‘Jimi Hendrix of the Hammered Dulcimer’ comes to Dartington..
… in a duo that really strikes a chord
Max ZT and local favourite Dan Whitehouse bring their Ten Steps show to Dartington Hall.
There are gigs you go out to for a lively night out – and then there are those that linger with you forever. This promises to be the latter.
On Thursday, June 19, two world-class musicians – Dan Whitehouse and Max ZT – bring their deeply meditative, quietly mesmerising collaboration ‘Ten Steps’, from their album of the same name, to the Great Hall at Dartington. It’s a rare chance to catch something utterly spellbinding in a truly sublime space.
Dan Whitehouse is already well loved to UK audiences for his poetic songwriting and open-hearted voice. But it’s Max ZT – described, not unreasonably, as “the Jimi Hendrix of the hammered dulcimer” – who will likely leave you speechless. A Grammy-nominated virtuoso from New York, Max plays the dulcimer like no-one else on earth: with joy, fluidity and a kind of luminous calm.
Together, they create music that defies easy categorisation – part folk, part ambient, part contemporary classical – yet never feels too abstract. Their recent album Ten Steps blends field recordings, spoken word and delicately layered instrumentation to explore connection in a digital age.
Expect to leave altered. Or at the very least, profoundly moved.