Music

Music. One of my passions. ...I know what you're thinking "I didn't know you loved music." Most people don't. It's not really a part of my life I share with others. It's my own fault. And frankly, I've let my musical...uh, "talents" fall into terrible disrepair over the past year.

But - I went to the most amazing concert Monday! It was an annual event put on by the Institute of Musical Tradition. They bring together three of my favorite artists: Al Petteway and Amy White (married) and Robin Bullock. Amy and Robin are multi instrumentalist and Al plays anything with a neck that can be strummed (Guitar, Bouzouki, Banjo - you name it). These three do a celtic Christmas performance every year (granted there's precious little that's celtic about it, but I don't nit-pick with these guys). I've been to two of these annual concerts and hope to make it tradition for as long as I'm in the area. Anyway, I'll just post some thoughts on some of their songs. Click on the song titles for links to mp3 samples.

Al and Amy's Midnight Ride: (second under Acoustic Journey album) This has got to be one of my all time favorites by this pair. The cadence is spectacular. I've never heard a piece where it's better applied than here. I don't know how many of you have ever ridden horseback. I had the privilege of riding with a superb stable when I lived in North Carolina. This piece actually sounds like the drum of horse hooves and feels like the steady rhythm of posting. Add to that the beautiful imagery associated with midnight - dark sky with glittering stars, trees leaning back and forth in the breeze - you're truly transported.

Al and Amy's Black Bear's Picnic: (second under the Land of the Sky album) Picture that you live in the North Carolina Highlands. Then picture little black bear cubs coming through a freshly fallen snow to raid your trashcans - that's celtic harp melody. Then picture big mama bear lumbering out of the trees to join them - that's the rhythmic guitar underbelly. Very cute!

Robin's Carol of the Bells: (Track 8) Robin has gotten so much praise for this piece. It's never been recorded on solo guitar before because of it's unique composition. "In desperation" he says, he finally invented a new tuning for his guitar, and was able to record this song. It's history is beautiful. It's based on an old Ukrainian melody, and was composed by Mykola Dmytrovich Leontovich in the late 1800s. His goal was to portray the snowy wind blowing through a small Ukrainian village at midnight. I've spent time in the Ukraine, and I remember the wind blowing hard through the streets. There's something kind yet cautious about the Ukrainians - they are a strong and intrepid people, ready to admit their blessings, yet they always seemed a tinge sad. They are truly a people of a minor key. This song captures all I remember about them.