Preview: North Slocan artist Dominique Fraissard's to play Axis Mundi

An interaction with a broken hitchhiker and the music he played had a dramatic influence on 1970s child Dominique Fraissard, although it took him about 20 years to really understand the effect it had on his musical journey.

An admired songwriter and musician in the folk and acoustic genre, Fraissard has been in ever increasing demand since his first performances in 1997 at the chalkboard venue of the Woodford Folk Festival.

After spending substantial time in both Australia and Canada, this folk musician now calls the North Slocan Valley home and he will play at this weekend’s Axis Mundi Harvest festival.

Fraissard’s music tends to be contemplative and mellow, accompanied with an earthy and urban edged lilt. He has previously has supported international acts such as the Waifs, Jack Johnson and the John Butler Trio.

He plays: with Australian musician and friend Andy Gordon, at the Village Idiot, 11.15pm, Friday, September 17.

He talks: 1pm Saturday, September 18, at The Cube.

Q&A

Dominique Fraissard mid-set. Photo: From YouTube.

How do you describe your sound?

That’s an oft asked and always awkward question. I’ll steer clear of my go to answer and my bio and put it this way.

I stumbled upon guitar late at about 19. I broke a leg and didn’t walk for 18 months and played guitar instead. I smoked a lot of pot and thought deeply, listening to Ani Difranco and Billy Bragg. I cleaned up my act and moved to the city to go pro. It’s taken me almost 20 years to learn to communicate the guitar, my voice and my lyrics in a way that is professional, unique and approachable for people.

Why do you think it is important for people to have music in our lives and how does it affect your own state of being?

Music can be terrifying for me to listen to. It’s just too much some times. On the other hand, most of the time when I’m open to it, the experience is consistently transcendent.

I think music is primal, it’s art and it’s pretty much essential to most everyone. The spirit requires it.

Have you noticed anything different between the music scenes in Canada compared to Australia?

So. Much. More. Opportunity. Here. Small stuff to bigger stuff. You can go on the road, play to listening people and make money. Radio is helpful and people are generous.

I’ve discussed this at length with my Australian colleagues. We haven’t put our finger on any one reason for it; it’s just a thing.

That said, a supporter is a supporter and it’s just as glorious in Australia to play to a listening room. There are just way less of them and not much money in it. There’s less indie radio, less festivals. I’m not sure why. Come to my workshop at The Cube on Saturday and we can talk about it.

How is the music world today compared to when you were starting out?

Digital.

You grew up in Canada. Why did your family move to Australia and how did you find yourself returning to Canada?

I was born in Australia. There are many versions in my family to the why of it all depending on who you ask. For me, the first 10 years of my life here made me, I suppose. The natural environment of the Kootenay/Monashees. I need it.

Summaries of your background consistently mention a hitchhiker your mom picked up when you were seven. Can you explain a little more?

That’s just a magic that happened, like the forest and mountains around me here. It took years, but it made its claim on me.

This hitchhiker’s dreadnaught acoustic sound possessed me. It just took 20 years for me to make it mine.

The guy was a broken young man; his girl had been hit by a car while hitchhiking. She died. He was going to bluegrass festivals and such, playing music, figuring things out.

What can Revelstoke expect from your show at the Village Idiot?

I’m playing with my dear friend Andy Gordon. We’ll be going song for song with a little unrehearsed this and that (accompaniment) for each other. It’ll be pretty mellow for the most, but I’ll kick it up a notch here and there.