The Morris-Sandvik Duo
The haunting sounds of ancient folk themes from the black South are evoked and
improvisationally extended in the solo and duo performances of vocalist Vanessa
Morris and guitarist Scott Sandvik.
Based on their ear transcriptions of field-recorded a cappella black folk
singing, their program includes ‘surge’ style hymns, spirituals, hollers and
blues. The Morris-Sandvik Duo’s work sounds like a dream
half-remembered—strange, exotic yet naggingly familiar. Kinda like blues but not
quite. Simultaneously folk/traditional and moving beyond into a more
contemporary space.
This duo debuted at Zeitgeist Gallery in June 1999. They have since performed at
Jordan Hall at New England Conservatory, the Millay Colony for the Arts (Austerlitz,
NY), Green Street Grill, Boston’s Agape Poetry Group, Boston Improv and Tufts
University. They also appeared on WBUR’s Here and Now program in January 2000.
Guitarist, composer and music educator Scott Sandvik has been active in Boston’s
music community for the past 25 years. Unusual among guitarists, he doubles on
two types of acoustic guitar: fretless classical and lap steel-string slide. His
work synthesizes the diverse range of musical background. His playing reflects
his scholarship in black U.S. folk music whish history he teaches at New England
Conservatory. It is also informed by his background as a composer of
contemporary concert music. Within that tradition, Sandvik has specialized in
microtonal music. He employs his microtonal training in transcribing, playing
and improvising on modal black folk song which uses non-tempered pitches, bluesy
and otherwise. Finally, Sandvik brings the spirit of improvisation to his work,
no doubt coming from his background in jazz performance. He performs jazz
regularly in a duo with violinist David Fure. Scott Sandvik currently teaches at
New England Conservatory of Music and Curry College.
Vanessa Morris, vocalist, performs regularly in the Boston area with James
Merenda's the Masked Marvel (a jazz group that performs the music of Charles
Mingus) and her own jazz quartet. She has performed at the Green Street Grille,
Jordan Hall, The Knitting Factory (NYC), the House of Blues, the Lizard Lounge,
the Toad, Les Zygomates and weekly at the Choppin Block. Her unique vocal style
is a blend of many influences ranging from Billie Holiday and Betty Carter to
Ornette Coleman and Joao Gilberto. Ms. Morris teaches piano at Brookline Music
School, voice at the New England Conservatory Division of Preparatory and
Continuing Education.