'Spuyten Duyvil' blends folk styles

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Mark Miller and his wife Beth Kaufman are not your typical homemakers. When the couple is not at their Hillcrest Avenue residence with their 18-year-old daughter, they are leading the band Spuyten Duyvil. Described by Mr. Miller as a “high-octane Americana” band, Spuyten Duyvil has released four records since 2009. With each release, the group accumulated critical acclaim from across the country for their unique spin on traditional folk music.

“We’re kind of the folk scene’s bad friend. We’re the kid folk scene’s mom doesn’t want hanging around,” explained Mr. Miller, the group’s tenor guitarist. “In the world of music, that’s really not that bad.” 

The band began humbly almost a decade ago during a jam session with neighbors on Mr. Miller and Ms. Kaufman’s front porch in Yonkers. The collective sought a name that would reflect its ties to the area.

“We wanted… something that would root us regionally to the area. So that’s how Spuyten Duyvil came about,” said Ms. Kaufman, the group’s lead vocalist. 

After a few years of neighborhood jams and local gigs, Spuyten Duyvil evolved into a serious music-making machine. As neighbors began to find the band too much to juggle, Mr. Miller and Ms. Kaufman formed a six-person group with bandmates from a variety of musical backgrounds. 

Guitarist Rik Mercaldi boasts classic rock expertise. Bass player John Neidhart has roots in punk rock. Harmonica player Jim Meigs has a knack for the blues. Lou Geser/Jagoda is described by Mr. Miller as a “journeyman world music drummer.” Each band member lives in Yonkers, Hastings or the Bronx.

Songs ranging from the sexy to the thunderous synthesize the different sounds into a unique harmony. That gives Spuyten Duyvil’s tracks a different style than one might expect from a folk band. 

Spuyten Duyvil, music, Mark Miller, Beth Kaufman, Spuyten Duyvil music, Americana, folk, Will Speros
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