Music at the Mothership concert, April 1998, Forest Grove OR (photo by Jewel Shield)
Though the group’s repertoire comes primarily from the British Isles, France and Appalachia and reflects traditions that can be traced back to Medieval times, they approach performing with an energy and fire that one might associate with the blues or even rock...a glimpse into a world of sound long remembered and enduring, yet rarely experienced with such purity, authenticity and passion. (Mike Corrigan, The Inlander, 2001)
Until you hear the Peekstoks, you can’t imagine how two people can make so much music. (Daniel Tuttle, coordinator, Leavenworth Community Coffeehouse, 2000)
John and Anna Peekstok of Telynor have a musical sound you can’t quite put a label on. It’s British, French, traditional, modern, original, intricate, soothing and energetic. (Scott Sandsberry, Wenatchee World, 2000)
This duo from the Pacific Northwest always create beautiful and interesting arrangements of traditional music, and this new CD is their best work yet...Telynor’s palette of instruments is one of the most interesting on the traditional music scene, including citterns and mandolins, fiddles, hurdy-gurdies and nyckelharpas, guitars and recorders...this album makes me think of the original Pentangle. From me, that’s quite a compliment. (Steve Winick, Dirty Linen, 2000)
Anna is a sure-voiced singer with a straightforward but distinctive style...Her use of (the hurdy-gurdy) is really innovative in the tortuous, bluesy tones she coaxes out on her accompaniment of The Bad Girl ...(Telynor) don’t ever sound as though they are copying, or strongly influenced by, anybody else. (Vic Smith, Folk Roots, 1998)
This versatile folk duo never gets stuck in the same place twice...Anna’s voice is maturing into lovely work. (Chris Lunn, Victory Music Review, 1998)
It really takes very few adjectives to sum them up: primitive, sophisticated, electric, true. They have all the technical and harmonic niceties that please the ear and brain, while their energy speaks to the primal blood. (Naomi Lester, Hecate’s Loom, 1996)
This is one-stop shopping for listeners, because Anna and John Peekstok surround themselves with a variety of instruments and select from several traditional sources, primarily the British Isles, France and Appalachia. (Sharon Wootton, The Herald, 1996)
...a beautifully moody and satisfying dish of sounds, a compote of Anna’s dreamy vocals poured like rich cream over hearty chunks of percussion and tart slices of melody. (Marisa Lencioni, The Seattle Times, 1995)
Telynor’s instrument list implies a group of musicians...but two are all it takes to fill the air with sounds of unusual folk music from the British Isles, Europe and America. (Sharon Wootton, The Herald, 1995)
(Off the Beaten Track) distinguishes itself with the lovely vocals of Anna Peekstok, as well as a staggering array of instruments played (well) by Anna and husband John. (Pamela Murray Winters, Dirty Linen, 1993)
Anna’s pure voice rings out on the minor melodies of medieval ballads or the lilt of Celtic-inspired songs. (Cathryn Wellner, The Auchinachie Journal, 1993)
John and Anna Peekstok continue to pull music from all ages and all lands with a hauntingly familiar style. (Martha Harrah, Victory Music Review, 1992)
An energetic but exquisite overlay of recorders, hurdy gurdy, guitar, bass, cittern, mandolins, tin whistle, percussion and vocals into a power house sound...this is first rate music and deserves a much wider listenership. (John Nielson, The C Note, 1991)
The quality of their playing is very impressive, particularly considering the great variety of instrument types they’ve been able to master. No less impressive is Anna’s strong pure singing voice, which renders songs both in English and French...All is played with style and grace and skill. These are two seriously talented people. (Steve Winick, Dirty Linen, 1990)
Combine the sounds of The Pentangle, a medieval consort, a bit of Jethro Tull, and perhaps some acoustic Led Zeppelin tinged with Bulgarian influences and you’ve got a rough idea of Telynor’s music. More impressive is the fact that this is actually a duo act. (Niles Hokkanen, The Mandocrucian’s Digest, 1990)
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