Album Notes

Saratoga Faire consists of Frank Orsini, Lise Winne, Jeff Belding and Jim Lestrange. John Cromie and Rick Eckberg are guest performers on a few tracks and also occasionally appear in live concerts with Saratoga Faire. John Kribs recorded and mixed the CD at Blue Line Records.

Saratoga Faire formed at the Dance Flurry Festival in Saratoga Springs, NY and the title track, a waltz written by Jeff Belding is homage to that fact.

Frank Orsini's contributions on the CD include violin, viola, mandolin and vocals. He is a member of several bands including The Whippersnappers (look for their CD at: http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/TheWhipperSnappers) with
George Wilson and Peter Davis. He also appears as a studio musician on a number of other CDs. Look for Frank's other contributions on these CD Baby artists' CDs: http://www.cdbaby.com/Search/RnJhbmsgT3JzaW5p/0. Frank has
also recorded and toured with hammered dulcimer player, Walt Michael, and has played in bands with bluegrass legend, Bill Keith.

Lise Winne's contributions to the CD include vocals, guitar, Irish whistle and some song writing. She has a number of CDs on CD Baby including best seller, "Wing'd With Hopes, New Interpretations of Renaissance Songs" with The Spirites Consort (Renaissance category) and "The Goldenrod" (which has been on the editor's pick in the New Age Adult Alternative category at CD Baby). Lise won a grant from the New York Foundation for the Arts to record "The Goldenrod" and has opened for artists Rory Block and Meg Hutchinson.

Jeff Belding's contributions include guitars, percussion, keyboards,
electric bass and some of the songwriting (including the title track). Jeff studied music at The Boston Conservatory of Music, The New England Conservatory of Music and The College of Saint Rose. He also studied banjo with Bill Keith and Roger Sprung and won a banjo contest (judged by Tony Trishka). He is also a member of several other bands including The Spirites Consort (Renaissance) and Out of the Bluegrass (bluegrass).

Jim Lestrange contributes hammered dulcimer, electric bass, guitar, vocals and some of the songwriting. He is the former member of a number of bands including Skuttlebutt, Hilltop String Band and Prograss. He started his musical career as the back-up guitarist for Lawrence Older, the Adirondack minstrel.

Guest artist, John Cromie plays Irish whistle on "The Water is Wide". Rick Eckberg contributes double bass to "Bonny Portmore" and "Far Away".

This CD was made simply without Protools, Performer, Auto-tune or other recording studio bells and whistles. What you hear is just us, just our voices and instruments.

SYNOPSIS OF THE SONGS:

BRIAN BORU'S MARCH II: this is a traditional Irish tune and is less familiar than the other tune by the same name. This is the version also used by Bill Spence and the Fennig's Allstars.

SILKIE: a traditional Irish (Celtic) song about shape shifting from seal to human. Think "The Secret of Roan Inish" in song format.

THE FOUNTAIN: an instrumental written by band member, Jeff Belding, inspired by the spring-fed fountains of Saratoga Springs, NY.

BONNY PORTMORE: a traditional Irish (Celtic) song about the trees of Ireland being cut by the English. We were inspired to make our own version after hearing the popular Loreena McKennitt version.

SKIPPIN' KIERSTEN: a lively tune written by band member, Jim Lestrange.

SARATOGA ROMANCE: a waltz written by band member, Jeff Belding.

WIND IN THE WILLOWS: written by British Isles folk singer, Alan Bell. Also made popular by Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night of Blackmores Night. This song is also known as "Bread and Fishes".

FAR AWAY: written by Peter Jung of Kingston, NY.

SILVER DAGGER: a traditional American tune. We were inspired to make our own version after hearing the Dolly Parton version.

MISS NOBLE: a lesser known Turlough O'Carolan tune. Turlough O'Carolyn was a noted roving Irish harper (1670 - 1738) who wrote melodies for, among others, his patrons and their families. Miss Noble was perhaps among them. We were inspired by harper Sue Richard's fine recording of this tune.

THE WATER IS WIDE: a well known traditional Scottish or English tune.

LARUE'S LAMENT: written by members Jim Lestrange and Lise Winne for the LaRue family in honor of Jim's childhood friend, Larry LaRue (who died unexpectedly).

LIVING TO ETERNITY: written by members Jeff Belding and Lise Winne. The lyrics are about shape shifting, transformation and reincarnation.