Author: Roos

There is a new and upcoming folk band in the Netherlands. They are called LEAF. Especially for our website Kaat Gevers, the founder of the band has answered some questions. Here you can read the result and learn more about this wonderful new addition to the Dutch (and international) folk scene.

Who are the members of Leaf? Can you introduce yourselves?

LEAF originated at the end of 2009, when I (Kaat Geevers, vocals, nyckelharpa, flutes, percussion and hammered dulcimer) was looking for band members that I could connect with, to share with them the musical road I was taking. I have been working since 2005 as a crew member and sometimes as a guest musician on vocals and nyckelharpa for a number of well known pagan folk bands such as Omnia and Faun. During this time I learned to capture some melodies of my own. It was a natural choice for me to set up a new music project where I could work them out.

Fieke van den Hurk was the first to officially join me on LEAF on accordion, hurdy gurdy and hammered dulcimer. From there onwards, we were joined by three other fine musicians and good friends: Maryn Sies on percussion and electronics, Chloé Bakker on Celtic harp and hammered dulcimer and Thomas Biesmeijer on acoustic guitar, Irish bouzouki and frame drums. Recently, we also started working with a guest musician, Sophie Zaaijer, whose violin and cello make some beautiful additions to our songs.

How did you all meet?

The formation of LEAF actually commenced when the three Norns knotted the karmic roads of Fieke and me together; by chance, I discovered Fieke’s work on the internet and contacted her straight away. From the start, I knew we clicked, both musically and emotionally. Together, we started looking for other musicians to form a new folk band with. Chloe, our harpist, was a natural choice for us, since she had been my friend for a while and understood very well the type of music we were aiming for. Maryn, also a good friend for many years, had worked before as a electro/ambient DJ and could introduce new modern elements as well as percussion & beats to the music, which we think gives it a wonderfully deep sound. Thomas, finally, gave our music the full sound that we looked for, thus making the companionship complete.

What does the name Leaf mean to you? How did you think of it?

From the start, it has been our intention to make music that carries the power to reconnect people to history, nature and to each other, while sounding fresh and pure, like Nature itself. A leaf is one of the strongest symbols to represent Nature as a whole. The name of the band is a strong and poetic choice and, like the music; a reminder of our origin.

You have a few songs on your website already. When can we expect more Leaf music?

We are busy recording a number of new songs. We expect to have the first LEAF CD ready this year (2011) still. In the coming period, we will post snippets of our new songs on our website from time to time.

Are you working on an album yet?

Yes. Currently we are recording in the Orchus Studio and do so in phases. Fieke van den Hurk is simultaniously our band member and our producer. She does this work professionally and knows exactly how we like the sound to be, so it is just perfect being able to work on the new album as such a close team.

You have a special performance at Castlefest to look forward to. Are there other things you are looking forward to?

Yes, on Castlefest we will be giving a special ‘joint concert’ together with Matt Howden of Sieben. There we will perform together on both our sets. Personally, it is a dream come true for me to play together with him and to have him as our honoured guest in our live show. Next to this, we are mostly looking forward to the release of the first LEAF CD, also this year. And we have some other nice concerts coming up, of which we will release the data on our website.

Does Leaf have a message for the world?

Any message we might have can be traced back by listening closely to our music, the lyrics we chose/our lyrics and our shamanic chants. Our performance, appearance and our band name tell the same story….

For me personally, I believe that through music we can communicate with one another on an intimate and personal level. LEAF’s music can hopefully function as a small reminder to the careful listeners, that what we call reality is actually the dreamed-up dream; that it becomes time for the human race to wake up from it and realise that we are all part of Nature and function as a whole. That we start to live our lives in full awareness of the sacredness of Nature and that of ourselves. If the listener, if only for a second, can experience a raised consciousness in this, then, I feel that we have made our point…

Kaat Geevers – LEAF