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Thread: Grateful Dead and Cape Breton fiddle tune

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    Registered User Ranald's Avatar
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    Default Grateful Dead and Cape Breton fiddle tune

    While reading about the influential Cape Breton fiddler and prolific composer, Dan R. MacDonald, I came across a reference to his "Trip To Windsor" being recorded on the album, Wake the Dead: A Celtic Celebration of the Songs of the Grateful Dead. The following medley starts with "Touch of Grey" and ends with "Trip to Windsor." I never expected to hear a Grateful Dead song n a medley with a Cape Breton fiddle tune unless it was in the wee hours of a Cape Breton kitchen party. "Wake the Dead" is a fine San Francisco area string band, featuring Paul Kotapish on mandolin, which is prominent, and Danny Carnahan on octave mandolin, though I'm not sure that he plays it in this medley. (No doubt many of you are already aware of this group, which is new to me.)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQsD...eTheDead-Topic

    Last edited by Ranald; Feb-04-2023 at 1:54pm.
    Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
    "I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
    Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.

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    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Grateful Dead and Cape Breton fiddle tune

    I'm aware of them, though I haven't listened much. (Honestly, I don't listen to a whole lot of music, being more involved in creating it, through writing, playing, and recording.) But Paul is a regular contributing member here, so he and they are on my radar.

    Now, if out of a 7:30 performance, 6:00 is devoted to one song, leaving 1:30 for three others, is it truly a medley? I suppose so, by definition, but I thought it was going to be a more balanced mixture. Not complaining or criticizing, just wondering a bit. And it's pretty much beside the point; this is a fine rendition of "Touch Of Grey," and everything else fits, as if by magic.

    Be that as it may, this bit of promo/info from their website is quite impressive: "The World’s Only Celtic All-Star Grateful Dead Jam Band. Since 2000, this hot Northern California septet has been blending Celtic traditional music and the songs of the Grateful Dead—at first impressing the Dead themselves enough for them to release the début CD on Grateful Dead/Arista Records."

    High praise, indeed!
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

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