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Famous fiddler Freeman-Fox returns to Northwest

Jaron Freeman-Fox's music has been described as “Tom Waits playing the fiddle." Twisted String joins him on stage Saturday.
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Jaron Freeman-Fox plays Saturday at the Old Church.

His music has been described as “Tom Waits playing the fiddle,” and Jaron Freeman-Fox is bringing his unique sound for a concert at the Old Church in Smithers on Saturday evening.

The protegé of the late local fiddler/composer Oliver Schroer arrived today to expand Smithers-based Twisted Sting’s repertoire. The group founded by Schroer is made up of a dozen local youth who will be opening for Freeman-Fox.

Tirion Lloyd-Grice leads Twisted String with Jason Oliemans. The group plays music composed by Schroer.

“Sometimes it sounds like a song is three different songs. Instead of drawing inspiration from one place, say Ireland, [Schroer] draws from Ireland, and he’ll draw from Budapest, and some jazz and Indian roots.

“His music is a huge mesh of a million different cultures, and I love that because it’s kind of experiencing little bits of music from different parts of the world,” said Lloyd-Grice.

Twisted String players will be spending their May long weekend drawing what they can from Freeman-Fox, who has expanded on what he learned from Schroer with his band The Opposite of Everything.

“We’re pretty much all day in workshops or private lessons and arranging tunes,” said Lloyd-Grice.

Opening for Freeman-Fox should not be too nerve-wracking for the group. They have played the Vancouver Island Music Festival three times, including last year on the main stage.

Twisted String has continued in Smithers after Vancouver and Toronto chapters closed, but now groups are forming again in southern B.C. Keeping the group together for the sake of the music is important for Lloyd-Grice.

“We really wanted Twisted Sting to stay together and for people to keep playing Oliver’s music and the music of Jaron just because it’s so close to Oliver’s.”

Tickets for Saturday’s concert are available at Mountain Eagle Books and Interior Stationary.