Taarka chat with Quentin Young

Taarka sit down to chat with Quentin Young at Second Story Garage in Boulder, Colo.

Enion and David Pelta-Tiller are the type of artists who are so immersed in their musical community that they seem to know everyone. And they’re the type of artists with whom everyone seems to have played at one time or another. Plus they play this indie-gypsy-folk-Americana kind of music with strange instruments — 5-string violin, guitar-sized mandolin — so we had to get them into the Garage to see what this Taarka thing was all about.

About that name, Taarka — we often avoid asking bands about their names, lest we ask the most cliche of cliche music-journalism questions. But Taarka goes out of its way to talk about it, so, passing the news along, “taarka” in the context of certain Indian dishes is the sound of spices roasting. But, according to the band’s website, taarka also can refer to a bunch of other things, such as “the residue left on the inside of your skull when you wake up from a really great dream.” This is “a chemical fact,” according to Taarka.

In trio form, with bassist Troy Robey, Taarka performed “The Moon Song,” “Waterford Town” and “Wandering” for us.

What they brought us: A leather mask with the word “Taarka” on it. It has an interesting back story, which Enion talks about in the band’s interview with Quentin.

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