Acclaimed guitar slinger returns for two Cowichan concerts

Juno nominated bluesman Joel Fafard returns to Cowichan for two shows this weekend.

The guitar-slinger and singer plays a Cowichan Folk Guild culinary dinner and chapel concert Friday at Providence Farm, then heads to Peter Sussman’s place in Mill Bay for Saturday’s house concert.

Fafard last performed in the valley during July’s Islands Folk Festival at Providence.

Since then he bagged nods for Instrumental Album of the Year at the Junos, the Canadian Folk Music Awards and the Western Canadian Music Awards (which he won) for his sophomore instrumental CD and another thing.

Fafard has now released his third instrumental disc Three Hens Escape Oblivion roosting among his six CDs to date.

He employs slide finger-style fretwork during stirring, melodic compositions that paint vivid pictures.

Fafard often introduces his tunes on-stage with a hilarious commentary delivered in a hillbilly farm-boy persona.

Fafard’s platter Rocking Horse also earned a nod from the Western Canadian Music Awards 2004 for outstanding instrumental recording of the year.

The Pense, Saskatchewan native punctuates his music with tongue-in-cheek stories about life as a small town, but his organic melodies tell the truest tales, his website says.

The Sunshine Coaster has landed impressive reviews include one from the Winnipeg Free Press.

Farad has “the sort of instrumental prowess you’d expect from a fingerstyle deity. His style isn’t overly busy, but there are moments of genius.”

“What a great CD!!! (Rocking Horse) I’m the kind of person who listens to Don Ross, the Henrys, Bela Fleck, Zubot & Dawson, etc., etc. So you can imagine my joy when I put on this CD and heard such rich music,” said Don Marcotte of Edmonton A-Channel’s Big Breakfast Show.

Your ticket:

What: Joel Fafard

When: Nov. 6 and 7

Where: Providence Farm Chapel, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m.; Sussman’s home, Nov. 7, 7 p.m.

Tickets: Folk guild show $15, $10 members. Call 250-748-3975 for show and dinner details. Sussman show tickets are a suggested $15. Call 250-701-5464.

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