"Druid Wood"

by

Celtic Stone




Song Titles and Info: Side 1

All songs unless otherwise noted: Hammered Dulcimer:David Clauss, Accoustic Guitar, Recorders, Vocals:Robyn Hilliard, Accoustic Guitar, Grand Piano, Bhodhran, Tin Whistles, Vocals:Todd Menton, Fiddle:Bruce Boyd, Fender Bass Guitar:Don Stiernberg.

  1. The Ramblin' Rover (Words and music by Andy M. Stewart, additional verse by David Clauss). Our "philosophical tune" dedicated to an unattached life of roaming around, playing music, making more friends than money and ending up more satisfied with life than the more affluent stay-at-homes. A great favorite and now a Ren Faire 'standard'.You can hear Andy Stewart's original on "By the Hush" Andy M. Stewart on Shanachie Records

  2. The Earl of Statten (The Staten Island Hornpipe / Petronella) An early Celtic Stone arrangement dating from the very first days of David and Robyn's association with each other. Listen for the Staten Island Ferry's whistle.

  3. Morrison's Jig. A spooky Irish standard tune in E minor. Todd on guitar, Robyn on soprano recorder.

  4. Leila's Fancy (Todd Menton original). Dedicated to Todd's long time girlfriend, this original is as like a 'real' Irish tune as you can find. We're amazed it hasn't been picked up by other players looking for a hot tempo'd dance number.

  5. Fox in the Chickens (The Foxhunter's Reel, Toss the Feathers and Jennie's Chickens). This set of trad Irish reels was quick to begin with, but somehow when Todd and Robyn cut the basic tracks, the tempo went up a notch (or three!). Lottsa fun! We think that this was the beginning of David's "heavy-wood" approach to dulcimer playing.

  6. Waterman's Hornpipe (Traditional. Thanks to Martin Carthy and Brass Monkey for recording the first version!) Arranged by Robyn and Todd. Lots of sounds, Recorder quartet, grand piano. An all time Celtic Stone "Best of".

  7. Raggle Taggle Gypsies (Trad tune made famous by Christy Moore, Arranged by Todd Menton. Bouree de George Sand, Silver Flute: Robyn). A good old Ren Faire favorite with Kris Barnes doing the adulterous wife and Todd singing the rest. Slips into the Bouree de George Sand, a favorite at Le Club Hot in Paris during the time of Django Reinhardt in the 1930's.

 

Song Titles and Info: Side 2

  1. Two Planxties (by Turloch O'Carolan, Planxty Burke and Planxty George Brabazon) Again, a return to the sound of the original Clauss-Llewellyn duo, moves to full band in "Brabazon".

  2. Whisky and Temperance (Whisky Before Breakfast and the Temperance Reel) Seemed like a quirkily obvious pairing, different tempos, different keys...so what's new? it's a CStone arrangement!

  3. The Lusty Young Smith (anonymous from "Pills to Purge Melancholy" [ca.1700]. Borrowed from Ed McCurdy's "When Dalliance was in Flower, and Maidens Lost their Heads") An X-rated song about adultery and the workplace.

  4. A Creel of Turf (A Creel of Turf, , . Arranged by Todd Menton and Bruce Boyd) Another wonderful medley of trad Irish tunes, played in an authentic Sligo style.

  5. The Country Dances (Nonesuch, Coleraine, The Black Nag, Coleraine and Little Maggie (by David Clauss) A revised version of "The Black Nag" arrangement from the first album, this one covers a historical range from about 1000ad (Nonesuch) to David's original tune "Little Maggie". A great favorite at live shows and the highlight of Celtic Stone's show closing set at the North Texas Irish Festival, 1986. Irish music as Rock and Roll.

  6. Why Paddy's Not at Work Today. Todd Menton, solo voice. You gotta hear it to get it.

 

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Published by Celtic MP3s Music Magazine, text courtesy of © 2003 Robert Hilliard