Tom Mank and Sera Smolen have been performing and writing music together since 1994. Mank, a self-taught singer-songwriter, and Smolen, a conservatory trained cellist, blend their musical languages into an eclectic style. Guitar, voice, and cello have many ways of blending, with the cello as bass, and doubling with guitar or soloing. Mank’s eloquent writing of instrumentals is contrasted well with his poetic lyrics. Their latest CD, “Swimming in the Dark”, was recorded primarily in Bearsville, NY but also in Minneapolis MN, Ithaca NY and Sint Gillis Waas Belgium, with Ithaca, Woodstock, and European musicians / vocalists contributing.