Amber Rubarth, Dave Eggar + Max ZT

(dramatic music) - [Announcer] Performing this week on "Expressions": Amber Rubarth, Dave Eggar and Max ZT.

♪ You try to make your escape ♪ ♪ But the blows keep on coming ♪ ♪ And as the dust clears away ♪ ♪ You start to notice something ♪ ♪ Each time a piece crashes down ♪ ♪ Into the floor ♪ ♪ You're a little light than just before ♪ ♪ And la, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ It takes a minute ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ It doesn't finish ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ You're see it after ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ When you look backwards ♪ - [Announcer] Funding for this program is provided in part by the New York State Education Department and by viewers like you.

Thank you.

(audience applauds) - Hello and welcome to "Expressions".

I'm your host, Adara Alston.

We have a special concert performance tonight featuring singer/songwriter Amber Rubarth.

She burst onto the scene in 2010 when she won the grand prize at the NPR Mountain Stage new song contest.

She has since released seven studio albums, toured across the globe and even starred in an independent film about the power of folk music in 2017.

For this performance, Amber is joined on stage by longtime friends and collaborators, Cellist Dave Eggar and Max ZT on the hammered dulcimer.

It was their first performance together since the loosening of COVID restrictions and they provided our live studio audience with an ethereal night of music.

We opened the show with the title track from Amber's 2017 album, "Wild Flowers in the Graveyard".

(audience applauds) ♪ There are wildflowers springing up at the graveyard ♪ ♪ An oak tree that's been standing there so long ♪ ♪ And dandelions pretty in the sunshine ♪ ♪ 'Til the wind blows and they're gone ♪ ♪ Blue skies make me think winter's never coming ♪ ♪ Feelings always feel like they'll never end ♪ ♪ And my whole life I've been working hard at changing ♪ ♪ But now I'm just sinking in ♪ ♪ And I'm walking to the edge ♪ ♪ Of where the river meets the sky ♪ ♪ Holding my head up and closing my eyes ♪ ♪ And all the answers I've been hoping to find ♪ ♪ Are written in the water ♪ ♪ Clouds are rolling over ♪ ♪ Snake, she sheds her skin ♪ ♪ And the wolves are calling out as the moon circles 'round ♪ ♪ Casting shadows on the hillside ♪ ♪ As their voices rise again ♪ ♪ Oh, and I'm walking to the edge ♪ ♪ Of where the river meets the sky ♪ ♪ Holding my head up and closing my eyes ♪ ♪ And all the answers I've been hoping to find ♪ ♪ Are written in the water ♪ ♪ Written in footsteps that crawl across the snow ♪ ♪ Written in memories that change each time they're told ♪ ♪ All the answers I've been hoping to find ♪ ♪ Are written in the water ♪ (gentle folk music) (audience applauds) Thank you.

(gentle folk music) This is a little reminder to be in the present moment and that sometimes it's really easy to reach for things but sometimes we just have to be here right now and not reach.

♪ Do you remember in December ♪ ♪ It was the last day of the year ♪ ♪ We heard the water under the ice ♪ ♪ Under the moon as we were standing there ♪ ♪ And sometimes we just have to listen ♪ ♪ Sometimes we just have to stare ♪ ♪ Sometimes just what we need ♪ ♪ Is already here ♪ ♪ I felt your heartbeat ♪ ♪ In my heartbeat ♪ ♪ I saw your history in your eyes ♪ ♪ And it reminds me what we both knew ♪ ♪ Like a cocoon knows a butterfly ♪ ♪ And sometimes we just have to listen ♪ ♪ Sometimes we just have to stare ♪ ♪ Sometimes just what we need ♪ ♪ Is already here ♪ ♪ There are questions ♪ ♪ That have no answers ♪ ♪ There're answers that aren't for us ♪ ♪ We learn our lessons ♪ ♪ Right on time ♪ ♪ Find our truth when we start to trust ♪ ♪ And sometimes we just have to listen ♪ ♪ Sometimes we just have to stare ♪ ♪ Sometimes just what we need ♪ ♪ Is already ♪ ♪ Sometimes we just have to listen ♪ ♪ And sometimes we just have to stare ♪ ♪ Sometimes just what we need ♪ ♪ Is already here ♪ ♪ Already here ♪ ♪ Already here ♪ (audience applauds) (pensive music) ♪ Suddenly you're shaking with pain ♪ ♪ Shooting down inside you ♪ ♪ And now you're crumbling away, but this isn't like you ♪ ♪ It doesn't stop 'til it breaks down on you ♪ ♪ Know you're breathing locks and your balance goes ♪ ♪ And la, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ It takes a minute ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ It doesn't finish ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ You're breaking faster ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ You're nothing after ♪ ♪ There's nothing after, oh ♪ ♪ You try to make your escape ♪ ♪ But the blows keep on coming ♪ ♪ And as the dust clears away ♪ ♪ You start to notice something ♪ ♪ Each time a piece crashes down into the floor ♪ ♪ You're a little lighter than just before ♪ ♪ And la, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ It takes a minute ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ It doesn't finish ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ You'll see it after ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ When you look backwards ♪ ♪ When you look backwards, oh ♪ ♪ And now your eyes shift ♪ ♪ From negative spaces ♪ ♪ To contours that light up ♪ ♪ This rough cut design ♪ ♪ And now you see it ♪ ♪ Your sculpture in motion ♪ ♪ Your unfinished art ♪ ♪ That keeps going it keeps going ♪ ♪ It keeps going and going and going and going ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ La, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ (audience applauds) - We'll be back with more Amber Rubarth in a moment but I want to mention that you can visit wskg.org/expressions to see even more of this performance.

These extra songs include extended cello and hammer dulcimer improvs that we just don't have time for in this half hour.

For our next song, Amber welcomes a special guest to the stage.

Katrina DiCrasto is a singer/songwriter from the Rochester area and she joins in for a duet of Amber's original song "In the Creases".

(happy folk music) ♪ You're the smell of the toast ♪ ♪ That you made in the mornings ♪ ♪ You're the page in my book ♪ ♪ That I keep to myself ♪ ♪ You're the unlocking sound ♪ ♪ When I turn my door key ♪ ♪ You're the scar that I have from the time ♪ ♪ That I fell ♪ ♪ I can't describe the faces ♪ ♪ I can't recall the names ♪ ♪ But you remain ♪ ♪ I keep you in the creases ♪ ♪ I hide you in the folds ♪ ♪ Protect you from the sunlight ♪ ♪ Shield you from the cold ♪ ♪ Everybody said ♪ ♪ They were glad to see you go ♪ ♪ But no one ever has to know ♪ (singers humming) ♪ You're the part of the moon ♪ ♪ That blends into the blackness ♪ ♪ Even though we know ♪ ♪ It's really still there ♪ ♪ You're the song that I sing ♪ ♪ And I don't need to practice ♪ ♪ You're the green shoes ♪ ♪ I keep though they're too small to wear ♪ ♪ I can't describe the faces ♪ ♪ I can't recall the names ♪ ♪ But you remain ♪ ♪ I keep you in the creases ♪ ♪ I hide you in the folds ♪ ♪ Protect you from the sunlight ♪ ♪ Shield you from the cold ♪ ♪ Everybody said they were glad ♪ ♪ To see you go ♪ ♪ But no one ever has to ♪ ♪ No one ever has to know the things ♪ ♪ That I refuse to see ♪ ♪ And all the nights I still can't sleep ♪ ♪ I curl up in the sheets ♪ ♪ Between the creases where you used to be ♪ ♪ Once love wakes it never sleeps ♪ ♪ Even when you love a dream ♪ ♪ I keep you in the creases ♪ ♪ I hide you in the folds ♪ ♪ Protect you from the sunlight ♪ ♪ Shield you from the cold ♪ ♪ I keep you in the creases ♪ ♪ I hide you in the folds ♪ ♪ Protect you from the sunlight ♪ ♪ Shield you from the cold ♪ (audience cheers and applauds) (applause drowns out voices) - Katrina DiCrasto!

(upbeat music) ♪ Keep quiet, don't stop ♪ ♪ That's when they'll start to think that they know you ♪ ♪ That's when they'll pin you down and control you ♪ ♪ That's when they'll make you say who you are ♪ ♪ Walk steady, head straight ♪ ♪ Like you can justify what you're doing ♪ ♪ Like you're supposed to be in this room ♪ ♪ And keep your coat closed, stay in the dark ♪ ♪ Everybody ♪ ♪ Loves a mystery ♪ ♪ We love a good mystery ♪ ♪ Everybody ♪ ♪ Loves a mystery ♪ ♪ We love a good mystery ♪ ♪ Forget those lies ♪ ♪ They all believed you didn't know better ♪ ♪ She tried to call your bluff, you wouldn't let her ♪ ♪ Don't worry now, the evidence is gone ♪ ♪ Play back, rewind ♪ ♪ To when the lights fell down on your shoulder ♪ ♪ Everyone smiled and the echoes swept over ♪ ♪ Whispering saints from ceilings built high ♪ ♪ Everybody ♪ ♪ Loves a mystery ♪ ♪ We love a good mystery ♪ ♪ Everybody ♪ ♪ Loves a mystery ♪ ♪ How we love a good mystery ♪ ♪ If you can climb up ♪ ♪ Above the clouds ♪ ♪ The pressure drops ♪ ♪ And the heat's blocked out ♪ ♪ And the air's so thin ♪ ♪ That your breath caves in ♪ ♪ And your heart beats loud ♪ ♪ Everybody ♪ ♪ Loves a mystery ♪ ♪ We love a good mystery ♪ ♪ Everybody ♪ ♪ Loves a mystery ♪ ♪ How we love a good mystery ♪ ♪ Everybody ♪ ♪ Loves a mystery ♪ ♪ We love a good mystery ♪ ♪ Everybody ♪ ♪ Loves a mystery ♪ ♪ We love a good mystery ♪ (audience applauds) Thank you so much.

- What a performance from the trio of Amber Rubarth, Dave Eggar and Max ZT.

Please visit Amber's website at amberrubarth.com to find more information about this ever-evolving artist.

To close the show, Amber heads back to the piano to perform a cover of the classic Tom Waits song, "Picture in a Frame".

Thanks for watching "Expressions".

I'm Adara Alston.

Goodnight.

(gentle music) ♪ The sun come up ♪ ♪ It was blue and gold ♪ ♪ The sun come up ♪ ♪ It was blue and gold ♪ ♪ The sun come up ♪ ♪ It was blue and gold ♪ ♪ Ever since I put your picture in a frame ♪ ♪ I come calling in my Sunday best ♪ ♪ I come calling in my Sunday best ♪ ♪ I come calling in my Sunday best ♪ ♪ Ever since I put your picture in a frame ♪ ♪ And I'm gonna love you ♪ ♪ 'Til the wheels come off ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ I love you baby and I always will ♪ ♪ I love you baby and I always will ♪ ♪ I love you baby and I always will ♪ ♪ Ever since I put your picture in a frame ♪ ♪ I love you baby ♪ ♪ And I always will ♪ ♪ Ever since I put your picture in a frame ♪ (audience cheers and applauds) (pensive music)