Event

Cahalen Morrison + Eli West

Cahalen Morrison + Eli West have been playing at our house for the since 2011 and every time they come they get better, and we get more and more people wanting to see them. So we are delighted to be able to put them on in a bigger venue and bring them to a wider audience. Fresh from selling out The Mitchell theatre at this year's Celtic Connections, Seattle's finest new old time duo will stop by the Pleasance Theatre on their way to the Shetland Folk Festival.

If you've never seen them before, here's what to expect

Cahalen Morrison & Eli West are, simply put, two of the most innovative and subtle roots musicians today. Their music draws from old folk sources, but it sounds vibrantly alive. Cahalen Morrison writes songs that sound like a Cormac McCarthy novel: simple, beautifully crafted, and seemingly formed from raw natural elements. Eli West brings jagged, angular arrangements based in bluegrass and old-time, but refracted through a 21st century lens. Like Ansel Adams' photography, their music is instantly accessible and built from the simplest materials, but at the same time seems to transcend its base fundamentals. Together, Cahalen and Eli tap the root of the old country and bluegrass duets. As the sparse landscapes of Cahalen's vocals reflect the warm glow of Eli's voice, it's clear that this duo was made to sing together.

"There's a lot of faith and conviction that underpins these very able musicians. Their disarming reinvention is sly, brand new, and yet somehow ancient. Music like this doesn't come along very often. This stuff just reassures me. I'm ready for whatever they have to bring."
Tim O'Brien