Amazon.com Bethany Yarrow and Rufus Cappadocia manage to get quite a bit out of not much at all. Their spare collaboration on 900 Miles references a wide swath of folk and jazz, but the nocturnal smokiness of Yarrow's haunted alto and Cappadocia's cello combine for a sound that's slightly outside of the usual music universe. There's some Cowboy Junkies here, a dash of Tuck & Patti there and an overall otherworldliness more akin to a David Lynch movie. Yarrow doesn't just vamp for the whole record though; her range careens from hushed to strident, and she even does a pretty fair PJ Harvey wail (circa 4-Track Demos) on "Linin' Track," and "Isn't That So?" Meanwhile, Cappadocia often puts down his bow, extracting some funk out of "If I Had My Way," or leading off "East Virginia" with a little Latin guitar flavor. But the heart of the record is in the ballads, as the duo stretches out with long, dark adagio passages filled with dust and desire. Bethany & Rufus successfully transcend their limited instrumentation, coming up with a debut that gets better and better with each listen. Matthew Cooke Product Description It often seems that the best music being made today completely defies category. The most exciting artists might mix influences ranging from dusty American field recordings to modern jazz, from delicate folk pop to the Griot traditions of Africa. Bethany & Rufus are just such an example, and yet they take it a step further by taking a step back. The duo, comprised of the honey-voiced Bethany Yarrow (daughter of famous folk singer Peter Yarrow) and the world-renowned cellist Rufus Cappadocia, refine their vast influences through the minimalist combination of voice and cello, while focusing their attention on traditional songs from America's gritty folk past such as "St. James Infirmary," "East Virginia" and "Linin' Track." The results on their debut album, 900 Miles, are stark, haunting and utterly gorgeous. It can draw comparisons as easily to Cassandra Wilson as the Cowboy Junkies, Nina Simone as Jolie Holland. With a national tour on the horizon and festival bookings already stacking up for 2007, it's only a matter of time until Bethany & Rufus are themselves influencing a new generation of artists. Review "...keen, dusky-voiced musicianship that blurs folk, rock and pop." -- Jazz Times "Ingenious" -- UK Guardian Unlimited "With stunning imagination, Bethany & Rufus move music in arresting new directions. Bravo!" -- Goldmine MagazineASIN: B000ICLTP0VSKU: GGV.B000ICLTP0.VGCondition: Very GoodAuthor/Artist:Bethany & RufusBinding: Audio CD
