A Conversation With The Durham County Poets
Douglas McLean chats with Kevin Harvey from JUNO nominated band Durham County Poets for his latest Sound Cafe Podcast.
You can listen to the entire interview and music HERE
One of the most infectious and surprising uplifting bands on the Canadian Blues scene, the Durham County Poets join Douglas McLean to talk about their upcoming tour and their JUNO nomination for Blues Album of the Year, for their album ‘Hand Me Down Blues’.
The Durham County Poets grew out of the lively music scene in Ormstown, Quebec, Canada, once called Durham. The five seasoned musicians, all of whom are also songwriters, work together individually and collaboratively in composing their music. Delving into a variety of styles and genres, their musical influences include a broad range, woven together to create their own authentic style.
They have released 4 indie albums in 10 years with their latest-almost-all-blues effort receiving a JUNO nomination, followed by 2 Maple Blues nominations and a Canadian Folk Music Awards nomination for Kevin. In fact, the band was all set to travel to Saskatoon in March 2020 to participate in JUNO Festival week (and back up Dawn Tyler Watson), when the awards were cancelled, and a new reality kicked in: being virtual. This the band embraced, their first ‘online gig’ seen by thousands, courtesy of Ottawa’s National Arts Centre.
The obvious joie-de-vivre they express in performance is reflected in the good-time feel the band creates, captivating audiences consistently with their tight grooves and seemingly effortless performances, laced with Kevin’s own funny observations of life. As Nate Dow from the Fallout Shelter in Massachusetts said “Lead singer Kevin Harvey and his band are sonic shape shifters of the first order. Whether it’s blues, folk, soul, country, gospel, or New Orleans swing, they purvey it with skill, aplomb and pure honesty.”
Touring to date has taken them to the Ottawa Blues, Rochester Jazz, Montreal Folk, Deep Roots Nova Scotia Festivals, and Wintergrass Seattle, Port-Credit’s Southside Shuffle and the Pop-up ‘Superfolk’ in Morin Heights QC.
FEATURED SONGS:
Hand Me Down Blues
Monday Morning
The Great Divide
I've Been Living with the Blues
Evil in the Heart.
With a Little Help from My Friends
You can listen to the entire interview and music HERE
Website: durhamcountypoets.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DurhamCountyPoets
Twitter: twitter.com/DCPoets
Instagram: www.instagram.com/durhamcountypoets