Evento

A Night of Irish-American Folk

Deeply versed in Irish and American traditions, it is on the mbira that Brendan Taaffe has found a truly distinctive voice, blending old-time ballads with traditional Zimbabwean rhythms. The ripple of the mbira, an instrument over a thousand years old, and Taaffes lush tenor casts old songs in a new light, creating the kind of hushed, lonely warmth you experience sitting by a fire in a drafty house.

A multi-instrumentalist on guitar, fiddle, banjo, and mbira, Brendan has toured with many different groups, including nationally acclaimed dance band Magic Foot and the internationally acclaimed vocal ensemble Northern Harmony. In addition to performing solo, he currently directs The Bright Wings Chorus, a vocal ensemble, and is the front man of The New Line, a band that blends mbira with banjo, electric guitar, and percussion, creating a bridge between American and African traditions. From his home in Brattleboro, Vermont, Brendan tours regularly throughout the U.S. and Europe.

Joining Taaffe is Kelsey Wells, an accomplished musician who shares her joy of old-time fiddling, folk dancing, storytelling, and various other traditional arts. Though rooted in the heritage of Appalachian music, she works to create intercultural musical communities and has a keen interest in the fiddling styles of Western North Carolina, southern Sweden, and a few places in between.

Brendan Taaffe and Kelsey Wells: A night of folk entertainment not to be missed!