A large part of my life is dedicated to playing music and especially traditional Irish dance music on the wooden flute and guitar. I play and record in British Columbia and frequently I appear on Bowen Island, at a variety of venues, festivals, coffee houses and events. I also sing both in traditional modes and with choirs.
- View my discography with sound samples and video links.
- Learn more about the songs and tunes I have made over the years.
I have appeared on a number of recordings of traditional and contemporary music, written the soundtrack for a play and had my music used in videos.
Over the years, my music has been broadcast on CiTR (Vancouver), Co-op Radio (Vancouver), Trent Radio (Peterborough, Ontario) and the CBC, and has been reviewed in fRoots and the Georgia Straight.
Although more of a traditional folk musician, and therefore not focused on performance, I have nevertheless appeared on stage at the Rogue Folk Club, The Gulf Islands Celtic Music Festival, Endangered Species, Steveston Salmon Festival, the Princeton Traditional Music Festival, BowFest, Northwest Folklife in Seattle, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival and the Princeton Traditional Music Festival among other musical gatherings and venues. On and off I have been active in music scenes in Peterborough, Ontairo and Vancouver BC, and currently I perform and play as often as I can on my home island of Bowen Island, BC.
I have had the pleasure of performing and recording with many interesting and talented musicians over the years. On the Irish and traditional music side this includes Randy Vic, Jocelyn Petit, Dave Marshall, Amy Stephen, Andy Hillhouse, Mark Roberts, Steph Custer, Norah Rendell, Neil Hammond, Keona Hammond, John Bartlett, Rika Ruebsaat, Tim Merry, Moritz Behm, Nora Rendell, Dan Compton, and Paul Hawtin. I have also played with others from the jazz, folk, rock, classical and world music realms, including Luke Concannon, Julie Vik, Chris Coon, Fran McKendry, John Bottomley, Shawn Pollinger, Jude Neale, Alison Nixon, Pauline LeBel, Buff Allen, Shasta Martinuk and Brian Hoover.
For the last twenty years I have also sung in choirs and chorales, mostly singing Renaissance sacred music and madrigals and some contemporary works as well. I currently sing with Carmina Bowena, a small a cappella choir based on Bowen Island that performs this repertoire.
Instruments
Flutes and whistles
I play a six key Hammy Hamilton flute made of African Blackwood and a Casey Burns keyless grenadilla flute. I play a bunch of cheap but useful Susato, Generation and Walton whistles.
Guitars
I have two acoustic guitars. My pride and joy is a Larrivee D-03 (88823) made and purchased in Vancouver BC in 2006. My old friend is a Yamaha FG-410, which I have had since 1982. It’s nothing special, but I worked on it a little in 1986 to lower the action and it has been a good friend for most of my life.
I have an Korean built Epiphone Joe Pass Signature Emperor II hollow body guitar (S9203224), which I bought in 2021 and upon which I am learning to play jazz.
Didgeridoo
My didgeridoo was made by termites in Northern Australia and purchased in Perth, Western Australia.
Djembe
I have a djembe made by Yendor from Cortes Island BC. It was passed to me by my late father in law Peter Frost.
Voice
Courtesy of my parents, who provided the raw material for the vocal cords and refined in my youth by singing along with Freddy Mercury for years. They must not have felt like that was adequate payback, but it made me a true tenor.