Robbie Basho

photo by Ron May

Buck has curated a tribute to Robbie Basho, a labor of love that will be released by Important Records in early 2010. The record is titled We Are All One, In the Sun and will feature Meg Baird, 2 pieces by Steffen Basho Junghans (to celebrate all of his hard work in keeping the memory of Robbie Bahso Alive), Glenn Jones, Arborea, Cian Nugent, Helena Espvall, Fern Knight, and Rahim Alhaj. There will also be additional tracks by Yair Yona, Joseba Irazoki, and Cam Deas available as part of a digital album version. The album will be dedicated to Jack Rose.

For more info on Robbie Basho visit the Robbie Basho Archives maintained by Steffen Basho Junghans: Basho Archives or go here http://www.bluemomentarts.de/bma/rbasho/en/

and visit Important Records

This Little Light of Mine video - Odetta Tribute

Film by Craig Saddlemire

iTunes Beautiful Star: Songs of Odetta

Arborea's 1940 Inspired Custom National O

Shanti and our National

Photos by Buck/Art by Shanti

Bonnie and Clyde Inspired This!

The actual 1940 Headstock/Guitar that I showed to Don at National

Chris Whitley's gear


Photo of Chris Whitley by Shanti Curran









































































































Shanti and I were fortunate to see Chris Whitley perform in Unity Maine on Valentines Day in 2004. I turned Shanti onto his music, but it took nearly 8 years for us to see him together. It was a very intense night and Chris played his 1940 National for most of the night. A moment in time we'll never forget.
Visit Don and the Guys at National Guitars
National Reso-Phonic Guitars

Jack Rose

Jack Rose, Down in the Green Room, Time of Rivers Festival, Portland Maine Autumn 2007

Jack Rose live at the Hall Mall, Iowa City, IA Arpil 5th, 2006


Jack Rose live in Berlin January 21, 2007

The World has Lost a Great Guy, and truly one of the Hardest Working and most Brilliant Musicians on the planet! Jack, I'll miss talking with you about guitars and Robbie Basho! I'll miss your kindness, your strong opinions, and unabashed Honesty ...and the sheer joy of being in a room watching and listening to your merciless and graceful attack on your guitar strings. You could really make a guitar sing like no other... Love You Brother!
~Buck

Jack Rose in Belgium November 2009

Jack Rose @ Chapelle Saint-Roch en Volière from B.RUffian on Vimeo.

Recent Jack Rose performance 11 November, 2009 Liege Belgium at Chapelle Saint-Roch en Voliere

Jack Rose Copenhagen 8/12 2008

Jack Rose in Berlin

Jack Rose in Berlin 21 January, 2007

Curran Guitars Profile at Guitar Bench

An interview with Buck and a profile on his guitars has been published on the Venerable Guitar Bench Website Guitar Bench
Special Thanks to Terence Tan for making this interview happen.

p.s. One thing not mentioned in the interview was one of Buck's favorite guitar making inspirations. During a 1993 documentary about classical guitarist John Williams, John goes to Australia and during his stay visits with Greg Smallman at his shop in the Highlands of Glen Innes, New South Wales.

Folk Radio UK Arborea Mix

Photo by Shanti

Folk Radio UK

The Folks at Folk Radio UK recently asked Buck and Shanti to create a mix. Buck has this to say about the mix:

Life can appear to be a mad rush as I let myself get caught up in the maelstrom of living. When I take time to pause, close my eyes, and listen...
A good song can slow down time and radiate with infinite magic. Each song in this collection takes me to that Much needed place.
~Buck

Click here to listen to the mix:
Folk Radio UK Arborea Mix
or go here http://www.mixcloud.com/folkradiouk/buck-and-shantis-arborea-mix/

or go here to read the introduction
Folk Radio UK Arborea Mix
or go here:
http://www.folkradio.co.uk/index.php/reviews/578-new-mix-buck-and-shanti-arborea

Sean Smith - Death Courier and Light Emitter

"Sean Smith LIVE at the Verdi Club, San Francisco, April 23rd 2009"

"A Bull Emerges from the Ram's Dark Tomb" by Sean Smith (Gnome Live Free Mp3 download) 2009 Download Performance Here
or follow this link http://gnomeliferecords.com/ss_live_free.html

[Painting of Sean (as death courier and light emitter) by Fletcher Tucker.]

Beirut Live & Seadrift @ Roots and Tendrils

'Beirut' & 'Seadrift' live @ Roots and Tendrils Filmed by Grace Kendall

photo by Shanti Curran


Shanti created this image years ago, altering a photograph in her darkroom, of an image she captured in North Carolina. Her teacher at the time ridiculed the image saying it wasn't photography. It's one of my favorite photos that she has created ~Buck

Early Autumn in Maine

photo by Liam Curran/editing by Shanti Curran

photo taken at the Schoener Preserve, Georgetown Island, Maine

Lewiston Maine

photo/art by Shanti Curran

Lewiston is a Mill Town in Maine that came to prominence during the Industrial Revolution. Shanti created this image, that for me, defines this town's industrial past ~Buck

Arborea S/T Black Mountain Road

Photo by Shanti Curran and Grace Kendall

This was the Photo used for the cover of Arborea's S/T record that was released in 2008 by Fire Museum Records. Shanti imagined this artwork for over a year before this photo was finally Realized.

NPR reviewed the album on 8 September 2009, featuring the song Black Mountain Road
NPR Arborea Feature
or go here http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94426447

River and Rapids

Film by Craig Saddlemire

Odetta tribute compilation

Arborea is excited to be a part of the 'Wears the Trousers' curated benefit compilation cd 'Beautiful Star': The Songs of Odetta

released November 30, 2009 (download / limited edition CD)

01 Linda Draper, ‘Sail Away Ladies’
02 Ane Brun, ‘If I Had A Ribbon Bow’
03 Gemma Ray, ‘900 Miles’
04 Anaïs Mitchell, ‘All My Trials’
05 Haunted Stereo, ‘Santy Anno’
06 Madam, ‘Waterboy’
07 Sandy Dillon, ‘Can’t Afford To Lose My Man’
08 Ora Cogan, ‘Motherless Child’
09 Josephine Oniyama, ‘The Gallows Pole’
10 Pepi Ginsberg, ‘Beautiful Star’
11 Society Of Imaginary Friends, ‘Another Man Done Gone’
12 Marissa Nadler, ‘All My Trials’
13 Kelli Ali, ‘All The Pretty Little Horses’
14 Katey Brooks, ‘What A Friend We Have’
15 Liz Durrett, ‘Chilly Winds’
16 Arborea, ‘This Little Light Of Mine’

Visit www.myspace.com/songsofodetta
or http://wearsthetrousers.com/ for more info.

October in Maine, Reid Sate Park and Music @ the Hogfarm

Photos by Shanti Curran

Sondra Sun-Odeon @ Hogfarm Bidderford, Maine October 9th, 2009

Photos by Buck Curran/editing by Shanti Curran

Cursillistas at Guthries/Lewiston, Maine

Photo by Shanti Curran Aug, 2009

More photos from the BBC

Arborea on the cover of Rockerilla Magazine

Arborea shares the lineup of feature articles, alongside Tim Buckley and Alice in Chains, in the October/November 2009 issue of Italy's Rockerilla Magazine

http://www.rockerilla.com/

Summer in Maine

Photos by Buck Curran

Much of August was spent at the ocean with our children...taking some time out for ourselves, no music except the wind and the sound of the waves. It was a perfect summer, and this was a perfect memory.

Arborea gets a great write up in the last issue of Performing Songwriter

Arborea was featured in the very last issue of Performing Songwriter magazine. In the 'Just Push Play' section, in the June 2009 issue (Odds and ends that the staff of 'Performing Songwriter' have been obsessing over) Beth Walker wrote:

Husband-and-wife duo Arborea are undoubtedly located on the folkier side of life. And their brand of folk is ethereal, bone-chilling and beautiful all at once. House of Sticks has a very organic feel, as one may imagine simply from perusing some of the song titles - "River and Rapids," "Look Down Fair Moon" and "In the Tall Grass"- and it has the uncanny ability to transport the listener into a vastly different, dreamier world.
~Beth Walker

Seadrift and Arms & Horses

Films by Craig Saddlemire

Arborea goes to Ireland & London- to play on the BBC

Here are a few photos from our recent trip across the pond. We were asked to play on the BBC radio 3 'World on 3' program to which we promptly said "Hell yeah!" We mixed in a visit with our good friends (more like our adopted family) in the mountains of Ireland (Wicklow County to be exact)Our trip lasted 8 days and we had a wonderful time. Some of the highlights of our trip included meeting and staying with Alan Pedder in London (editor of 'Wears the Trousers Magazine') Also, Alan took us to a phenomenal concert, Ane Brun- Have you heard of her? Check her out, you won't be sorry! Every single day of our stay with our family at the farmhouse was too short and way too fun. Ok, I guess there were no highlights, the whole trip was so fulfilling and inspiring.

In Dublin, sitting with with a likeness of Patrick Kavanagh


A hearty pint of Guinness after being caught in the rain is just the thing


Here we are at the BBC




The most enchanting place I know...

Ireland in May

Photos by Shanti and Buck

Leaves of Life

Artwork by Hanna Tuulikki


June 23rd was the official release date for 'Leaves of Life'.

Leaves of Life is the essential collection of songs by some of today’s most creative Indie Folk musicians. This record brings together unique and contemporary artistic voices to create an evocative and stunning collaboration; with all proceeds from the sales of this record going to benefit important relief programs in Africa, and other communities in great need around the world.

Curated and produced by Buck Curran of the Alt-folk duo Arborea, Leaves of Life features 19 exclusive songs by artists Alela Diane, Devendra Banhart, Marissa Nadler and Black Hole Infinity, Fern Knight, Shanti Curran (Arborea), Rio en Medio, Larkin Grimm, Mi and L’au, Starless and Bible Black, Silver Summit, Micah Blue Smaldone, David Garland, Citay, Big Blood, Mica Jones, Eric Carbonara, Ora Cogan, Cursillistas, and Magic Leaves…along with the beautiful art work of musician Hanna Tuulikki. This project hopes to further inspire people around the world to join in vital artistic and social efforts to make a better life for all of us.

In addition the digital release of the compilation will include special bonus tracks by Jozef van Wissem, Laurent Brondel, Denise Dill, and Plains.

To purchase the cd in the U.S. please visit Darla Records

http://darla.com/index.php?fuseaction=e4_ecom.ecom_superitem_detail&item_cat_id=36667

For purchasing in Europe visit here

http://bornerecordings.bigcartel.com/product/various-artists-leaves-of-life

All proceeds from the sale of this record go to the World Food Program!

if you would like more information about the world food program please visit: www.friendsofwfp.org

Please help us get the word out about this record compilation- every cd that sells will help!!!

Black Mountain Road music/film

Here is a film directed by Francesco Paulo Paladino inspired by our song 'Black Mountain Road'

Sandy Denny

Sandy Denny performs Crazy Lady Blues on the BBC 1971

Peter Green - I've got a mind to give up livin'

It just doesn't get any better!

Peter Green & Fleetwood Mac I've Got A Mind To Give Up Living / All Over Again Live at The Warehouse, New Orleans, LA 01/31/70



Peter Green during his tenure with the Bluesbreakers

New songs, New Cd, New Dirty Linen Magazine Feature...

Hello everyone,

Well these past few months have been really busy- so many great things are happening that we hardly have the time to write about it. Our new cd 'House of Sticks' has been out for a few weeks and is already picking up airplay throughout the U.S. and Europe, and is also among the top 50 Best Sellers list at Darla Records, Yay! (Darla is distributing our record in the U.S.) As well, a release date for the 'Leaves of Life' compilation will be announced soon. AND, we just recorded a song to be included on a tribute cd in honor of the legendary Odetta. The Cd is curated by Wears the Trousers Magazine, (http://wearsthetrousers.com/) and the song we recorded was an Arborea take on 'This Little Light of Mine' We are really excited to be a part of this compilation, as we have a deep respect for Odetta and the light she shone on the world. As yet we don't know the release date for that comp, but we'll keep you posted.
Also, Arborea was in Dirty Linen Magazine again, alongside Vetiver, Helena Espvall and Masaki Batoh, Fern Knight and Larkin Grimm in issue #140 (March/April 2009) as part of the Psych Folk Feature Article written by Veteran writer Lahri Bond. Dirty Linen Magazine can be found in every major bookseller throughout the the world....pick up a copy while you can! There are several more project in the works, as well as our non musical interests (local community activism, organic gardening and teaching) we'll write more on all this soon (i hope)
~Shanti and Buck~

(photo by Shanti Curran)

Art from House of Sticks...and album description

Here are some photos from the new House of Sticks record, (out soon!) which has gotten me thinking...
Starting today, no, well, tomorrow- it's too cold today- I'm going to start roving the wild outside and photographing again, but it will be a series designed to be a companion to the next album, which we are recording now.















we build shelters to keep us from the sweltering noontime sun...







House of Sticks is the third release by the Indie folk duo Arborea. Following closely on the heels of their 2008 critically acclaimed self-titled record, it is a verdant, personal collection of singles, drawing the best tracks from their highly praised debut cd Wayfaring Summer and several new songs recorded between 2007 and 2008. Arborea also offers up new versions of their songs Dance, Sing, Fight and Beirut.



House of sticks is a continuation of the musical journey of Shanti and Buck Curran, as they conjure scenes of the wilderness and dwelling, and the vibrant people who exist within them. Partly recorded in a Depression Era hunting cabin nestled in the olden hills of western Maine, one can nearly hear the creaking floorboards and smell the wood smoke in the cold night air in the song Look down Fair Moon and sense the flash of wind and water in River and Rapids and On to the Shore. Their song In the Tall Grass is a riveting, intoxicating hum, suggesting a meadow at twilight, the whirl of sound broken only by the intimate promises of Shanti's voice. Other songs were recorded in the parlor of a 160-year-old cottage, resurrecting the bittersweet melancholy of those who have lived and loved within the room in which the songs were made. The title track House of Sticks is an acknowledgment of the transitory conditions that join a family or home and the wild forces of nature and time that can so easily tear it down. Within each song of this collection, Shanti and Buck seem to stop time and exist forever in that perfect, solitary moment.


Musically, Arborea continues to carry on the experimental folk and progressive folk rock tradition that began in the 60's and 70's by artists such as the Pentangle, John Fahey and Sandy Denny. NPR's 'All Songs Considered' producer Robin Hilton describes Shanti's voice as 'hypnotically beautiful' and their songs as 'memorable', and 'incredibly spare and beautiful'. With Shanti's unique rhythmic and melodic banjo style, and the introduction of her harmonium, along with Buck's haunting slide guitar, the duo creates an atmosphere of primitive 'Paris, Texas' Americana meets 'modal visions of the Far East', a sound that continues to captivate audiences worldwide. Arborea have excelled again with this release, yet another recording that establishes them as masters of their craft. This is a group that we will undoubtedly be hearing for decades to come.