SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL

Mary McCaslin's Roundup

January 19, 2008

ANONYMOUS 4 – LONG TIME TRAVELING

Last fall UCSC’s Arts & Lectures held its annual reception at the Kuumbwa in Santa Cruz to introduce members to the lineup of shows for the 2007 – 2008 season. There were photos of dancers and spoken word performers on a large screen and cuts from various recordings of the musical performers playing softly in the background. One particular piece of music immediately caught my ear – the singing of Anonymous 4. Not since discovering the Silly Sisters (English singers Maddy Prior and June Tabor) in the late 1970s and Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard in the early `70s had I heard such strong and haunting female harmonies. The Anonymous 4 music being played that night was from their CD “Gloryland,” their second pilgrimage to the roots of Anglo-American vocal music. The first, “American Angels,” was a runaway hit. Anonymous 4 has been internationally renowned for their performances and recordings of music from the Middle Ages, Catholic Liturgy and innovative contemporary music. To say that their singing is stunning is a vast understatement. They will play the UCSC Recital Hall tomorrow night, accompanied by violinist Darol Anger and guitarist Scott Nygaard, as part of their Long Time Traveling Tour.

In a phone conversation with Anonymous 4 member Marsha Genensky I asked if she had ever heard the Silly Sisters, because the arrangements of a couple of the songs on “Gloryland” bore a slight similarity to some of their arrangements. Marsha exclaimed that they indeed were early musical heroes. She went on to say that in these times there is so much music from everywhere to take in that an artist may not always realize how or when these influences will make themselves heard, or even that they are making themselves heard. While speaking by phone earlier with Darol Anger, he mentioned that Marsha had stayed with the late famed ballad singer Almeda Riddle at Riddle’s home in the Arkansas Ozarks. This was many years ago, but the influence of her time spent there is also heard in some of the songs on “Gloryland.”

Anger played violin, baritone violin, mandolin and octave mandolin on “Gloryland.” While Mike Marshall played guitar, mandolin and mandocello on the recording, guitarist Scott Nygaard is accompanying the singers with Anger for this tour. Nygaard and Anger form the core of the instrumental group Republic of Strings. This group is known for an adventuresome approach to their musical arrangements. Their repertoire includes World Music and Appalachian tunes, and they will treat the audience to some tunes during tomorrow night’s concert.

Anonymous 4 consists of four incredibly talented women singers: Marsha Genensky, Susan Hellauer, Jacqueline Horner and Johanna Maria Rose, and was founded in 1986. The combination of their voices accompanied by such stellar instrumentalists guarantees an unforgettable evening of music. Anonymous 4 has traveled the world over and in recent years they have attempted to limit their performance schedule. It speaks volumes for this community to be a destination on their Long Time Traveling Tour.

Email Mary McCaslin at mary@marymccaslin.com.

WHAT: Anonymous 4, with Darol Anger and Scott Nygaard

WHEN: Saturday, January 26, 8 p.m.

WHERE: UCSC Recital Hall

TICKETS: 459-2159