US ROOTS: Hawke's Bay quartet Cabin Fevre play at the Tin Hut on Wednesday for the Cross Creek Blues Club. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
US ROOTS: Hawke's Bay quartet Cabin Fevre play at the Tin Hut on Wednesday for the Cross Creek Blues Club. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
A new group with an international pedigree will guest for the Cross Creek Blues Club on Wednesday when Cabin Fevre appear at the Tin Hut to play their own brand of American Roots music, along with some original compositions.
The Hawke's Bay quartet started life as a duo late lastyear when North American Setha Davenport and Scotsman Roddy Branagan decided to rebrand themselves with the new name. The couple had been playing together, and in other bands, for six years before Kiwi Katie Charleton-Jones joined them after playing on the same programme at a summer festival. Englishman Marty Forrer then casually asked if they wanted a bass player.
"Well that was a no-brainer," says Davenport, especially given Forrer's depth of experience in every musical genre from jazz to country.
Charleton-Jones brings a solid rhythm to the group on guitar and a distinctive vocal style, while Davenport's harmonies add depth and colour, and her banjo supplies authenticity. Branagan is the songwriter and weaves the music together with his improvisational mandolin technique.
Collectively the group credits a wide range of musical influences from Dylan to Robert Johnson via Bob Marley, the Grateful Dead, Howlin' Wolf, Eva Cassidy and Bruce Springsteen plus New Zealand's Dave Murphy and Hard Candy. That should guarantee an interesting evening.
The Tin Hut appearance will be a return to familiar territory for Davenport and Branagan, who lived in Wairarapa four years ago when they worked for a horticultural business.
The show begins with a support programme from club members at 7.15pm and Cabin Fevre will appear around 9pm.
