KEN KOLODNER: Journey to the Heartland

Ken Kolodner

Journey to the Heartland

© 2005 MAGGIE'S MUSIC, INC (095182023121)

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A Celtic- American Roots CD with all-instrumental music from the Appalachian Mountains to the north country of Canada..

notes

A Celtic- American journey from Ireland & Scotland to
the Appalachain Mountians & the north country
of Canada, Quebec & Cape Breton Island! It's a dazzling instrumental display, of swinging waltzes,Celtic reels,elegant "string band" music in virtuoso performances by America's premier Celtic & traditional musicians on hammered dulcimer,fiddle,mandolin & guitar. The guest musicians are: Laura Rick, fiddle
Elke Baker,fiddle;Robin Bullock, guitar, mandolin; and addy League, guitar

KEN KOLODNER, hammered duclimer player and old-time fiddler performs a varied repertoire that includes traditional music of Appalachia, Quebec, Scotland, Ireland and Cape Breton Island. With Helicon (with Chris Norman and Robin Bullock) and Greenfire (with Laura Risk) and in solo performance, Ken has toured extensively throughout North America and Europe.

HERE'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING...( press quotes)

new reviews just added ( 5/05):
KEN KOLODNER,Journey to the Heartland,Maggie's Music 231


Ken Kolodner is a fiddle and hammered dulcimer virtuoso. Journey to the Heartland is a collection of a dozen sets of traditional and new tunes from Appalachia, Scotland, Ireland, Quebec and Cape Breton Island. Ken is joined by fiddlers Laura Risk and Elke Baker, and guitarists Paddy League and Robin Bullock, who also contributes mandolin to the project. This is a reunion of sorts as Ken has played in the band Helicon with Robin and Greenfire with Robin and Laura.Ken's dulcimer style is quite refreshing. So often players view the instrument as tuned percussion and tend to perform at breakdown speed with little emphasis on the nuance of the tune. Ken is a sensitive player and approaches the instrument in a very pianistic fashion.
The recording opens with a duet of the original tune "Caspian's Return" teamed with the Irish traditional "Cuckoo's Nest Hornpipe" featuring Ken's dulcimer along with Laura on fiddle and Paddy on the guitar. The mid-tempo medley typifies Ken's light and airy touch with sensitive support from the other two.
Later we are treated to "Coleman's March/North Carolina Breakdown" as a duet with Robin Bullock. "Breakdown" is taken with just the right amount of fire in this conversation between two old friends.
"Polka of the Setting Sun/Reel Antoinette" is a medley of two tunes from Quebec which features Laura's fiddle and Paddy's drop-D guitar in a totally delightful arrangement. We are treated to the twin fiddles of Ken and Elke on "Mike in the Wilderness/Redbird" two American traditional tunes. Robin's guitar and mandolin add drive to this fine old-time medley.Ken's style and the easy manner in which he interacts with his old friends make for a very appealing combination. - SING OUT!

"...sparkling versions ...love and respect for the music chosen comes through clearly."Dirty Linen world and folk magazine, June/July 2005

More reviews....
"Outstanding.soulfully beautiful." (NY Times)

"one of today's most accomplished, musical hammer dulcimer artists...A hammer dulcimer player of great taste and sophistication," (Elderly)

"nothing short of astonishing" (The Connection)
"virtuosic" (Audio)

"stunning in its musicality" (Dulcimer Player News)

"...without a doubt, Ken Kolodner is one of the hammer dulcimer's top exponents." (Folk Tales Magazine)

".the multi-instrumental performances of Ken Kolodner are virtuosic" (H & B Recordings Direct)

"Quite wonderful!" (Stereo Review)

Dulcimer Player News, Winter issue, 2005...
Ken Kolodner's newest album is his first since leaving Dorian for Maggie's Music. Journey to the Heartland features Ken's exquisite hammered dulcimer playing on a variety of tunes from the Appalachian, Celtic and Quebecois traditions. Elke Baker and Laura Risk on fiddle, Robin Bullock on guitar and mandolin, and Paddy League on guitar provide stellar support and Ken also plays fiddle on several cuts. This is just about all anybody could ask for in an instrumental recording. The tunes are all great and mostly uncommon in the sense that they haven't been recorded very much at all. Ken's playing positively sizzles on the really fast tunes, but he can also be very lyrical with a delightful bounce at more stately tempos. The backup musicians are wonderful in their own right and add immensely to the overall sound. Typically, Ken makes great use of syncopation and his dampers add texture to several of the tunes. The up-tempo rhythms are really infectious and there is a bevy of beautiful waltzes too. Ken is the somewhat rare musician who matches great talent with equally good material and he's certainly produced a winner here. Tunes include: Caspian's Return/Cuckoo's Nest, Lady of the Lake/Farewell Trion/Shenandoah Falls, Coleman's March/North Carolina Breakdown, Journey to the Heartland/YZ Hamilton's Breakdown, Polka of the Setting Sun/Reel Antoinette, The Banks Hornpipe, and several more.

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  • Journeys to lovely music
    author: David

    Those of you who miss the old Helicon albums can get enjoyment from this album of one of the founding members. The arrangements are a bit "muddied" at times, but otherwise an enjoyable album with good variety and professionally arranged tunes.

  • "Exquisite hammered dulcimer playing...Ken’s playing positively sizzles..."
    author: Dulcimer Player News, Winter issue, 2005

    Journey to the Heartland – Ken Kolodner, (Maggie’s Music) Ken Kolodner’s newest album is his first since leaving Dorian for Maggie’s Music. Journey to the Heartland features Ken’s exquisite hammered dulcimer playing on a variety of tunes from the Appalachian, Celtic and Quebecois traditions. Elke Baker and Laura Risk on fiddle, Robin Bullock on guitar and mandolin, and Paddy League on guitar provide stellar support and Ken also plays fiddle on several cuts. This is just about all anybody could ask for in an instrumental recording. The tunes are all great and mostly uncommon in the sense that they haven’t been recorded very much at all. Ken’s playing positively sizzles on the really fast tunes, but he can also be very lyrical with a delightful bounce at more stately tempos. The backup musicians are wonderful in their own right and add immensely to the overall sound. Typically, Ken makes great use of syncopation and his dampers add texture to several of the tunes. The up-tempo rhythms are really infectious and there is a bevy of beautiful waltzes too. Ken is the somewhat rare musician who matches great talent with equally good material and he’s certainly produced a winner here. Tunes include: Caspian’s Return/Cuckoo’s Nest, Lady of the Lake/Farewell Trion/Shenandoah Falls, Coleman’s March/North Carolina Breakdown, Journey to the Heartland/YZ Hamilton’s Breakdown, Polka of the Setting Sun/Reel Antoinette, The Banks Hornpipe, and several more.

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