Two distinctive voices in Pacific Northwest creative music discuss their long collaboration, their new album ‘Reno,’ and how geographic community shaped their collaborative mindset to blend composition with improvisation.

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The Spotlight shines On composer and pianist Robin Holcomb and cellist Peggy Lee.

These two musicians have been creating music together for the better part of two decades. Their new album, Reno, out September 12, captures something rare: the kind of musical conversation that happens when two artists know each other's musical language inside and out. Robin's songs draw from American folk traditions while her piano work moves into territories that feel both classical and completely free. Peggy brings a cello sound that's equally at home with composed melodies and total improvisation.

Their collaboration encompasses everything from Robin's early song cycles about utopian communities in the Pacific Northwest to pieces that came from her work on the Donner Party saga. It's music that's hard to categorize, which makes it all the more worth your time.

This conversation in the Fall of 2024, off-hours and in person at Seattle music venue The Royal Room.

(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Robin Holcomb and Peggy Lee’s album Reno)

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[00:01:28] How Robin and Peggy first met through Vancouver's creative music scene
[00:02:54] The allure of Vancouver and its open-minded improviser community
[00:04:25] The Glass Slipper, Vancouver East Cultural Centre, and key venues
[00:05:46] Bridging different musical perspectives and finding common ground
[00:08:16] Working with lyrics and multidisciplinary collaborations
[00:09:49] Robin's transition from poetry to songwriting via Shakespeare
[00:13:25] Aesthetic influences and the downtown New York scene
[00:15:24] Peggy's path from classical training to creative improvisation
[00:17:09] Gender dynamics in creative music and orchestral commissions
[00:21:23] The Dutch improvisation scene and influential groups like Clusone Trio
[00:23:30] Improvisation as composition and developing personal vocabulary
[00:25:32] The genesis of their upcoming album and recording process
[00:28:56] Recording at home versus studio environments
[00:30:36] The Pacific Northwest as a musical community and creative space
[00:34:33] Performance patterns and stepping away from regular touring
[00:36:02] Peggy's "Film in Music" project inspired by HBO's Deadwood
[00:39:34] Surprising each other after decades of musical collaboration
[00:41:51] Learning from each other and developing recognizable sounds
[00:43:29] Vocal evolution and timbral palettes in their musical blend

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Visit Robin Holcomb at https://robinholcomb.com
and follow her on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/robinholcombmusic
and Facebook → http://www.facebook.com/robinholcombmusic

Visit cellist Peggy Lee online at https://peggylee-cellist-improviser-composer.weebly.com

Purchase Robin Holcomb and Peggy Lee’s 'Reno' from Songlines → https://songlines.com/release
or Qobuz → https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/reno-robin-holcomb-and-peggy-lee/wjri5x5z1gewc
and listen on your streaming platform of choice

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