Eric and Aileen

Years don’t define us, struggles don’t define us—choices define us. Eric Elven and Aileen Asche were two Pacific Northwest transplants and lifelong musicians magnetized to New York by the pull of art, adventure, and the promise of a new life. Out of 8 million people in Gotham the pair experienced a fateful encounter at a Manhattan house party that indelibly changed their artistic and romantic trajectories.

Over 12 years later, Eric and Aileen have become a beloved acoustic duo known for a relaxed strain of Americana that melds jazz elegance with folky earthiness. The Tacoma-based pair have created a singular Americana through seamlessly blending aesthetics. Aileen is a classically trained pianist and Eric is a singer-songwriter with a penchant for jazzy chord voicings. Eric and Aileen thoughtfully apply these musical perspectives to blues, folk and country song constructs. The effect is the pair’s songs possess an engagingly simple and sophisticated dynamic contrast that recalls Willie Nelson’s rustically refined sensibility.

At the core of Eric and Aileen’s songs are achingly beautiful vocal melodies, dreamy harmony vocals, heartfelt lyrics, and crystalline piano/guitar accompaniment. They further add dimension to their songs through delicate use of space and by sometimes enriching their acoustic palette with drums, upright bass and elements of modern production.

Up until now, Eric has been the duo’s primary songwriter, singer, and acoustic guitarist accompanist with Aileen contributing imaginative arrangement ideas, nimble solos, and indelible hooky musical motifs to his songs. With the duo’s upcoming material, the lines have been blurred as Aileen has emerged a formidable singer and songwriter in her own right.

Eric and Aileen met in spring 2009 when the owner of the yoga studio they both worked at threw a housewarming party. Eric hailed from Seattle, Washington; Aileen was from Portland, Oregon; both were lifer musicians; both were starting their lives over after previous marriages; and both missed home but craved the adventure of New York City. The main difference is Eric was looking for a life partner that could also be a musical partner, but Aileen wasn’t. “I was burned out from playing classical music,” Aileen reveals. “But, I remember after we met, I checked out Eric’s stuff online and thought ‘Alright, I can deal with this,’” she says laughing. Eric and Aileen performed their first gig four months later.

These days, Eric and Aileen’s connections are deepening as they process artistic breakthroughs, personal struggles, cross country moves, and sage coaching from Mama Lion, artistic guru Cari Cole. “We’ve been playing together for over 12 years now, and the last year has been about reinvention,” shares Aileen. Eric adds: “We’re two people always discovering what we can do musically. It’s been a gift.” Aileen concludes: “This journey has brought a lot of unexpected joy.”