The Center of Well Being in Lemont may be known to some as a place to go for yoga and massages, but Acoustic Brew Vice President Jim Colbert believes it's the best acoustic room he's come across.
"I travel to musical events all through the year, but this is the best acoustic room I know," Colbert said. "Someone said it best when they said to me, 'It's like playing inside an acoustic guitar."
At 7:30 p.m. this weekend, Acoustic Brew has scheduled multi-instrumentalists Grey Larsen and Cindy Kallet to perform Celtic and other folk music at the wellness center. Traditional folk musician Hank Cramer will open the show.
The performance has been described as a "trip around the world," Kallet said.
"The show is very personal, it just seems like you're in their home with them," Lodging Coordinator for Acoustic Brew Patty Lambert said.
Grey, who Colbert described as one of the premier Irish flute and whistle players in America, said Celtic music is most represented in his and Kallet's music.
In addition to the Irish flute, Larsen, a musician since the age of 4, can play all acoustic instruments: guitar, concertina and fiddle, Larsen said.
Kallet said she started her career at the young age and began playing the guitar when she was 11.
"With Grey and Cindy the sum is greater than the parts. They really accentuate each other beautifully," Colbert said. "They have a lot of energy; they feed off each other."
Years ago, Celtic music was associated with flashy acts like Riverdance, but the music has much more substance, Colbert said.
"We don't jump around on stage or have flames in the background, but there is a lot of variety in what we do," Kallet said. "There is a lot of care in the way we arrange things. You might have heard that song, but you have never heard it this way."
Anyone who went to see Celtic traditional group Boys of the Lough Tuesday at the State Theatre would enjoy Cindy and Grey this weekend, Colbert said.
At 4:30 p.m., Kallet and Larsen are having a workshop entitled "Sounding Irish."
"Grey is the most patient teacher," Lambert said. "He breaks down things into small enough pieces you can really digest."
People are encouraged to bring their instruments and beginners are welcome, Colbert said.
"They are just so perfect," Lambert said. "There aren't any words, you just have to be there."