Wayfaring Strangers
Journeys to and through America

Directed & curated by Jeannette Sorrell

Long ago… thousands of ships crossed the Atlantic, carrying thousands of wanderers. Some came from Ireland, forced by famine to leave their beloved home. Some come from West Africa, forced onto slave ships against their will. Both groups brought their courage, their resilience… and their music.
Bold sea shanties, haunting ballads, and sparkling fiddle tunes from the British Isles arrived in the Appalachian hills of America – mingling with Southern hymns and powerful Black spirituals. From this vibrant mix of cultures sprang the music of America’s roots.

In this new program from Jeannette Sorrell, thirteen Wanderers embark on a musical journey honoring the voyages of our ancestors. The people of the hills raise their voices in LOVE, LONGING, DANCING AND PRAYER.

Who are we as a people? In the midst of migrant crises around the world, this new exploration of our immigrant roots takes on urgent resonance. As the daughter of a refugee who arrived in the U.S. with almost nothing, Jeannette Sorrell brings passion and authenticity to this musical narrative. Wayfaring Strangers is a sequel to her 2015 Sugarloaf Mountain program, which has toured internationally to such venues as the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the Irish National Concert Hall in Dublin, the Wexford Opera House, Belfast Castle, the Aldeburgh Festival in England, and colleges and universities across
the U.S.

Ensemble size: 12-14 musicians including singers, 2 fiddles, Irish flute, cello, harpsichord, and plucked instruments.

REVIEWS of Sugarloaf Mountain: An Appalachian Gathering
(Concert and CD album)

“Sorrell and a hand-picked band… tap into America’s hardscrabble Southern roots with grace and power… with music that asks questions about life and death, and bores into the American national psyche at visceral and emotional levels. Beautiful and eloquent… infectious energy. Every song signifies a personal response… Sorrell’s magical, rapt harpsichord riff on ‘I wonder as I wander’ reveals how profoundly spontaneous this folk music is at its core.”
– GRAMOPHONE [read the full review]

“Wonderfully fresh… exuding utter authenticity, contagious kinetic energy, and a totally free-wheeling spirit to the nth degree while shedding not a whit of their phenomenal technical polish, exemplifying the kind of art that conceals art. A must-have item; highest recommendation.”
– FANFARE Record Magazine [read the full review]

“Spectacularly fine singing and instrumental playing… full of energy and life. Terrific sweep… first rate.”
– THE CLASSICAL REVIEWER, UK

“Authenticity and that most elusive of desirable qualities, exquisite taste.”
– THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER

“Haunting melodies, foot-stomping jigs and reels, stories… all with musicianship of the highest order. The audience sang, shed a few tears, and laughed…. The program is an ingenious conception of Jeannette Sorrell, the fruit of considerable research.… A rich tapestry of the dark, the joyful, the sad, and the humorous. At times songs segued seamlessly into one another to add to the sense of a journey through time… beautifully paced… an absolutely joyous achievement.”
– CLEVELANDCLASSICAL.COM

“Entirely compelling, by turns funny, tragic, and even grisly. This release should continue to gain international attention for this forward-thinking group. Sorrell, who came of age as a musician partly in the rural South, has a way with this music.”
– ALLMUSIC.COM