Carolina-born songwriter Will West performs with a rotation of acoustic musicians called The Friendly Strangers, featuring an array of fantastic Portland players on banjo, cello, mandolin, horns, percussion and other surprises. Together they create a signature acoustic sound blending Old Time Roots and Folk Influences with Modern Inspirations & Positive Vibes. They tend to improvise and experiment, and they have a great time doing it.
For this year’s performance, Will West will feature Skip vonKuske (Portland Cello Project, Vagabond Opera) on cello/mandolin and Don Henson (Sneakin’ Out) on percussion. Skip is Portland’s foremost cellist and Don is known for his Rube Goldberg-like percussion set up and performance. Combining Skip & Don’s improvisational skills with the signature acoustic sounds of Will West, they create a unique blend of Folk, Roots, Bluegrass and Psychedelic music. Skip vonKuske & Don Henson are “Groovy Wallpaper”.