The Unfaithful Servants have gained a reputation in Western Canada as a must-see act. With an original and exciting approach to acoustic music, the group serves up explosive instrumentals, compelling story-telling and high-powered vocals. As Kelly Nakatsuka (Islands Folk Festival, CBC host) describes "The Unfaithful Servants are one of the most exciting bands from Vancouver Island in some time...gorgeous harmonies and fine song writing, beautiful instrumental interplay and some seriously rippin' solos." With critically acclaimed performances under their belt (Vancouver Island MusicFest, Salmon Arm Roots & Blues, The Islands Folk Festival) and a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination (New Group of The Year) they continue to build upon that buzz. American born mandolinist Jesse Cobb could be described as a virtuoso on his instrument. He is a founding member of the critically acclaimed bluegrass group The Infamous String Dusters and he received a Grammy nomination for one of his original compositions, Magic #9. Jesse has recorded and performed with Bela Fleck, Lee Anne Womack, Dirks Bentley, John Cowan, Jim Lauderdale and others. He’s held residency on the historic stage of The Grand Ole Opry and has toured the world. His exceptional talent is widely recognized in the bluegrass world and he is an innovator of the instrument. Shortly after Jesse’s move to Vancouver Island singer/songwriter Dylan Stone identified Jesse’s depth as a musician and began a collaboration. Stone is a restless songwriter who is constantly pursuing new sounds and collaborations. An interesting and storied career has led him to share the stage with Alejandro Escovedo, open for Keith Urban at BC’s largest country music festival, play onstage with Robert Randolf & The Family Band, and perform his songs for Lou Reed in Nashville, Tennessee. A modern-day troubadour, Dylan has lived and toured across Canada and toured the West Coast extensively. The Servants are working on new music and a new chapter, this includes the addition of two new members to the group; Quin Etheridge & Louis Rudner. The band is glowing with anticipation to introduce these new members to its audience. On fiddle, Quin Etheridge(Quin With One N) has already made a big impact on Western Canadian music while still in his early years. Quin is a multi-instrumentalist who started his journey with the fiddle at age 6, some years later, he continues to grow as an artist and performer. He has worked with notable Canadian artists including The Fretless and Daniel Lapp. His skill and talent bring a fresh new addition to the Servants sound and help elevate the band to new musical heights and pathways. Louis Rudner joins the band on bass and his ease and experience has helped him find an immediate belonging in the group. Louis’ technical skill and masterful ear adds a new edge to the Servants sound and helps to drive the band even further sonically. The Servants are very excited to begin performing and touring with this new assemble. After a near 3-year hiatus the band is now poised to push the limits of their capabilities in the Canadian musical landscape. The Unfaithful Servants’ debut album, released June 2019, is a stunning collection of bluegrass / folk songs that traverse borders and (at times) genres. The group knows something about drawing inspiration from rebellion and restlessness. This struggle with finding a solid footing in life manifests itself within their process, and gathering from their myriad travels and connections - they have created something that is both familial and engaging. “We represent a tradition of music that stems from The US but we are uniquely Canadian,” says singer-songwriter Dylan Stone. “The level of performance in the acoustic music genre, combined with the type of song-writing and delivery is not a common act to see in Canada. There are lots of great instrumentalists and song-writers who stem from traditional backgrounds, however we have come to see that our heart and soul does not live in the traditional string music world and we bring something different to the table.” Recorded at Shawnigan Lake Studios with legendary Grammy-Award winning engineer Steve Smith (Garth Brooks, Pearl Jam, Stevie Wonder), The Unfaithful Servants' debut album is an electric collection of songs that grabs the listener immediately with its raw energy. Tracks like “Deliver Me” and “Everything I’ve Known” showcase their compelling arrangements and stellar musicianship. “Our influences and backgrounds are so diverse that you always hear a little of each of these influences in each song we create,” explains mandolinist Jesse Cobb. “We run the gamut from classical, bluegrass, rock and roll and traditional fiddle music, and usually try to incorporate all those ideas together to form a cohesive sound.” Dylan adds that arranging the songs is a meticulous process, "until we feel that the song has reached its maximum potential, then it is a matter of performing it with intention and energy and make its full possible impact known.” Since the group founded in 2017, they have been continuously pushing forward the limits of traditional music and have a strong foundation of experience and skill to boast. Stay tuned in 2024 for new recordings and album announcements, new show and tour announcements, and a Victoria hometown concert to celebrate the new era of music! Thank you fellow Servants for taking this musical journey with us.
We respectfully acknowledge that the Filberg Festival takes place on the unceded traditional territory of the K'omoks First Nation, Gila 'kasla...Hay ch q'a'.
