Ontario guitarist Jake Charron and seventh-generation Prince Edward Island musicians Tim (fiddle) and Koady Chaisson (banjo) of The East Pointers have a knack for making traditional music seem ridiculously hip.
How did you come to be playing world-class celtic music out of Prince Edward Island?
We all grew up playing traditional music with our family… Koady and I (Tim) are first cousins and come from seven generations of fiddlers. It’s definitely in our blood!
What is this so-called new wave in traditional music? Can it really be hip?
Hmm… well this style of music has been around for a really, really long time. Every region of the world has its own unique take on it, which I love. Today we see more and more bands taking trad music to a new level, whether it’s incorporating new instruments or drawing influence from contemporary styles… From the get-go, we wanted to write new tunes and songs and put our unique stamp on it. Having young people come to our show is cool – it’s neat to expose them to a style of music they may not necessarily get to hear that often. We seem to have from small children all the way up to 90-year-olds on the dancefloor – that’s what’s hip for us.
Tell me a little about the songwriting process for The East Pointers.
We usually bring ideas to the table individually and work on them as a band, but sometimes we’ll just be jamming at soundcheck or when we’re warming up and something cool comes out of it. Always different, which is great!
Where do you get your narratives?
A lot of it comes from our experiences on the road, relationships, old folk tales, or an idea from a conversation with someone before a show. Really, anywhere! It’s good to always be open to song ideas; they can strike at any time.
How do you take all that energy of a live performance and replicate that in a studio setting? How did you record Secret Victory?
It’s tough to do! We recorded the whole album live off the floor to capture the live feeling as much as possible. Maybe next time we’ll get a room full of Aussies dancing and we’ll really capture the spirit.
What do you love most about playing live?
The energy from the crowd. When there are people dancing, smiling and singing along, it’s a magical thing.
Weirdest live gig experience to date?
Hmm… there have been a few odd ones. Once we were playing a small theatre in England and an older gentleman started yelling at us from the front row during the first number. He thought the bass was too loud. We had to stop mid number and chat through it… Everyone in the crowd told us to keep the volume the same but he kept telling us to turn it down. What do ya do? Oh dear.
What should we expect for your Mullumbimby show?
Tunes, songs, dancing. Good times!
The East Pointers – with special guest Tullara – Thursday at Club Mullum at the Ex-Services at 8pm.
With special guest Tullara. All tix and info: www.redsquaremusic.com.au.
