Manhattan Country School Benefit for Chris Iijima
with 2 Foot Yard, Haale and Pure Horsehair

Show Description

Weaving Persian melodies and Sufi-inspired lyrics through a soundscape of tribal beats, sci-fi sonic guitars, and a twanging setar, NY-born vocalist HAALE draws on both her Persian and urban American roots to manifest a cross-cultural musical explosion. Alternating between strumming her setar and plucking her guitar, Haale draws audiences into the ecstatic and electric space where these two worlds meet. "This genre-bending seamstress will make you see stars while ascending to her own," exclaims GLOBAL RHYTHM, who named Haale "Best Unsigned Artist, 2003." With Dougie Bowne, Shahzad Ismaily, Swiss Chriss, Bill Foster.

2 FOOT YARD shatters the boundaries between art song and pop song by merging the visceral power of rock with the intimacy and warmth of chamber music. Violin, cello, voice, and drums combine to create a cacophony of harmonic (im)balance culled from an astonishing array of musical influences, from acoustic punk to the twang of old country love ballads. This trio led by Tzadik recording artist Carla Kihlstedt (Tin Hat Trio, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum) guarantees an off-kilter ride through the worlds of drama and melody. Combining the harmonic breadth of contemporary classical music and the spontaneity of improvisation, Kihlstedt's diverse musical background comes together in one cohesive and unique voice as she performs genre-breaking instrumentals and vocal miniatures. " If he were still alive today, what would Hungarian composer Bela Bartok be writing? Fan letters to Carla Kihlstedt." – The Wire.



From Brooklyn New York, PURE HORSEHAIR are Garrett Devoe and Shahzad Ismaily.The three tracks selected here give a good indication of the duo's sound and strong songwriting - a really sweet rolling, accumulating flow of wood and wire topped with a soft vocal burr. Great Stuff." Fat-Cat Records (Demo Archive). Pure Horsehair is acoustic autumnal folk soul hodge podge.