Mat Callahan and Yvone Moore perform at the Obere Mühle

A "FOLKSY" EVENING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Monika Kessler

Mat Callahan and Yvonne Moore
enraptured the audience last
Thursday with impressive
sound, lyrics and vocal power.

"We write our songs in the living-room for our friends and family. Today this is our livng-room, and your are our friends and family." Mat Callahan began last Thursday's concert at the Obere Mühle with these words .

Their music hits a nerve
His remark was certainly true. Although the lounge-bar at the Obere Mühle was well occupied, one felt like a part of a small, well-tuned family. The cosy atmosphere emphasized this impression. After a few minutes, collective feet swaying and heads noding to the beat of the music revealed that Callahan and Moore had precisely hit their listeners' musical nerve.

During the second part, their Folk music turned into a more Blues and Soul oriented style, which was enthusiastically received by the audience.
Moore explains why their music is compared to Jazz at times: "Somehow, we have to be compartmentalized, therefore, our music is defined by the music style closest to it. We, however, define our music as New Folk." Moore continues: "This has nothing to do with Irish music. It's only about the vocals being in the foreground, accompanied by just one guitar without a big band in the background."

Lyrics to reflect upon
Not only the melodies enraptured the audience, but also the lyrics, which incited reflection. Such as, for example, the song Johnny Refused. It tells about Callahan's conscientious objection to the war and is meant to be a memorial for all conscientious objectors of the Vietnam war. Terrorism and refugees are also subjects of Callahan and Moore's songs. As is the 100 year anniversary of Einstein's theory on relativity. "These are all stories that stem from life", Moore says.

The recipe for success works
Mat Callahan and Yvonne Moore have been together for 9 years. Now, after 8 years of collaborating on their respective solo projects, the duo is on tour together. And the Folk-fans like it: "I've seen Yvonne Moore at the Albisgüetli-Countryfestival, and I already liked her there", says Edith Tedaldi from Dübendorf. Roli Walter from Männedorf particularly likes the contrast between the band and the duo. "I've always been fascinated by Yvonne Moore's voice. As part of the duo, her voice appears even more impressive and much more expressive."

Shortly after 11pm Callahan and Moore ended their fireside, as they lovingly called their concert. After a most powerful, moving finale the duo left the stage under rave applause.