(Mike Marshall, mandolin; Darol Anger, violin & baritone violin; Mikael Marin, 5-string violino grande; Olov Johansson, nyckelharpa; Roger Tallroth, 12-string guitar)
This unusual collaborative effort started to come together when the American duo of instrumental acoustic music were on the same stage at the Lotus World Music Festival in Indiana with the Swedish folk trio Väsen. The duo had already been playing a few of Väsen’s tunes from their CDs. Both groups felt that playing together would be a gas – honoring each of their own ethnic musical backgrounds but forging ahead toward a new global folk music landscape. This CD is the result.
These are all experienced creative musicians, and while a few of the numbers grow out of Swedish folk music, they don’t limit themselves to that area at all. There’s tracks based on traditional American folk tunes, and even the program even concludes with a Brazilian choro – appropriate since Brazilian music is the focus of the Adventure Music label. This would appeal to any lovers of acoustic instrumental string music. There are touches of bluegrass, roots music, gypsy, jazz – the liner note writer opines that perhaps a new genre of international folk music is being born. I found the sound often similar to some of the music by the Swedish group Knoa on Opus 3 Records. While I lean personally more toward the all-Brazilian offerings coming from this label, this was an enjoyable meeting of the minds among acoustic pickers and bowers.
TrackList: Loke’s Troubles, Skridskolaten, Couscous, Timo’s Jig, Penknife Killer, Egypt, Yew Piney Mt., Forslund, Misch Masch, Os Pintinhos.
– John Henry
