Kari Tauring
From Minnewiki
Kari graduated from Wayzata High School in 1984. She was frequently seen sneaking into shows of her favorite local bands Husker Du and Rifle Sport...or playing her Dulcimer on the street corner near 4th and Hennepin. Having studied music since day one, she was always entertaining and a little strange. By the time she graduated she had performed at MacPhail, Northrup Auditorium, and other top venues with choirs and orchestras.
Moving to Decorah, Iowa, Kari's dorm room was a focal point of jam sessions and hootenanny activities. Mikkel Beckman (of Crush Collision Trio) recalls (barely) many a long night into the morning playing Kari's wide assortment of instruments. Guitars, violin, dulcimer, various percussion instruments, penny whistles and harmonicas are what filled Kari's suitcases as she moved from Iowa to Wisconsin and back to Minnesota.
She finished her undergraduate work in philosophy and English at the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Playing in coffee houses and pubs supplimented her income which went into buying more guitars. Joining forces with Luther graduate Gina Sauer who was in St. Paul studying law, the two played their original folk music all over town as Rose Absolute. They graced stages as varied as the Music City Cafe, the Orpheum Theater and the State Theater, as well as out door venues. They produced a huge volume of music and released two full cassettes and two music videos.
Kari went to teach in England in 1993. On weekends and over school breaks she played pubs and streets throughout southern England and in Paris. "That was a real blast. I got moved along by the French Police under the Eiffel Tower. They were plain clothesmen and since they were so interested in what I was doing I thought maybe they were producers or something. It was a bit awkward when they finally pulled out their badges...more for them, I think!"
When she returned from England she began the band Thorn which took on several incarnations. She played all over Minneapolis (one of the first bands to play the famous 24 Bar and the Terminal) with Thorn, as part of David de Young's group, and as a solo artist. Her solo work took off and she released her first solo cd "Faith in Me" after the birth of her first son.
Continuing to write prolifically in her folk/rock venue she also began writing seaonal holiday songs for the Winter Solstice. They eventually made it into a CD which began her production of large scale seasonal events called Discovering Origins/Building Traditions in 1999. She also toured with Daughters of Gaea, a women's folk rock band promoting the feminine divine.
Turning her attention to Nordic Roots material in 2003, Kari began studying, performing and writing for the genre Huldre Stille of her Norwegian heritage. Her new ensamble, Huldre, played throughout the midwest in 2005.
Kari continues to write and play her music in Minneapolis where she makes her home with partner Greg Traxler (drummer of Farm Accident, Cousin Dad, and Die Wolpertinger) and their two sons. Their house is filled top to bottom with musical instruments and is a favorite gathering place for their children's friends where the jam sessions continue with enthusiasm in the next generation.
Bands
Discography
- A Yuletide Celebration (1999)
- Faith in Me (1997)
Full bands history and discography with free downloads can be had at [1] on her site.
Related Web sites
Discovering Origins/Building Traditions Ts and mugs for sale here.
Kari's book The Runes: A Human Journey is available for sale here.
