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Acoustic sounds of Creaking Tree come to MY Place

"Crackles with imaginative and sometimes manic instrumental interplay"

Who: Creaking Tree String Quartet

Where: MY Millennium Place

When: July 20

The Creaking Tree String Quartet coming Thursday, July 20 to MY Millennium Place is all its name suggests.

Each of the instruments played – mandolin, violin, upright bass and guitar – are made from wood and require wind to produce the sound, whether through exhale, the speed of a drawn bow or hand fingering.

However, there is nothing creaky about the Juno-Award-winning bunch. The acoustic fivesome is made up of four Toronto boys whose passion for experimental music and finely tuned skills produce an avant-garde listening experience.

"As tight and polished as it is improvisational and exuberant. The music crackles with imaginative and sometimes manic instrumental interplay," wrote Acoustic Guitar Magazine critic Celine Keating.

Jazz forms slide over a rootsy bluegrass base with chamber music additions.

Each member brings an eclectic soundscape to the mic. Violinist John Showman’s background includes classical and Celtic music. Guitarist Brad Keller was formerly all about rock and roll. Bassist Brian Kobayakawa and mandolinist Andrew Collins formally studied jazz.

The Creaking Tree Quartet weaves technical mastery with emotion for a magical adventure.

In between tours, the band is currently recording their third album. Previous albums received numerous accolades. Their most recent album, Side Two, won the Pushing the Boundaries Award at the 2005 Canadian Folk Music Awards. The album was also named Instrumental Album of the Year at the Indie Acoustic Project Awards. The album’s single, Old Crow, also won Song of the Year at the International Acoustic Music Awards. The band’s self-titled debut album was nominated for a Juno Award.

The Creaking Tree is catching on. The band shared stages with Sarah Harmer, the Rheostatics and Cowboy Junkies at the One Big No peace festival in Toronto. This year’s Montreal show was recorded live and broadcast on Radio Canada.

Visit www.creakingtree.com to download music samples.

Advanced tickets are $17 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Call 604-935-8410 to reserve.