First and foremost a dancer, Evie Ladin’s early years were steeped in the folk music and dance traditions as they were coming into being. Thanks to her family exposure, Evie grew up not knowing much else and used her late teen and college years to study, travel to Africa, and deeply research the influence of the African Diaspora on Appalachain and folk music. Now, she’s a singer, songwriter, banjo player and square-dance caller as well as a percussive-dancer and choreographer. Her academic background includes study of the traditional American cultural arts and intercultural music and dance performance and education.
Evie also the artistic and life partner with Keith Terry, a body music master, percussive artist and founder of the non-profit, Crosspulse. Evie talks in this interview about how Americans have culturally moved away from music and dance, and non-verbal communication. She shares candidly about the challenges and brave paths she forged in her art and creative pursuits to date, as well during the years she spent touring as a musician while also parenting her son.
Evie Ladin Band: a non-traditional folk trio?
Be sure you haven’t missed:
The joint episode with Evie and Keith about Evie Ladin Band
and
The solo episode with Keith talking about his life’s work reviving body music and bringing it to the world–quite literally.
Click the image to listen on YouTube:
To listen to this episode as a podcast, search for Agile Vocalist anywhere you get your podcasts.
About Evie Ladin
Banjo player, singer, songwriter, percussive-dancer, choreographer and square-dance caller, Evie has always been surrounded by music. Though entrenched in the traditional cultural arts of Appalachia, her home was in New York City, Baltimore, now Oakland – in cities, not mountains.
Evie’s performances, recordings and teaching reconnect Appalachian music and dance with other African-Diaspora traditions, and have been heard from A Prairie Home Companion to Lincoln Center, from Hardly Strictly Bluegrass to Celtic Connections. Evie tours internationally with Keith Terry and her Evie Ladin Band and she has produced numerous albums and instructional DVDs.
Prairie Home Companion, Stairwell Sisters Episode in SF Opera House:
