Samantha Martin & The Haggard

For anyone who hasn't descended the breakneck staircase of the Dakota Tavern (at Dundas and Ossington just shy of a scene-searching free for all in the two blocks south) a brief portrait should probably be painted. The Dakota is for one, as mentioned downstairs in what would be a dim basement, if it weren't for the incredibly tasteful appointments of old Bill Monroe posters smattered with a handful of the stellar New Years shows the venue has hosted over the years, Elk skulls mounted with soft incandescent lights and antique Chinese checkers boards line the walls. There is a notable lack of any fluorescent beer signage (a very conscious choice, in fact the only beer advertising adorns the taps) and wireless reception is blessedly spotty. Those who choose to frequent the Dakota Tavern are no doubt welcomed on every visit by this ambience. Those who return to this venue do so because it is known for being a music friendly room whose commitment has been from day one to program Roots music (Country Rock, Bluegrass, Rockabilly, Rock & Roll, Rhythm & Blues) with an eye towards unparalleled quality control.

For every band that manages to get a gig at the Dakota, where they are assured a rapturous, patient and creatively supportive audience, there are scores fighting to get in. Add to this the sheer volume of artists from across the province indeed the nation (and further abroad) that have made their way to the Big Smoke to pursue their dreams of making music for a living and you have at least a very dense and challenging marketplace for artists to navigate. This is where the story of Samantha Martin, who manages the tavern by day, gets particularly interesting. Martin, having divided her formative years by virtue of her parents divorce between Edmonton and a small town on the Bruce Peninsula called Lion's Head, has through perspiration and aspiration at least begun to make a substantial name for herself in Toronto. Her father listened to the pantheon of country classics: Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Hank Snow, Tanya Tucker (as well as having a particular fondness for Joni Mitchell and of course The Beatles). Her mother's tastes leaned more decidedly towards the Blues and Blues driven Rock & Roll, your Janice Joplin's, CCR's, Led Zeppelin and - likely by dint of her closeness in age to her daughter- some more radio friendly fare like Sinead O'Connor, Tom Cochrane and somewhat regrettably Olivia Newton John. Anyone who has seen Samantha Martin perform, either guesting with Dakota heavyweights The Beauties or with Hot Rock (a devastating Rolling Stones revue made up of members of The Beauties and Flash Lightnin', with guests that have included Kevin Hearn (Barenaked Ladies), Michael Johnson (Skydiggers), and Ron Sexsmith) would likely be unsurprised by her musical family tree.

Someone once said of Sam that 'heartbreak sounds good on you' and it would be hard to find a better description of her talent. Those lucky enough to see Martin perform onstage, her booming voice radiating out of her tiny frame, are it is safe to say struck by this incredibly talented - and really ballsy is the best word – performer. In conversation she is a precise counterpoint to the garrulous version of her performing self. With regard to her involvement in Hot Rock, she with genuine humility suggests she was the only one who could do Gimme Shelter justice (in reality Martin’s voice, stage presence and vivacity was an indispensable counterpoint to the disgustingly talented boys club). On another occasion, in one of the Dakota’s finest musical moments, Sam sat in with her buds The Beauties and Luke Doucet on a version of Lucinda Williams Fruits of My Labour – it is safe to say her presence on stage was less than perfunctory. Martin recorded an album Back Home in April of 2008 with a group of session musicians, material from that album remains a staple of her live show with arrangements that The Haggard has helped her work up. It is however on the material that The Haggard (Pete Lambert, Mikey McCallum and Greg Sweetland on drums, guitar and bass respectively) are working up collectively that the ensemble really shines. In one regard the group could be called Sam Martin & The Kensington Hillbillies (as each of her bandmates is also in that group) were The Haggard (named on a whim) not an intentional effort to distinguish between a full-fledged democratic band and a backing band.

Sam is adamant about this point and finds that her relationship with The Haggard, and the fact that few seem to ask her about them a constant point of frustration. Given the strength of the group's playing it's understable why she'd rather field questions about her bandmates. Martin goes so far as to admit that "until recently we weren't 'a band'". She traces the moment at least she felt that the group had come together as a cohesive unit to their appearance at the Mariposa Folk Festival. The Haggard were honoured to be playing an (in be-) 'tweener' slot on the mainstage sharing a bill with such luminary headliners as Daniel Lanois, Skydiggers, Luke Doucet the Dixie Flyers and inimitable local hooligans Run With The Kittens. "It was at Mariposa that I realized these three guys were in it with me come hell or high water." Each of The Haggard brings with them such a wealth of musical knowledge it would be hard to nail down their myriad influences. From Sam`s perspective McCallum on guitar, who is also a member of Dodge Fiasco, brings influences ranging from Dylan to the titular Merle Haggard, Hank Snow, Creedence Clearwater Revival and of course The Band. Bassist Sweetland, who was a member of the now defunct Tijuana Bibles, to Martin`s mind brings the "heavy Rock & Roll but is a Blues guy through and through... Leadbelly, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Elmore James". In conversation Sweetland singles out the Stones Bill Wyman as a bassist he admires and one whose gifts are perhaps not fully appreciated. On the topic of her drummer Pete Lambert, the oldest and clearly most sage member of the group Martin notably defers on the topic of his influences.

Talking with Lambert about his influences as a drummer proves a short course on the history of drumming in America and the U.K., to his mind there are four or five under appreciated drummers that standout as landmark players of his instrument: Al Jackson Jr., "a Stax label drummer who played on alot of Al Green`s stuff" (Jackson Jr. was a founding member of Booker T & The MG.s and knicknamed for obvious reasons "The Human Timekeeper"); Earl Palmer "a New Orleans session musician who played for Little Richard and Fats Domino...(to my mind) he's the greatest drummer of the 20th century who influenced all the British guys like John Bonham and Keith Moon" (Palmer's obituary in The Guardian read in part "his list of credits read like a Who's Who of American popular music of the last 60 years"); "James Brown`s drummers Clyde Stubblefield and John `Jabo` Starks" (two of the most sampled drummers in all of Hip Hop and R&B) as well as obviously Levon Helm (whom he readily admits was influenced by the preceding lot). "The deeper I dig in to music I realize these guys set the laws for the next generation of drummers." Lambert lived in the U.K. from '86-'94 and played with a handful of ensembles including The Trojans who he describes as a Blues, Ska, Celtic group. He was introduced to "the Roots of Modern Music" while playing with `Gaz` Mayall (British Blues legend John Mayall`s son) as well as playing in reggae bands with horn players like Rico Rogriguez (best known for playing in The Specials and on the single Rudy, Message To You). Lambert`s biggest musical blessing while living in London though was his befriending Joe Strummer who regularly invited Pete into his home. "I'd spent so much time worshipping him as a pup... the biggest thing I learned from Joe was character, bringing personality, giving your all to performance." It`s easy to see with a band like The Haggard where even a gifted musician (both instrumentally and vocally) like Sam Martin would stress that "we draw out the best parts of each other, we bring out the best in each other musically, we`re friends, we`re becoming a really tight unit."