Four score

Highlights of the annual, expanded Folk Festival

Now in its fourth year, the Folk Festival on the Canal has grown from a weekend-long shindig to include events on Thursday and Friday. Tonight, June 16, John Sebastian of the Lovin’ Spoonful (you know, “Do You Beleive in Magic,” “Summer in the City”) plays the Georges Vanier Cultural Centre. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. for a wine and cheese gala that launches the fest in fine Montreal fashion— if you’re looking for hayrides and line-dancing, sorry, wrong festival. On Friday, there’s a free event at the corner of St-Patrick and Charlevoix. Osmosaic, Hellbound Hepcats and Jimmyriggers will play as of 4 p.m., followed by a folk jam at 5:30 p.m. (contact organ­izers through montrealfolkfest.com to get involved) and sets by la chorale Edinburgh and Belzébuth.

But really, folks, the crown jewel here remains the outdoor afternoon sets on the Lachine Canal’s Terrasse St-Ambroise (at 5080 St-Ambroise if you’re driving/busing, or just past the Canada Malt­ing Factory if you’re biking). Under the rather large parasol of folk (let’s think positive about the weekend weather, people), 16 mostly-Canadian artists will sing, pick, hit and strum under the sun. Here are the Mirror’s picks, which, coincidentally, almost all fall on Sunday:

Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few

With a great voice, poetic lyrics and agile arrangements of piano, cello, accordion and percussion, these locals have crafted a vibrant blend of the traditional and the modern, with rhythms verging on jazz and funk, as heard on their sophomore album June in Siberia, recorded by Howard Bilerman.

Canailles

Get your knees ready to rock and roll with this local French-language ensemble, whose singers (a gruff-throated guy and a sassy, nasal gal) pour personality over a frothy fusion of bluegrass, ragtime, Cajun and zydeco stylings. You’ll want to load up on St-Ambroise for this one.

Cécile Doo-Kingué

Ace guitarist and mixer of potent blues, soul and Afro-folk elixirs, this NYC-born singer-songwriter has connected with an impressive cross-section of local talent since moving here, from Dibondoko to Dawn Tyler Watson to the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir. Her seductive voice and nimble fretwork will leave a deep impression.

Joe Grass

From “small-town New Bunny,” Grass has a background as a guitar prodigy, teenage road-show performer and mandolin-destroyer (as witnessed at a Barfly bluegrass jam). His two LPs showcase slick songwriting skills and plush arrangements of soft vocals, acoustic and pedal steel guitars, keys and shuffling percussion.

Tricot Machine

Originally from Trois Rivières, Catherine Leduc and Matthieu Beaumont united in 2005, quickly building up a repertoire of piano-strings-and-vocal ditties. While they’re easily the cutest-sound­ing act on Dare To Care’s roster, the duo’s predominant mood is melancholy. But judging from their latest LP, La Prochaine Étape, there’ll be a few knees-up tunes in their Saturday-night set. ■

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