By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer
Playing a style of music they call “World folk” has paid off for Whorled.
The critical praise has been huge, and the band won a Battle of the Bands in March at The Stray Café in Grand Rapids.
Local Spins recently described Whorled (pronounced “world”) as follows:
“The world folk band stole the stage with a set that was less of a performance and more of an experience. Many of its songs weaved through various genres — starting as an Irish highland tune, then transitioning to a traditional Japanese song and ending with a bluegrass swing.”
That makes sense when you consider the trio draws from celtic, gypsy jazz, Brazilian, bluegrass and classical influences, said Thom Jayne of Whorled. The group is known for playing a variety of instruments, including violin, accordion, guitar, banjo, whistles, and occasionally a didgeridoo, which is a wind instrument.
The band also consists of multi-instrumentalist Keala Venema and accordionist Marika Venema.
Jayne answered a few questions from WKTV.
WKTV Journal: How did you come up with your band’s name?
Jayne: The name signifies the diverse backgrounds and musical influences that each of us bring to create our signature “Whorled” sound.
WKTV: When did you form?
Jayne: 2020. We formed during the Covid period and have only been playing out in public during the past year.
WKTV: What do you hope to accomplish with your music?
Jayne: To create a unique sound that is both true to the traditions that we draw from and also to integrate them together in fresh ways.
WKTV: Has it been easy or difficult to break into the West Michigan music scene?
Jayne: We’re just starting out, so still finding out.
WKTV: What makes you stand out, outside of playing all those instruments?
Jayne: We have a strictly Celtic set, but most of our material features a variety of styles sprinkled with spontaneous improvisation so that no two Whorled shows are the same. Our show is high-energy, good-feeling, and crowd-interactive.
Upcoming Performances:
We’re playing at Meijer Gardens on July 12, opening for the Accidentals at the Saugatuck Jump into Summer Festival on June 17, and are being featured in the Sparta Irish Music Festival on August 12-13.
Learn more about the band at https://www.whorledband.com/videos.
John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.
