Keeping the spirit of Cygnet Folk Festival burning

Voicestrings @
The Gallery, 5 Garthfield Ave, Cygnet (nr The Middle Pub)
Saturday 16th April 2015 Doors open 6.30pm- Start 7pm
$10 Adv, $15 Door, $10 Conc, kids free
BYO food, chairs, blankets, drinks
Contact: 0431 173 546 or matsumotomontz@gmail.com

Once again Montz and the two Rosses gather as the latest incarnation of Voicestrings, bringing their eclectic mix of Bluegrass, Blues and Trad Folk Rock to The Gallery in Cygnet.

For those not sure of the difference between Bluegrass and other forms of Folk Music, Bluegrass is a toe tapping form of the genre but also recognized as Country music. It evolved amongst Irish immigrants in the South and East of the US of A in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Rolling through the decades it picked up other types of Folk music from the British Isles as the waves of immigration passed through, then later incorporated Jazz and Soul through American-African influences. Banjo, fiddle and distinctive guitar style are integral components of Bluegrass.

And Voicestrings are Maestros of their trade. All seasoned minstrels with well over 100 years of combined experience, they bring together their vast knowledge (see below) as a tight outfit playing their own material as well as standard favorites.

Ross Smithard
Ross Smithard is one of the best fiddlers in Tasmania. He has mastered Irish and Apalachian traditional fiddle music, and Blues guitar.

Ross also plays with ‘Moonshine Whiskers and the Ragged Pony’, ‘Peter Hicks and the Blues Licks’, ‘ Tasmania’s Devil’s Own’ and performed at many folk festivals include National Folk Festival.

Ross Sermons
Ross Sermons was born in North Carolina, and is steeped in Southern Blues, Bluegrass and Soul.

He has a very personal style of singing and guitar, which is a very unique blend of Blues, Rock, and Bluegrass.

He has toured all over America and the UK, Holland, Germany, the Czeck Republic and Ireland. The artists he has recorded and toured with include; BB King, Jimmy Buffett, Steve Winwood, and Steve Cropper, James Cotton, Gregg Allman, Tim O’Brien, Sam Bush, Alison Brown and fiddle legend Vassar Clements.

Montz Matsumoto
Montz was born in Japan and at age 15 started to learn Bluegrass banjo. His professional music career commenced upon joining the legendary Japanese folk group ‘The Natarshar Seven’ in late ’80s.

Currently touring regularly with Sydney-based “Hillbilly Pop” band ‘The Pigs’ who also perform annually at many festivals including Tamworth Country Music Festival, the Port Fairy Folk Festival, the Gympie Muster and the Blue Mountains Music Festival.

Amongst the artists Montz has performed with are Bluegrass legend Peter Rowan, Kasey Chambers, Troy Cassar-Daley, Kavisha Mazzella, Andrew Clermont, Pete Denahy and The Borderers. He has also recorded for various musicians including John Williamson.

Uniquely, he has managed to fuse Traditional Japanese music with Bluegrass to dazzling effect.

Be sure to have your buckdancing, flatfooting and clogging dance styles ready for the jigs and reels on the night.
Voicestrings