The Strand from Heliotrope by Julie Vallimont

This tune emerged during a quiet moment between sets at the wonderful IVFDF festival in Sheffield, England. I was reflecting on the trip across the ocean and the invisible threads that connect us in the folk community. The strand is also a colloquialism for all the fascinating little bits of sea debris that are left behind on the beach after high tide. In my head I heard very specific piano chord voicings along with the melody, which I asked Dana to capture here.

Julie Vallimont is, above all, a collaborator. Whether she is playing piano and accordion for dances, teaching burgeoning musicians, assembling players to bring to life an album of her original music, or creating multimedia visual art, Julie’s work aims to connect with people and draw out the best in them.