McInnis' Kitchen

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McInnis' Kitchen features four talented performers regarded by many as some of the finest musicians of today's international traditional music scene. Their music has energy that radiates throughout their performances. There is a strong sense of traditional influences evident in their playing style, but there is also something unique about their sound that separates them from typical Celtic bands.

Sue Spencer's contributions as a vocalist are noticeably influenced by her upbringing within her own Newfoundland Irish family traditions and music. Chuck Butler brings a fiddle style to the mix that is an extension of his own family's Irish fiddling traditions from Donegal and Cape Breton. Mark Boggie comes from a tradition of Appalachian fiddle music and has strong influences in New England and Sligo fiddle styles. Jim Ofsthun completes the package with his rhythmic diversity and a trademark baritone voice that brings depth and emotion to the songs he performs.

The musical fare is a delightful and unique arrangement of vocal and instrumental music that is traditional to Newfoundland, Ireland, Scotland, New England and Cape Breton, and their own original music that is influenced by those traditional styles. It's hard to label this group as your typical traditional Celtic band. There is an undeniable traditional music familiarity to their sound. An astute listener will readily pick out the individual influences that make up the group's eclectic mix.

Band members were raised with kitchen music influences in their respective families, and much of that upbringing and feeling comes through in their performances. Their combined sound is very tight, energetic and infectious. The band's first album, "The Water That Connects Us", is a representative sampler of the various styles and influences that make up McInnis' Kitchen.

The band's name pays homage to the tradition of kitchen music, common to the outports and coves of Newfoundland and Cape Breton, where the kitchen is the social focal point of the household. Some of the best traditional music comes from that environment. "The name McInnis in this sense is not in the context of actually being someone's name from the band," reports Ofsthun, "but it's sort of our own Gaelic inside play on words. 'Mc' translates to 'descendant of' and 'Innis' can refer to island' in English. That roughly translates to us as 'descendants of the islands' - the islands being of course: Ireland, Scotland, Cape Breton and Newfoundland."

McInnis' Kitchen came together as a band in 2006 and have received international acclaim in the traditional music world. All members come from seasoned musical careers in traditional music with international experience. "There was such an unbelievable energy the first time we all got together to share our music, that we just had to take the experience to the next level and officially put us together as a band." comments Spencer.

Their loyal fans are pleased that they made that connection with each other and equally pleased that they are sharing that special style of music with the rest of the world.

The Water That Connects Us The highly-anticipated first release featuring a lively mix of tunes and traditional folk songs. Plenty of energy, original material and traditional music of the Atlantic Maritimes, Newfoundland, Scotland and Ireland. CD Price: $14.97

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