Details of
Joyful Banner Blazing
by Maria Dunn


Producer: Shannon Johnson
Engineer: Recorded & Mixed by Terry Tran and Additional Recording by Scott Franchuk
Recorder At: The Audio Department (Edmonton, AB) and Riverdale Recorders (Edmonton, AB)
Mastered By: João Carvalho, Toronto, ON


About the Album

  • On her seventh recording, Joyful Banner Blazing, twice Juno-nominated songwriter Maria Dunn continues to celebrate stories of resilience and grace through finely crafted songs of family and community and the love that fires our actions to make the world a better place.
     
  • In substance, the 10 songs on Joyful Banner Blazing honour working people (Heart in Hand, Waltzing with the Angels), unsung heroes (Joyful Banner Blazing), universal connections in family life (Don’t Think You Are Forgotten, Ontario Song), childhood resilience (Secondhand Skates), gratitude (Love Carries Me, Declan’s Song) and humility (Beautiful Fools). And for the first time in her 22-year recording career, Maria offers a cover: her interpretation of Ron Hynes’ From Dublin With Love.
     
  • In style, each musical arrangement serves the story, from the exuberant Celtic opening (Joyful Banner Blazing) to the pedal steel enhanced country waltz (Waltzing With The Angels), from a banjo and horn-fuelled travelling groove (Ontario Song) to the closing a cappella singalong (Beautiful Fools), in anticipation of a willing and vociferous folk club audience.
     
  • Produced by Shannon Johnson (of Juno Award winning band The McDades), producer of Maria’s previous albums.
     
  • Musicians: Maria Dunn (vocal, accordion, guitar), Shannon Johnson (violin, harmony), Solon McDade (upright bass), Jeremiah McDade (whistles, saxophone, horn arrangements) with special guests: Audrey Ochoa (trombone), Joel Gray (trumpet), Curtis Appleton (banjo, harmony), Jeff Bradshaw (pedal steel), Andy Hillhouse (acoustic guitar), Byron Myhre (acoustic guitar), Campbell Wallace (highland bagpipes) with harmony vocals from Debbie Houle, Dana Wylie and Dawn Cross.
     
  • Accolades: 2017 Juno Awards nominee – Trad/Roots (Gathering); 2017 WCMA Nominee – Solo Roots (Gathering); 2016 Winner – Edmonton Music Prize (Gathering); 2013 & 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominee – Solo Artist (Piece by Piece; The Peddler); 2002 Juno Awards nominee – Roots/Trad Solo (For A Song)

Dunn’s musical accomplishments have left us with a richer appreciation of our culture. I can think of few other songwriters who embrace the work of searching out and researching real-life stories from often overlooked corners of the world, only to turn them into memorable songs.”
– Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal

…one of our most important and vital songwriters... – Roddy Campbell, Penguin Eggs Magazine



Special Thanks

My utmost gratitude to:

Producer Shannon Johnson, sound engineers Terry Tran and Scott Franchuk, Bryan and João at Carvalho Mastering, and all the superb singers and musicians involved in arranging and performing the songs.

My collaborators on the multimedia show Packingtown (Heart in Hand, Secondhand Skates):  Don Bouzek, Catherine C. Cole, Janice Melnychuk, and all the northeast Edmonton workers and community members interviewed, for their openness and willingness to share their stories

My family in Canada and around the world for their tremendous support – your love carries me, indeed!