Canadian singer Rebecca Barclay and English guitarist John Steele have been performing together since 2002. Their arrangements of traditional songs from England, Scotland, Ireland and English and French Canada are based upon an intertwining of Rebecca's powerful yet subtle vocals and John's textured guitar parts.
Rebecca sings the songs and legends of her native Canada and the North East of England with an unusual voice brimming with a variety of textures, not only dark, smoky and mysterious, but at times lively, pale and vulnerable, always full of surprises. Her voice invokes haunting memories with cadence and melodic power, reflecting her study of the vocal traditions of many world cultures.
John’s guitar is by turns percussive, gentle, fiddle-like and undulating, with waves of melodic twists, combining the wider elements of exuberant folk music and his fiddle playing, with a firm classical training. His style has a mesmerizing sense of impending immediacy, history and spirit.
The duo are proud to announce their first collaborative cd project, named Islet (a small Island) recorded in County Durham and Toronto Canada, and released by Raven’s Wings Records. Adding occasional colour to the CD arrangements are guest musicians Jesse Hull (fiddle), Charles Jevons (Irish flute), Peter Jellard (accordian), Tim Butterley (fiddle) and Terry Campbell (percussion).
This first CD as a duo, 'Islet', is available from www.barclayandsteele.com.
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