Hills are alive with sounds of music
Sheep Festival?s entertainment and saloon music flows throughout the weekend
The Boise Highlanders clad in the Davidson tartan complement their dynamic piping sound with the Highland drums Saturday in Hailey and Sunday in Ketchum. Photo by Willy Cook
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This weekend invites an array of musical talent highlighting the 8th Annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival. Throughout the festivities in Ketchum and Hailey, Scottish, Basque and Peruvian performers compliment nightlife musicians for a vibrant weekend.
Hal Cannon and Leonard Coulson arrive to the festival with a flair for western folk music. The two have played together for 35 years, with much of their careers spent with the Deseret String Band. Cannon is the founding director of the Western Folklife Center and the Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nev. Leonard is renowned for building banjos and owns Intermountain Guitar and Banjo. The duo plays on Friday, Oct 8 at 8 p.m. as part of the ?Sheep Readings and Music? at the nexStage Theatre in Ketchum.
During the Sheep Folklife Fair on Saturday, Oct. 9 at the Main Stage in Hailey?s Roberta McKercher Park, a collection of musicians gather to play throughout the day.
Local favorites, the Boulder Brothers perform Celtic, folk and country music from 10:40 to 11 a.m., 1:20 to 1:40 p.m., 3:35 to 3:45 p.m. and again at 3:50 through the close of the festival. The band has played in the Wood River Valley for close to 30 years.
Latino X performs Andean music and the contemporary dance music of Peru. The Peruvian musicians play the lively flute infused music native to the Andean highlands from 11:05 to 11:25 a.m. and also appear from 1:45 to 2:05 p.m. The band also plays in the Trailing of the Sheep Parade in Ketchum on Sunday.
Gaupasa musicians perform folk music of the Basque people from 11:30 to 11:50 a.m. and again from 2:30 to 2:45 p.m. The group plays a variety of Basque instruments, including the txistu, which is a type of flute that has become symbolic of the Basque people. Formed in 1996, the group has since performed the music native to the people northern Spain at regional and national gatherings, including the National Folk Festival.
The Boise Highlanders clad in the Davidson tartan complement their dynamic piping sound with the Highland drums The group was formed in 1961 and is one of the oldest pipe bands in the Northwest. Dancers join the musicians.
Chicago?s Polish Highlanders of North America share the folk music and dance of the shepherds from the Tatra Mountains of southern Poland, playing 12:50 to 1:15 p.m., returning from 3:10 to 3:35 p.m. and playing in the parade on Sunday. The group uses tradition sounds once used to communicate from mountain top pastures to valleys. Dancers accompany the music.
The music continues into the night throughout the valley.
Rising Lion delivers American and Jamaican influenced reggae from Whiskey Jacques? in Ketchum on Friday, Oct. 8. Then, on Saturday night, Oct. 9 Carlos Washington & The Amazing Giant People Ensemble return to Whiskey?s with trumpet driven fusion of hip-hop, soul, funk and jazz. Both bands go on at 10 p.m.
The Roosevelt Tavern, also on Ketchum?s Main Street, features Alan Pennay on jazz piano, playing with Jeff Rew and Friends at 9 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday night DJ Muse Inc. spins the latest beats beginning at 10 p.m.
The Sun Valley Resort brings the Joe Fos Trio to the Duchin Room on Saturday at 9 p.m. On Sunday, the Joe Macarillo Trio plays at 8 p.m.
Further south, Will Bell plays acoustic country blues at DiVine Wine Bar in Hailey from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday.
And at the Silver Dollar Saloon in Bellevue the Bob Nora Band takes the stage on Friday evening. Karaoke is featured on Saturday night.
