Sharing their musical kinship with traditional and folk music, Irish musicians Benny McCarthy and Eddie Costello and Newfoundland musician Billy Sutton formed Miscellany of Folk in 2022 just after the pandemic. They will perform at Kitsilano’s St. James Community Square on Oct. 3 in a show presented by the Rogue Folk Club.
This show brings Miscellany of Folk back to Vancouver and the start of their cross-Canada tour from here to Halifax.
A professed “accordion geek,” McCarthy has known guitarist and vocalist Eddie Castello for over 32 years. Billy Sutton, Newfoundland musician on bodhran, mandolin and vocals, who joined McCarthy’s other project, Danú, is a friendship of over ten years.
The idea of the three forming a trio was born at the 2022 Newfoundland Folk Festival. The group’s name Miscellany of Folk was inspired by a Sunday radio show in Ireland, Sunday Miscellany.
“It was a lovely program, with poetry, songs, music, a real mixed bag,” recalls McCarthy. “[With] Miscellany of Folk – we are a mixed bag of folk music. Sounds interesting, perfectly describes our idea; the three of us really connected.”
When Sutton went to Ireland the idea of doing a record came about. Since then, it’s been a great journey uncovering the stories in folk and traditional music.
“Folk music is for people, about people,” McCarthy says. “So much of Irish traditional music is handed down orally. We’ve taken tunes and sets of music; it tells a story. From one man in a pub who composes a beautiful polka, we get the chance to learn it and record it”.
Keeping folk and traditional music alive and well
Playing, performing and recording across the internet, mixing across the Atlantic and now touring, has forged the bond among the trio. Sponsored by Culture Ireland, Miscellany of Folk is very thankful to be touring and performing at the Rogue Folk Club.
“I love touring in Canada, I have a great affection for the country, every province is so different and beautiful, with the best listeners, great people. A very nice country,” says McCarthy.
While admitting the demands of touring and acknowledging that not many people understand the time and hours musicians put in, McCarthy points to the many positive aspects.
“You get a buzz out of it, a big tour, a team of people,” he notes. “You have a team of people around you, you really value those people so much, with great relationships, you really depend on them.”
Through challenge and change, hard work and touring, McCarthy maintains that it is the music that keeps them going.
“Well, what keeps us inspired is the music, very simple. If you dig into this music, traditional folk music, there are stories. You get to talking, ‘who wrote that?’, ‘what inspired that song?’” he explains. “From hearing those new to the game, who are fresh, to seasoned performers, legendary musicians, hearing their stories, they’re interesting people.”
McCarthy says the storytelling and oral history have naturally grown and changed over the years, even as their shared love of folk and traditional music remains constant.
“All the years we’ve been playing, it’s so interesting to chat together, like ‘What was it like to do a gig with this musician?’ We are constantly learning,” he says. “We learn and do change, evolve a part of it, every experience. It’s the love of the music, not the money.”
For McCarthy, it’s the people, their stories and the shared love of the music that resonate the most, and for which he is the most grateful.
“The more support you get, it’s a wonderful thing, we’re so happy to have [Rogue Folk Artistic Director] Steve Edge write us and invite us to play in these shows, to like what we do,” he says. “People are so valuable to the community. It’s amazing folk music, 30 years old, it’s an amazing legacy. We’re very thankful to these people. All those people keep the whole thing alive.”
For more information, please see: www.roguefolk.bc.ca/concerts/ev24100320
