The Bee Eaters Are Spellbinding

What an enthralling concert! The Bee Eaters are four, young musicians who specialize in instrumental acoustic music. Not knowing what to expect I went to see them in Portland. Their original compositions were like expeditions into the wild – unimaginable, penetrating and lush. National Fiddle Champion brother and sister duo, Tristan, (who also plays cello) and Tashina Clarridge, hammered dulcimer wizard Simon Chrisman and banjo master Wes Corbett, play together like a flock of birds, changing directions and weaving in and out with flawless patterns of coordination and grace.

Twenty-five years ago, I first heard music from the Windham Hill record label, which showcased a traditional folk music sound played by a then-new generation of acoustic musicians. The Bee Eaters are carrying on their tradition and then some!

Most of the tunes were original, such as one that Tristan wrote during a parlor game that only musical prodigies can play: Players go off into separate rooms and come up with an original piece of music in 30 minutes. We’re not talking nonsense here, we’re talking something “Mozartian”! He won the challenge and called the piece, (what else?) “Thirty Minutes”! Other compositions were by Wes and were written in homage to cookies and Stoneground crackers. They also did a driving version of “Eleanor Rigby”.

To someone who doesn’t have original music in her head I can only wonder at the minds that can conceive, capture and play music like this. They have individually toured with greats such as Darrol Anger, Mike Marshall, Dave Grisman, Bill Frissell, Natalie McMaster and others.

Darrol Anger joined them for their last piece on stage, his face grinning as wide as the Cheshire cat. It must be a comfort to a seasoned musician to see such a crop of young’uns growing up and joining the musical journey with such excellence.

You can read more and listen to samples of the Bee Eaters’ music at

http://beeeaters.com and http://www.myspace.com/thebeeeaters.