Graeme James and Will Orchard play Cafe 939

Tune in to birnCORE on Thursday, November 7 at 8:00 p.m. for a live broadcast from the Red Room @ Cafe 939 featuring New Zealand native singer-songwriter Graeme James with special guest Will Orchard.

As a critically acclaimed artist rooted in folk’s rich storytelling, Graeme James creates a dynamic soundscape using his multi-instrumentalist abilities. Producing his own albums, Graeme often layers violin, electric violin, mandolin, guitar, bass, baritone ukulele, harmonica, percussion, and beatboxing in his compositions.

Graeme’s love for music began during his childhood when he started playing violin at the age of 7, setting his sights on becoming a concert violinist. He pursued this dream throughout high school, as well as branching out into folk and Celtic music, joining his family’s folk band and playing in local and national orchestras. As an adult, his musical path shifted when he discovered the capabilities of a loop pedal after impulsively purchasing the device. Realizing how many instruments could coexist in real time, Graeme took to the streets of Gisborne, New Zealand as a one-man band, enticing people with his creative renditions of cover songs.

Upon the release of his debut original album, News From Nowhere (2016), Graeme has become one of the most streamed indie artists in New Zealand. The album draws inspiration from the immensity of Aotearoa’s famous landscapes, gaining him a nomination for folk album of the year at the 2017 New Zealand Music Awards.

A prolific songwriter bred in New England, Will Orchard favors collage-like story telling derived from ethereal visions of the world around him. From the age of 16, Orchard embarked on an “endless internal journey,” rooted in mindfulness and catharsis. Churning out 150 songs per year, Orchard started to see his creations not as his own but as magic filtering through him. With upcoming record Old Friends on the Mountain set to be released January 3, 2020, Will Orchard illustrates a new sense of truth in Americana sensibilities, paying tribute to the unsung moments that help us embrace who we truly are.

The show starts at 8:00 p.m. EDT and you can stream it here.