Newfoundland folk on the Brighton stage with Rum Ragged

Spokeswoman Jill Lerner said: “With a reverence for their roots and a creative, contemporary edge, this young band has quickly become known as the finest performers of their great, living, musical tradition. Boasting bouzouki, fiddle, bodhran, banjo, guitar, and button accordion, these new champions of East Coast music enliven and enlighten audiences with their signature brand of Newfoundland Folk.

“Come join Rum Ragged as they celebrate their newest recording Gone Jiggin’. From never before recorded traditional Newfoundland folk songs and tunes to fresh new sounds, the JUNO-nominated and multi-award-winning group have once again outdone themselves on this, their fifth full-length studio album. From joyous upbeat sing-alongs to stories that reach back into the history of their home province, this new album packages all facets of their sound.

“On Gone Jiggin’, Rum Ragged lean proud and hard into their Newfoundland roots. The quartet, led by Mark Manning and Aaron Collis, offers a dozen songs that criss-cross the island they call home, interpreted and arranged as a robust celebration of heritage.

“Recorded in downtown St John’s, produced by Billy Sutton at The Sound Solution and Pipetrack Productions, Rum Ragged packs proficient and melodic bouzouki, fiddle, bodhran, banjo, guitar, and button accordion into largely upbeat, high-octane songs with the occasional slow-down into a gentle lilting ballad.

“From the first harmony-laden chorus of The Road to Lushes Bight (Island Stock), it becomes evident that Rum Ragged’s signature brand of traditional Newfoundland folk has only become more solid and refined on their latest offering. This stomping anthem about workers from the East Coast becoming disillusioned with urban life sits comfortably alongside the darker, driving Paddy Hyde, a never-before-recorded traditional song which relays an unfortunate fisherman’s ordeal.

“As you continue to listen through Gone Jiggin’, the sing-alongs sit alongside the story songs, perfectly balanced. Age-old ballads like The Dewy Dells of Yarrow and The Green Shores of Fogo are paired perfectly with close-to-the-floor reels played with surgical precision on accordion, fiddle, and banjo. A tip of the hat is extended to some late, great Newfoundland icons such as accordionist Minnie White and fiddler Emile Benoit whose compositions can be heard in the tune set The Viking Jig/West Bay Centre. On this album, the small-town characters get their cameos from the comically hard-done-by Riley to the sharp-dressing Thomas Trim, a jaunty tune learned from a local legend of traditional unaccompanied singing.”