August is almost over.
So it must be Frisbee golf time for Kurt.
The disc's are flying!
And a special send off to the New Jersey postal workers who can't seem to get the package to one of our favorite New Jerseyite's from California.
You my friend get First Class! The rest get Media Mail.
woot! reminds me to finish up my current project...
Location: Really deep in the heart of South California Gender:
Posted:
Aug 29, 2022 - 9:11pm
August is almost over.
So it must be Frisbee golf time for Kurt.
The disc's are flying!
And a special send off to the New Jersey postal workers who can't seem to get the package to one of our favorite New Jerseyite's from California.
You my friend get First Class! The rest get Media Mail.
UGH! Something similar happened in the organic community garden I used to belong to. Someone thought the soil was contaminated from fertilizers used long ago in the field so they shut the garden down just as the harvest was coming in. Turned out the soil was fine but a season's worth of effort was lost. These folks seem to have it much worse.
Sorry Marty for me jumping the gun on my review. I saw the MtCC forum drop off the RAFT pages and got a little worried.
No worries, it was getting late in the day and it was time.
Like what Mr. Miser said about your musical taste throwing him and me off a little... I had this vision of a man living in Montana, on a ranch, branding cattle, riding horses, growing crops, cleaning out stalls and dancing waltzes... wait, what?
Location: Really deep in the heart of South California Gender:
Posted:
Aug 15, 2022 - 1:45pm
Sorry Marty for me jumping the gun on my review. I saw the MtCC forum drop off the RAFT pages and got a little worried.
Like what Mr. Miser said about your musical taste throwing him and me off a little... I had this vision of a man living in Montana, on a ranch, branding cattle, riding horses, growing crops, cleaning out stalls and dancing waltzes... wait, what?
Big Sky Country indeed. More power to you!
Tallgrass - I thought you might have been reprising your Birdsong mix at first
It was actually the lead track on that disc for quite a while, but I ran out of room and wanted to focus it on women's voices.
The blend of clarinet, piano and violin of Heirloom Waltz made me thing of trading vocals
The VanNorststrand bothers are another theme that runs thru this disc—one or the other of them are part of Wake Up Robin, Buddy System, and backing on Julie's music. They were 2/3 of the now-defunct (and legendary) band Great Bear Trio along with their mom, Kim Yerton, who could use some help right now. Clarinet is by Rebecca Bosworth-Clemens, who you probably never heard of unless you've danced to Cardinal Direction, which hopefully you'll totally be able to do soon.
I imaging 3/4 time is the Official theme song in the Albini household
It might be if the missus was a bigger fan. Too many words for her.
Autumn Waltz conjured up visions of a ballerina on top of a wind up musical jewelry box
Normally the words "Windham Hill recording artists" makes me hit the snooze button, but these two are a lot more interesting than usual. She (Lisa) plays harp and he (Aryeh) plays nyckelharpa, a bizarre keyed Swedish fiddle-like instrument.
The Rodney and Elvie Miller sounded familiar but I can't say from where
Rodney is a semi-legendary New England dance musician, so some of his music leaks into public broadcasting soundtracks and such. Elvie is his daughter.
Natalie McMaster could use a good bag-piper on this
Tune is actually Swedish, but has become very popular amongst Scottish musicians.
Leo's Waltz sounds almost EXACTLY like Warren Zevon's Don't Let Us Get Sick. Check it out!
Very cool! I half expected the Zevon tune to have a waltz beat, but alas.
Vocals from Wild Asparagus caught me off-guard after most of the instrumentals preceding. Very Nice!
They don't sing much, so it's a treat.
Saint Anthony's Waltz was like floating down a lazy river with a cold glass of Iced Tea on a hot summer day
Written near the Big Sandy River in Maine, where they farm.
Guess it's time for the big reveal. Hope everybody's gotten theirs.
This was, in more ways than one, a pandemic project.
Firstly because there was no dancing, and that left a huge hole in my life. It also left a hole in both the lives and incomes of musicians.
I had started this project shortly after finishing my first collection of waltz music, which has become the one of my mixes I've given out the most copies of. So some of these tunes came into my life back when I could still sneak off for a three-day dance weekend and hear a new band. The collection grew slowly, a couple of tunes a year. Then cam covid.
Boy howdy did I jones for dancing, and all the bands and musicians I had danced to retreated to the studio or the podcast booth or Patreon to get some income and express themselves. So I bought a lot of music.
One of the biggest influences on my tastes and attention was Julie Vallimont, who was part of a duo we had hired for our local weekend and had to cancel on...twice. She started a podcast called Stars In the Rafters where she highlighted music and poetry from friends and colleagues in the dance world, and introduced me to a bunch of new artists. She is also one of a select few musicians who are really good at writing waltzes. She appears on (if I'm remembering right) four of these tracks, but her fingerprints are all over this effort.
Not many words. This is music with a purposeâmoving dancersâbut if you're in the right mood it works just to listen to. f you get up and dance, well...bonus.
The very first mix I received upon joining the RPMCC was a blend of dance music from you. I recall scratching my head thinking what the hell is this? Fast forward 10 years or so and your Waltz mix hits the CD player. I'd like to think my tastes have been refined as I move thru life and this was much more enjoyable than the first encounter. Odd juxtaposition is I usually listen in my truck during my work commute and hearing this while working thru NYC traffic is far different than how you experience the music. My thoughts along the way.
Tallgrass - I thought you might have been reprising your Birdsong mix at first
The blend of clarinet, piano and violin of Heirloom Waltz made me thing of trading vocals
I imaging 3/4 time is the Official theme song in the Albini household
Autumn Waltz conjured up visions of a ballerina on top of a wind up musical jewelry box
The Rodney and Elvie Miller sounded familiar but I can't say from where
Natalie McMaster could use a good bag-piper on this
Leo's Waltz sounds almost EXACTLY like Warren Zevon's Don't Let Us Get Sick. Check it out!
Vocals from Wild Asparagus caught me off-guard after most of the instrumentals preceding. Very Nice!
Saint Anthony's Waltz was like floating down a lazy river with a cold glass of Iced Tea on a hot summer day
As always your contributions reach out and challenge us to expand our musical horizons. While I don't gravitate towards this genre it is certainly one I can relax and enjoy from time to time. This disc will be my new Go-To when that mood strikes me. Thank You!
Thanks! The more personal these discs are the more they risk alienating the audience, but if we have to err on one side or another I'd rather hear music people are passionate about than listen to neutral gray inoffensive ear candy.
The bands (mostly) make a living playing for contra dances. Most of what they play is a bit more raucous (especially live) but we use waltzes as cool-down laps before breaks, and as performance pieces. The others are classical (Ahn Trio, Portland Cello Project, Takehiro Kunugi) or Celtic traditional bands (Lissa Lynne & Aryeh Frankfurter, Abby Newton & Natalie Haas), with one odd duck, Chris Cunningham (who doesn't play for dances but he and his family dance) for good measure.
STEAM is (mostly) from Kansas. I first heard them at a dance in Ashland, OR. They are pretty big for a dance band 5 pieces) but I love their sound.
Chris Cunningham is a local singer/songwriter/recording engineer. This is from his first solo album, written when he was courting his wife.
I had never heard Elsie Gawler before being introduced to this solo effort, tho she has been part of a legendary family band forever. I like vocals in waltz music and I wish more bands would stretch those legs.
Wild Asparagus is a dance supergroup that performs with as many as 6 members. They are pretty expensive so they only play really big events, but they are so worth it. Early is by Greg Brown.
And yes, that's Fred & Ginger. I doubt I could keep my composure meeting Ginger Rogers long enough to ask her to dance, but I'm sure she'd make me look good.
excellent flow and this disc is very easy to take in and absorb
almost all of it was new to me, yet i just sponged it up
the sort of disc you could hand to anyone of any age and they would appreciate it
feels like a sweeping soundtrack to an epic movie or experience
great job m
The bands (mostly) make a living playing for contra dances. Most of what they play is a bit more raucous (especially live) but we use waltzes as cool-down laps before breaks, and as performance pieces. The others are classical (Ahn Trio, Portland Cello Project, Takehiro Kunugi) or Celtic traditional bands (Lissa Lynne & Aryeh Frankfurter, Abby Newton & Natalie Haas), with one odd duck, Chris Cunningham (who doesn't play for dances but he and his family dance) for good measure.
STEAM is (mostly) from Kansas. I first heard them at a dance in Ashland, OR. They are pretty big for a dance band 5 pieces) but I love their sound.
Chris Cunningham is a local singer/songwriter/recording engineer. This is from his first solo album, written when he was courting his wife.
I had never heard Elsie Gawler before being introduced to this solo effort, tho she has been part of a legendary family band forever. I like vocals in waltz music and I wish more bands would stretch those legs.
Wild Asparagus is a dance supergroup that performs with as many as 6 members. They are pretty expensive so they only play really big events, but they are so worth it. Early is by Greg Brown.
I figured I just wasn't into that genre of music enough to recognize the names, but finding out that they're special enough in their own way to make this concept collection means a lot. Thanks again!
When I first got this, I was a little skeptical thinking âthis ought to put me to sleepâ with lots of orchestrated tunes. I was pleasantly surprised. Now, Iâm not saying this would be to one to put on at work when I really need to produce. But it is a nice relaxing mix. I was ready to take the wife out on the dance floor...
I did find the ones with vocals my favorite numbers here.
And as Mr. D mentioned, Iâve never heard of any of these artists before.
I found some of their names quite unique... if not humorous. Toss the Possum. Wild Asparagus. Names I wouldnât think related to Ballroom Dancing
Some of my favorites...
"Tallgrass" by Steam. You put birdâs, crickets, bugs in songs and I will like the
"¾ Time" by Chris Cunningham. Hereâs one with vocals I really liked. Pleasant number.
"Dip and Sway" by Elise Gawler. More vocals. Very nice.
"Valse por Pele/ Early" by Wild Asparagus. Sweet.
Seems like a lot of Celtic influence going on here. Overall lots of Violins... not much Sax. I prefer the Sax.
Is that Fred and Ginger on the cover? I met Ginger once at an ice cream shop in Palm Desert.
Nice work.
Thanks! The more personal these discs are the more they risk alienating the audience, but if we have to err on one side or another I'd rather hear music people are passionate about than listen to neutral gray inoffensive ear candy.
The bands (mostly) make a living playing for contra dances. Most of what they play is a bit more raucous (especially live) but we use waltzes as cool-down laps before breaks, and as performance pieces. The others are classical (Ahn Trio, Portland Cello Project, Takehiro Kunugi) or Celtic traditional bands (Lissa Lynne & Aryeh Frankfurter, Abby Newton & Natalie Haas), with one odd duck, Chris Cunningham (who doesn't play for dances but he and his family dance) for good measure.
STEAM is (mostly) from Kansas. I first heard them at a dance in Ashland, OR. They are pretty big for a dance band 5 pieces) but I love their sound.
Chris Cunningham is a local singer/songwriter/recording engineer. This is from his first solo album, written when he was courting his wife.
I had never heard Elsie Gawler before being introduced to this solo effort, tho she has been part of a legendary family band forever. I like vocals in waltz music and I wish more bands would stretch those legs.
Wild Asparagus is a dance supergroup that performs with as many as 6 members. They are pretty expensive so they only play really big events, but they are so worth it. Early is by Greg Brown.
And yes, that's Fred & Ginger. I doubt I could keep my composure meeting Ginger Rogers long enough to ask her to dance, but I'm sure she'd make me look good.
Guess it's time for the big reveal. Hope everybody's gotten theirs.
This was, in more ways than one, a pandemic project.
Firstly because there was no dancing, and that left a huge hole in my life. It also left a hole in both the lives and incomes of musicians.
I had started this project shortly after finishing my first collection of waltz music, which has become the one of my mixes I've given out the most copies of. So some of these tunes came into my life back when I could still sneak off for a three-day dance weekend and hear a new band. The collection grew slowly, a couple of tunes a year. Then cam covid.
Boy howdy did I jones for dancing, and all the bands and musicians I had danced to retreated to the studio or the podcast booth or Patreon to get some income and express themselves. So I bought a lot of music.
One of the biggest influences on my tastes and attention was Julie Vallimont, who was part of a duo we had hired for our local weekend and had to cancel on...twice. She started a podcast called Stars In the Rafters where she highlighted music and poetry from friends and colleagues in the dance world, and introduced me to a bunch of new artists. She is also one of a select few musicians who are really good at writing waltzes. She appears on (if I'm remembering right) four of these tracks, but her fingerprints are all over this effort.
Not many words. This is music with a purpose—moving dancers—but if you're in the right mood it works just to listen to. f you get up and dance, well...bonus.
Location: Really deep in the heart of South California Gender:
Posted:
Aug 12, 2022 - 2:49pm
When I first got this, I was a little skeptical thinking âthis ought to put me to sleepâ with lots of orchestrated tunes. I was pleasantly surprised. Now, Iâm not saying this would be to one to put on at work when I really need to produce. But it is a nice relaxing mix. I was ready to take the wife out on the dance floor...
I did find the ones with vocals my favorite numbers here.
And as Mr. D mentioned, Iâve never heard of any of these artists before.
I found some of their names quite unique... if not humorous. Toss the Possum. Wild Asparagus. Names I wouldnât think related to Ballroom Dancing
Some of my favorites...
"Tallgrass" by Steam. You put birdâs, crickets, bugs in songs and I will like the
"¾ Time" by Chris Cunningham. Hereâs one with vocals I really liked. Pleasant number.
"Dip and Sway" by Elise Gawler. More vocals. Very nice.
"Valse por Pele/ Early" by Wild Asparagus. Sweet.
Seems like a lot of Celtic influence going on here. Overall lots of Violins... not much Sax. I prefer the Sax.
Is that Fred and Ginger on the cover? I met Ginger once at an ice cream shop in Palm Desert.
