Mountain and Hammer Dulcimer
Books, Tapes, CDs and Videos

Cimbalom Traditions

Folk Sounds Records presents a new release by Alexander Fedoriouk, "Cimbalom Traditions". This recording presents the traditional folk music of Eastern Europe. The works selected reflect the varied cultures of this region: Romanian, Ukrainian, Slovak, Rusyn, Moldavian and Gypsy. Performed on authentic folk instruments, the music is drawn from both urban and rural traditions.

Featured on the album are the fantastic talents of: Walt Mahovlich on accordion and clarinet; Marko Dreher on violin and viola; Andrei Pidkivka on sopilka, nai, tylynka and fujara; Gheorghe Trambitas on taragot and saxophone; Paul Morrisett on bass. Special guests include: Vasyl Heker on violin and Catalin Petrescu on bass.

Alexander was a contributing musician on David Schnaufer's CD, "Delcimore".

A Little of This and
a Little of That

     Doug Felt is widely known as half (along with wife, Lee) of the very talented "Bag People from Ohio" who make and vend some of the best padded dulcimer cases available. Doug is also a talented workshop leader and performer who has just released his first solo (with some help from Winfield champ Lee Rowe and fellow Ohioan Gary Sager) recording of music played on the mountain dulcimer.
     "A Little of This and a Little of That" is his debut CD with sixteen tunes featuring mountain dulcimer and tin whistle.

Song List:
End of World -- Young Jane -- Maggie -- Southwind -- Mississippi Sawyer -- Cajun Waltz -- Wild Mountain Thyme -- Winds That Shake the Corn -- Wellyn (Used with the permission of Robert Force) -- Suzanna Gal -- Celtic Melody (Used with the permission of Charles Hornbostel) -- Fiddler's Last Song of the Night -- Crooked Ridge (Used with the permission of Pam Kirby) -- Down in Sally Garden -- Boatman -- Lee's Song (or Magnificient) -- Explanation of song recorded at North Georgia Foothills Dulcimer Festival by Steve Seifert 1998

Wellyn

The Double Dulcimer Magic
of Force & d'Ossché

This no-overdubs, no punch-ins, all-instrumental recording features eleven original Force/d'Ossché compositions as well as six arrangements of Icelandic and American traditional music. Dating back as a duo to 1971, with these tunes, Force and d'Ossché established a style of playing which would forever alter the perception of what was possible on this seemingly simple, pre-chromatic instrument. This recording is what prompted us to call our label, Hand Made Music. There are no recording tricks-- just the blazing performance of two musicians who know their instruments and play them like no one else on earth. Includes Firenze and Cornwall.

Watch the Wellyn Video
Watch the Cornwall Video

Transformation

Force & d'Ossché

As the title suggests, the compositions on this CD speak to some of the changes all of us go through in this journey through Life. It's fair to say that it is all about love-- defined in many ways-- not about smarmy, "my heart's going to break if you don't kiss me" laments, but rather about those occurrences all around us which have the power to transform our thoughts and actions if we only took in the right direction-- or perhaps, with a different frame of mind. Largely recorded in an ensemble format, this disc contains ten Force/d'Ossché originals and two of their arrangements of traditional tunes.

Tiger Dreams

Force & d'Ossché

This up tempo CD is Force & d'Ossché at their most eclectic. With eleven original compositions and three tunes from other singer/songwriters, they create ensembles featuring world artists performing on a variety of instruments from digeridoo and Zimbabwean marimba to steel drums and bagpipes. (Don't worry; they are not all being played together. That would be too bizarre even for them!) A host of well-known American players also join in from time to time and tune to tune with the likes of pedal steel, mandolin, banjo and of course, the ubiquitous guitar.

Santa Cruz Dulcimer Days

From left to right - Michael Rugg, Neal Hellman, Robert Force and
Albert d'Ossché West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, California 1981.

Lagniappe Dulcimer Fete Video
Did You Video

Black Mountain Dulcimer

". . . don't be afraid to bend a string here and there as needed; just because it ain't in the frets don't mean it ain't in the dulcimer."
-- Alan

". . . picks the daylights out of a dulcimer"
-- Frets Magazine, March 1980

Song List:
Black Mountain Rag -- Alabama Jubilee -- I Used to Sing (by Alan Freeman) -- Liverty/Salt River -- Redwing -- What I Want From You (by Alan Freeman) -- Blackberry Blossom -- Limehouse Blues -- Parable of Fear -- Just Because -- Down Yonder -- Cripple Creek/Old Joe Clark

Out of the Cold

"It's another good-time album; a small part of what it's like in the parking lot at a fiddlers' convention, folks learning each others' tunes and playing together things they've learned in different places; embellishing, improvising -- to me there's nothing more musically exciting than that kind of immediacy. I hope the feeling comes thru . . ."
-- Alan

". . . joyous listening from beginning to end."
-- Bluegrass Unlimited, August 1981

Song List:
Out of the Cold (by Alan Freeman) -- Faded Rose (Bob Wills) -- Flowers of Edinborough -- Dragging the Bow -- Wild Rose -- Seth's Rag (by Alan Freeman) -- Listen to the Mocking Bird -- Bonnie Anne (by Alan Freeman) -- Yellow Rose of Texas -- Round the Horn -- Magpie -- Kneedle Knows (by Alan Freeman)

Hogfiddler's Fancy

David Schnaufer with Alan Freeman

Song List:
Washington and Lee Swing -- Rosies Arms -- Apple Doll -- Sandy -- Santa Anna's Retreat -- Viper Moon -- Texas Quickstep -- Family Jewels -- Over the Waves -- Bad and Ugly -- Whiskey Before Breakfast

Back in the Saddle

Robert Shafer with Alan Freeman

Song List:
Roanoke -- Sweet Georgia Brown -- Chicken Song -- Soldier's Joy -- Twighlight on the Gauley (Shafer) -- Groundawg (Freeman) -- Marie -- Cherokee Shuffle -- Just As I Am -- Down Yonder -- Hothawg (Freeman) -- Back in the Saddle Again

Frank and Me

Frank Beall with Alan Freeman

"If I have a godfather in music, it is Frank Beall. If there is such a thing as a gardian angel, a mentor, a thicker-than-blood brother, if there is someone I have ever loved, it is Frank Beall." -- Alan

Song List:
Black Mountain Rag -- Limehouse Blues -- Parable of Fear -- Just Because -- Blackberry Blossom -- Alabama Jubilee -- Out of the Cold -- Seth's Rag -- Wild Rose -- Listen to the Mockingbird -- Bonnie Anne -- Kneedle Knows -- Washington and Lee Swing -- Whiskey Before Breakfast -- Apple Doll -- Bad and Ugly -- Family Jewels -- Viper Moon -- Little Ducky Duddles -- Toad in the Jelly Jar

The Mountain Dulcimer

The cd is a compendium of two previously released and very well reviewed cassettes, "Bonnie Anne" with accompaniment, and "Looking Back", all solo.

" . . . the best and most versatile dulcimer player I've ever heard."
--Roy Clark

" . . . picks the daylights out of a dulcimer."
--Frets Magazine

" . . . a new approach . . .best dulcimer record I've heard . . . joyous listening from beginning to end. His original melodies are extremely lyrical."
--Bluegrass Unlimited

" . . . best dulcimer player in the world."
--Jimmy Driftwood

Song List:
Blackberry Blossom -- Battle of the Somme -- El Condor Pasa/Blue Skies -- Georgia Brown -- Cherokee Shuffle -- Black and White Rag -- South Wind -- Magpie -- Bully of the Town -- Seneca Square Dance/Turkey in the Straw -- The Waltz You Saved For Me -- Dill Pickle Rag -- Jacky Tar -- Napolean Crossing The Rhine/Bonaparte's Retreat/Dry and Dusty -- Alabama Jubilee -- Will Bob -- Black mountain Rag -- Bonnie Anne (Original) -- South American Flute Tune/Around the Horn -- Beaumont Rag -- Sandy River Belle -- Georgia Camp Meeting -- Whiskey Before Breakfast

A Branch of May

Song List:
The Padstow May Song -- The Rose of Allendale -- A Rosebud In June -- As I Was Going To Banbury -- Sovay -- I Live Not Wher I Love -- Dives and Lazarus -- The Golden Vanity -- All Things Are Quite Silent -- The Nutting Girl -- Here's A Tender Coming -- A Begging I Will Go -- The Rattlin' Bog -- The May Carol -- Hunt the Wren

December's Hearth

An all instrumental seasonal recording featuring some of the country's finest mountain dulcimer players. The recording features three instrumentals by Lance and Sylvia.

The English Dulcimer

English Country, Morris and Sword Dances preformed on fretted dulcimer. All music contained in this recording is traditional. All of these tunes are English dance tunes. Some tunes have their origins in their countries. Princess Royal is by the Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan. Arrangements are copyrighted by Mel Bay Publications Inc.

This CD has a companion book published by Mel Bay Publications that contains arrangements of all the music on this disc. The arrangements are in standard musical notation with chords as well as dulcimer tablature. The book also contains information about the sources of the tunes as well as photographs.

Song List:
Step Back / Shepherd's Hay -- Childgrove / Parson's Farewel -- Leapfrog / No Man's Jig -- Three Sea Captains -- Searching for Lambs / The Black Nag -- Helston Furry Dance / Gathering Peascods/ Geud Man of Ballangigh -- Jamaica / Newcastle -- Maid's Morris / Black and Grey -- The Wild Morris / The Dorsetshire Hornpipe / Speed the Plough -- Touchstone/ Nonesuch / Rosetree -- Barham Down / Oldham Rant -- Jenny Pluck Pears / The Juice of Barley -- Ladies Pleasure / Princesss Royal -- Lovely Joan / Staines Morris -- Morepath Rant 1&2 -- Chelsea Reach / Prince William -- Faithless Nancy Dawson / Balquidder Lasses -- Constant Billy / Blue Eyed Stranger -- Portsmouth / Maiden Lane -- Bobby Shaftoe / Cobbler's Jig / Three Jolly Sheepskin / Boyne Water -- Well Hall

Whistlestops & Dulcimers

Lance and multi-instrumentalist Sylvia Hackathorn, produced this collection of music from Ireland, Brittany, and Scotland. The recording also features original tunes written by Sylvia. Irish fiddle master Kevin Burke appears as a guest. This CD received extensive airplay on college radio.

Song List:
Breton Medley -- Lana's Reel/Tom Morrison's -- Woman of Ireland -- Pavanne's Jig / Wheels of the World -- Captain O'Kain / King of the Fairies -- Shining Clear -- La Salamandre / Le Petit Musc -- Blind Mary -- Corn Rigs -- Lonsome Boatman / Andros -- Give Us A Drink Of Water 1&2 -- La Ronde Des Milloraines -- Boundaries -- Bransles Gay -- Waterford Hornpipe

Jory's Ladder

   This is a collection of Traditional fiddle tunes and songs, beautiful Irish airs, and two original compositions, all of which are beautifully arranged and presented.

   Jeff, a multi-instrumentalist, plays his mountain dulcimers with a uniquely expressive and creative flair. His characteristic rhythms have been strongly influenced by his twenty-plus years of playing melodic clawhammer banjo, which he plays on four of the tracks on this recording. Jeff is joined on this CD by three talented musicians. Janet Furman, known for her beautiful vocals and sweet touch on melody and harmony fiddle, also adds a driving energy to fiddle tunes. Norm Boggs is a well-known and renowned old-time fiddler and guitar player. He displays his talents on both instruments throughout this recording. Gordon Arnold is a marvelous cellist who is capable of playing all kinds of music. In addition to bowimg tasteful counter-melodies and playing up-tempo fiddle tunes, Gordon also "frails" the cello giving a unique and supportive low rhythmic sound to fiddle tunes.