Bethany & Rufus are a cello and voice duo known for their transcendent and soul-stirring performances of roots music from around the world. They weave a magical tapestry of dance, improvisational groove, pentatonic blues and forest melodies that spark a fire-in-the-belly experience that lingers long after the concert ends. Deeply influenced by prayer and ceremonial music, they perform around the world, reaching into people's hearts with their music to dissolve prejudices and create a common humanity through song. 

 

As the daughter of folk legend Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary, Bethany has been performing with him at concerts and events since she was 8 years old and absorbed much of this music through osmosis in her early childhood.  Her tour-de-force stage presence, mesmerizing voice and deep knowledge of the material help her turn these songs inside out and transmit the power of the message of the ancestors.

 

Rufus Cappadocia is one of the leading voices on the cello today, making a career of going where few cellists have gone before. He has toured throughout the Americas and Europe with numerous groups and is known for his collaborations with artists from all over the world including Urban Tap, The Paradox Trio, and the Vodou Drums of Haiti. After years of experimentation, Rufus plays a self designed Five String Electric Cello that extends the bass range of the cello and expands the tonal possibilities of the instrument.

 

Bethany & Rufus' debut CD, 900 Miles, was released to much critical acclaim as a magical blend of Bethany Yarrow's electrifying voice (a combination of the husky power of Nina Simone and the open-throated clarity of a tiny sparrow) and the mind-blowing, genre-bending deep groove cello playing of Rufus Cappadocia. Their long awaited follow up studio CD, Trouble in the Land, now 5 years in the making, is due out this year. It is an epic journey through the roots music of the Americas, Haiti and Niger and includes an all-star line up including Yacouba Moumouni (Niger), Bonga Jean Baptiste (Haiti), Chuck Campbell (USA), and Brahim Fribgane (Morrocco).