Sorry for our absence of
late. We've been sticking to our principles: If it isn't the very best
we won't show it. But boy, will it be worth it.
For those of you who are familiar with fiddlers
conventions in Appalachia you know how it works: Vast campsites filled
some of the best musicians in the world, with groups of fiddle, banjo,
mandolin players jamming 24hrs a day. Informal collaborations form and
fall apart, sometimes involving three musicians, sometimes as many as
fifteen. Crowds move about these places, growing into murmurations
flocking around certain spots, corners of fields, bivouacs. Very often,
if you're lucky enough to work your way to the front of the crowd at
one of the biggest of these you find, at its centre, one or both of
these musicians.
Personal favourites of mine. Carl
Jones, http://www.dittyville.com an
elder statesman of mountain folk, is very familiar to UK
audiences. Erynn
Marshall http://www.hickoryjack.com/ probably
not at all - but as 'most wanted' among old time musicians, she will
be. And in my view, apart from being an important cultural
administrator at the Blue Ridge Music Centre in Virginia, admired
author and academic in the field, she is one of the best fiddlers I've
ever heard!
It's a huge priviledge to have these two to play at
WiFU. There's a lot of Carl and Erynn on Youtube but my favourite
is this informal moment during the long lonely walk onto the stage at
Galax....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yts4FNB0zBw
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