Sep. 8-The Hanneke Cassel Trio, led by Hanneke Cassel, will perform Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Arcata Playhouse 1251 Ninth St., Arcata.
Tickets are $18 general and $16 for students and Playhouse Humboldt Folklife Society members - and are available at Wildberries Marketplace in Arcata or via arcataplayhouse.org.
Boston-based fiddler Hanneke Cassel's style fuses influences from the Isle of Skye and Cape Breton Island with Americana grooves and musical innovations, creating a cutting-edge acoustic sound that retains the integrity and spirit of the Scottish tradition. Her music is a blend of the contemporary and traditional.
Cassel returns to the Arcata Playhouse on Sept. 22 with Newfoundland-born guitarist Keith Murphy, a multi-instrumentalist and sideman on guitar, and mandolin and virtuosic fiddler Jenna Moynihan. Moynihan's fiddling style draws strongly from the Scottish tradition, but is in no way bound by it.
A prolific composer, Cassel writes music from personal experiences of love and loss as well as to commemorate the joys and sorrows in the lives of loved ones. Her latest release, "Trip to Walden Pond," features traditional Scottish and Cape Breton tunes and 17 new pieces composed in the Scottish idiom. While her lively style is very much evident, this new album carries a deep, soulful sound with songs of celebration and farewell. The album showcases long-time musical collaborators cellist Mike Block, guitarists Keith Murphy and Christopher Lewis, fiddler/violist Jeremy Kittel, and pianist Dave Wiesler.
A native of Port Orford, Oregon, Cassel started out as a Texas-style fiddler and went on to win the 1997 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship, which awarded her the opportunity to study with Alasdair Fraser and introduced her to fiddle camps and the folk community - both of which continue to play an integral role in her life. She is a sought-after performer who has graced stages across North America, Europe, Australia, India and China. She has been featured at Celtic Connections (Glasgow, Scotland), KVMR Celtic Fest (Grass Valley, USA), Milwaukee Irish Fest (Milwaukee, USA), Celtic Colours (Cape Breton, Canada), WGBH Christmas Celtic Sojourn (Boston, USA) and the National Celtic Festival (Port Arlington, Australia).
For more information, visit www.arcataplayhouse.org.
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