Here are two out-of-print records featuring old-time fiddler Brad Leftwich, one with fiddle and banjo player Dan Gellert and the other with his wife and musical partner Linda Higginbotham. Brad is well-known as a musician and teacher of appalachian fiddle and banjo music. He learned directly from old-time fiddlers giants like Tommy Jarrell and has spread his love and skills for the idiom ever since, both as a solo artist and with fellow musicians like Tom Sauber and Alice Gerrard (Tom, Brad & Alice).
The first record, called "A Moment in Time", was issued in 1993 in the tape format by Marimac and was never reissued. And it's a shame because it's one of the best old-time fiddle record I ever heard. The playing here is astonishing, especially on the many fiddle duets, an art in itslef, and the rest is all fiddle and banjo music of the highest order. Brad and Dan's styles are very complementary and blend perfectly together. I would come back to Dan Gellert's music in a future post as he's one of my favorite contemporary old-time musician...
The other record was issued in 1984 on County Records and features Leftwich with his wife and musical partner Linda Higginbotham (and Mark Richie and Bob Herring on guitars). It's a great mix of fiddle tunes and songs (with three originals by Linda) and sounds as fresh and charming today as it sure was more than 25 years ago...
-Dan Gellert & Brad Leftwich "A Moment in Time" (Marimac tape 1993)
1.Johnson Boys
2.Indian Nation
3.Fiddler's Dram
4.John Brown's Dream
5.Leather Breeches
6.Ruben
7.Nancy Rowland
8.Hell on the Nine Mile
9.Paddy on the Handcar
10.Kansas City Rag
11.Molly Put the Kettle on
12.Danced all night with a bottle in my hand
13.Sandy Boys
14.Old Joe Clark
15.Prairie Dog
16.Ryland Spencer
17.Crystal Stream Waltz
18.Echoes of the Ozarks
(and here's a pdf of the liner notes, giving the tunings and the sources of the tunes)
-Leftwich & Higginbotham "No One To Bring Home Tonight" (County Lp, 1984)
1.No one to bring home tonight
2.Breaking Up Christmas
3.Dry and Dusty/Bonaparte's Retreat
4.Deep Elm Blues
5.Back to Scholl Blues
6.Tom and Jerry
7.Jack of Diamonds/The Lost Child
8.Ozark Mountain Home
9.I want more out of life than a broken heart
10.Rio Grande
11.Poor Girl's Story
12.John Lover's Gone
8 comments:
Thanks for this. I have the first on cassette and it is indeed one of the best OT fiddle recordings going.
Very nice. I've read many articles by Leftwich and have one of his banjo books, but I've not heard an album by him until now.
awesome post! and more dan gellert would be greatly appreciated. he is the best!
I've just greatly enjoyed the Leftwich and Higginbotham LP; lovely stuff. Keenly looking forward to the Gellert and Leftwich now - very many thanks!
This site has saved me so many digitization projects! Thanks so much and keep 'em coming!
Absolutely fantastic! I've not commented before, but I love all things fiddle that you've posted.
ThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyou.
Thank you
Yes, these are great recordings that I have enjoyed over the years. ... Of course, I hope Dan, Brad and Linda have given permission to freely share these online.
If you have more of the Marimac recordings to share it would be great. I've exhausted all outlets to obtain Marimac recordings. Thank You so much for your downloads. Best on the web.
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