"Acoustic old-time tunes and songs with Jody Kruskal and friends, featuring Anglo concertina with fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar and bass playing old-time classics, unusual tunes and originals.
The roots of old-time American country music reach back to the early days of the concertina, and the Anglo’s rhythm and inflection fit that music perfectly. The antique voice of the Anglo playing this vibrant old-time musical tradition still sounds fresh and new."
So, for all those amongst you, who are more used to hearing your Anglo play ITM, what do you think?
Do you believe that there's only good music & bad music & so, like me, welcome this?
Or do you think the wee box sounds a little out of place in this Old Time setting & wish each instrument would just stay in it's own, nice little neat, genre box?
Is anyone out there worried about where this 'melting pot' effect, might finally end up?
For example, do you worry that perhaps one day, ALL instruments might eventually be playing ALL music, with little or no audible distinction between the existing genres we all know & love today?
Does that sound like a likely, a wonderful or a terrifying prospect?
Cheers
Dick
By the way, I understand that the Bodhran is being seen more & more in Old Time sessions!
I don't know the answer, but your comment reminded me of something a Canadian said to me the other day: "We don't call it a melting pot, but a mosaic". That's a nice image - each piece having its place, and not losing its individual colour.
That's nice. Those tunes work well on concertina - and whz wouldn't they? They use basically the same scales and modes as Irish tunes. It's also nice to hear some of them sung. I've always been intreagued by the 'crookedness' of a lot of American tunes - bars of unequal lengths - but it makes a bit more sense hearing how the tune fits the words.
I'm sure there will be lots of instruments taking new parts in different genres, but each instrument still has its limits (volume, tone colour, sustain, pitch range) so I doubt you'd ever end up with all instruments playing all music. I also doubt that music will "fossilize" with certain instruments always playing and certain others never allowed - any more than the English language has ever "fossilized" - all living traditions survive by adapting rather than remaining fixed. And anyway, if we did "fix" it, who defines where it's fixed?
I like it. Particularly I admire the band for providing free listening, if not to the whole album, to big enough chunks of the tracks to enable one to learn the tunes. Obviously they've got to hold some of it back, so as to actually get people to buy the odd record.
"do you worry that perhaps one day, ALL instruments might eventually be playing ALL music?"
I mostly worry about what is around me now - if I don't like what I hear, it upsets or irks me . When I'm no longer around, it's up to those who are. If someday ALL instruments play ALL music, it will only be because ALL musicians *like* playing ALL music on ALL instruments. As long as there are still people that want to play Irish traditional tunes on fiddle and pipes and concertina and flute, they will be played on those instruments, and those people will, if necessary, find their secret place where the tenor saxes and musical chainsaws and downright basses can't find them.
I do like the sound. My roots are with OT. We many times have a button accordion player join us, and that's not too far off the sound of the concertina. I've always liked it. I always thought tenor banjo would be interesting with OT, but I'm afraid the clawhammer boys would insist I drop it and pickup my fiddle.
That Coleman's March is a beaut of a tune: I must put it through the melodeon before long. It's one of those tunes I wouldn't have a clue how to place, without being told its provenance and/or context.
Nicholas, "Bull At the Wagon" is the hook track for me.
I first heard that tune played by ace Banjo player, Ray Stewart in Aberdeen, way back in the 70s & it has been stuck in my head ever since, so I was delighted to hear it on this CD.
"Spotted Pony" is a great tune too, & one of the first OT tunes I learned on ye olde Hammered Dulcimer. Great version of it too, on this CD.
The Melting Pot!
The Melting Pot!
Here's an interesting CD that I just added to my collection, which fans of the Anglo Concertina here, might like to check out.
It features the Anglo Concertina of Jody Krustal playing great Old Time Music!
"Poor Little Liza Jane" by Jody Kruskal < http://cdbaby.com/cd/jodykruskal2 >
"Acoustic old-time tunes and songs with Jody Kruskal and friends, featuring Anglo concertina with fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar and bass playing old-time classics, unusual tunes and originals.
The roots of old-time American country music reach back to the early days of the concertina, and the Anglo’s rhythm and inflection fit that music perfectly. The antique voice of the Anglo playing this vibrant old-time musical tradition still sounds fresh and new."
So, for all those amongst you, who are more used to hearing your Anglo play ITM, what do you think?
Do you believe that there's only good music & bad music & so, like me, welcome this?
Or do you think the wee box sounds a little out of place in this Old Time setting & wish each instrument would just stay in it's own, nice little neat, genre box?
Is anyone out there worried about where this 'melting pot' effect, might finally end up?
For example, do you worry that perhaps one day, ALL instruments might eventually be playing ALL music, with little or no audible distinction between the existing genres we all know & love today?
Does that sound like a likely, a wonderful or a terrifying prospect?
Cheers
Dick
By the way, I understand that the Bodhran is being seen more & more in Old Time sessions!
# Posted on April 18th 2008 by Ptarmigan
Re: The Melting Pot!
I don't know the answer, but your comment reminded me of something a Canadian said to me the other day: "We don't call it a melting pot, but a mosaic". That's a nice image - each piece having its place, and not losing its individual colour.
# Posted on April 18th 2008 by Mark Harmer
Oh good I had wondered where they had all gone too
# Posted on April 18th 2008 by bazouki dave and the real tooty flutey
Re: The Melting Pot!
That's nice. Those tunes work well on concertina - and whz wouldn't they? They use basically the same scales and modes as Irish tunes. It's also nice to hear some of them sung. I've always been intreagued by the 'crookedness' of a lot of American tunes - bars of unequal lengths - but it makes a bit more sense hearing how the tune fits the words.
# Posted on April 18th 2008 by granama
Re: The Melting Pot!
I'm sure there will be lots of instruments taking new parts in different genres, but each instrument still has its limits (volume, tone colour, sustain, pitch range) so I doubt you'd ever end up with all instruments playing all music. I also doubt that music will "fossilize" with certain instruments always playing and certain others never allowed - any more than the English language has ever "fossilized" - all living traditions survive by adapting rather than remaining fixed. And anyway, if we did "fix" it, who defines where it's fixed?
# Posted on April 18th 2008 by Mark Harmer
Re: The Melting Pot!
I like it. Particularly I admire the band for providing free listening, if not to the whole album, to big enough chunks of the tracks to enable one to learn the tunes. Obviously they've got to hold some of it back, so as to actually get people to buy the odd record.
# Posted on April 18th 2008 by nicholas
Re: The Melting Pot!
"do you worry that perhaps one day, ALL instruments might eventually be playing ALL music?"
I mostly worry about what is around me now - if I don't like what I hear, it upsets or irks me . When I'm no longer around, it's up to those who are. If someday ALL instruments play ALL music, it will only be because ALL musicians *like* playing ALL music on ALL instruments. As long as there are still people that want to play Irish traditional tunes on fiddle and pipes and concertina and flute, they will be played on those instruments, and those people will, if necessary, find their secret place where the tenor saxes and musical chainsaws and downright basses can't find them.
# Posted on April 18th 2008 by granama
Re: The Melting Pot!
I do like the sound. My roots are with OT. We many times have a button accordion player join us, and that's not too far off the sound of the concertina. I've always liked it. I always thought tenor banjo would be interesting with OT, but I'm afraid the clawhammer boys would insist I drop it and pickup my fiddle.
# Posted on April 19th 2008 by nofrets
Re: The Melting Pot!
That Coleman's March is a beaut of a tune: I must put it through the melodeon before long. It's one of those tunes I wouldn't have a clue how to place, without being told its provenance and/or context.
# Posted on April 20th 2008 by nicholas
Re: The Melting Pot!
Nicholas, "Bull At the Wagon" is the hook track for me.
I first heard that tune played by ace Banjo player, Ray Stewart in Aberdeen, way back in the 70s & it has been stuck in my head ever since, so I was delighted to hear it on this CD.
"Spotted Pony" is a great tune too, & one of the first OT tunes I learned on ye olde Hammered Dulcimer. Great version of it too, on this CD.
Cheers
Dick
# Posted on April 20th 2008 by Ptarmigan