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In recent decades Canada has produced an inordinate number of comedy stars and equally famous pop divas. This compilation showcases a few of the country’s less glamorized performing artists. When most people (especially outsiders) think of indigenous Canadian music, a few genres come to mind, all featured here: Cape Breton fiddling (Natalie MacMaster) and Celtic performers (Mary Jane Lamond), Québecois traditional music (La Bottine Souriante, Matapat), highly respected singer-songwriters (Bruce Cockburn, Stan Rogers, Wade Hemsworth), and Inuit throat singing (Tudjaat). Other genres include traditional Newfoundland music (Anita Best, Émile Benoit), First Nations music (Kanenhi:io) and even French Cajun music from the Prairies (Crystal Plamondon). The 21 tracks draw from many regions, most high quality. A few obscure tracks, such as the opening winter song by Florent Vollant (one half of Kashtin), are pleasant surprises. Silk Road Music embodies the country’s multi-cultural social fabric by performing a medley of Québecois and Irish tunes on Chinese instruments. Although Francophone culture is well represented, singers of non-traditional songs from Québec have been left out.
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