SHEL together with their father, Andrew Holbrook has created a style of music that defies categorization but which can perhaps best be described as pop bluegrass. Each band member is an expert in their chosen instruments, having turned years of classical training into a stunning combination of proficiency, style, creativity and fun. Together now since 2001, SHEL has performed for a variety of audiences from coffee houses in their native Ft. Collins, Colorado, to full auditoriums and a live television broadcast. SHEL has five self-released recordings, including a new EP, The Edge and a solo CD by mandolinist and singer/songwriter Eva Holbrook.
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October 29, 2007 JazzMando Staff Road Trip--we had the privilege of seeing Rocky Mountain mandolin child prodigy Eva Holbrook (though at 18, hardly a child anymore) in concert with family band, SHEL in Omaha, Nebraska this weekend. A recent mention in the latest issue of Mandolin Magazine as premier Schwab electric mandolin wielder, she and her three amazingly talented sisters Sarah, Hannah, and Liza, along with father Andrew dazzled a captivated audience.
SHEL
Andrew Holbrook reigns over this lively group of young women with warmth and humor and
adds his rock solid songs, TURN and FALLING into SHEL’s eclectic mix. He freely admits
that after playing in other bands and then solo, these years with his daughters are the best he’s ever known in his musical career, spanning the past 35 years.
The eclecticism of this particular band comes from the five separate but very
creative personalities who have written, jammed, recorded and fought together for
their growth and free expression over the past six years SHEL has been together.
The name SHEL was formed from the first letters of the girls’ names, Sarah, Hannah, Eva
and Liza. They have been performing as a band with their dad since 2001 and have accompanied him on stage from the time that they first began playing instruments. For some of the girls that happened as early as six years of age.
Sarah, 17, put together a “Butterfly Medley” of the Celtic song, BUTTERFLY with the old fiddle tune, SWALLOWTAIL JIG and interested her sisters in adding their special touches to it. It has roused every audience they’ve played it for since. Her violin is haunting on SHEL's instrumentals which are wonderfully rendered. She adds her bass chops to the title cut from JACK BOX, which was named as the host, Greg Allen’s, number one choice for CD of the year.
Hannah, 19, works constantly. She composes almost nightly and attends Colorado State University. Hannah’s recent compositions are a unique instrumental addition to our CDs and she has recieved requests from other pianists for the sheet music. She wrote THE EDGE, title cut for SHEL's 2007 EP release. Hannah is an award-winning young composer with a definite gift for improv! She was awarded the CSU sponsored Wendel Diebold Competition gold medal for one of her compositions in 2004. Satie, Chopin, Gershwin, Copland, Edward Shearmur, and James Horner are among her favorite composers and color many of her improvisations.
All of SHEL’s music is original. Take Eva’s original composition, an acoustic mandolin tour de force , TUSCANY. Eva wrote TUSCANY at age 16 while in an acoustically perfect, cement cellar. Her fingers fly all over the fret board on her Weber mando. Contrast that with BORN FROM JETS, written on her sea-foam green, “telecaster”, custom, electric mandolin. She rocks and has received amazing attention on her myspace site from all over the world! She released her first solo CD, The Very Last Dream to rave reviews in May 2007.
Liza, 14, recently gave up the harp to play drums. It was Eva’s mandolin teacher
who first saw that Liza is naturally poly-rhythmic. Children, and teens especially, love
seeing her on stage. She has a new drum kit in the living room and we are hoping that we can add this to SHEL’s equipment on stage sometime this year. Part of her practice sessions of late include jamming with Hannah while both improvise to Hannah’s jazz compositions. Liza is so proficient with her djembe and her Roland Hand Sonic synthe that a number of professional drummers have been very impressed and complimented her ability after a live performance.