MORRISBURG – They are considered “royalty” among Canada’s musicians. Winners of multiple Junos, subject of an Academy Award winning documentary and PBS specials, Leahy has been making musical history since 1980. With such platinum albums as The Call to Dance, Good Water, Leahy and In All Things, Leahy has headlined at festivals and show cases throughout the country, and opened for such artists as Shania Twain. And now these multi-talented musicians are coming to Upper Canada Playhouse on Saturday, October 5, 7 p.m., to launch the 2024-25 season of the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage.
Instrumentalists, vocalists, composers and dancers, the family based musical group has evolved as their family has evolved, with new gifted members joining the ensemble over the years. Denise (Leahy) Flack, a talented lead singer with Leahy, and Xavier Leahy, guitarist, fiddler and accordionist, whose composition ‘joie de vivre’ will be released on the new Leahy album coming out in late October, responded to questions about their upcoming concert.
“We call our music Canadian Celtic roots,” Denise explained. “Ours is really a blend of different styles, built around traditional Celtic cultures,” Xavier added, “but easily put into the World music genre, with many different western styles that blend into it.”
I asked them about themes that interest the family, and how a new piece is “born.” “I write based on emotion,” Xavier explained, “with ideas coming from the outdoors, landscapes, and urban settings versus rural settings. Putting the final piece together is collaborative in the arrangements and revisions.” “Rhythm plays a big role when we are writing,” Denise said. “I think this comes partly from our dancing tradition. In reality, there really is no formula for composing. Melody usually leads, but it could also be a lyrical idea. However a composition must feel good, feel right, and the music has to move you in some way.”
Leahy is on the road for months at a time. But the performers still look forward to making that special connection with their audiences. “The passion is there,” Xavier said, “and new material keeps everything fresh for us. I think we really have fun with our shows, not trying to somehow be too perfect, but just having fun.” As Denise puts it, “There is just nothing like that connection of the performer to the audience. It takes both of us to make a concert. I think an audience really changes the performer for the better. It’s a necessary relationship. And our music has always been social: it is meant to be shared.”
Leahy is looking forward to the concert at Upper Canada Playhouse this weekend. Their music will be exciting and stirring. “New roots growing, new roads, but still the same foundation,” Denise said. “We actually have a new album coming out on October 25, recorded at a live session in Kingston (so some of those pieces may be part of the SLAS show), and the music, energy and vibes were very good. We’ll have extra family members with us, some new music and some new songs. And step-dancing. I think it’s going to be a very lively evening.”
Don’t miss the opportunity to see truly great entertainers right here in Morrisburg, when Leahy comes to town. Contact the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage for tickets to this one of a kind, October 5 concert.
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