May 25, 1963 – The RAFTSMEN, Martin Overland, Louis Leroux and Marvin Burke are Canadians who hail from Montreal and Toronto respectively. Formed three and one-half years ago, the group has travelled and worked throughout the United States as well as Canada. They are one of the few Canadian Folk groups to “Make it” in the U.S. Some of their engagements have taken them to work for the Astronauts in Cap Canaveral, Florida, the Chicago Playboy Club and just recently the Famous Grill of the Roosevelt Hotel in new York City.
The Raftsmen record for RCA Victor and are probably the most versatile folk group in the U.S. or Canada. They are vocally fluent in at least thirteen languages, (each of the boys speaks at least three) play a total of fifteen different musical instruments and are conversant with each and every type of folk music in existence. They are also probably one of the most flexible of units since they are able to stage their act in many different ways depending on the setting in which they are working.
When the boys got together, folk music was going through its “Growing pains” the fellows recall that one of their first engagements took them to an attic in Montreal where for a full weeks engagement they received the magnificent sum of $48.00 for all three. Their first hit on records, a creole version of Yello Bird, moved them quickly up the ladder to success, a highly successful engagement at Chicago’s PLAYBOY CLUB brought them more fame and so from there on the boys began to push and play away at the “ladder.”
Recently the RAFTSMEN were involved in the independent TV network anniversary show. CTV produced a hone hour show called Something to Sing about, and as representatives of the province of Quebec, the RAFTSMEN received rave reviews throughout the country. When past experiences are added to the never-ending flow of present day trumps there can be no doubt whatsoever that the RAFTSMEN are truly Canada’s most outstanding and exciting folk trio.
REVIEWS
Platter Chatter
‘Live’ Album For Raftsmen – The big news this week was the announcement of a third RCA Album for The Raftsmen, right on the heels of their second which is slated for September release.
Their new effort will be a “live” production from Le Pavillon at the La Salle Hotel where they have been playing the last couple of weeks.
The RCA mobile recording equipment will be moved into Le Pavillon next Thursday and Friday to cover all show. Then, after a bit of cutting, the material will become album number three.
The big trend in albums today is to the “live” treatment, and although the product may not be as technically perfect as albums recorded in special studio,
the reaction of an audience eliminates a lot of the stiff formality that often creeps into an album.
And in folk music especially, technical perfection is not always to be desired. It’s supposed to be the music of people and their emotions, and neither people nor emotions are perfect.
Live albums are also a challenge to some groups who often present two different side on a record and on stage. When the two are combined, the performers must not only give a show worth recording but must also entertain their audience.
This Latest Raftsmen disc will not be available until winter, but it should be worth the wait.
THE MONTREAL STAR
Popular Picks of the Week
“This Land is Your Land” – The Raftsmen – RCA Camden CAL 757
Proof-positive of the international merits of folk music is this album spotlighting the talents of the Raftsmen, a Canadian group, reading a fine sampling of traditional American fold standard with feeling and verve.
The trio which utilizes guitar, banjo, and drum, turns in standout performances on “This Is Your Land,” “Shenandoah” and “Last Night I Had The Strange Dream.” Loads of potential.
Rhythm ‘n’ News
Big LP for the Raftsmen
By Stan Fisher
The danger in reviewing local talent is distinct possibility of getting a little misty about it all.
After all, they are hometown boys… words like sensational, fabulous and fantastic come so easily from the typewriter.
More than once mediocrity has been sympathetically interpreted as promising talent… in it’s own city.
It’s on the road that reputations are made and fame is won.
So there’s not too much point in me telling you about the Raftsmen.
They’re a folk-singing trio and they’re Montrealers. They are also slightly sensational… but then remember I’m a Montrealer too. I’ll control myself.
Marvin Burke is the bongo man and also acts as emcee for the trio. He admits living in Toronto once but has lived here for ten years now and counts himself a native. Marvin has been known to many Montrealers for his calypso work.
Martin Overland has lived most of his life within a steak’s throw of Moishe’s on the Main. He is the guitar and banjo virtuoso. Louis Leroux also plays guitar and supplies the vocal solos.
The trio has been together for nine months now. Early rehearsals were held in an all night downtown restaurant, and their first LP titled “Here and There with The Raftsmen” is now available.
The Record is fantastic… but there i go again.
The Raftsmen have a repertoire of more than 150 songs in 13 different languages and some of the instruments they use to accompany themselves could have been stolen from a Tangiers pawn shop. A medieval mandolin and Russian balalaika to name two.
On this disc, they offer 13 tunes in about eight different languages (two are French Canadian ballads, another was specially written by Montrealer Norman Spunt).
The variation is bewildering.
“Suliram” an Indonesian lullaby and the equally soothing “Shenandoah” are shuffled in with “Ya Ya” the rollicking ski-song of German origin or “Shame and Scandal” a San Sebastian calypso.
One band features a song adapted from the 33rd Psalm of the old testament… another is an army marching song.
“Yellow Bird” the Haitian love song that served as an introduction for the Raftsmen is sung in the original Creole.
The two French-Canadian ballads are “Les Raftsmen” and “Sur La Route De Berthier” a song of the earliest settler.
But the group moves mood to mood with ease. It’s difficult to choose between their slow, smooth offerings or more lively and humorous tunes.
In all the vocal line is clear and the tone golden.
In fact, I’m forced to say that the sound is downright fabulous. And that means I’ve used all the words I meant to avoid. Sensational, fantastic and fabulous.
But don’t take my word for it. Of course, Chicago felt the same way a few weeks back and Miami is currently discovering the Raftsmen.
They will be back in our town shortly… and I’ll bet that by then a lot more people … perhaps you … feel the same way too.
Raftsmen Pack Rum House
The Raftsmen, a fine French-Canadian folk singing trio, opened last weekend at the Galt Ocean Mile Hotel’s Rum House to a packed house and received a wonderfully warm Ft. Lauderdale welcome. And well they should.
The trio is a versatile group os musician-singers, who offer and internationally flavored repertoire of songs from many lands. While their forte is their authentic French-Canadian. Done in pure form.
They stray Calypso, British, American, Jewish and Indian songs.
Topnotch Talent
Freshman Week has heralded a return of top-flight entertainment to the Loyola stage. The estimated crowd of 800 who witnessed Friday’s Variety Show is ample evidence for this observation.
The most appealing entertainment came from the Raftsmen. A trio of professional who went about their hour-long appearance with an air of ease that brought tremendous response from the audience.
By their own admission it was the “most enjoyable performance” they have ever given. Surely it must have been, the packed house brought them back for a twenty-minute encore.
Swinging through a set of tunes ranging from Ballads to folk music, from Latin American rhythms to hillbilly, the Raftsmen spiced their act with a series of witticisms and pranks that literally brought down the house.
Raftsmen Enliven Don Quixote
The Raftsmen rowed into the area Friday night and added yet another fine group to the entertainment scene. They’re at the Coral Ridge Hotel’s Don Quixote Lounge this time around, not at the Galt Ocean Mile, but they’ll surely draw the same fans they summoned last season.
They’re a folk trio, but with definite variations. The set we caught found the boys concentrating on Spanish-California tunes, and the results are great, particularly on “South Coast.” The Afro-beat is featured in “Kumbaya,” and “Mustapha.”
Louis Laroux is exciting in his Flamenco workover of “Malaguena,” and Marvin Burke, a chubby character who has to straddle his bongo, does the intros and comedy patter. Martin Overland completes the trittico in the center slot
The Raftsmen impress as on of the finer groups currently traveling the folk-tuned road, and goodness knows, they are plenty of them around.
The boys wind up with a rousing “This Land is My Land,” providing a stimulating closing to a well-rounded turn.
A mighty good sampling of their work can be heard on the “Down in the Valley” album for RCA Victor.
Montreal Musicians Fine Entertainers
The Raftsmen three Montrealers who banded together some seasons ago to form a folk song group have turned out to be really fine entertainers which can be proved any night by a visit to the Astor Fiesta Room where the boys are playing this week.
The term folk song group is liable to scare a lot of people away. Well, it shouldn’t because these lads are not in the hey, nonney, nonney, Greensleeves league but deal more with the robust and unusual world’s music.
Folk music means music of the people and it includes everything from a court song to rock ‘n’ roll. the Raftsmen have realized this they course out the whole range easily. They concentrate on what customers want.
The three are equal and share both the limelight and the applause.
By name, they are Louis Leroux, who plays Flamenco guitar among other instruments, Martin Overland a guitarist, again among other instruments, and Marven Burke, vocalist, and sometime drummer.
They make up an excellent group which should not be missed.
Martin Overland
Before he became a member of “The Raftsmen”, Martin Overland was the lead singer/guitarist/music arranger for the trio, “The Strangers”. The singing group consisted of Martin Overland, his sister Arlene Overland and Leon Segal, with Martin on guitar, Arlene playing the claves, and Leon on drums
