Bella Ruse June 15, 2012

Bella Ruse is a minimalist folk duo from Minneapolis, MN. Bella Ruse was formed when Kay Gillette, a former award winning opera singer, moved to Minneapolis to collaborate with Joseph Barker, a Twin Cities guitarist and composer. They initially started playing as a vocal jazz duo, performing their first show at the Artists' Quarter, but quickly realized their deficiencies (that is, a total lack of any jazz training), picked up a kazoo and a melodica and headed into indie-folk territory, releasing three EPs in 2009. Since then they've toured twice around the Midwest and spent six weeks on the road playing venues and festivals all across the west coast.