LITTLE WINDOWS
Mark Weems and Julee Glaub
(Traditional lAppalachian and Irish Songs and Tunes)
A mix of Appalachian, Irish, Old-Time Gospel and traditionally based originals, with a special focus placed on unaccompanied ballads. They perform nationally and internationally with a focus on the art of the pure voice with tight harmonies in traditional songs. Instrumentation includes guitar, bass, fiddle, banjo, flute, piano, mountain dulcimer and bodhrán. Mark has been steeped in the Old Time Tradition for years while Julee has done the same in the Traditional Irish realm. Together they bring a beautiful blend of both traditions with a unique harmonic sound that is rare and often beckons the response from audience members, “I’ve never heard anything like it!” Their music has been highlighted on NPR's program Thistle and Shamrock. Though they have both made several recordings with other bands as well as solo projects, Julee and Mark released their first recording together in February 2006, Just Beyond Me, which went on to get submitted for a grammy. It carries a strong Appalachian theme with some Old Time gospel songs as well as two songs composed by Mark Weems himself. Many of the songs are unaccompanied and highlight Mark and Julee’s vocals.
LITTLE WINDOWS CREED
Little windows has a unique approach to traditional music. Both of us have discovered the deeply personal and communal value of traditional song. We believe in the spiritual and emotional wealth of the songs, and how their proper presentation can positively affect both ourselves and others who hear them. We therefore try to deliberately downplay the purely entertainment value of music and try to draw the focus away from ourselves toward the beauty and magic of the songs’ haunting melodies and lyrics. We like to present our material using one microphone in order to best synchronize our vocal expression. We also like to play in the dim light of candles rather than blaring performance lights in order to provide a space where the audience can enter into the magic of these simple heartfelt songs. For those unaware of the human depth of traditional song, our hope is to open up little windows into this timeless, spiritual, mythical land.
www.littlewindows.net
Quotes:
"Since the string band revival of the '70s, the old time genre has occupied itself primarily with the dance tune repertoire. Little Windows, the North Carolina duo of Julee Glaub and Mark Weems, puts the whispered moments back into the old time landscape. In place of yee-haw instrumentals, they offer songs of sweet quietude, lulling space, and lonesome places. Both are lovely singers, with haunting harmonies that draw us deep inside the old ballads. Their music is achingly honest, as sweeping, secluded, and darkly pretty as the far places from which the songs first came." - The Boston Globe
"Through these little windows that Julee and Mark have carefully arranged for us, we hear music at its best, as it was meant to be sung and played: spare,intense, eloquent and, always, stunningly beautiful. Open the window and listen." -- Si Kahn
"With Little Windows, Julee and Mark weave the golden threads of their voices into the fabric of a lovely collection of ballads." -- Tony Ellis
"Every once in a great while magic happens when a new group is formed. Little Windows' debut CD is stunningly beautiful and one of the best recordings I've heard in years. They are talented multi-instrumentalists but it's their stunning vocals and breathtaking, goosebump-inducing harmonies that set them and this disc apart from others. At times their voices sounded like one and I almost couldn't believe my ears. The sound was clear, crisp, vibrant and unusually intimate and intense. This is a vocal lover's dream come true. Gentle accompaniment with guitar, banjo, piano and fiddle was sometimes used but the music never overshadowed their voices...a very highly recommended must-buy. (Yes, it really is that good!)" -- Rambles.NET
“Talk about synergy! When Julee and Mark perform they create something special.... a sound that is all their own. With their tight, luscious harmonies they deliver songs with a poignancy that reaches deep."
--Lillie Morris, Broadstrokes Gallery Concert Series, Augusta, GA
For more information on Mark and Julee, visit:
www.juleeglaub.com
www.stillhousebottomband.com
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