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The Edmonton Journal (Edmonton, AB) - March 7, 2008
Dust Poets plying their roots music on both sides of the border
The long and winding road travelled by The Dust Poets is becoming more interesting as the Manitoba-based quintet steers its way through its seventh year of touring and recording together. Led by singer-songwriter Murray D. Evans, the Poets have not done things in a conventional manner, but are being noticed by the roots music community around North America. They combine elements of swing, bluegrass, jugband and eastern European sounds with, from time to time, pure pop melodies and a liberal dose of humour.
Although the group is in the midst of two back-to-back western Canadian swings, this one landing at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Saturday night, the Poets have also been beating the bushes south of the border of late. Evans, Karla Ferguson, Sean McManus, Gord Mowat and Corey Ticknor delivered the goods at recent shows in Memphis and Nashville, where they played a headline gig at Vanderbilt University as "part of a global music series." "We've also focused on playing presenter gigs and showcases and that has landed us a residency in Louisiana in the spring of 2009. We'll be playing everything from churches to concert venues to workshops for a group ofart councils who like what we are doing. The buzz is good," says Evans, who with his bandmates really hit the mark in the studio two years ago for the sessions that led to the Lovesick Town recording.
As a writer, Evans considers Dylan, Neil Young, Elvis Costello and Tom Waits among his influences. Putting faces to characters in songs like Married A Magician and Hillbilly Love is an easy exercise. Then there are those that lurk in the shadows or blend into the images that dot Lovesick Town and Lonesome. "Travelling has provided inspiration for writing new songs. You meet so many weird and wonderful people, America is full of characters," says Evans, who also feeds some of his material to the accordion-playing Karla Ferguson. "It broadens the spectrum having a female voice and it works so much better on a song like Married A Magician. Karla also tends to go for the ballads," added the tunesmith, who will explore two sets worth of material in the Horizon Stage concert. Tickets, at the Horizon Stage box office or through Ticketmaster, are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Showtime Saturday night in Spruce Grove is 7:30.