'In this way I shall preserve many things that would otherwise be lost in oblivion. I shall find daily employment for myself, which will save me from indolence and help to keep off the spleen, and I shall lay up a store of entertainment for my after life.'

For James Boswell posts please follow the labels on the right.

This blog mainly contains reviews from the Edinburgh Festivals from 2008 to 2010 which I wrote for the Edinburgh Festivals Magazine. These reviews cover everything from comedy to contemporary dance; children's theatre to Handel.


Sunday, 23 October 2011

Cheyenne Brown and Seylan Baxter Review

Cheyenne Brown and Seylan Baxter

With more than a hint of the epic bard’s tales about them, Cheyenne Brown and Seylan Baxter arrived at the Acoustic Music Centre. Using Cello and Harp to full effect, the sounds produced evoke images of Hobbits trudging across snowy mountains, Ivanhoe setting off on crusade, and your reviewer battling rain and wind whilst trying to find the Fringe outpost that is the Acoustic Music Centre.

The music has an ambition about it, and Brown and Baxter draw on modern folk as much as on more traditional material. While this occasionally results in a either Cello or Harp getting slightly out of time, it’s refreshing to see folk musicians pushing themselves, experimenting and staying abreast with contemporary sounds. There must surely be a tendency to shack up in a pub and produce the same old simple songs ad nauseam. Thankfully Cheyenne and Seylan avoid this, and are capable of merging three or four songs of varied styles, rhythms and keys into one set.

A constantly entertaining, imaginative and well paced performance by the talented duo.

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