From the Promoter

The captivating duo releases their new album, “Return to Trion” with their intricate & knock-out interpretations of new & old bluegrass, old-timey & country tunes.

Described by Banjo Newsletter as “a two-man folk festival,” Toronto-based Chris Coole and Ivan Rosenberg have the distinction of being the only clawhammer and Dobro duo act anywhere, and they take advantage of the musical space that instrumentation affords by creating unique and spellbinding old time folk music.
2010 marked the release of their debut CD, “Farewell Trion,” which received a rare Highlight Review inBluegrass Unlimited. In September 2014, Coole and Rosenberg are touring the Midwest U.S. in support of their ‘sequel’ CD, “Return to Trion.” The album spans a range of traditional music, a few original instrumentals, and covers of The Band’s “Stage Fright,” Jesse Winchester’s “Glory to the Day,” and the country classic, “Fool Such as I.”

Coole is well-known for his virtuosic clawhammer banjo music as well as his guitar playing and singing with the award-winning bluegrass band The Foggy Hogtown Boys. His solo album “Old Dog” received glowing reviews; he was a finalist at the Clifftop banjo contest in 2004 and 2006; and his CDs with fellow Toronto banjoist Arnie Naiman are treasured by fans of old time banjo. For the last few years, Coole has recorded and toured regularly with multiple Juno Award-winner David Francey.

Rosenberg is known as one of the top Dobro players on the scene today. His original music has appeared in over 300 TV shows and films including The Daily Show, Oprah, as Deadwood, as well as most episodes of the recent hit TV show Call of the Wildman. He earned an International Bluegrass Music Association award for co-writing the 2009 Song of the Year and played on the CD “Southern Filibuster: A Tribute to Tut Taylor” (produced by Grammy winner Jerry Douglas). More recently, he has performed select shows with Chris Jones and the Night Drivers and the April Verch Bigger Band.

Both Coole and Rosenberg are in high demand for their instructional skills at acoustic music workshops around North America and beyond, having taught upwards of 80 weeks of music camp between them at events including: Steve Kaufman’s Acoustic Kamp, Sore Fingers Summer School (England), Midwest Banjo Camp, Walker Creek Music Camp, California Bluegrass Association Music Camp, British Columbia Bluegrass Workshop/Nimblefingers, 108 Cabin Fever Workshop, ResoSummit, Salt Spring Island Fiddleworks, Augusta Heritage, The Woods Music and Dance Camp, NBCMS Acoustic Music Workshop, Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, Grand Targhee Music Camp, NBCMS Acoustic Music Workshop, and many more.

Praise for “Farewell Trion”:
“Strong material, rich vocals, and highly accomplished musicianship place this project at the top of the list. The careful juxtaposition of the old and new brings a depth to the performances that only comes with a true knowledge of the genre.”
—Bluegrass Unlimited~Highlight Review

“For a ‘two-man’ folk festival, you could look to Doc Watson and David Holt, or on the strength of their first album together, Chris Coole and Ivan Rosenberg…This is a well-chosen collection of old-time music expertly performed by a pair of very talented musicians.”
—Banjo Newsletter