Album Notes

“Compact discs had not yet been invented when Tim Jennings first released his telling of “Weatherbeard” and other folk stories on cassette 25 years ago. But any recording at all is advanced technology compared with the utterly timeless tales this central Vermont storyteller spins with such ease. Jennings possesses a warm baritone that shape-shifts to the voices of every character in his fantastical stories, from a thunderous boom to a bloodcurdling growl to a squeaky scritch. His animated storytelling, captivating to listeners of all ages, has in more recent years been accompanied by the harp and voice of his wife and performance partner, Leanne Ponder. But, before they became a duo, “Weatherbeard” was one of Jennings’ signature solo tales, presented at storytelling festivals and schools around the country as well as on National Public Radio.

The Norwegian classic is “the oldest story I know,” says Jennings. The new 25th-anniversary edition on CD offers the dramatic narrative anew, along with three other stories and two musical interludes. “
— Pamela Polston, Vermont Seven Days

“Rich, full of images and details; humorous and just scary enough... Jennings personalizes his telling while remaining true to the letter and spirit of the traditional tales. His style is natural, easy, and inviting. In a voice filled with color and nuance, he beckons us to listen, drawing adults as well as children into the timeless realms of the folktale.” School Library Journal

“Funny, rollicking, suspenseful, outrageous. Classify him, as far as I’m concerned, with the best of the true storytellers.” Chinaberry Book Service.

“A rare thing, a tape you cannot, upon any invocation of willpower, resist listening to.” Sam Bartlett, Sing Out! Magazine