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On this evocative disc of instrumental music, dulcimer player Ken Kolodner is assisted by guitarist Robin Bullock and fiddle player Laura Risk (of Cordelia’s Dad). Walking Stones includes several traditional Irish and Scottish pieces as well as a number of original compositions. Subtitled A Celtic Sojourn, the album does indeed give a listener the feeling of going on a journey, mainly because of the otherworldliness of the material and the ethereal quality of the hammer dulc… More >>
A very nice CD. The tracks stick to Celtic conventions and are well executed.
Rating: 4 / 5
Ken Kolodner is one of the modern masters of the hammered dulcimer, but this CD is much more than a great dulcimer recording — it’s a great *folk* recording. Along with the expressive fiddling of Laura Risk and the guitar and cittern wizardry of Robin Bullock, Kolodner presents old standards and modern compositions in arrangements that are inventive and expressive, going far beyond standard jam session fare, and giving the impression of a larger ensemble without benefit of overdubbing. It’s hard to pick standout cuts, but my favorites are “Dances De Foins/Reel Beatrice/Pierre N’As Pas De Culotte,” a firey set of Canadian reels, and “Ian Robertson,” one of the loveliest slow airs to come around in a long time. This is one of those albums that bears up to repeated listening, and would be a fine addition to any folk music collection.
Rating: 5 / 5