Sarah McQuaid March 7th 2010
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Date: Sunday Mar 7th 2010
Time: 7:00 pm
Suggested Donation: $15.00
Reservations: 913-904-1285 or email concerts_AT_bigplain_DOT_com
Madrid-born Sarah McQuaid was raised in Chicago, studied philosophy in Strasbourg and spent many years in Ireland before pitching up in Penzance, Cornwall, in 2007. Drawing on the traditions of Ireland, America and the UK, her music is sublime and compelling, characterised by warm, velvety vocals and a distinctive acoustic guitar style.
Sarah McQuaid – In The Pines – Brussels, Feb 2008 from Sarah McQuaid on Vimeo.
Whereas her acclaimed debut album album When Two Lovers Meet was a feast of Irish music, 2008’s I Won’t Go Home ‘Til Morning is an enchanting celebration of old-time Appalachian folk, with Sarah’s arrangements punctuated by her own fine compositions and a cover of Bobbie Gentry’s classic Ode to Billie Joe. Sarah is also the author of a highly-regarded guitar tutor, The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book.
Crow Coyote Buffalo, an album of songs co-written by Sarah with fellow Penzance resident Zoe (author and performer of 1991 hit single Sunshine On A Rainy Day) under the band name Mama, has also been garnering rave reviews since its January 2009 release; one critic described the pair as “Two pagan goddesses channelling the ghost of Jim Morrison”.
Sarah’s third solo album, provisionally titled The Plum Tree And The Rose, focuses both on early music (including Elizabethan material as well as songs in Old French, Old Occitan, Italian, Middle High German and Latin) and on originals inspired by such topics as Bess of Hardwick and the garden created at Kenilworth by Robert Dudley for Elizabeth I. Its release is expected in late 2010 or early 2011.
Sparkling guitar and compelling alto voice … reminiscent of Pentangle’s best efforts … a gentle and magical recording that I will return to time and again. – Tom Druckenmiller, Sing Out!
Likely to make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. – Aled Jones, BBC Radio 2
Her singing has shades of Baez minus the operatic warble and Gillian Welch without so much Nashville twang. – Spiral Earth
Beautifully spare … a melancholy but somehow celebratory collection. – The Irish Times
One of those rare things, a very lovely personal album but also an incredibly good introduction to Appalachian folk music. Highly recommended. – Americana UK
Quietly expressive and supremely affecting performances … Not a weak link anywhere in earshot … This is a truly lovely record. – NetRhythms
Truly spine-tingling … A touching album from a genuine artist. – Hot Press




















