Album Notes

1. COLLINS STREET BLUES: Gordon wrote this when living on Collins St. in Hartford.
2. DEVIL'S DREAM / RED-HAIRED BOY / FISHER'S HORNPIPE: Some of our favorite Irish-American fiddle tunes.
3. CHACONA: Gordon’s intro to TWO NEW MEXICO WALTZES, Valse de los Paños and Valse Emiliano, learned from the playing of violinista Cleofes Ortiz.
4. DEAN REED'S FAVORITE: From Henry Reed, the legendary Virginia fiddler, named for his son Dean. We learned this from Alan Jabbour’s version.
5. SIR BORMAN WALTZ: After the playing of Clem Meyers, old-time fiddling champion from Vermont.
6. RUBBER DOLLY: Instrumental version of the song based on a children’s rhyme, covered by everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to Woody Guthrie.
7. ALHAMBRA: Named for the Moorish citadel in Granada, Spain; this name was the winning entry when Gordon invited audience members to suggest a title for his piece.
8. CUMBERLAND BLUES: First recorded in 1927 by Doc Roberts; we learned this from the playing of Adam Tanner.
9. CONSTITUTIONAL: Originally for solo baritone violectra; Jon suggested arranging this for the band—now it’s our rock ‘n’ roll number.
10. LA LLORONA: The Mexican folksong, adapted for violin and guitar from Cipriano Vigil’s version for voice and guitar. The Weeping Woman is tragic, very beautiful, and dangerous to men. “If I could climb up to the sky, Llorona, I would bring down the stars for you. The moon I would set at your feet, Llorona, and crown you with the sun.”
11. TEMPERANCE REEL / BLACKBERRY BLOSSOM: Thom‘s choice of reels for guitar picking.
12. LONG RIVER: Gordon named this air for the Connecticut, an Algonquian word meaning “Long Tidal River.”
13. FIDDLING AROUND: By Clem Myers, a good break tune. Don’t go away—we’ll be right back!