The Duhks - Biography
By J Poet
The Duhks are an eclectic acoustic band from Winnipeg, Canada that play a blend of French/Canadian folk, gospel, American folk, old time music, soul, bluegrass, zydeco, Afro-Cuban jazz, and Irish jigs. Their leader Leonard Podolak is a long time claw hammer banjo player and lover of folk music. His father, Mitch, founded the Winnipeg Folk Festival in 1974. Podolak first made a name for himself as leader of Scruj MacDuhk, a Celtic/folk band. They made several albums that were nominated for a Best Folk Album Juno, the Canadian Grammy, including The Road to Canso (1999 Scruj.) When the band broke up, he contacted Jessica Havey with an idea of playing music from a wider range of traditions. She agreed and The Duhks took shape.
Primarily a touring act, The Duhks tirelessly criss-cross North America playing their high energy hybrid in venues great and small, and folk festivals far and wide. Your Daughters and Your Sons (2003 Duhks, 2003 Sugar Hill), came out on their own label in Canada and got picked up by Sugar hill in the US. It concentrates on Celtic reels and American folk music, with a few originals on the side and showcases the band’s smoking chops.
Bela Fleck produced their second outing, The Duhks (2005 Sugar Hill), which showed the band adding a bit of the old Latin Tinge to the arrangements while staying true to their folk roots. The record won a Best Folk Album Juno. Migrations (2006 Sugar Hill) was a bit jazzier and more polished, with a progressive newgrass meets folk approach. The track "Heaven's My Home" was nominated for a Best Country Vocal Performance Grammy.
Jessica Havey left the band shortly after Migrations to start the Wailing Jennys and Sarah Dugas replaced her. Her songwriting skills led the band in a somewhat new direction, slightly more polished and pop oriented. When the band’s percussionist left, her brother Christian joined on drums adding to their folk/rock tendencies. Fast Paced World (2008 Sugar Hill) adds gypsy jazz, chanson, and samba to the music, and some low key political commentary to the lyrics. Dugas contributed five of the album’s best songs.
The Duhks are fervent environmentalists and tour in a biodiesel bus, wearing eco-conscious clothing, using biodegradable shampoos, soaps and cosmetics and offsetting any remaining CO2 emissions with carbon credits.
