Album Notes

Dancin' Fools is a collection of (mostly) original dance tunes--reels,jigs,waltzes, and slow aires-- played on fiddle, hammer dulcimer, and drums. It has a tight, driving sound, all recorded "live" save tracking the hammer dulcimer. It is not the usual hammer dulcimer album with O'Carolan tunes and chestnuts (those are great) but has a little more "in your face" attitude than many hammer dulcimer recordings, which tend to be dignified and sometimes stuffy. I am working on the music book to accompany the CD for any who'd like to take a crack at playing these tunes for their dance communities or for their own fun.

I am a cyber-illiterate traditional musician with a full time forensic psychology practice by day. I have been playing traditional American "Roots" music in the Charleston, SC area for 25 years, with various configurations of musician friends. Dancin' Fools is an album of all original tunes, except for two sets of traditional dance pieces, one Klezmer and one Old Time. I play the hammer dulcimer, guitar, banjo, harmonica, bouzouki, mandolin, mountain dulcimer, stand up bass, banjo ukelele, and various percussion toys. I play for contra dances, weddings, corperate receptions, and secial events. On Dancin' Fools I am backed by my son Paul on percussion, and Taylor and Andre Raffield on fiddles. They are all members of Anna's Bananas, a rockin' contra dance band. I also perform with a Celtic style band, Shillelegh Law. I have been married for 25 years to Dr. Conway Saylor and have three children, two dogs, two cats, and one turtle who is now twelve years old. My daughter Maggie Jo is a top notch dance caller.