For the past several years Bethany and Rufus have been pushing the boundaries of American music. They have just finished recording a beautiful CD of "groove Americana" with cello and voice as instrumentation. Rufus, drawing from his background in jazz and dance oriented music, is able to find a deep inner pulse in these songs; and Bethany, drawing from a lifetime of familiarity (her father is Peter of the legendary folk trio, Peter, Paul and Mary) sings with an ease, grace and power that is all too rare these days. With a deeply soulful sound, Bethany and Rufus have transformed timeless songs such as “900 Miles”, “East Virginia”, and “St. James Infirmary” -- pushing the boundaries of American folk far into the territory of groove, jazz and sweet soul.

Rufus Cappadocia is one of the leading voices on the cello today. He has toured throughout the Americas and Europe with numerous groups and is known for his collaborations with artists from all over the world; from the Balkans to the Caribbean, from West Africa to North America. He has toured extensively with Urban Tap and The Paradox Trio; has just finished a recording with Badal Roy (who played tabla with Miles Davis) and Barney Mcall (who plays piano with Gary Bartz); a Canadian release with Hugh Marsh (violin) and Bary Romberg (drums); and is currently recording a new project, Voudou Drums of Haiti with “Bonga” Jean-Baptiste as well as a CD of unaccompanied solo cello. After years of experimentation, Rufus plays a self-designed Five String Electric Cello that extends the bass range of the cello, and through amplification expands the tonal possibilities of the instrument.

As the daughter of folk legend Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary, Bethany absorbed much of this music through osmosis in her early childhood. Her tour-de-force stage presence, mesmerizing voice and deep knowledge of the material allow her to turn these songs inside out, finding a vibrant inner pulse that resonates with a grace and power that is rare on today’s music scene.

This track is from their eponymous debut recording.

www.bethanyandrufus.com