The East Pointers are a Canadian contemporary folk music group from Prince Edward Island,[1] who won the Juno Award for Traditional Roots Album of the Year for their album Secret Victory at the Juno Awards of 2017.[2] The group originally consisted of guitarist Jake Charron, banjoist Koady Chaisson (d. 2022), and fiddler Tim Chaisson.[1] They perform Celtic-influenced original songs and instrumentals with contemporary influences.[3]
The East Pointers | |
|---|---|
 The East Pointers performing at WOMADelaide, Australia, March 2017 (Left: Tim Chaisson, Middle: Koady Chaisson, Right: Jake Charron) | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Prince Edward Island, Canada |
| Genres | Indie folk |
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Labels | Nettwerk |
| Members | Tim Chaisson Jake Charron |
| Past members | Koady Chaisson |
History
editThe three musicians formed The East Pointers in 2014. They began performing in Atlantic Canada, and they toured Ontario after gaining popularity in Canada's eastern provinces.[4] They released their debut album, Secret Victory, in late 2015, and promoted it through concert performances in Canada, the United States and Australia.[5] They won the Canadian Folk Music Award for Ensemble of the Year at the 12th Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2016,[1] and were nominated for Instrumental Group of the Year. In 2017, they performed in the United Kingdom.[6] The band was nominated again for a Canadian Folk Music Award as Ensemble of the Year in 2018.[7]
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the band coordinated livestreamed weekly "#Annedemic" readings of Anne of Green Gables, with guest readers reading one chapter of the novel each week. Koady Chaisson read the first chapter; guest readers over the rest of the series included Anthony Field, Catherine MacLellan, Jenn Grant, Daniel Ledwell, Patrick Ledwell, Irish Mythen, Laura Cortese, Miranda Mulholland, Colin MacDonald of The Trews, Graham Wardle, Jonathan Torrens, and Megan Follows.[8]
In 2021, the band's song Wintergreen was used as the theme song to the Acorn TV show Under the Vines.[9]
Koady Chaisson passed away in January 2022.
Members
editFormer Members
edit- Koady Chaisson (banjo, tenor guitar, synthesizer) (died January 6, 2022)[10]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit- Secret Victory (2015)
- What We Leave Behind (2017)
- Yours to Break (2019)
- House of Dreams (2022)
Singles
edit- "Wintergreen" (2019)
- "Stronger Than You Know" (2022)
- "I Saw Your Ghost" (2022)
- "Goolaholla" (2023)
- "Best Surprise" (2023)
- "We Will Meet Again" (2023)
References
edit- ^ a b c "P.E.I.'s The East Pointers 'pumped' about Canadian Folk Music award". CBC News Prince Edward Island, December 5, 2016
- ^ "P.E.I.'s The East Pointers celebrate winning a Juno Award". The Guardian, April 2, 2017
- ^ "The East Pointers: Secret Victory review – smart, stomping maritime folk". The Guardian, Robin Denselow, 17 December 2015
- ^ "Pointing the way to music success and the Esplanade". Medicine Hat News, By Chris Brown on October 4, 2018
- ^ "Canadian boys are back in town". Wauchope Gazette, March 12, 2017
- ^ "Live Review: The East Pointers – Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall, Uffington". Folk Radio, by Martha Buckley 6 November 2017
- ^ "Gunning & Cormier, Papillon up for Canadian Folk Music Awards". Chronicle Herald, Stephen Cooke, September 20, 2018
- ^ Alison Jenkins, "P.E.I. band continues #Annedemic with Anne of the Island beginning soon". Journal Pioneer, June 16, 2020.
- ^ Bruce Head, "Award-winning pop-folk band The East Pointers to kick off Peterborough Folk Festival". [www.kawarthanow.com/2023/07/07/award-winning-pop-folk-band-the-east-pointers-to-kick-off-peterborough-folk-festival], July 7, 2023.
- ^ Dave Stewart, "Koady Chaisson, member of P.E.I. band the East Pointers, dies suddenly on Jan. 6". Saltwire, January 7, 2022.
External links
edit- The East Pointers discography at Discogs