FEATURE BAND 2024
To Be Announced Soon!
Meet our feature band for this year’s Summerland Bluegrass Festival. We couldn’t be more excited!
The Slocan Ramblers (2020 IBMA Momentum Band of the Year Award Winner & 2019 Juno Award Nominee) are Canada’s bluegrass band to watch. Rooted in tradition, fearlessly creative and possessing a bold, dynamic sound, The Slocans have become a leading light of today’s acoustic music scene. With a reputation for energetic live shows, impeccable musicianship and an uncanny ability to convert anyone within earshot into a lifelong fan, The Slocans have been winning over audiences from MerleFest to RockyGrass and everywhere in-between!
On their new album, ‘Up the Hill and Through the Fog’, the all-star Canadian roots ensemble channels the past two years of loss into a surprisingly joyous collection of twelve songs, intended to uplift and help make sense of the world. Bluegrass music is nothing short of catharsis for The Slocan Ramblers.
Though the past few years have brought the group accolades, that same momentum was abruptly halted by the pandemic’s brutal impact on live music. Over the next year, bandmates Adrian Gross and Darryl Poulsen both lost close family members, and their bassist decided to step back to spend more time at home.
They channeled these tumultuous changes into some of their most honest and direct compositions yet. ‘Up the Hill and Through the Fog’ showcases the breadth of their varied influences, while staying true to their roots in the rough and tumble bluegrass scene of Toronto’s no-nonsense bars and dancehalls.
From Frank Evan’s classic, dusty vocals, to John Hartford-inspired lyrical musings, it’s all buttressed by impeccable musicianship, and emotionally raw songwriting, from the three core members. This is roots music without pretension, art powerful enough to cut through the fog of the past two years, and to chart a more hopeful course forward.
Say hello to your new favourite band!
Web Links:
SlocanRamblers.com
Twitter.com/slocanramblers
Instagram.com/slocanramblers
Facebook.com/slocanramblers
YouTube.com/@theslocanramblers8812
Press Quotes:
SlocanRamblers.com/pages/press
Awards:
2020 IBMA Momentum Award – Band of the Year
2019 Juno Nomination – Traditional Roots Album of the Year
2020 CFMA Award – Traditional Album of the Year
2020 CFMA Nomination – Ensemble of the Year
The Slocan Ramblers are:
Frank Evans: Banjo/Vocals
Adrian Gross: Mandolin
Darryl Poulsen: Guitar/Vocals
With Charles James: Bass/Vocals
Frank Evans
Frank fell in love with banjo at age 10, and quickly developed a passion for Old Time Appalachian music. He won the youth banjo contest at the Clifftop Appalachian String Band Festival when he was 13, and later placed second over all.
In 2010, Evans joined the bluegrass outfit, ‘The Slocan Ramblers’, and recorded their first album, ‘Shaking Down the Acorns’, produced by Juno award winner, Andrew Collins.
The album gained attention world-wide, and led the band to open for Steve Martin at the Toronto Jazz festival in 2013.
In 2011, Evans became the first banjo player to attend Humber College of Music, where he studied Jazz.
Currently, Evans tours extensively, year round, throughout the world, and has played at Rockygrass, Merlefest, and Jacobs Ladder Festival in Israel. He has taught at the Rockygrass Academy and the Nimble Fingers Bluegrass Camp. He has played, recorded and taught alongside Old Crow Medicine Show, Natalie MacMaster, Tony Trischka, Peter Rowan, John Reischman and Ken Whiteley.
The Slocan Ramblers released their third album,’ Queen City Jubilee’, in June 2019, which was nominated for a Juno award.
In 2020, Evans made the move to Nashville TN, where he made his name in the scene, performing at the Ryman Auditorium, and collaborating with Nashville fiddler, Ben Plotnick.
Adrian Gross
Adrian was born in Montreal, lives in Toronto, and has been playing music all his life. As one of Canada’s most sought-after mandolin players, he has developed a reputation for his inventive playing and unique voice on the instrument, always with one eye to the tradition and one looking forward.
As one quarter of The Slocan Ramblers, Adrian has performed at music festivals across North America, from MerleFest to RockyGrass, and has been nominated for Juno and IBMA Momentum awards.
Adrian keeps busy as the Canadian booking agent for The Slocan Ramblers and chamber-folk string quartet, The Fretless, and spends his rare free time in town, practicing on the banks of the river that flows across the street from his house.
Darryl Poulsen
Darryl is a professional Canadian musician, born and raised in Alliston, Ontario. He was naturally drawn to music, and began avidly playing guitar at the age of 10. He went on to study jazz at Humber College under the tutelage of Ted Quinlan and Don Thompson, during which time he was awarded for his outstanding achievements.
Since then, Darryl has thoroughly immersed himself within Toronto’s music scene. He has made a name for himself as a guitarist, both acoustic and electric, and who is highly sought after as a performer, teacher, and session artist.
Charles James
Charles is a bass player and composer, based in Toronto, Canada. His musical versatility has allowed him to share the stage with acclaimed artists across a wide variety of genres, and has made him a fixture in some of Canada’s most reputable recording studios.
His emotional depth and melodic approach to the bass have thrilled audiences all across Canada and the United States, as well as the U.K., Australia, Greece, Denmark, and Sweden. Charles has played/recorded with many notable artists including David Crosby, Jim Cuddy, Skydiggers, Tim Baker, Snowblink, Michelle Willis, and King Creosote.
Don’t miss The Slocan Ramblers’ performance at our 2023 Festival, Saturday July 1st at 7pm!
