Seth Bernard and May Erlewine are releasing their new duo album, "Welcome Back,"with a series of concerts around the state.

This is the first duo album Seth and May have released under their full names: Samuel Seth Bernard and May Erlewine, which might be a metaphor for this album. It features 12 original songs performed by a core band of May on vocals, acoustic guitar, violin, viola, piano, organ, dulcimer and banjo, Seth with lap steel, piano, keyboard, mandolin, tenor sax and electric guitar, Dominic Suchyta on electric and upright bass and Mike Shimmin playing drums and percussion. Encouragement is one of the main ingredients and underlying themes in this album. The album is a synthesis of the music, grass roots activism, and love Seth and May have been developing on their own, together and with their many communities.

Sunday, March 29 Release at InsideOut Gallery

There will be a CD Release event at InsideOut Gallery in Traverse City on Sunday, March 29th. For this special release event Seth & May will be accompanied by Joshua Davis, (vocals, guitar), Dominic Suchyta (electric and upright bass), and Mike Shimmin (drums, percussion). Tickets are $12 in advance and are available at Borders Books, Oryana, Cuppa' Joe, Patisserie Amie & InsideOut Gallery. Tickets are $15 at the door. Doors open at 6pm and the show starts at 7. For more Information please call the InsideOut Gallery at 231-929-3254.

More Shows

March 20 Bells Brewery, Kalamazoo
March 27 Presented by The Chiapas Water Project, Old Art Building, Leland
March 28 Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey
March 29 Inside Out Gallery, Traverse City
April 18 Island Benefit concert with many members of the Earthwork Music Collective, Short's Brewery, Bellaire
May 2 Triple Bill Concert! Rachael Davis and Steppin' In It, and Seth and May. Kauffman Auditoruim, Marquette
May 15 Double CD Release Show! "Welcome Back" and may Erlewines's Album "Love Labor" The Ark, Ann Arbor
May 17 Double CD Release Show! "Welcome Back" and may Erlewines's Album "Love Labor" East Lansing Arts Festival, East Lansing

Visit earthworkmusic.com for more information on Seth Bernard and May Erlewine. Here's a video from a recent show at Founders Brewing in Grand Rapids (click the HQ link):

Photo: Welcome Back: Samuel Seth Bernard & May Erlewine by Andy McFarlane