COYLE — Ready for a night of what they call “Celtic roots music without borders,” Hanz Araki and Kathryn Claire will arrive at the Laurel B. Johnson Community Center this Saturday. Admission is by donation, and all ages are welcome at the “Concerts in the Woods” series.
Araki comes from a family of Japanese shakuhachi — bamboo flute — players, and left his home town of Seattle to play in concerts and teach at Keio University in Tokyo. Then, he came back home and found himself drawn to the world of Celtic music.
The penny-whistle and the Irish flute became his passions, along with jigs, reels and the songs of Scotland, England and Ireland.
After tours across the United States, Canada and Britain, Araki relocated to Portland, Ore., in 2006.
This move proved to be a good one, as it led to the musical partnership with Claire, an Oregon native.
She’s a self-taught guitarist and a vocalist and fiddle-player who loves traditional music. This love has been a driving force beneath her original music, which includes Claire’s distinctive take on folk songs.
Araki and Claire soon discovered that they both adore harmonies and traditional songs. So they’ve gone on the road, playing festivals across North America and beyond.
The pair’s Saturday show will start at 7:30 p.m. at the community center at 923 Hazel Point Road. For information about the concert, the venue and forthcoming shows, phone promoter Norm Johnson at 360-765-3449 or 206-459-6854 or email
johnson5485@msn.com.
To learn more about Araki and Claire, visit www.theCelticConspiracy.com.
