BRATTLEBORO — Local traditional music luminary Keith Murphy will present an evening of traditional and tradition-inspired song at the Brattleboro Music Center on Sunday, May 13.
The 7 p.m. concert in the BMC Auditorium will showcase material from Murphy's newest release, Land of Fish and Seals, his third solo recording. Tickets are $15; contact the BMC at 802-257-4523 or visit bmcvt.org.
A highly respected traditional singer, Murphy's direct and intimate style of singing brings the focus back to the beauty of traditional songs and ballads from French Canada and Keith's native Newfoundland, as well as more recently composed songs inspired by Anglo-American traditional song.
His masterful guitar work has influenced a generation of younger players and his song work creates a rich palette of textures using multiple open tunings and rhythmic ideas.
Joining Murphy in several performances throughout the program will be special guest Becky Tracy on fiddle. The two are longtime musical partners and well-loved for their rich duo program. On this occasion, Tracy will reprise some of her song accompaniments as featured on Murphy's new solo recording.
Murphy has performed widely around the country for decades with many of the finest musicians in the traditional Irish, Scottish New England and Canadian scenes. He was a founding member of Nightingale, a trio which broke new ground in its sophisticated approach to traditional music.
He is a mainstay of the Boston fiddle extravaganza, Childsplay, and has also worked extensively with Tony Barrand on the song repertoire from the early 20th century of the Atwood family from Dover, Vt. An accomplished composer and arranger in the realm of traditional music, he has also composed for theater and film and is a featured performer on well over a dozen recordings and guest musician on numerous others.
His versions of traditional songs have inspired recordings by other groups, including Solas, Uncle Earl and Great Big Sea. Several of his compositions have been featured on the recent Ken Burns' documentary on the Roosevelts.
Murphy is a faculty member of the Brattleboro Music Center and artistic director of the BMC's Northern Roots Traditional Music Festival, an annual event he founded in 2008.