South China
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Jerusha Robinson (cello, piano, vocals)
Jeremy robinson (accordion, guitar, vocals)
South China was born in 2002 as a marriage, musically and literally, of Jeremy and Jerusha Robinson. Their individual backgrounds in experimental rock and classical music produce a sound that feels sparse and improvised, evoking a slightly dark and dream-like state, like trying to recall something that is just beyond the edges of memory. They draw listeners into their intimate world of Maine winters, bittersweet moments, subtle humor, and the bizarre dream imagery.
During the summer of 2003 the duo self-titled, self-recorded and released a four-song EP with improvised instrumental interludes. Over the years Jeremy and Jerusha nurtured their songs while busy with other musical projects, continually honing their ideas, until finally in July of 2009 they went in to Ron Harrity's Peapod Recording Room to record their first full-length album, "Washingtons". For this project they expanded on the characteristically sparse arrangements they use in live performance and invited many of their extremely talented friends to add extra strings, horns, percussion, voices, and noise.
South China's sound moves in and out of the realm of the cinematic, focusing on texture, rhythm, and harmony, over which they lay simple and captivating melodies. Jeremy (guitar, accordion, vocals) and Jerusha (cello, piano, vocals) create intensely emotional pieces largely inspired by the long darkness and short brilliant summers of their adopted Maine home. They tend to employ very minimal lyrics that seem to paint a picture rather than tell a story. The Robinsons hope their listeners will enter into that landscape and create their own story, remember something they'd forgotten, or simply find contentedness.
Since 2003 Jeremy and Jerusha have also collaborated, toured, and recorded with over 20 musicians in northern New England, most notably with the gypsy Americana act Brown Bird, folk-rock quintet Plains (Dave Noyes and Pat Corrigan of Seekonk), prolific singer-songwriter Guy Capecelatro III (Unbunny, Two-Ton Santa), and rock quartet Tiny Fires (Dylan Metrano of Tiger Saw). Jerusha has recorded with Chriss Sutherland (Cerberus Shoal, Fire on Fire) and Micah Blue Smaldone (Fire on Fire, Death Vessel).
South China released their first full-length album, "Washingtons", in November 2009 on Peapod Recordings. In October 2009 the duo gave up their apartment in Biddeford, ME, and began a 5 month tour of the United States. Currently, Jeremy and Jerusha are at home in Maine writing new material and working on a fall tour of the midwest and southeast. "Washingtons" was recently featured on NPR's All Songs Considered: Second Stage, and has been gaining favorable reviews.
http://www.myspace.com/southchinamusic
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