|
BANSHEE
IN THE KITCHEN
PETER STRAUSS RANCH
JUNE 14, 2009
By Kathy Bawn And Anya Sturm
Celtic trio Banshee in the Kitchen came out from their
homebase in Bakersfield to kick off this
summer's series of free concerts at the Peter Strauss Ranch. Sponsored by the
Topanga Banjo Fiddle contest, these concerts are family events, great fun for
grown-ups and kids alike. So this review is brought to you by one grown-up and
one kid.
A GROWN-UP PERPECTIVE (by Kathy)
There are only three Banshees: Jill Egland, Brenda Hunter
and Mary Tulin. It seems like there should be more of them, though, from the
number of instruments you see on stage. Between them, the Banshees play hammer
dulcimer (Brenda), fiddle (Brenda), piano accordion (Jill), flute (Jill),
bodhran (Jill), bouzouki (Mary) and guitars of various types and tunings
(Mary). They all sing, too. These three women put on a show of amazing versatility and charm, showcasing a
variety of approaches to (mostly)
traditional Irish music. They played a
delightful mix of classic session tunes
(Banish Misfortune, Gravel Walk, A Fig
for a Kiss), multi-voice
arrangements of traditional songs (like Robbie Burns' The Weavers), new
compositions in the Celtic style (a beautiful guitar tune by Daithi Sproule),
with a few wildcards from other genres
thrown in (like Greek-influenced Beth
Cohen's Reel in the aptly-named "Beth Gamish" set.).
The Banshees' friendly manner and relaxed good humor spread
quickly through the audience of about 260 folks, sitting in the stone
amphitheatre under the big oaks and eucalyptus trees. Hawks circled, a gentle
breeze blew, the tunes kept coming. The last set of the afternoon featured a
happy little kid dancing in the grass behind the stage until he was hauled off
by an embarassed older sibling. That kid wasn't the only one who felt like
dancing!
A KID PERSPECTIVE
(by Anya)
Banshee in the Kitchen is a small group, but has a full
sound. They also have a sound that
reminds me of Martin Hayes, because they play some tunes energetically,
and some tunes they play softly. They really concentrate. I can tell that they
put a lot of thinking into their playing, because they are very good, and look
like they know how without practicing! They're a very fun band. When we saw
them, a little kid ran up behind them, and began dancing.
Some of their tunes I know too. Some we play the same, and
some we play differently. They cooperate with each other, and have interesting
combinations of tunes.
THAT'S THE KIDS POINT OF VIEW.
So there you have it:
two perspectives, one bottom line: great band, great venue, great
concert. Hope to see you at future Peter Strauss Ranch concerts (second Sunday
of each month, June-September) and future Banshee in the Kitchen shows!
Free Concert
Series
Anya Sturm is a fiddler, soccer player, and student at Will
Rogers Elementary School in Santa Monica.
Kathy Bawn, mom of fiddlers Obin and Anya, plays banjo and
guitar and teaches political science at UCLA.
Photo by Anya Sturm
|
