Album Notes

Traditional Old-Time Fiddle Tunes

Mark Simos - fiddle
Brendan Doyle - 5-string banjo
Jody Platt - tenor guitar
Rusty Neithammer - guitar
Karen Falkowski - string bass

From the album notes by fiddler Rich Hartness -- The Cliffhangers’ seasoned “campground sound” evolved from the fellowship and musical bonding in the campsites of the Appalachian String Band Festival, held each August in the beautiful secluded hills near Clifftop, West Virginia. Clifftop has become a favorite summer pilgrimage for the old-time music community, where like-minded folks from far away find each other and lose themselves in blissful exploration of the old tunes.

In this fertile setting, the Cliffhangers’ unmistakable “campground sound” emerged: Mark's infinitely creative fiddling; Brendan's percussive and fluid banjo style; the woody bumblebee texture of Jody's unique tenor guitar picking, matching the fiddle tuning for tuning, line for line; the solid rhythmic groove of Rusty's humming guitar locking step with Karen's elegant elephant stride bass. Listen to their tight, intricate and masterfully executed playing on this fine collection of archaic fiddle tunes from legendary Old-Time fiddlers of West Virginia, Kentucky and further south. The Cliffhangers are a powerful Old-Time band of today, with a sound clearly on the edge of yesterday and beyond. — Rich Hartness

From the album notes by Mark Simos: Stroll the campgrounds at Clifftop late at night, and you'll hear the glorious cacophony of countless circles of friends, old and new, gathered to celebrate the pleasures of old-time music. Amidst these witching-hour sessions, a distinct old-time sound and aesthetic has evolved, one that balances close attention to sources with extended exploration of the fiddle tune’s unfathomable depths. This sound—call it “campground”— has been caught “in the field” but less often makes it onto commercial recordings.

Though we’ve been friends and musical buddies for decades, the peculiar alchemy of the Cliffhangers formed in the Clifftop campground one wild Monday night in 2001. Living scattered to north, east, south and west, we’ve reassembled each summer since, one of what Pete Sutherland calls the “Brigadoon bands” rising from the mist to play. This album, first of a trilogy recorded in October 2005 at Tim Brown’s 5-String Productions in West Chester, Pennsylvania, documents the Cliffhangers “straight up,” playing older traditional tunes. The companion two-volume “Clifftop Notes” recordings feature original tunes of mine composed over the years at and around Clifftop, played with the Cliffhangers and other friends from Clifftop’s “Gravel Court.” — Mark Simos

Produced by Bob Carlin.
Recorded and Edited at 5-String Productions (West Chester, PA) by Tim Brown.
Mixed at Overdub Lane Recording (Durham, NC) by John Plymale and Bob Carlin.
Mastered at Northeastern Digital (Southboro, MA) by Toby Mountain.

Some reactions:

Real, honest folk music at its best always represents some kind of confluence. Chance coming together of ideas and common experiences, when the conditions are right, paints a picture that's big, clear, colorful and completely in the moment. Since its very first year, the Appalachian String Band Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia has provided the right conditions for many "perfect storms" like this... Listen to these tunes, played with friends from the campground, and you can tell they never forget why they came to Clifftop in the first place, to enjoy each other and celebrate music. The Cliffhangers describe themselves as a "campground band," but that's unfairly modest. Mark, Brendan, Jody, Rusty and Karen each bring their own distinctive sound, and this core is as much celebration as unique artistic statement... It's just great music. — Bruce Molsky

Well known songwriter Mark Simos is also a fine fiddler in the old time
style. His two new companion CD's pay loving tribute to that mysterious Appalachian sound. One set [ The Cliffhangers - On the Edge ] revisits chestnuts learned at the Clifftop gathering in West Virginia, while the other [Mark Simos & Friends - Clifftop Notes Vol. 1 ] debuts originals inspired by that annual event. Between the lines you hear both the roots as well as the fruits of Mark's inspiration. -- Tim O'Brien