Grit Laskin has called Jean Hewson and Christina Smith one of the most accomplished and most inventive musical partnerships to emerge from Canada’s traditional folk scene. Since 1985, Jean and Christina, both native Newfoundlanders, have dedicated themselves to the preservation and performance of Newfoundland music. Their long-standing friendships with the older generation of singers and musicians such as the late fiddlers Emile Benoit and Rufus Guinchard, and singers Gordon Willis and Tess Murphy, have given them a repertoire of unique songs and tunes.
Christina is one of the best of the "new generation" of Newfoundland fiddlers. She is master of the traditional repertoire, which includes Irish, Scots, and French Canadian tunes. Her fiddling has the rhythmic punch of someone raised in the dance tradition, and she adds additional layers to the songs with her use of cello and viola de gamba.
Jean is a superb guitar player, whether holding down a dance beat on a traditional jig, or spinning an elegant accompaniment for an old ballad. An added bonus: she is a great singer as well!
The two have played together for over thirteen years, performing at various festivals in Canada and the US, such as the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival (where I had the great pleasure of seeing them perform) and the Champlain Valley Festival. Their recent album, "Like Ducks", on the Canadian folk music label Borealis, is reviewed very favorably in the latest issue of Sing Out!
Jean and Christina believe very strongly in preserving the idiosyncratic fiddle style of Newfoundland and in making the traditional music of that rocky island accessible to folk music lovers everywhere. As a folk music lover, you'll certainly want to catch their first appearance for the Folk Song Society! It's bound to be a delightful evening.
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