Arden, North Carolina (February 22, 2019) — Instrumental duo Small Town Therapy’s songs grow out of spontaneity and an environment where anything can happen musically. This is the case with the group’s new single, “Cimarrón,” a tune that captures the wild energy of the Puerto Rican slave revolt that inspired it.
“El Cimarrón was the name given to Marcos Xiorro who orchestrated a slave revolt in Puerto Rico in 1821,” says Leif Karlstrom, one half of the duo. “The Small Town Therapy tune ‘Cimarrón’ didn’t start with this name either.”
Like many of the compositions Karlstrom puts together with bandmate Adam Roszkiewicz, this song evolved as they sent the demo back and forth with small changes or newly tested arrangements. The result is a syncopated duet of mandolin and violin throughout that builds into an anxious crescendo before resolving to a melodic but intense conclusion.
“We often combine through-composed bits with structured or free improvisation, and that’s definitely happening in ‘Cimarrón,’” says Karlstrom. “There is a musical arc and story but also the chance for something unexpected to happen — a chance for spontaneous musical moments, which pretty well sums up what Small Town Therapy is about. As it turned out, Marcos Xiorro’s Puerto Rican slave revolt actually failed, but the wild energy in the name ‘Cimarrón’ seems to fit the spirit of this tune.”
“Cimarrón” is the first single from Small Town Therapy’s upcoming album, Dreams and Circumstances, due out in May from Organic Records.
Listen to “Cimarrón” HERE.
About Small Town Therapy
Small Town Therapy is a collaboration between multi-instrumentalists Adam Roszkiewicz and Leif Karlstrom. The duo plays instrumental string music that emphasizes compelling, thoughtful compositions and virtuosic improvisation. Small Town Therapy is inspired by the New Acoustic Music made popular in California by Mike Marshall, Darol Anger and groups like Montreux. Adam and Leif are also members of Front Country, the Grammy nominated Modern Mandolin Quartet, and the Ger Mandolin Orchestra led by Mike Marshall.
Adam and Leif are both highly accomplished musicians and educators and have performed at festivals around the world including: Merlefest, Grey Fox, Bristol Rhythm and Roots, Rockygrass, Telluride, the La Roche Bluegrass Festival in France, Didmarton Bluegrass Festival in England, the Blue Highways festival in Utrecht, Holland, the Singer Festival in Warsaw, Poland and the Hardly-Strictly-Bluegrass festival in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.