lee, Victor Nuñez, Steve James, and Edward Burns.
In his early teens, Dirk formed a musical bond with his grandfather, James Clarence Hay of Sandy Hook, Kentucky, and discovered a personal resonance with traditions that stretch back to Scots-Irish ancestors who came to the mountains in the middle of the 18th century. Dirk learned banjo and fiddle firsthand in continuation of this line. He is equally adept on both instruments, as well as guitar and Cajun accordion. His ability as a multi-instrumentalist has made him one of the most in-demand musicians in traditional American music, and his ability to bring obscure songs and tunes from our distant past into our present has made him an innovator in any number of musical genres. Dirk Powell displays a vibrant creative energy that crosses boundaries while remaining grounded in the rural traditions of his heritage.
John Doyle (guitar, voice)
John Doyle’s gifts as a guitarist, songwriter, vocalist, and producer have played an essential role in the ongoing renaissance of Irish traditional music. As a member of Irish-American supergroup Solas, Doyle pioneered a rhythmic, sophisticated approach to Irish guitar accompaniment, setting a new standard for the instrument. Preserving the tasteful simplicity of tradition, Doyle nonetheless added a contemporary edge, finding fresh life in even the most well-worn of tunes. His playing encompassed hard-driving strumming, inventive chord voicings, precise single-note runs, and powerful rhythmic effects borrowed from traditional instruments such as the bodhran and fiddle.
Born in 1971 in Dublin to a family of musicians and singers, John Doyle was surrounded by traditional music from his earliest years. His father Sean is a remarkable singer and collector of songs, with a vast repertoire of traditional ballads committed to memory. Tommy Doyle, John’s Co. Sligo grandfather, taught him his first instrumental tunes. Two of his three brothers are musicians, as are various uncles, cousins, and other family members. John was playing professionally by the age of 16, and soon moved to New York City, where he began playing with Eileen Ivers and Seamus Egan. He first rose to international prominence with Solas (Gaelic for “light”), the all-star Irish/American band whose emergence heralded the arrival of a new generation of bold, inventive traditional musicians. Now an accomplished producer as well, Doyle has worked with such artists as Liz Carroll and Heidi Talbot. While with Solas, the guitarist also shared stages and studios with Frank McCourt, Linda Thompson, Kate Rusby, Mick Moloney, Brian Conway, Joannie Madden, James Keane, Karan Casey, and Cathie Ryan. He continues to innovate, finding the seeds of his contemporary approach within the tradition itself.
Duo photo by Emma Vasseur.
