Moira Smiley

I live in California
From the green mountains I came.
I travelled 'cross this stolen land
With nothin' but my name.

The lone voice belongs to Moira Smiley, 32, guiding force of VOCO. Originally from in the green hills of Vermont, she came to California in 2002 after a stint in the Midwest, forming this remarkable ensemble two years later. Her long red tresses fall on pale shoulders, accessorizing with the lime cotton sundress she is wearing. In contrast, the rest of the quartet -- vocalists (and brunettes) Jess Basta and Christine Enns and pert blonde vocalist/cellist Jessica Catron, all wear darker colors.

On this particular Saturday night, the songs have their roots in remote Appalachian communities, Balkan mountain villages, and church halls where believers practice the shape-note singing tradition. Our ears visit a sailor clinging to life on a ship struggling to round Cape Horn, a field worker calling for water, backed up by rhythmic slapping. We encounter the yearning melodies of the late Kate Wolf and, most notably, the vivid soundscapes of Smiley's imagination.