Shifting Sands: Velvet Mantle

Winter, who is reassuring through her lullaby textures, coats each selection with warm fuzzies. She cites Patricia Barber and Andy Bey as inspirational sources, and from that background, you can feel deep feelings and communication driving her performance.

Lander turns up the heat on this session. She comps persuasively behind Winter's lovely themes with a cohesive pull, and then launches forceful piano attacks in selected spots for emphasis. Together, they shift each mood gently from scene to scene. Winter interprets lyrics with a casual air and delivers wordless vocals with a thrill. Much of the program refers to a Celtic music tradition that spans centuries.

Thus, the duo holds fast to a timeless landscape. Shifting Sands delivers from the heart on Velvet Mantle with a performance that applies to folk of all generations and all backgrounds: it's universal.

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