Talented contemporary folk-style singer-songwriter Maria Howell with skilled guitarist Mike Johns won two local songwriting competitions recently. Fo'c'sle audiences have been impressed by several all-too-brief visits, but now you can enjoy them properly. Maria's lovely voice is at home singing anything from folk to gospel with Mike's supportive accompaniment adding spice to the dish! His instrumentals are well worth hearing too and that's not just our opinion!
Pete has been visiting the Fo'c'sle for as long as it has existed (his wife Annie designed the original logo) and often duos along with Mick Ryan, but as a semi-pro he has been expanding his blues activities and also touring as a duo with harmonica wizard Marc. Their repertoire encompasses a wide range of folk and blues material with a more contemporary feel, but they're so good you won't care what they perform!
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Tania's wonderful clear voice and Mike's subtly decorative percussion style will be remembered from their previous visits to the Fo'c'sle and other local Clubs who value their quality. They play their many-cultured music on an impressive assortment of instruments including hammered dulcimer, violin, Native American flute, cittern, recorder, guitar, and percussion. Mike's main instruments, besides guitar, are a cast aluminum Egyptian darabouka and a Gambian style Djembe. Tania, born and raised in Alaska and now living in western Washington and in Ireland, recorded five solo albums to excellent reviews in acoustic music magazines on both sides of the Atlantic before getting together with Mike and now they're going from strength to strength.