A banjo, a ukulele, a guitar, and a Chinese classical hammered dulcimer. Not an every day mix of instruments. (Marcy Marxer even plucked out the bass on something called a cello banjo.)

This is a splendidly unique evening of folk music bending into the exotic. As Fink and Marxer pluck out Appalachian classics, Tian echoes the melodies but with a distinctive Chinese technique. Her playing is exquisitely on point, though running through scales not typical of that instrument. I just loved hearing those blues 7ths swing from that dulcimer, and her improvisations are tack on. Speaking of tacks, at times it sounds likes she playing a honky-tonk piano.

And then to sweeten that, Tian pulls out the bones of China "The Four Treasures" and plays them in a percussive way that just felt like magic.

The storytelling and obvious friendship of the trio was just as lovely as the music.

Our particular performance was bolstered by the weekend's Uke Fest attenders held that weekend at TOCA. As we waited for the doors to open, in the courtyard in front of the theatre, we even sang along with some uke enthusiasts. "I want to hold your hand."