Dana and Susan Robinson are two guitar-playing, banjo-frailing, fiddle-sawing, and harmony-singing interpreters of the American experience. Their unique blend of contemporary songwriting and traditional Appalachian music bring to their performances a deep understanding of America’s musical heritage.
Celebrating the release of their new album, American Hornpipe, Dana and Susan Robinson will perform with world music trio Free Planet Radio (River Guerguerian, Eliot Wadopian, Chris Rosser) at select shows for their album release. American Hornpipe is a melting pot of Appalachian, British, and African influences, full of earthy grooves, elegant melodies, stories of heroes, ne’er do-wells, and cautionary tales.
Catch them for one of their CD release shows in the Asheville area: 10/24 at Duckpond Pottery, 10/26 at White Horse Black Mountain, 10/27 at Madison County Arts Center
The title itself summons up the essence of this collection: “American Hornpipe”, a simple English dance tune, brought across the oceans like so many other articles of folklore, now fleshed out upon the rich tapestry of contemporary American culture.
The genius of a Dana and Susan Robinson performance lies in their ability to capture the imagination of their audience, evoking a transformative experience that touches on the deepest humanity. They can make the audience howl with laughter or hush with poignant reflection as they take them on a journey across America and convey the mystery and wonder of the places they visit.
From performing at Carnegie Hall to their music being featured in Ken Burn’s PBS documentaries Dana and Susan Robinson have been playing their trademark brand of “new-time, old-time music” for nearly twenty years.
What the Press is Saying About “American Hornpipe”
“It’s grooves like these that instantly put a smile on my face!” – Martin Anderson WNCW Spindale, NC
“American Hornpipe is awash in pleasures: Susan’s singing an unaccompanied ‘Fair & Tender Ladies,’ Dana’s New England-inflected fiddle and mandolin, Eliot Wadopian’s tone-perfect acoustic bass, River Guerguerian’s iron-clad grasp of how to use percussion to accentuate folk music. And the songs, not least of them Florida cowboy poet Hank Mattson’s (with Dana’s tune) ‘When This Old Hat Was New,’ not to mention the opener ‘Who Killed Cock Robin?’ with Susan’s hardboiled-detective vocal and the unsettling ghost-of-Fairport-Convention arrangement.” —Rambles
“The couple’s captivating version of the well-known ‘Who Killed Cock Robin’ sets the stage beautifully for the other songs to follow on the album. Among them is Dana’s original, ‘The Invitation,’ that invites listeners to ‘get unplugged and get recharged.’” —The Laurel of Asheville
“Rooted in time-honored old-time music, the Robinsons have branched out a bit, putting a slightly contemporary spin on many of the tunes on ‘American Hornpipe’. Some of the album is comprised of traditional old-time songs re-imagined into something fresh; music that is comfortable yet unexplored, like discovering a new trail in a forest you’ve traversed many times before. The original songs on the album feature a variety of songwriters, and throughout ‘American Hornpipe’, the world-music sounds of River Guerguerian’s Free Planet Radio join the Robinson’s string band sensibilities…This is a fun, heartfelt and unique piece of work.” — Brent Fleury, Bold Life
“Love the rhythmic drive, and your fresh take on old chestnuts.” – Keith Weston WUNC Chapel Hill, NC
Acoustic Music Scene listed American Hornpipe in one of the top new albums of Sept 2012!
“mesmerising throughout” —GetReadyToRock.com
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