B'eirth

Infobox musical artist
Name = B'eirth


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Origin = United States
Genre = Country
Experimental folk
Neofolk
Psych folk
Traditional
Wyrd folk
Years_active = 1990s–present
Label = Bluesanct
World Serpent Distribution
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B'eirth or B'ee (born Bobin Jon Michael Eirth in 1974?), is the vocalist and conductor/composer in the experimental psych folk band In Gowan Ring.

Biography

Rarely mentioned in articles and reviews without an adjective, B'eirth has been called "mysterious," "reclusive," "nomadic," "effusive," and "singular." Much of this attention is due to his cultivated image as a modern-day troubadour, often performing music (and presumably living) in old-fashioned clothes or costumes, and preferring instruments with Renaissance roots.

He explains his moniker and artist name "B'eirth" as a contraction for his "less wieldy" given name, and "B'ee" as a simpler version still, with a fitting polysemy: His father was a beekeeper. On his mother's side, he is related to the fourth Prophet of the Mormon Church, Wilford Woodruff, his Great-great-great grandfather. Despite this, he does not follow the Mormon discipline. He was born in Ohio, U.S., but is vague about where he was raised, saying it was "further east in green territory" rather than in Salt Lake City proper. He currently lives in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States.

B'eirth is proficient at playing a myriad of instruments, including guitar, cittern, harps (both mouth harps and folk harps), harmonica, recorder, reeds and flutes. He is largely self-taught (though says he has didactically studied "16th century polyphony"), and designs and fabricates his own stringed instruments. He is also, unless otherwise credited, the designer and artist of In Gowan Ring's album artwork.

As a live performer, B'eirth is commonly associated with his easily recognizable "double-necked guitar." [http://myspace-567.vo.llnwd.net/00323/76/58/323648567_l.jpg] This instrument is actually a guitar/cittern hybrid made by B'eirth himself in 1998, which he calls the Stringed Spade. It is, in his own words:

...a standard 6 string on the top neck and 9 strings in 5 courses (low course single) on the lower neck. I wanted the combination so as to avoid changing instruments between songs during performance. Occasionally I play both necks during one song and sometimes use the cittern neck as resonant strings while the top neck strings are sounding. [http://home.comcast.net/~leapday56/beirth.htm]

As of February 2006, his latest release is the solo-project self-titled album "Birch Book", released in November 2005, and a more Donovan-sounding classic folk album than any of his previous releases. The project's MySpace description explains:

‘"Birch Book"’ marks an evolution in sound away from the overtly psychedelic towards a simpler, highly effective, direct song based approach ... This album is not what many expect, it is not overly experimental or droning but it simultaneously brings the older mystical folk into the current and points a new individualistic way forward for the artist. [http://www.myspace.com/birchbook]

In November 2006, Birch Book Volume II, Fortune And Folly, was released on the Denver-based psychedelic label Helmet Room Recordings.

B'eirth is a frequent contributor in other projects, appearing for example on Seth Nehil's album "Umbra" (recorders and reeds), Waldteufel's album "Heimliches Deutschland" (flute), Backworld's album "Of Silver Sleep" (recorder) and has performed commonly with Blood Axis.

External links

Official

* [http://www.ingowanring.com/ In Gowan Ring website]
* [http://www.birchbook.com/ Birch Book website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/birchbook Birch Book MySpace]
* [http://www.helmetroom.com/ Helmet Room Recordings Website]

Unofficial

* [http://home.comcast.net/~leapday56/beirth.htm B'eirth interview] , from Ptolemaic Terrascope #35 (January 2005)
* [http://music.gothic.ru/interv/igr_e.htm B'eirth interview] , from music.gothic.ru (2000)