Tunes & Songs

Background

I have always been drawn to and inspired by the old melodies. From an early age I was surrounded by the Eastern European tonalites of the Jewish prayers that I heard and sang both at home and in the Synagogue. As a folk dancer and aspiring mandolin player growing up in New England, I became involved in the lively contra dance scene there which introduced me to the world of American, Irish, and French Canadian fiddle tunes. Shortly after this the old time clawhammer banjo caught my ear because of its unique percussive sound and the southern mountain tonalities that characterized many of the tunes that were so plaintively expressed on that instrument. 

Writing my own tunes

After learning and performing many of the old tunes, I started to write my own, and now have quite a collection of jigs, reels, waltzes and aires. Most of these have the traditional AABB dance form, and the melodies, though reminiscent of the old tunes, are fresh and lyrical. Some venture into other genres including blues, cajun, funk, and beyond. My writing is featured on my two Rounder CD’s “Brand New Old Tyme Way”, and Steppin’ In The Boiler House.  The latter features a configuration that I did some touring with from 2000 to 2003 which included Jim Hurst, Missy Raines, and Casey Driessen. There are two songs and two tunes of mine on my latest release with Bryan McDowell, Grit & Polish.

The Writing Process

The inspiration to write comes from different places. Sometimes it comes from improvising freely on the banjo or mandolin. A pleasing phrase may materialize and I develop it into an A-part – usually a standard 8-bar melody, although sometimes it may have an extra few bars. At this point I usually record this part so I don’t forget it as I go after a B-part. For this I seek some contrasting feature – perhaps go high if the A-part was low, or go minor if the first part was major, or use more languid phrases if the first part was notey.  

Sometimes a tune emerges from a feeling or experience - missing an old friend, or distraught over bad news on the TV, or joyous at the birth of a sibling’s child, or walking through the streets of London on a cold early morning - the new melody becomes an expression of these feelings. 

From time to time I set out to write a tune for a particular occasion. This was the case with the Samolynn Waltz (recorded on Brand New Old Tyme Way), which I wrote for the wedding of Sam and Lynn Bush, good friends of mine who live in Nashville. 

I have worked for many years with a group called Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble, and have on many occasions been inspired to pen a new tune by playing for the dancers or for dance classes that they are teaching.

Material Recorded by Other Artists

Some of my compositions have been recorded by other artists. I co-wrote “Shoulder to Shoulder”, the theme music for the IBMA Awards Show, with Jerry Douglas, which appears on his CD, “Slide Rule”. Other compositions of mine appear on Butch Baldisari’s A Day in the Country, and Pinecastle’s “Bluegrass '97, '98, and 2000.  I am honored to have other artists record my material, and am always happy to send tapes of tunes to those who are looking for new material.

Commissioned Work

I am also enthusiastic about writing new material whether it be for a special occasion, a recording project, a choreographer, or a film score. I can provide a basic work tape and/or sheet music, or a fully finished studio recording, depending on the needs and resources of the client.