PORT ANGELES — The Bottom Line Duo, the internationally known pair of musicians from Port Angeles, are on their way home — and to a new name.
Traci and Spencer Hoveskeland are on the Maier Hall Concert Series poster as the Bottom Line Duo, the name they’ve had for the past 20 years.
But when they give two concerts this Sunday at Maier Hall, on the Peninsula College campus at 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd., they will introduce their new name.
The Duet is the new moniker, rich in connotations.
“It’s husband and wife, bass and cello, art and music; there are all kinds of duets to talk about,” said Spencer, the bass half of the pair. He and his cellist wife Traci will offer a matinee at 2 p.m. and an evening concert at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 for general seating and $5 for students via www.PenCol.edu.
The Hoveskelands have been making music together since the late 1980s, when they were Port Angeles High School sweethearts. While they were students, they went to New York City in 1989 for the Roughrider Orchestra’s first Carnegie Hall concert with Ron Jones, who has shepherded the orchestra to that venue every four years since. The members of the Bottom Line Duo likewise travel widely, and have lived in Alaska, performed in Cebreros, Spain, at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle and on the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth II at Southampton, England.
But this past summer, the couple were back in Clallam County, recording a pair of albums — one rock-leaning, one classical — at the Port Angeles High School Performing Arts Center. This worked out well, since the Hoveskelands were caring for a family member here.
They got to work on two records, Spencer said, because “we had so much material. We haven’t recorded for seven years,” since they became parents.
Spencer and Traci are raising their son in Seattle while keeping a busy schedule of performing.
One of the new CDs, “Violet Winters,” is named for Traci’s great aunt. Still a Port Angeles resident, she was a school bus driver back when Spencer attended Fairview Elementary.
“Hopefully, she’ll come to the show,” quipped Spencer. Her tribute album has him playing bass, ukulele and guitar opposite Traci’s cello on the Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian.” Also on the album are AC/DC’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution” and the Scorpions’ “Still Loving You” in a tango-classical style.
The other record, “Duet Yourself,” has much more classical music, as well as four original pieces. Spencer and Traci are hopeful that both CDs will be ready in time to sell at Sunday’s concerts; they’re available by order now at www.TheDuet.net.
Last year, when the Bottom Line Duo played Peninsula College, the concert sold out and people were turned away, Spencer noted. Which is why the pair are giving two concerts this time around.
“We’re going to do a mix from both CDs,” he said. “And this time there will be ukulele and guitar.” Audiences are used to the mashup of classics and pop, Spencer said. Now, he and Traci aim to get fans used to the new name.
