Posted in hammered dulcimer, improvisation, tagged improvisation, Indian, vina on December 31, 2007 | 1 Comment »
People assume that you go to Ireland to study Irish music. But what I found there was so much more diverse. Unfortunately, I can’t remember this guy’s name or how we met, but he plays the Indian vina. You’re hear it and think “sitar,” and it’s in the same family, but it’s [...]
Posted in traditional music, voice, tagged Bulgaria, singing, Superdevoiche, UCLA, women on December 30, 2007 | 2 Comments »
For at least two of my three years at UCLA, I was a member of the Bulgarian Women’s Choir, aka “Superdevoiche”. (I was also a member of the Anglo American Ensemble, aka “Trailerpark McShank” but that’s another story altogether.) The choir usually had about 14 girls, which included only two Bulgarian speakers, [...]
Posted in captured sound, traditional music, tagged storytelling, old time music, England, FOAOTMAD on December 29, 2007 | No Comments »
In my collection of characters, this has to be one of my favorites. I had traveled to Gainsborough, England, for the 10th anniversary festival of the Friends of American Old Time Music and Dance in February, 2004. We spent the whole weekend in this school building, playing tunes and drinking Newcastle ’round the [...]
Posted in hammered dulcimer, improvisation, traditional music, voice, tagged Amazing grace, dulcimer, R.L. Tack on December 28, 2007 | No Comments »
This is another recording made at my home at the Red Abbey in Cork City. I think it was recorded on the R.L. Tack dulcimer I brought home from Winfield in 2003. Such a beautiful sound, and I loved it a lot, but I regrettably sold it for rent money… Someday I hope [...]
Posted in original music, traditional music, tagged Cork City, mountain dulcimer on December 27, 2007 | 1 Comment »
This is one from the archives. 2004 sometime, 3 Red Abbey Court, which was the last place I lived in in Cork City. I don’t really remember why I had Edel’s* cardboard mountain dulcimer, and I don’t really remember playing it–much less writing a tune on it–but I have this minidisc in my [...]
Posted in improvisation, piano, traditional music, voice, tagged Christmas on December 25, 2007 | No Comments »
Posted in piano, voice, tagged childhood, showtunes on December 23, 2007 | 4 Comments »
My first rejection letter. This came from Father Joe Glass at our church, enclosed with the tape he was returning to my mother, informing her of the reasons why he didn’t want to use my recording at Aunt Carol’s funeral mass. Too much of a “tear jerker” he says. I don’t know whose idea it [...]
