Christmas Special feat. Timbre, Samuel Lockridge: at The Rutledge (Nashville, TN) Fri. December 7, 2012

Christmas Special feat. Timbre, Samuel Lockridge

Nashville Scene Critic's Pick …

On her 2010 release Little Flowers, neo-classical harpist-vocalist Timbre Cierpke — known to most as just Timbre, because, bless her heart, who knows how to pronounce that surname — weaves a breed of chamber folk that oscillates between enchanting and playful. Like some long-lost Danny Elfman score, Flowers soars and plinks along, with Timbre’s crystalline voice and superb playing at the epicenter. But as the winter solstice approaches each year, Timbre moves away from her original material for a night to provide new arrangements of classic Yuletide material. Tonight — bolstered by strings, brass, her family, her band and the Trevecca Madrigalian Choir, the latter of whom sang on Timbre’s 2011 Christmas album — she promises to present a set of intricately arranged and expertly performed Christmas music “without the cheesy reindeer and jingle bells.”

—D. PATRICK RODGERS