Sheesham & Lotus

Take Note! Music House, address given upon reservation, Orillia, ON

Old-tyme duo Sheesham & Lotus will be performing an intimate house concert at the Take Note! Music House on Wednesday, November 13 at 7:30 pm, for the ridiculously low price of $15. Call (705) 305-1687 or e-mail concerts@takenotepromotion.com to reserve your seat. Directions will be given upon reservation, but we're located close to downtown, just west of the Opera House and north of the Hospital (in case you are overwhelmed with joy partway through the event!).

Accessibility-wise, there is one step in through the side door, or a ridge through the back sliding door, and there is a main-floor washroom, although not big enough to accommodate a wheelchair. Allergy-wise, we're a pet-free zone (sadly), although we had animals in the house until a couple of years ago and are notoriously lousy housekeepers, so there might still be some essence of cat -- on the upside, those with chemical sensitivities need not be worried about us using harsh cleaning agents. :) (A reminder, as always, to please refrain from wearing scents, as it will be close quarters and some of our "regulars" do have sensitivities.)

As with our previous house concert, those many moons ago, we'll also be recording the event -- so practise your applause and whistles well in advance, for posterity!

Many Orillians are already familiar with Sheesham & Lotus from the Mariposa and BarrieFolk Festivals, the AquaTheatre, as well as a number of other area appearances over the years. For those of you who have yet to witness the pleasure, here's a little bit we've stolen from their website:

Sheesham & Lotus (www.sheeshamandlotus.com)

'They're the best thing that Canada has in American old time music performance right now- maybe ever! ' -Arnie Naiman

"Sheesham and Lotus and 'Son have a sepia filter trained on all aspects of their performances- all bowler hats and pomade and watch-chains. The asthetic is of a medicine show attraction -- hawkers hawking silent movie slapstick, novelty noise-machines and Dapper Dan dress sense supporting their Sepia-phonic monophone-filtered new old-time sound." - Sarah Coxson, fROOTS, UK

An important moment of reckoning between Lotus Wight and Sheesham Crow was when they realized that they had the common experience as children brushing their teeth to the fiddle tune 'Turkey in the Straw', using the shape of their mouths to manipulate the melody of the tune. It was this kind of idle,yet innate musicality which followed them as youngsters.

The end of the twentieth century saw the formation of Sheesham and Lotus, a simple musical duo whose main concern was to revive fiddle music and good-time songs of years past. In the years following, they have become one of the most popular Old-time acts in Canada playing, hosting and work-shopping at festivals, schools and soft-seat theatres.

Noted for their highly original presentations and home-made instruments, Sheesham and Lotus have created a sonic and visual language that is very much their own, utilizing instruments such as jaw harps and homemade banjos, as well their own creations such as the Sepia-phonic monophone, and the Contrabass Harmoniphoneum. Such inventions have been instrumental in building a show that is antique in both its sight and sound. They sing and play through ancient horns with old-style lighting and period-correct attire. Experiencing Sheeham and Lotus is like gazing at a ferrotype photograph or listening to an old 78rpm phonograph record. Their attention to detail combined with their astounding musicianship has set them apart as true 'innovators' of their Old-time craft, surpassing the standard 'fiddle and banjo' format which has been ubiquitous in the folk scene.

Sheesham and Lotus are also very much in demand as clinicians and lecturers, giving educational presentations in ethnomusicology and music history at festivals, schools and universities across Canada and the United States.

In 2012 Sheesham and Lotus recorded the crtically acclaimed "1929", joined by sousaphone player, 'Son Sanderson. The record was quickly nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award in the category of "Best Traditional Album".

For more information, including videos and song samples, please visit www.sheeshamandlotus.com.