TWO SHOES OFF
A contemporary folk fusion featuring old-time tunesmithing, world-beat percussion, and three-part vocal power.
Immersed in the joy of northern New England’s rich musical traditions, Vermont’s Two Shoes Off fuses the well-loved sounds of fiddle, guitar and mandolin with percussion and fine vocals, bringing to the stage a blend of old time jamming, Celtic melodies, American song-styles and world-beat rhythms. With original writing as their foundation, Two Shoes Off offers a fresh approach to traditional music that is by turns fun, funky and deeply moving. Two Shoes Off members include Susannah Blachly, George White, Dan Haley & Carter Stowell.
George White was born live and ready to play in Woods Hole, Mass. Steeped in the small community of eccentrics from all over the world with a love of music and dance, George’s fascination of rhythm and groove has lead through most musical categories with a clear common thread of passion that drives. Making a name for himself on the contra dance circuit and backing some of New England’s best dance fiddlers (Rodney Miller, Pete Sutherland) George is responsible for much of the unique Celtic groove, rock rhythms and raw passion that shapes sound of Two Shoes Off. Art Edelstein of the Montpelier Times Argus noted that “White is a talent to be reckoned with.”
After some formal musical education, Dan Haley began busking on the streets of Portland, OR in the late ‘70s. At this time he also discovered the mandolin. His tenure in rock band Ed & The Boats in the 80s qnd 90s allowed him to synthesize rock, folk, country and jazz elements into his own electric and acoustic style as well as developing as a songwriter. Gigs on the Portland scene included opening for Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Townes Van Zandt, Dan Hicks and The Pretenders. Since moving to Vermont in 2010 he has continued his interest various genres, playing and recording country music with Mark LeGrand, jazz with Michael Arnowitt, bar music with Rusty Romance and folk with Spencer Lewis and The House Carpenters. With Two Shoes Off, Haley provides mandolin, octave mandolin, guitar and vocals.
Carter Stowell has been drumming for nearly two decades. Study of traditional styles from West Africa to the Caribbean inform his approach to all music. In Vermont since 1999, Carter has played and recorded with Wagtail, Jay Ekis, Diane Zeigler, and others. With Two Shoes Off, he uses hands and feet with various skins, shakers, bells, brushes and shouts to provide a percussive understory for the band’s kaleidoscopic melodies.