Quartette and sunken garden nice combo

ARTS/ ENTERTAINMENT — The gods looked kindly upon Ray Nyuli and Entertainment Management Associates Sunday, and the result was an afternoon of sweet music in a lovely historic setting.

After several days of rain and lightning storms, Sunday shone clear and bright for an outdoor concert featuring Quartette, four of Canada’s best folk singers and musicians. The crowd was modest — maybe somewhere between 150 and 200 (it was, after all, Roots and Blues weekend) — but appreciative, and the legions who weren’t there missed something truly enjoyable.

Sylvia Tyson, at 74, looks great, and her voice, if anything, has grown deeper and richer over the years since she and then-husband Ian shot to stardom with songs like You Were On My Mind and Four Strong Winds in the 1960s and ’70s.

Except for one somewhat obscure Ian and Sylvia tune called “Arkansas Travelogue,” Quartette eschewed any retro covers from the famous duo. Many recording artists don’t like doing the oldies but goodies but the more likely reason in this case is that the other members of Quartette — Cindy Church, Gwen Swick and Caitlin Hanford — are all notable artists in their own right.

The four have been together for 20 years with some impressive credits, and Sunday they focused on songs from their 2007 album Down at the Fair and their newer release, Rocks and Roses, released last December.

Each took a turn as featured vocalist, backed up with harmony from the other Quartette members, with songs like All These Things Are You, Tell My Lord, My Invitation and Marie Antoinette from the earlier album, and Cry Baby, I’ll Keep You In My Heart, and Wildnerss from the newer one.

The setting was the once-spectaular sunken garden at the former Tranquille sanitorium, and while not restored to its former splendor, it’s nice to see it green and cared for once again.