Look Up, Look Down

the Emy Phelps/Darol Anger collaboration recording is now here
Ten original songs by this amazing singer-songwriter, arranged, produced and recorded by Darol. Many of the most amazing young musicians in New England are featured, as well as Darol himself, on the usual array of weird and normal instruments, in an ambitious and densely textured setting.

This recording is a product of 2 unique and deeply affecting musicians. Virtuoso fiddler and multi-string master Darol Anger here focuses his talents in service of the singer-songwriter's art. The singer and writer Emy Phelps is a standout artist in a large field. She is a prolific songwriter with a riveting voice which plumbs the deepest emotions. A musician of note in the Pacific Northwest, she has made a 30 year music career while raising 3 sons and a daughter, achieving degrees in Theatre Arts and Special Education, and touring for 7 years with Brian Ransom's Ceramic Ensemble.
In combination, Anger and Phelps bring out each other's special ability to convey deep emotional resonance. The cast of youthful virtuoso musicians and accomplished veterans assembled here represent some of the cream of America's musical talent. Anger's deep connections within the acoustic music world have made possible a brilliant palette to set Emy's songs. The musicians include bassists Samson Grisman, Bridget Kearney, and Karl Doty. Cellist Mike Block is a guest soloist. Aoife O'Donovan contributes background vocals and Bruce Molsky and the phenomenal harpist Aoife O'Donovan step out in stellar roles. Darol Anger contributes his usual thoughtful and surprising violin and string sounds. Many more amazing musicians populate these tracks.

Emy Phelps does not remember a time when she has not sung. Trained in theater arts, she participated in Ashland, Oregon's world-reknowned Shakespeare Festival programs including both Shakespeare and contemporary productions, and danced for 3 years in The Green Show, an ongoing Festival program. She was a founding member of Brian Ransom's The Ceramic Ensemble, which toured internationally from 1980–1987. As a member of that ensemble she did research on indigenous music in Peru. She is a musician of note in the Oregon region and has performed all around the Pacific Northwest since the late 80's.
She has released one recording entitled As It Should Be on Sweet Mercy Records, and has participated in many recordings including Patrick Brayer, Chris Darrow, Norma Tenega, and Duke McVinnie. Past venues include the New Music America Festival in Philadelphia, North By Northwest, the Moab Folk Festival, Wintergrass, The Britt Festival, and Northwest Folk Life Festival in Seattle.

Fiddler, composer, producer and educator,  Darol Anger is at home in a number of musical genres, some of which he helped to invent. Exceptional among modern fiddlers for his versatility and depth, Anger has helped drive the evolution of the contemporary string band through his involvement with numerous pathbreaking ensembles such as his Republic Of Strings, the Turtle Island String Quartet, the David Grisman Quintet, Montreux, his Duo with Mike Marshall, and others. He has performed and taught all over the world with musicians such as Dr. Billy Taylor, Bela Fleck, Bill Evans, Edgar Meyer, Bill Frisell, Marin Alsop and the Cabrillo Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony, Mark O’Connor, and Stephane Grappelli. Today Darol can be heard on NPR's "Car Talk" theme every week, along with Earl Scruggs, David Grisman and Tony Rice. He has recorded and produced scores of important recordings since 1977, is a MacDowell and UCross Fellow, and has received numerous composers’ residencies and grants. He has been a featured soloist on dozens of recordings and motion picture soundtracks. He is an Associate Professor at the prestigious Berklee School of music.