{"id":41106,"date":"2019-01-09T10:08:00","date_gmt":"2019-01-09T19:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/news\/seven-women-group-focuses-on-harmonies-collaboration\/"},"modified":"2019-01-11T09:31:08","modified_gmt":"2019-01-11T18:31:08","slug":"seven-women-group-focuses-on-harmonies-collaboration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/home\/seven-women-group-focuses-on-harmonies-collaboration\/","title":{"rendered":"Seven-women group focuses on harmonies, collaboration"},"content":{"rendered":"

A murmur rippled across the Red Dog Saloon stage Thursday night. Avery Stewart uses looping to be a one-man band<\/a>]<\/ins><\/p>\n

The Sand Witches performed multi-part harmony takes on everything from old-timey classics and gospel tunes to much more recent Bruce Springsteen songs.<\/p>\n

“Anything is eight-part harmony if you’re brave enough,” said Rashah McChesney, before a sound check.<\/p>\n

A Folk tale<\/strong><\/p>\n

The group started after the last Alaska Folk Festival, and initially included Wendy Hladick, Heather Mountcasle and Bartholomew and McChesney.<\/p>\n

[44th Annual Alaska Folk Festival coverage<\/a>]<\/ins><\/p>\n

The multi-part harmonies from the “O Brother, Where Art Thou” soundtrack served as a definite influence — particularly the collaboration by Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch, McChesney said.<\/p>\n

During Friday’s show, McChesney and Mountcastle joined Vidic for a cover of “Didn’t Leave Nobody But The Baby<\/a>” from that soundtrack.<\/p>\n

Since it’s inception, the Sand Witches have had members come and go, and have settled into a current lineup of seven singers and multi-instrumentalists with Zoe Grueskin, Brandee Gerke and Duras Ruggles adding to the initial foursome.<\/p>\n

Guitar, banjo and accordion — the latter two courtesy of Hladick depending on the song — add another dimension to the Sand Witches’ sound.<\/p>\n

The Sand Witches could continue to grow.<\/p>\n

The typically have weekly singing sessions 4-6 p.m. at the Alaskan Hotel and Bar, and folks are welcome to sing with them once those resume Sunday, Jan. 13.<\/p>\n

Those singing sessions provide a chance to work out harmonies, but group-described “Tech Goddess” Hladick also helps by working with vocal tracks on the audio editing program GarageBand.<\/p>\n

Plus, Sand Witches said it’s easier to coordinate songs than might be expected. Ruggles specifically compared it favorably to an orchestral performance.<\/p>\n

“It’s both simpler and more intuitive because you’re not reading sheet music,” she said.<\/p>\n

Collaboration not competition <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The various Sand Witches have different levels of on-stage and life experience.<\/p>\n

Some are longtime Juneauites and fixtures in the local music scene and others. There’s even an inter-generational aspect thanks to the presence of Wendy Hladick, one of the group’s founders and its senior-most member.<\/p>\n

[What it’s like for vinyl vultures in Juneau<\/a>]<\/ins><\/p>\n

“I looked at videos of Emmylou Harris, and she’s with a bunch of youngsters,” Hladick said. “Instead of Emmylou, I’m Wendylou.”<\/p>\n

All Sand Witches familiarizing themselves with the Red Dog’s stage Thursday said they enjoy the group.<\/p>\n

“It’s really empowering when people sing together, especially if you think you can’t,” said Ruggles who moved to Juneau over the summer. “It’s very healing.”<\/p>\n

Empowerment is a big part of the Sand Witches’ dynamic, members said.<\/p>\n

It’s a sounding board for ideas, a chance to workshop songs and iron out harmonies with other musical women.<\/p>\n

“There’s definitely a dynamic that chances when you have dude’s in the room,” said Annie Bartholomew.<\/p>\n

It’s Juneau’s version of nationally known acts Pistol Annies<\/a> or boygenius<\/a> — a chance for female musicians to bring out each other’s best and perform together.<\/p>\n

“Instead of competing, we’re finding ways to elevate each other,” McChesney said.<\/p>\n

\n

\u2022 Contact arts and culture reporter Ben Hohenstatt at (907)523-2243 or bhohenstatt@juneauempire.com.<\/b><\/p>\n

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