Lighthouse Collection of newly composed Fiddle Tunes:
Original Melodies in the Cape Breton, Irish and Scottish Tradition
by Paul Stewart Cranford
Mel Bay/Cranford Publications,ISBN 0-7866-2781-6 (1996), $19.95, with CD

During the 1970s, Paul Cranford came to Cape Breton with a banjo (he later traded up to a fiddle), and for the past 20 years he has worked as a lighthouse keeper and played the fiddle music of that region. Watching a lighthouse must give one plenty of free time, because Cranford has amassed a collection of nearly 300 tunes composed mostly by himself, although a few tunes by friends and mentors appear. In a tradition where a tune by Jerry Holland can fit seamlessly into a session with tunes hundreds of years old, Cranford enriches the fiddling tradition with fine new tunes.

The tunes are arranged alphabetically, by key. That is, all the reels in A are followed by strathspeys in A and tunes in B-flat and so forth. What a sensible notion for musicians! The tunes are a typical mixture: heavy on the reels and strathspeys, with plenty of jigs, hornpipes, and marches, and a few oddities for good measure. The music itself is very readable, and the book is easy to use. Some of the tunes have brief annotation, but most do not.

Along with the book of tunes comes a compact disc and Cranford, of course, plays fiddle. He is backed by guitar and piano on most tracks, and a second fiddle (Otis Thomas) or a flute joins him on a couple of tracks.
— Bruce E. Baker (Goose Creek, SC)

Rounder Old-Time Music for Mandolin transcribed & arranged by Dix Bruce
Mel Bay MN96327 (1996)

Dix Bruce has transcribed 26 old-time songs for the mandolin. Bruce has chosen some excellent and easily available songs, for example, Ricky Skaggs’ “Talk About Sufferin’,” Wade Ward’s “Shady Grove,” and The Old Home String Band’s “Shut Up in the Mines of Coal Creek.” The presentation is skillful and informative. — Char R. Leslie-Miller (Baltimore, MD)

The Instrumental Artistry of Vishwa Mohan Bhatt
Vestapol 13068 (Video- 1997)

Bhatt is the creator and master of the Mohan vina, a modified lap-style slide guitar which combines elements of sarod, sitar, and vina. In this video he explains how the instrument was created, how it is played, and how it fits into the repertoire of Indian classical music. Bhatt begins by explaining the structure of the raga and then goes on to perform “Yaman,” one of the staples of Hindustani music. The tone of his instrument is warmer than that of the sitar, more closely resembling that of the vina. His playing is sensitive and well phrased. Bhatt is more than ably accompanied by Sukhvinder Singh Namadhari on tabla. There is a warm rapport between the two musicians, and Namadhari is given ample time to shine on his instrument. The camera lingers on both players’ hands for long periods of time, making the video a valuable asset to students of the instruments.

In the second segment, Bhatt talks about his musical background and recounts how he developed the Mohan vina. He explains tunings, tells how the guitar is strung (complete with sympathetic and drone strings), and gives examples of some exercises for students. In the course of the videos, Bhatt and Namadhari play four ragas and a folk tune, giving us a solid sampling of Hindustani music. The combination of Bhatt’s personable teaching style and both men’s superb musicianship makes this a must-have for any collection of Indian music. — Peggy J. Latkovich (Cleveland Heights, OH)

This is from the current issue of Dirty Linen
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