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Though residents of the same larger music community for all our musical lives, we really only found each other in the last few years. The joy in that connection is the driving force behind our music together. We’re so grateful our busy and varied lives made the space for this to happen!
We are also immensely grateful for the great gifts our musical pals brought to this endeavor.
About Rebecca
Coming to music at a very young age, Rebecca was influenced by the diverse traditional music scene of Northern California. In her playing are elements of Old-Time American, Contra Dance, Scottish, Irish and other traditions. After her time studying at the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College, Rebecca took a long hiatus from music, returning over a decade later with a new found love for the art form, and a renewed understanding of her own place in traditional music. Since her return, Rebecca has explored many collaborations including her work with Kyle Alden, Jerry Hannan, Roxanne Oliva, Michael Harmon, Riggy Rackin, Amelia Hogan, Rory McNamara, Heath Curdts, The Baybillies Stringband, and many more.
About Marla
Marla’s is a distinct voice of the mandolin in Irish music. She brings her own musical sensibility to the tradition on one of its lesser heard instruments. With very few role models on the instrument, and an utter absence of teachers, she developed her voice on her own, focusing not on the mandolin itself, but on the music she loved so dearly. Her influences come, quite naturally then, from favorite fiddlers, pipers, flute and accordion players, and her style one that aims to capture the movement and flow of the music on those instruments, while highlighting the particular beauties the mandolin can bring to the table.
Over the years, and as the instrument has gained popularity in the tradition, she has become a respected and sought-after teacher, and loves nothing more than nurturing newer players and helping them find their own voice on the instrument.
In this project, she also explores her more recent voice as a tunesmith, contributing multiple compositions to the album, with endless gratitude to Rebecca, who was game to explore them together, bringing so much to them!
Photos by Alli Novak
