Bring on the harmony! the excitement! the intensity! Bring on Misty River!!

Talk about diversity--Misty River gets more sounds out in one set than you usually hear from most other groups. They bill themselves as a convergence of folk, country and bluegrass. Their expertise is both vocal and instrumental.

Comprised of fiddler and second soprano Chris Kokesh; guitar, rhythm and first soprano Laura Quigley; accordion and guitar player and second soprano Dana Abel and guitar/banjo player and alto Carol Harley, you can see in an instant the musical potential of Misty River. Guaranteed, you won't be disappointed! They have a blend and balance that far exceeds the few months they have worked together.

Kokesh, a Pomona State grad, has played violin nearly all her childhood. Recently taking up the fiddle, she also sings and plays with the local group Finvarra. Her strong mezzo soprano voice lends strength and support while harmonizing, and her fiddling is a unique talent not heard often in other groups.

Stanford grad Dana Abel lends her unique talent playing mostly accordion. She shows her versa-tility by switching to guitar from time to time, as well as lending her soprano voice to the harmony.

Guitar and banjo player Carol Harley supports the group with her deep alto voice. She is also the group's "mom." Though she has a masters in education, singing and performing have always been a lifelong passion and she says she's now at the height of her glory. If actions speak louder than words, you'll see them magnified when you watch her perform!

Rounding out Misty River is lead singer Laura Quigley. She picks up a guitar now and then and does the majority of rhythm, but the group's greatest asset is her bell-toned soprano voice.

As was stated, Misty River is fairly new and though the instrumentation is both unique and awesome, it can overshadow the solos and harmonies at times. With Quigley, this situation is especially noticeable. However, balance will come in time. If audience reaction is any indication, the most well-received number of the evening was Moonshiner, performed a cappella. The audience was more than enthusiastic about each song, but the pure tone quality, balance, nuances and interchanging of voices in Moonshiner--all worked to mesmerize. When they finished, there was complete silence and then in a flash came thunderous applause! More than one person had goose bumps by that time!!