It often seems that the best music being made today completely defies category. The most exciting artists are mixing influences 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.
"a splash of sunlight between the grey cracks of mediated culture"
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