Al Parrish grew up singing in choir and playing in the high school band. Later, he played in many bands, in many genres. In 1989, Al entered the world of folk/roots music; he and three friends created Brean Derg Muc, a Toronto-based, pseudo-Irish group that took the Ontario festival scene by storm during two years of brilliant success. Over the next couple of years, Al freelanced in Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick with The Barnstormers, Strachan’s Cove, Sister Whiskey, October Browne, Kirk Elliot, Aaron Solomon, Dave MacIsaac, Jamie Snider and many others. In 1994, Al joined legendary Canadian roots icons Tanglefoot, beginning a 17-year career of touring across Canada, the US, and the UK. In December 2009, Tanglefoot played its final shows and disbanded. Al began playing solo in May 2010 with shows around Ontario and in Maritime Canada. In January 2011, he played a sold-out, solo concert at the Registry Theatre in Kitchener, Ontario. Legendary producer Paul Mills recorded that show on the Millstream Studio’s mobile, multi-track rig. From this, he and Al produced Propensity for Joy, Al’s first solo CD. Al is currently in the studio working on another solo CD. When he is not playing music, he has been doing commercial voice-over for clients such as Petro-Canada, Nokia, and Insano Productions. He is also writing a memoire and a novel.

Dublin born songwriter, Enda Kenny has lived in Melbourne, Australia since 1987. Drawing on the traditions of the seanachie and yarn spinner, his songs describe stories of life, humour, nature and injustice. Enda’s gift as a performer is his ability to bring alive the individual experience in a way his audience intuitively relates to. Acclaimed as one of Australia’s finest songwriters, Enda has produced six albums since the release of Twelve Songs in 1994. His songs have been recorded by a growing list of local and international artists including Roy Bailey, Karen Lynne, Reel Time, Bram Taylor, Barrie Davis, Bob Eden and Markerr.

It was 15 years ago whilst Nick was studying for a PhD in Cultural Geography, exploring the relationship between landscape, communities and myth that storytelling and the oral tradition first came to his attention. Since then he has been following his passion for the role of story in our modern lives, evolving a style of performance that is engaging and fluid, moving with ease between spoken word, song and music. His talent as both singer and teller took him to West Russia researching epic songs of the Finno-Ugric people, and to Finland where he won the 2000 World Championships in Kalevala epic-singing. He returns to Finland twice a year performing Kalevala in English for Finnish audiences, and tutoring at the Sibelius Music Academy. His collaboration with the internationally established storyteller Hugh Lupton led to the commissioning of “The Liberty Tree” (by the Festival at the Edge) a performance of Robin Hood stories alongside those of the English Radicals as each struggled to establish a truly egalitarian vision in the world. Having received critical acclaim, the piece is particularly prescient articulating the message that lies at the heart of the ‘Occupy’ movement spreading swiftly across the world.