The lessons Zach De Pue learned playing with his fiddling brothers around Wood County have paid off with
the popular ensemble Time for Three.
De Pue’s father Wally, always liked mixing in bluegrass and traditional fiddling with classical
repertoire when his sons Zach, Jason, Wallace Jr, and Alex performed concerts and community events
through the area. (Photo: Photo by Vanessa Briceno-Scherzer/Time for Three. Time for Three is Nick
Kendall, Zach De Pue and Ranaan Meyer.)
That "venting more bluegrass in front of a classical audience is something my dad was doing for
along time with us," Zach De Pue recalls. That freewheeling fiddling was at the heart of the jam
sessions at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia that led De Pue, fellow violinist Nick Kendall and
bassist Ranaan Meyer to form Time for Three. They also brought they’re individual interests –
Kendall has studied Gypsy music and been a street performer and Meyer first came to music through jazz
including studies with the noted bassist Milt Hinton – to the group. The resulting blend inspired Meyer
to compose for the trio.
That was nine years ago. The trio now has two CDs – the most recent "We just Burned This For
You" was recorded live at the trio’s Jan. 13, 2006 performance in Bowling Green – with another on
the way.
Time for Three will perform Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Stranahan with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. Call
(419) 246-8000 for tickets or go to: www.toledosymphony.com.
Still, De Pue said, they know they are not bluegrass fiddle players; they are classically-trained string
players paying tribute to that and other American music traditions, including jazz, folk and maybe even
a hip-hop riff.
De Pue likened it to a chef who brings ingredients and techniques from a variety of cuisines together to
create a distinctive meal.
One piece the trio will play Saturday with the orchestra is a medley of the old folk song
"Shenandoah" with Meyer’s "Foxdown," which De Pue describes as "the bagpipes of
Scotland meet the American cowboys." The trio will also perform its "American Suite." The
piece starts with the gigue, a traditional Baroque dance, followed by a hoedown, then a spiritual and
ending with the bluegrass showpiece "The Orange Blossom Special."
The trio will also perform numbers without the orchestra.
Time for Three’s newest release, a single available for download, is further testament to its range.
"Hide & Seek" is the trio’s version of the Imogen Heep hit that takes the tune’s
inherent melancholy and brings it to fore with a yearning string chorale. With Meyer’s resonant bass at
the root and tightly harmonized violins on top the piece sounds like it’s being played by more than
three.
Time for Three is just part of what De Pue, Meyer and Kendall do as musicians. De Pue is concertmaster of
the Indianapolis Symphony, so he has to carve out the trio’s 22-week touring schedule around the demands
of the orchestra.
De Pue also still gets together with his brothers. The De Pue Brothers will perform Dec. 23 at Kobacker
Hall on the Bowing Green State University campus. De Pue hopes they have a new CD to release at that
time.
Kendall plays in a number of groups including a chamber orchestra he founded. Meyer also plays with the
Ranaan Meyer Band and composes.
Running Time for Three has provided an education in areas not covered in music school. The trio has a
support staff, which De Pue they’ve been able to keep in place even as the poor economy has taken a bite
out of trio’s schedule. "We’re staying afloat," he said, "and been able to move
forward." The trio is putting finishing touches on its third CD due out in January.
The key is being able to work with people, De Pue said. "Everyone in music is incredibly
opinionated." Still people must build relationships because those "spawn opportunities."
"Everything stems from the creative process and interacting with colleagues and sustaining those
relationships," he said. "Then everything will fall into place."
That’s not something he learned early on working with his brothers, he said. They tended to settle
disagreements by "smacking" each other. "You have to learn it’s give and take."
On the Net:
www.tf3.com
