Simone Baron & Arco Belo

arco belo: genre-fluid chamber ensemble

Arco Belo captures an irreverent sound melding reeds, strings and percussive timbres, and claims the heritage of avant chamber music, jazz, Brazilian music and Jewish diasporic music. Simone’s compositions are built around highlighting the individuality of her musicians, while telling a compelling story within each piece. Each member of the string trio–Minnie Jordan (violin), Carrie Frey (viola) and Raphael Boden (cello)--hails from a diverse musical background, and Simone’s writing allows them to both blend together beautifully as a string section and to let their individual voices soar as improvisers in solo sections that borrow from jazz, klezmer, and new music. Percussionist Patrick Graney balances a sense of adventure with true sensitivity, covering an enormous range of textures and adding a layer of rhythmic intrigue as bassist Eli Heath anchors the ensemble with his unshakeable sound. Over it all, Simone Baron’s accordion sings clearly, as she “guides the life,” of each note, and guides the ensemble and the audience through each new musical adventure.