Finest Kind

BIG, FAT, GLORIOUS SOUND. Gorgeous vocal harmony arrangements of traditional songs, sprinkled with classics by the likes of Hank Williams, Utah Phillips, Rudyard Kipling, George Jones or Bob Dylan. Perhaps an original song or two. It all sounds a bit unlikely unless you've been to a Finest Kind concert, in which case you understand. This remarkable trio from Ottawa, Canada came together in 1991, and since then has forged an international reputation for innovative but traditionally-rooted harmony applied to a broad repertoire of great songs, all served up with informed and entertaining good humour. The singing is powerful, the harmonies rich and full of surprises, and audience goosebumps are an inevitable part of the Finest Kind experience. The trio will be touring the UK in 2011 promoting their fifth CD, “For Honour and for Gain”.

“Three of the finest voices in Canada singing about our past and filling the dark and still air with soaring, glorious harmonies”
Canadian songwriter David Francey, at the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, 2002.

“lan Robb, Ann Downey and Shelley Posen together make one of the most captivating acts on the scene” ...”The qualities of the individual and combined voices were a wonder to behold”

David Kidman, The Living Tradition: live reviews, at the Derby Traditional Music and Arts Festival, 2006 and 2008

“Finest Kind give me the feeling that they would sing with as much zest in my kitchen as they might on some lofty concert stage”
Roy Harris, The Living Tradition

“You'll be thrilled by the vitality of their voices, humbled by the scope of their repertoire, and moved by the experience of witnessing three good friends sharing the joy of wonderful songs"
Matt Watroba, Sing Out!

“I loves dem wrong notes”
Jean Hewson, St John's Newfoundland (We like to believe Ms. Hewson was referring to Finest Kind's occasional use of dissonance)

Ian Robb is a singer, concertina player, “writer of old songs” and outspoken champion of traditional music. Born and raised in London, England, he cut his musical teeth in English folk clubs in the late 1960s before emigrating to Canada in 1970. He was voted “Best traditional singer” in the inaugural Canadian Folk Music Awards, and is known as one of North America's leading interpreters of English folk song.

Ann Downey hails from the southwestern U.S., plays guitar, banjo, and bass, and has performed in bands playing old-time and cowboy music, bluegrass, klezmer, jazz, and swing in North America and Europe. Finest Kind's remarkable vocal sound owes a great deal to Ann's subtle voice in the blend and her knowledge of a broad range of musical styles.

Shelley Posen, a professional folklorist and native of Toronto, is a versatile singer and multi instrumentalist who has spent a lifetime researching, teaching, writing about, performing, and sometimes composing songs. He also happens to be blessed with one of the richest bass voices in folk music and the ability to weave wonderfully fluid bass lines under the Finest Kind sound. As a fellow musician once said, “You don't just sing ones and fives, do ya?”