“Overall it is the vocals and the crisp instrumentation of Brody and Gurnsey that make them stand out and apart from others in the Celtic genre”
- Kevin McCarthy (Celtic and Folk Music Reviews)
Tanya Brody and Matthew Gurnsey each play a plethora of exotic instruments ranging from bohdran & concertina to harp & hammered dulcimer; psaltery, pennywhistles and zils to name just a few.
The Muses add new life to old songs as well as adding original material to the Celtic repertoire. Since the moment they chose to blend their voices in song they began captivating the hearts of every audience from Hawaii to Maine, Vancouver to Florida, weddings and pubs to concerts and main-stages at Scottish Games and Celtic Festivals. The Muses perform with a ferocity and a strength of heart that embodies the music they both love so dearly.
Seeking the return of traditional Celtic folk songs (and a stage overflowing with instruments & vibrance), The Muses breathe new life into a music that will never die. “Through our music you can feel the green shamrocks underfoot, catch the aroma of a distant salt sea, and taste the highland rain upon your lips.”
When they met Tanya and Matt realised that they had a partnership not only for life but in music as well. Their passion for their music shines as brightly as their passion for each other making for a very lively and entertaining performance.
Both Tanya and Matt have been performing since their youth. They have each sung in various choirs and madrigal groups as well as a great deal of time spent treading the boards both in school and professionally. Each has run a business involving performance or interactive theater in some way which gives them an edge by being able to involve the audience more instead of making them feel that they are just along for the ride.
With two beautiful voices creating bewitching vocal harmony and more instruments than anyone was ever meant to own, much less know how to play. The Muses play with a passion and a brilliance that is sure to be enjoyed by all and are truly an inspiration.
The Muses second album "Passing Time" embodies their more upbeat side. With help from Michi Regier, Chaz Kemp, Kelly Wohlford and Roger Gurnsey (Matt's father) they bring sea shanties and drinking songs to a new level of fun. Whether it's being able to hear the ship creak in "Haul Away Joe", the fun narratives in Tanya's "Maiden's Revenge", or the beautiful melancholy of "Come For to Sing", the song that they have adopted as their theme, you will be enchanted.
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