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Four strings and a favourite chocolate bar: that's all James Hill - 'possibly the best ukulele player in the world' (Waikato Times) - and Anne Janelle - 'a cellist of true beauty' (Ottawa Citizen) - had in common when they first met. It was more than enough. Today, they're an award-winning, 'utterly world-class' singer-songwriter-ukulele-cello duo (Paul Symes, The Blacksheep Inn).
It's true: opposites attract. James grew up playing folk, jazz and blues on his ukulele while Anne was exclusively a classical cellist. But the pair's differences quickly became their biggest asset. The uke is high, the cello is low; the uke plays short notes, the cello long bow strokes; the uke is all about strumming while the cello radiates melody. Like shadows and light in an old photograph, these contrasts are complementary. 'We're like a pair of dancers who can't step on each other's feet,' jokes James.