Bruce Molsky
BRUCE MOLSKY – USA
also with MARY ANN KENNEDY – (Scotland)
One of the most influential old-time fiddlers around, Bruce Molsky is also a remarkable guitarist, banjoist and singer. His high-spirited music melds the archaic mountain sounds of Appalachia, the power of blues and the rhythmic intricacies of traditional African music. The Washington Post says Bruce’s music ‘sets into motion melodies that radiate enormous spirit and momentum’, and Sing Out! says his fiddling ‘combines precision and abandon so perfectly that it raises the hairs on the back of your neck’.
In May 2001 America’s Association for Independent Music chose Bruce Molsky’s Poor Man’s Troubles as Traditional Folk section winner in their annual album awards. His band Fiddler’s Four was nominated for a Grammy in 2003. Bruce has been exploring traditional music from an astonishingly broad range of cultures over the past two decades – from his old-time American first love, to Appalachia, and to Ireland and Eastern Europe as a member of Irvine and Lunny’s Mozaik. Bruce also plays in a trio with Aly Bain and Ale Möller.
It is no surprise then that he recently turned his attentions to Highland Scotland in the company of Mary Ann Kennedy, founder of the ‘Gaelic supergroup’, Cliar. Together they delight in common ground and musical tangents alike, shedding new light on familiar territory and re-uniting distant musical cousins. They played seven Scottish gigs in May 2007 and are available for Festivals in 2009. Bruce and Mary Ann were part of Fiddle Rendezvous which toured throughout Scotland to great acclaim on a Tune Up tour in 2008.
‘I can’t believe how great a musician Bruce is. His talent is positively frightening.’ - Mick Maloney
‘Bruce Molsky is an utterly convincing “Appalachian” fiddler & banjo-picker, who comes from the Bronx in New York City. He’s many other things too – among them, a phenomenal fingerpicking guitar soloist, across genres ranging from Nordic through West African to country-blues. As a singer too, he just “has it” – an uncanny, seemingly low-key, warm, unassuming knack for expressing a song’s essence.’ – Australian Radio International
NEXT TOUR: 7th TO 23rd APRIL, 2010
Upcoming Gigs
No gigs booked at the moment.