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Duo bringing ‘aural feast’ to Snoring Sasquatch

In the summer of 2010, Corbin Keep and Mel Watson were invited to play at Starbelly Jam. On the way there, they performed at the Snoring Sasquatch arts house.
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Mel Watson and Corbin Keep are Travlin' Light.

In the summer of 2010, Corbin Keep and Mel Watson were invited to play at Starbelly Jam. On the way there, they performed at the Snoring Sasquatch arts house. They had such fun in Creston, were so warmly received by the audience and simply loved the place so much that they could hardly wait to come back. And back they will be, with a concert on March 24.

Mel Watson, formerly of the Australian sensation Fruit, has an amazing 4.5-octave voice and is accomplished on many instruments, including trumpet, soprano sax, flute, guitar and percussion. She is a great songwriter to boot. Her 19 Australian Music Awards and nominations cover all three categories — vocal, instrumental and songwriting. Watson’s playing and joyous, infectious musicality tend to leave a lasting impression on those who hear her.

Cellist Corbin Keep, known as the “Wild Cellist”, makes his home on Bowen Island. Known for his innovative approach to the cello, he has toured as a solo performer for many years.

After the dissolution of Fruit in 2007, Watson also toured as a solo artist until one night in 2009, she invited Keep to sit in. From that very first evening together, it was clear that Watson and Keep, both improvisational performers without boundaries, shared something special. Now, a year and a half after formalizing their musical partnership, they are set to record their second co-written CD, with material already piling up for a third.

Together, these consummate musicians create “acoustic sculpture, musical transfusion; an aural feast of genre-transcendent, emotionally charged original music. Elements of folk, classical, rock, blues, jazz and more are combined, creating a cello and horn driven sound which is all their own,” according to Oregon Coast Mgazine.

“Corbin is … the virtuoso's virtuoso. … You can expect to be in awe of his technical mastery and innovative techniques” said organizers of the Kispiox Valley Music Festival.

“Corbin and Mel are fun, totally engaging, moving, time stopping, improvisatory, as genuine as it gets,” said Dancetrough.com. “And their songs are fabulous.”

Doors to the concert open at 7 p.m., and the show begins at 8. Tickets are $12 in advance at Black Bear Books and Kingfisher Used Books or $15 at the door. Pre-show dinner and ticket combos are $25 at Coffee Creek Café (250-428-9511).