McDades roots music at ECA

If you’re ready to move on from the season’s traditional holiday performing arts, the Edmonds Center for the Arts might have what you’re looking for Dec. 28, when it welcomes 2007 Juno Award winners The McDades for an evening of Celtic and jazz infused music.

Performing in both English and French, the Canadian group’s Celtic-rooted music melds jazz improvisation with global rhythms. Their second album, “Bloom,” received the 2007 Juno Award (Canada’s Grammys) in the root/traditional-group category.

At the heart of the group are siblings Shannon Johnson, Solon McDade and Jeremiah McDade, who grew up playing Canadian folk music alongside their parents and among artists from around the world, a unique upbringing that led to a love and respect for all music. Shannon’s lyrical fiddle, Jeremiah’s winds and Solon’s bass create the foundation for this adventurous band, rounded out by guitar and hand drumming.

Lead vocalist and fiddler Shannon Johnson began studying violin at the age of three and began performing professionally at the age of eight. She has won classical violin and fiddling awards at national and international levels. Johnson has become one of Western Canada’s most in-demand record producers, focusing on acoustic and global music styles.

Solon McDade’s bass playing and arranging and composing talents provide the foundation on which the McDades’ sound is built. Influenced by his jazz degree (with distinction) from McGill University and a lifetime of musical experience, his arranging style melds jazz improvisation, blues riffs, classical technique, and his own melodic sensibility.

Jeremiah McDade, Shannon &Solon’s younger brother, is equally at home on whistles, saxophones, fiddle and flute.

First performing professionally with his family at age five, Jeremiah graduated with high distinction from the Jazz Performance program at McGill University. His compositional style combines traditional world music with jazz while

focusing on the energy and spontaneity of improvisation.

The siblings are joined by Andy Hillhouse, a multi-faceted guitarist whose influences range from mariachi to funk to choral music, Hillhouse’s musical experience includes an MA in ethnomusicology, touring Mexico playing Mariachi music, singing with Juno-nominated musica intima, and founding Canadian celtic-funk band Mad Pudding. As a teacher he has directed the youth and concert choirs at the Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach and taught numerous Celtic guitar workshops.

Montreal musician François Taillefer is a handdrumming nomad who has traveled the world studying ethnic rhythms on percussion. He has studied Spanish, Italian, Iranian, Indian, Arabic, Haitian, Brazilian, Inuit &North African drumming. He can be heard on a number of recordings that range in style from medieval ensembles to franco-algerian pop.