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Have a listen to Beth Patterson’s genre-bending music at her website, bethpattersonmusic.com.
“No two people hear music the same way, and even if, say, you and I like the same kind of music, we’re still gonna respond to it a little bit differently. Everybody’s musical perception is like a fingerprint,” she said. “Sometimes I make deliberate references; sometimes it just sneaks out of me without me even realizing it.”
Her love of Cajun music comes from her hometown of Lafayette, La.; her love of country and roots music comes from time spent in Mississippi, as her mother hails from Starkville; her love for Celtic music stems from Ireland, where she studied ethnomusicology at University College Cork. It was in college that she traveled to West Africa, India, Indonesia and the Caribbean, deepening her love for world music.
Patterson incorporates all of this and more into her smart, sincere music.
“I love world music. I love Balkan music, the music of Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece. I also love progressive rock: My favorite band is Rush,” she said.
She’ll play a solo set at the Link Centre on Friday.
“It’ll be a blend of original music, traditional Celtic and Cajun music, and probably some parodies. I always have some smattering of humor with the stuff that I do,” she said.
She’ll also play the Irish bouzouki, a 10-string instrument that she said is an “Irish adaptation of a Greek instrument. It’s like a big mandolin.”
Patterson hopes her show is both entertaining and educational.
“I like to interact with the audience, so if somebody hollers out a question, I’ll answer,” she said. “There’ll be something for everyone.”
Patterson’s currently in the studio working on a new album called “Hippocampus,” which she said should be out by next month. Her other releases will be for sale at the Link Centre.
sheena.barnett@journalinc.com
Monthly Music Mix
Who: Beth Patterson
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Link Centre Reception Hall
Cost: $10
Info: (662) 690-4011