Robert Moyes

Special to the Record

Every year, expectant fans log onto the Vancouver Island MusicFest website to see which performers have been booked for the latest musical extravaganza at the fairgrounds.

And while it鈥檚 certainly exciting to see superstar names such as Emmylou Harris and Rita Coolidge and Bruce Cockburn add marquee glamour, it鈥檚 often the artists we鈥檝e never heard of who, unexpectedly and joyfully, end up making the most indelible impression and the best memories.

This year will be no exception, as festival executive producer and artistic director Doug Cox has done great programming, booking everything from country-rockabilly guitar legends to masters of Estonian bluegrass (who knew?). Herewith, a brief guide to some of the hidden gems appearing at the festival.

Let鈥檚 start with DakhaBrakha, a self-styled 鈥渆thno chaos鈥� band from Kiev, Ukraine, whose jumping off point is Ukrainian folk music to which is added instruments from Indian, Arabic, African and Russian traditions, which are then combined with a trans-national vocal payload.

The resulting soundscapes 鈥� exotic vocal harmonies and jaunty-to-jagged rhythms driven by a unique mix of percussion, cello and bagpipes 鈥� is otherworldly and hypnotic.

鈥淭hese guys are one of the 鈥榖uzz bands鈥� of the world music scene,鈥� says Cox. 鈥淚鈥檝e put them on the mainstage because they鈥檙e destined to be a smash hit.鈥�

A distinctly different flavour of fusion is offered by Ellika, Solo &Rafael, a virtuosic trio composed of renowned Swedish violinist Ellika Frisell, Senegalese vocalist and kora master Solo Cissokho, and Afro-Cuban percussionist Rafael Sida from Mexico. Although some fusion bands come off as little more than a gimmick, this is an inspired trio whose music is a beautiful gift.

And now for something completely different 鈥� Federspiel, a seven-piece horn band from Austria that takes the oom-pah-pah tradition on a wild ride through the realms of classical, funk, and pop.

鈥淚鈥檝e been trying to get these guys for 10 years,鈥� notes Cox. 鈥淭hey are conservatory trained and their music is fresh, high energy and very interesting.鈥� And from neighbouring Genoa in northwestern Italy, comes Filippo Gambetta, a virtuoso of the button accordion who specializes in traditional folk-dance tunes. He is currently partnered with B.C.-raised Emilyn Stam, a gifted pianist and fiddler who shares a love of European social dance music styles.

A very different tradition is embodied by Jimmy 鈥淒uck鈥� Holmes, a Mississippi bluesman who is also the proprietor of one of the oldest juke joints in that state. The child of sharecroppers, Holmes sings and plays acoustic guitar in the manner of Skip James and Lightning Hopkins.

鈥淭his is Jimmy鈥檚 first Canadian festival appearance,鈥� Cox explains. 鈥淗e鈥檚 the real deal and I鈥檓 proud to be presenting him.鈥� And for a contrasting guitar star, check out Robert Randolph, who鈥檚 been called the Jimi Hendrix of the pedal steel. Ecstatic and wildly expressive, Randolph has taken the 鈥渟acred steel鈥� tradition popular in many Pentecostal churches and put it on big stages all over the world.

Sticking with guitar, don鈥檛 miss out on two of America鈥檚 finest six-stringers: Bill Kirchen and Redd Volkaert. Co-founder of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, Kirchen pioneered a remarkable fusion of honky tonk, country roots, and western swing (he鈥檚 responsible for the immortal guitar licks that rev up Hot Rod Lincoln). For the festival he鈥檚 paired with Volkaert, a monster stylist whose country-jazz-meets-rockabilly sound is pure heaven beaming out of his signature Telecaster.

For vocalists, be sure to give a listen to Daoiri Farrell, a young, deeply authentic Irish traditionalist with a tenor haunting enough to have the leprechauns leaping in the glen.

And by way of contrast there鈥檚 Switzerland鈥檚 charming and endlessly entertaining Martin O, a vocal virtuoso and storyteller who鈥檚 like Bobby McFerrin and Robin Williams in the same body. And finally, tickle your ears with Curly Strings, an incredibly talented bluegrass band from Estonia. At once familiar and exotic, this quartet is, according to Cox, 鈥渁s if Alison Krauss had incorporated some exotic Eastern European tonalities 鈥� interesting, unique, and very lovely.鈥�

In other words, enjoy!

鈥揜obert Moyes is a Victoria-based arts journalist with a particular interest in music