Pot revisited

In 2003 I did a show at the Tin Angel with Jim Taggart on drums and myself. George, the sound guy, recorded the show and gave it to my on DAT. So I have spent the last three years trying to find a DAT machine. But I did it earlier this year and sent it to my drummer, who promptly made a myspace page for it.

One of the tunes we did was "Pot Calling the Black" and since the version with Jim is substantially better than the one without, I thought that I would repost it here. Enjoy!

One Big Love

Years ago, I was a guitar player for a guy named Brian Seymour. Nice guy, good songwriter, married with a Masters Degree in Art History. Who was slowly building his own strategy, assembling his team, chasing the dream of the "big record deal" (back when one would have been useful). I was playing lead guitar, mostly noodley, spacey stuff. It was a good time, got me out of the house, I did some label showcases, met some industry juice (and their attendent weasels). The guys in the band were and are some of the nicest people I've ever met, at the time we were called "One Big Love". One of them, Kenny Kearns, was perhaps the funniest person I've ever met (and that's really saying something).

Anyway, here are two from the vaults. Nice-n-lazy which was never released (so I hope he doesn't mind) but was one my faves to play. This is taken from a magnetized cassette, so forgive the sound quality (even Pro-tools couldn't help much). I don't really remember playing most of these licks, but I know I did because Brian was honest to a fault and in the interest of honesty he would have let me know if he had done something with my intellectual property, so if somebody recut something, I believe he'd have told me.

The second tune is called redhead, recorded live at the Tin Angel in Philadelphia. If I'm not mistaken recorded the same night I played three shows (two with Seymour and one with Deirdre Flint) in the same night. This second track is on his CD "Brain Seymour and One Big Love". the CD is out of print, but he re-recorded it with his new and even spacer guitar player on his CD "When I Was Blonde", you can buy it here.

Oh, in the second track the guitar is actually out of tune, you're not hearing things. It happened a lot (in case you were wondering why it didn't work out between us).

No Drums!

That was the mandate when we started to record "the Moonshiner's Atlas", there were lots of reasons for that, all of them good. But here's the demo for "Atlas", a tune by Russell Wolfe that I always thought benefitted from a good backbeat.

By the way, Rusty caught some sort of disease that landed him in the hospital for ten days and almost killed him. So I was asked by Andy World to record one of his songs as part of a get well CD. Having just gotten the dulcimer as a gift, this seemed like a good way to try it out.

...it was all downhill from there.

I like singing folk songs

I have no idea how people made records before the internet. When i was working on what would become "The Moonshiner's Atlas" scores of mp3's were send back and forth as Robert Force, Chris Martin (seen here desparately trying to make me sound good) decided which tunes to use, and how they should be arranged.

THIS SONG is a demo version of "I like singing folk songs" I found buried in my external HD. I recorded this in my bedroom and played all the instrument (which, when you hear the banjo come in, will be obvious). Back then, I was working as a tour guide back then so my voice was completely shot most days, hence the fuzziness (and total lack of pitch focus) The drums, by the way, are me playing brushes on the back of the dulcimer. Although I'm pleased and proud of the final version, which features some great playing by Matt Sircerly (mandolin), Jeanie Murphy (banjo), Maggie Marshall (bass) and Mark Pearson of The Brothers Four (guitar), this demo version has a vibe to it that i still really enjoy. Maybe it's those "drums".

Happy Birthday: The Pot Calling the Kettle Black

One of my mySpace buddies has a birthday today, she wanted to get a copy of THIS SONG. This is as good an excuse as any to do it. Recorded live at the Point in Bryn Mawr, PA, sardonic song (based on true experiences) from my singer/songwriter days (which are coming back BTW). Enjoy!

I played a Dave Carter song at Launde Abbey

I was at the Nonsuch dulcimer weekend at the Launde Abbey a few weeks ago. There I decided to learn a Dave Cater tune, just to have something great to play at their evening song circles, which are always filled with fantastic traditional folk music. The guys singing harmony to a song they've never head before was —to say the least— heady. You can LISTEN TO IT HERE.

and you can buy the original (and significantly better version) HERE

Just a reminder

We're opening for Jay Mankita at the Center for Well Being in Lemont, Learn more here.

Well It's official

September 2nd, 2006

In the midst of the remnants of breifly-hurricaned Ernesto. Miss Christie Burns and I officially became man and wife (or woman and husband...whatever). It was a beautiful ceremony surrounded by tons of friends and lots of music: we were led in by Nykleharpa Players and there were THREE different kinds of bagpipers there. The event was (even more-so than most weddings) unforgettable. There were 217 there to brave the elements, a tree fell during the ceremony, and the father of the bride came dressed as Boss Hogg.



The rain only served to underscore the outpouring of love from both our closest friends throughout every stage of our lives and around the world, as well as strangers who became friends that weekend. If you feel like you should have been invited but were not, you are probably correct. We had a bear of a time with both paper and e-mail invites and our online registry things we so scattered and hectic that I know a good many people we would have liked to have there fell through the cracks. If you think that's you, you're probably right and I'm sorry.

I still have to write this thesis so we're playing just a few shows before the end of the year. Then you can look for me to be on the road a bit more in 2007. Including a much neglected tour of the Northeast again.

We'll get more pictures up again soon. And I'll be setting up a chat board for folks to share their wedding stories soon. stay tuned.

Kentucky Music Weekend Redux

What a wonderful, wonderful time we had at Kentucky Music Weekend. So good to see old friends like John Gauge, Rick Thum, Molly McCormack, Bing Futch, and of course Nancy Johnson Barker (not to mention folks like Josh, April, the Strothers and many more I'm sure I'm forgetting) And what a treat to meet both Jean RItchie and George Pickow! we're honored.

Much love and thanks must go to Nancy Barker for the faith and the opportunity.

Much bigger thanks to all of you in the audience for responding so enthusiastically, you humble us with your generosity and spirit.

...Can't wait to get back to Louisville again.

Kentucky Music Weekend

Well, it’s been a pretty good summer for the girl and I. We’ve been playing a lot of gigs as a duo, and in-between doing engaging stuff like planning the wedding and house shopping(!!!) But before we retreat to the north to finalize the big gig, I wanted to invite you out to our last (and second-largest) show of the summer.

Kentucky Music Weekend
07/28-29/2006 07:00 PM
Iroquois Amphitheater,
Louisville, KY
With John Gauge, Zoe Speaks, The Juggernaut Jug Band, the Reel World String Band, Kentucky Standard band, Lou and Peter Berryman and JEAN RITCHIE.

Did I mention Jean Ritchie? Not to brag, but how cool is that? Anyway, it’s all thanks to Nancy Barker and the Kentucky Colonels, who have put on this event for 31 years, and it’s all Free!

Anyway, that’s all the news for now. Hope life is good for you in your part of the world.

C-ya out there.

How I'll spend my summer

Happy May Day to you all!

So how long has it been since we last spoke? Months maybe? As usual, and through no fault of my own, I find myself in the enviable position of once again having new people to welcome to this list. Those of you who have been here a while may take it upon yourself to let the newbie know, It’s usually like this… months of silence followed by a rant of sorts and then a plea to go to my show(s), usually later that day. I’m not a self-promotion guru guy you know.

Speaking of self-promotion: the wedding plans are coming right along. Looks like it’s going to be Labor Day weekend. Not four hours wedding reception for us, we’re gonna suck up the whole weekend at Jimmy and Maggie’s. Of course many of you are invited, some are expected, and I suspect some of you may just show up. Just as well; the more. The merrier. Anyway, the point is if you haven’t got your yet, it’s because the invitation designer (that would be me) has been busy with other things like grad school.

More self-promotion; the future Mrs. Ross (this is the first time I’ve seen that not used in reference to my mother, Christie is totally keeping her maiden name) and I will be doing a good bit of dulcimer festivals this summer (details below) and it is my plan to do a good ol-fashioned tour of the NE in late summer, between frantic wedding plans. I figure the summer is the best time cause that’s when the gas will be cheapest.

Christie and I played the first of our summer shows last weekend, at a summer festival in Russellville, Kentucky. Pretty, pretty town, famous for being the home of first bank Jessie James ever robbed. People seemed to dig it, and I even got a request for Ruben’s Train (fiddle tunes requests are rare, except for the Orange Blossom Special for some reason, which I don’t know, don’t ask). Some drummer from a heavy metal band playing later that afternoon said he dug, it was “real relaxing”, I tried to return the compliment but what am I gonna say? “Yeah dude, when I wanna chill out, I like to take a nice long walk in the wood, perhaps by a stream, listening to ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’”. Ah well, he meant well, and for a heavy metal drummer, he didn’t suck.

One of the coolest things I’ve ever been involved in was when Christie and I performed in a Jewish synagogue with Basya Schechter, at the Mid-East Mountain Fusion Music Festival in Louisville. We did two TV appearances and played the show with her. Basya plays Oud in a Mediterranean rock band called “Pharaoh’s Daughter”, (I just totally freaked my spell-checker out) and Christie and I were hired to mix Appalachian tunes with her music, which is in these Middle Eastern modes and bizarre time signatures like 6/7 or 11/2. Needless to say, I was really pushing the limits of what I could do with the dulcimer. Something I love to do anyway. And Basya has quickly become one of our absolute favorite people. Christie’s gonna be playing with her in North Jersey in a couple of weeks. Check out Basya here: http://www.pharaohsdaughter.com

Upcoming Shows

We have been crazy stupid busy, busier than ever before. But we’re doing what we love so that’s okay. But the semester is ending and we are about to hit the road. Here is a bit about how we’ll be spending our summer.

Next week, we’re going up to Columbus Ohio for the Central Ohio Folk Festival. This is a good time, a pretty low key but fun festival in the Batelle-Darby Park, which is just southwest of the city (and outside the beltway). They’re a nice mix of a dulcimer festival and a folk festival, held outside with jams and music and workshops. Last year’s headliner was Tom Rush this year it’s David Massengill. Christie and I will be teaching and performing with Randy Clepper, a great Bouzouki player and part time member of Hammer On! Well be doing a mix of his stuff and ours, Irish, Old-time and Swedish, and who knows what else.

Then is on to Owensboro, one of two towns that claim to be the birthplace of Bluegrass, for the Yellow banks dulcimer festival. Where not only will I be teaching dulcimer but Irish guitar and old-time guitar workshops as well. Christie will be teaching claw-hammer banjo in addition to her hammer dulcimer classes as well.

Nancy Barker, of Kentucky Music week, has us playing a number of gigs this summer at state parks all over Kentucky, as well as the very cool Kentucky Music Weekend at Iroquois State Park (they air condition the lawn seating there!). Check the gig schedule for that. But the two big gigs I’d like to talk about are the Kentucky Music Week and the Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival.

The Music Week as many of you know is a weeklong, training-intensive festival in Bardstown, KY. It involves some of the finest dulcimer players on the planet and has lessons in everything from dulcimer to songwriting to steel drum, this year includes workshops on Native American Flutes and Painted Gourds! http://www.kentuckymusicweek.com/KMWeek/ be sure to check out the schedule to see how many great players are gonna be there this year!

Right before that is a new festival put on by our dear friends Dan and Angie Landrum, the Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival. It’s not actually held in Chattanooga; it takes place up on Signal Mountain (which is significantly cooler). This festival is great because it focuses exclusively on technique. Karen Mueller and myself will be there, and the elusive David Schnaufer will also be teaching master classes! Where Kentucky Music is going to be a great place to learn a bunch of songs, Chattanooga is where you’ll get the chops together to learn those songs well. I can’t recommend these two festivals enough.

Okay lots more coming up as well; I’m planning a northeast tour in August, writing a couple of songbooks this summer, and finally developing a members area on the web site. But all that can wait until later (when it’s been done). I just really wanted to drop you all a note to tell you how I would be spending my summer, instead of how I did!

C-you out there.

COOL NEW SHOWS THIS SUMMER! check the new shows page.

Greetings!

So the summer is comin' in. Got some new shows posted on the web site and some super cool tentative ones that will confirm next week.Looks like we'll be seeing a lot of Kentucky, especially Bardstown with both the KENTUCKY MUSIC WEEKEND and KENTUCKY MUSIC WEEK.
Plus back to beautiful Signal Mountain, TN for the Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival run by our dear friends Dan and Angie Landrum Check out the website for all the details. and we'll see you there!

-Br

KMW Winter Weekend

Thanks to everyone who came to my workshops at KMW. I hope you had as much fun as I did. I thought I would make these lyrics part of the new website I was designing. but that has taken longer than expected. so without further ado....

Hard Times
1. Let us pause in life's pleasures
and count its many tears,
While we all sup sorrow with the poor:
There's a song that will linger
forever in our ears;
Oh! Hard Times, come again no more.

Chorus
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary;
Hard Times, Hard Times, come again no more:
Many days you have lingered
around my cabin door;
Oh! Hard Times, come again no more.

2. While we seek mirth and beauty,
and music light and gay,
There are frail forms fainting at the door:
Though their voices are silent,
their pleading looks will say,
Oh! Hard Times, come again no more.

3. There's a pale drooping maiden
who toils her life away,
With a worn heart whose better days are o'er:
Though her voice would be merry,
'tis sighing all the day,
Oh! Hard Times, come again no more.

4. 'Tis a sigh that is wafted
across the troubled wave,
'Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore,
'Tis a dirge that is murmured
around the lowly grave,
Oh! Hard Times, come again no more.

______________________________________
Why Walk When You Can Fly (words and music by Mary Chapin Carpenter ©1994)

In this world there's a whole lot of trouble, baby
In this world there's a whole lot of pain
In this world there's a whole lot of trouble
But a whole lot of ground to gain
Why take when you could be giving, why watch as the world goes by
It's a hard enough life to be living, why walk when you can fly

In this world there's a whole lot of sorrow
In this world there's a whole lot of shame
In this world there's a whole lot of sorrow
And a whole lotta ground to gain
When you spend your whole life wishing, wanting and wondering why
It's a long enough life to be living, why walk when you can fly

In this world there's a whole lot of cold
In this world there's a whole lot of blame
In this world you've a soul for a compass
And a heart for a pair of wings
There's a star on the far horizon, rising bright in an azure sky
For the rest of the time that you're given, why walk when you can fly