The Varnish Cooks do not let dust settle on old-time music.
They are committed to the passion, improvisation, and
mystery at the heart of the old-time tradition. The music
is not pure; it is stained by clay and the blood of
peoples, and stubbornly holds onto an integrity that could
only grow from the celebrated and dark American story.
In this post-modern age, media distracts us incessantly
with fleeting information and entertainment. The Varnish
Cooks yearn with their audience for transcendent
simplicity. They retell the ancient songs without altering
them, joining their voices with the musical ancestry that
has passed down the music for hundreds of years. All music
emerges from the vernacular, and a return to our roots is a
crucial response to the fractured escapism of our day.
Although the context for old-time music has changed, its
relevance to the longing and joy of the heart has not.
