The Duhks

When Scruj MacDuhk disbanded, Appalachian-style clawhammer banjoist Leonard Podolak saw the moment as an ideal chance to assemble a fresh ensemble that would blend traditional roots with eclectic modern textures. In 2002 he recruited blues-tinged lead singer Jessica Havey, fiddler Tania Elizabeth, whose playing drew on French-Canadian traditions among others, and guitarist Jordan McConnell, who had trained in Celtic styles; together they issued the group’s debut, Your Daughters and Your Sons, as an independent Canadian release that year, with a United States reissue arriving the next. Strong early response earned the Duhks—now joined by Latin-influenced percussionist Scott Senior—a deal with North Carolina’s Sugar Hill Records, which released their self-titled, Béla Fleck-produced album in 2005. The following year brought Migrations, helmed by labelmate and contemporary bluegrass mainstay Tim O’Brien; an extended tour and a 2007 MerleFest appearance followed. Shortly afterward Jessica Havey and Scott Senior departed, prompting vocalist Sarah Dugas and her brother, drummer Christian Dugas, to step in; the refreshed lineup relocated to Nashville and began recording with producer Jay Joyce. Fast Paced World appeared that August, prompting immediate touring plans. Aware of the environmental toll of road life, the band launched the Duhks Sustainability Project, complete with a website and mission statement urging fellow musicians toward greener practices such as biodiesel fuel, earth-friendly cosmetics, and organic foods. Early in 2014 the quintet’s fifth studio album, Beyond the Blue, surfaced; produced by Mike Merenda and Ruth Ungar of the Mammals, it featured the return of vocalist Havey alongside new members fiddler Rosie Newton, drummer-percussionist Kevin Garcia, and guitarist-bouzouki player Colin Savoie-Levac.