This is an excerpt from the print edition of Dirty Linen #136 (June/July 2008).
The full article is in the magazine, available on newsstands, by subscription, and at the Dirty Linen webstore.

Lehto & Wright

A Musical Stew

by Bill Chaisson

Steve Lehto and John Wright are in the process of assembling a "monumental tune set" for their next album. "It's kind of like that thing that Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill do, but a bit longer," said Wright, referring to the 11-tune sojourn that the other duo included on their 1999 Live in Seattle CD. "We're adding parts as we speak. Right now it clocks in at a little over 30 minutes."

While Hayes and Cahill limit themselves to the Celtic canon, and Lehto and Wright have in the past largely focused on British folk, the big tune set is drawing from their roots in both classical music and progressive rock, as well as an eclectic love of music in general. "It starts with some Schumann," said Lehto, "and then goes on to some bluegrass, three Chick Corea tunes, some Béla Bartók -- the duets for violins -- some Irish, and some medieval stuff. It's like you take all your vegetables, put them in a pot and stir it up."

With the music world apparently drifting toward single songs downloaded from the Internet, why are these two Minnesota musicians putting together a suite of tunes over a half an hour long? "It's an equal and opposite reaction to iTunes and downloading everything that's only three minutes long," said Wright.

This is an excerpt from the print edition of Dirty Linen #136 (June/July 2008).
The full article is in the magazine, available on newsstands, by subscription, and at the Dirty Linen webstore.

Copyright ©2008 Visionation, Ltd.