Album Notes

Roger Tallroth: 12-string guitar (Seagull), tenor guitar (1957 Martin T-15), Glissentar by Godin
Scott Nygaard: six-string guitars (1956 Martin D-28, 2004 Bourgeois Country Boy Deluxe)

with
Emma Reid: fiddle

Produced by Roger Tallroth and Scott Nygaard

The Tunes

Roger’s Rough (Roger Tallroth)
A tune that kept its rough name.

An Sean Bhean Bhoch/Cousin Sally Brown (traditional)
A hornpipe learned from the great Irish guitarist/singer Mick Hanly and a barnburner from North Carolina fiddler Marcus Martin, by way of Dirk Powell.

Rough Crossing/Seven Year Itch (Scott Nygaard/Scott Nygaard)
A couple of fake Irish tunes from a California bluegrass/jazz guitarist.

Anders Eriksson/Exit Polska (traditional/Scott Nygaard)
A common tune in Sweden that Roger learned from a great fiddler and good friend Anders Eriksson from Mellansel. The second tune was written by Scott two days before our last recording session. The 2008 US presidential contest inspired the title.

Brudlat til Mia and Micke (Roger Tallroth)
Composed for Mia and Mikael Marin and played at their wonderful wedding in the church in Gunnarskog, Varmland, Sweden.

The Surly Seven (Scott Nygaard)
I like to think of this as the theme song for a movie about a bunch of grumpy superheroes.

Stella’s Waltz (Scott Nygaard)
Written in celebration of the birth of Stella White, daughter of Cassie Webster and Matthew White of Montreal, Quebec. It’s really more of a lullaby than a waltz.

Rosco (Scott Nygaard)
After Roger gave this tune of mine his harmonic and rhythmic treatment I knew we were on to something.

True North (Scott Nygaard)
An attempt to write something vaguely Scandinavian while teaching at the RockyGrass Bluegrass Academy in Boulder, Colorado, became a vehicle for Roger to shred on the 11-string Glissentar.

Parlepolskan (Roger Tallroth)
Somebody told me that she always sees music in colors and this particular tune appeared pearl-grey to her. So it turned in to a Pearl-polska.

Morsans Vals (Roger Tallroth)
Composed to my mother when she turned 70.

The Blackest Crow/Brendan McMahon’s Reel (traditional)
A traditional song that comes from Tommy Jarrell, which he called “As Time Draws Near,” followed by a reel learned from the playing of the amazing Irish band Lunasa.