Thursday 26th March  8pm

$25 (Members $20)

Toi Poneke Back Room

61-67  Abel Smith St

Nancy Kerr and James Fagan

Nancy Kerr and James Fagan combine highly skilful and innovative performance with accessibility, warmth and stage presence. Rarely are duos so full in sound; Nancy’s earthy and exquisite fiddle and viola playing dances with the striking rhythmic texture of James’s guitar-bouzouki, while their rich singing, both as soloists and in harmony evokes the stories of the songs they choose and write. They approach their music with energy and infectious smiles. Rapid musical communication with one another and the audience makes their performance spectacular and unforgettable.

Their most recent project is 'Kerr Fagan Harbron', a trio with English concertina player Robert Harbron and 2008 saw the launch of their debut CD 'Station House'. They have two albums as a duo ‘Strands of Gold’ and ‘Between the dark and the light’ and other collaborations (see website www.kerrfagan.com)

Nancy and James have toured and recorded with many artists including Martin Simpson, John Kirkpatrick, Eliza Carthy, Andy Irvine, Alistair Hulett, and with their respective family bands Scalene (with Sandra Kerr) and Sydney-based The Fagans.

Kate Fagan

Sydney's Kate Fagan had been playing with her family's folk band, ‘The Fagans’ for many years and has now established a name for herself as a poet and musician of genuine talent. She has a richly textured voice, a gift for lyrics and a deep understanding of folk and country's roots.

Her music hovers between country and folk (think Shawn Colvin, Mary Chapin Carpenter) and her lyrics are lucid, emotionally persuasive and evocative.

Her palette of musical styles ranges from touching ballads such as Highway of Rainbows to the backwoods folkiness of One More Drive, and on to songs such as Roll You Sweet Rain, which sounds as though it is part of some ancient folk tradition.

Kates solo album ‘Diamond Wheel’ has received great acclaim and Peggy Seeger described it as ‘musically literate with singable songs and varied and memorable melodies’. “The song ‘Clear Water’ sounds like a song Joni Mitchell forgot to add to one of her early albums”.