Nathan Smith joins ‘Happy Days are Here Again’ concert with Leisa Way

By Constance Scrafield

Violinist/fiddler, Nathan Smith has recently returned from a tour of Europe with his band, Vinta.

Nathan Smith's recent story caught our attention as he is playing in the upcoming concert at Theatre Orangeville, “Happy Days are Here Again,” with Leisa Way and her Friends. This is next week, June 27 to June 29, along with Fred Smith, Doug Balfour and Bob Hewus. 

“Europe was really great,” Mr. Smith enthused. “We were there for the entire month of May. We were a couple of weeks in southern central France in Auvergne and Limousin. We've studied the traditional musical style of fiddle and accordion, playing in those regions and it has made its way into our [own] music and compositions.”

Vinta is a band playing the traditional music for Balfolk, which is European folk dancing in France, Germany and the Netherlands. This is folk music with an ancient history from those countries and it was there that the Vinta band travelled. 

“Balfolk is a collection of French dances all over Europe that started in Toronto,” said Nathan Smith. “One of the Vinta members, Emilyn Stam, spent time playing that music. 

“We add a bit of a Canadian accent. It is quite different when you get into it. Traditional music is keeping a good groove for dancers. In France, Belgium and Germany, we were playing for people who have studied this music for decades and we got the approval of our own composition, which meant a lot to us.”

Mr. Smith is also involved in Blues Grass, playing with the Barrel Boys, about which he notes, “It's funny to think of it even as a folk style. Appalachian music from the U.S., South, Blues are showy in a way folk styles are not but, definitely, there's a whole culture around Blue Grass that has been very accepting of me.”

Playing with Leisa Way for nine years as part of her Wayward Wind Band, has taught him new skills as a performer. The concerts she produces are a different kind of music for him. He has learned how to sing, he told the Citizen, stage presence and the excitement of exchanging energy with an audience.

His lessons, “We do the same thing every night and I'm mostly thinking across the audience and how can I further engage with the audience. The same thing every night might seem boring but, for me, I'm always thinking about the audience.”

No two performances are the same in live concerts.

Leisa Way is organized, a good communicator and a generous employer and great team mate, was his praise for her, telling us, “This concert is a bit of a new one for me. It's cool to be putting this on now because the idea is like a loose collection of American songs put together after the war and it's interesting to do it after coming out of the pandemic. We've suffered somewhat as a society and I think about what's important to us is important again.” 

Of the program for the Happy Days are Here Again concert, he remarked the songs are not only the old ones but “from now” featuring Canadians like Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot. This concert is a North American song book, “a border song book concept and a wider variety of music,” he defined it. “I play in it on the fiddle, gives a unique sound.”

Lyrically, he commented, “Even listening to something like doves. In Europe, their call was different; the same sounds but in the wrong order. The sound of a dove makes me think of my grandparents' farm. I'm carried back to that sound and then [I heard] it mixed up with a little bit of another accent.”

For him, one of the greatest things about being in Europe was playing for a dance community; they have spent a lot of time dancing. Vinta went to a festival in Belgium to play for a couple of hundred people who all knew what the dancing was about.

“It felt as though we had arrived.”

He told us while they were in Europe, “We stayed in people's houses; we lived in French - a bit of a struggle – then it was easy. Then, we were in Germany but none of us speak German.”

This summer, Mr. Smith is playing a lot of Blue Grass, going back and forth in different styles, putting on a different hat.

He loves playing here in Orangeville, saying that the theatre is so great and the folk are welcoming.

“I can't help getting caught up in that energy,” was his comment.

All the time, he is learning more music, expanding musical consciousness and opportunity. He has built his career on learning new things and being flexible.

He said, “The deeper you get into these things, the more comfortable you are. Playing Blue Grass has taught me a lot, singing vocal harmonies in an almost codified way is very rewarding. Getting into the rhythm section, writing songs.

“The Barrel Boys are singing a way that's very special.”

He is travelling “lots” with them this summer.

But first – Happy Days are Here Again is playing at Theatre Orangeville, June 27 to 29. Tickets are www.theatreorangeville.ca or call them at 519-942-3423.