In August, 2007, Ken brought his daughter Hillary and son Bradley to the Meadowlark Music Camp in Maine where Ken taught for 15 summers. Brad became hooked on the clawhammer banjo and hasn't stopped playing since. It has been a great joy for father and son to share a passion for playing music, especially old-time, for writing music, and now for recording and sharing the stage.

Ken Kolodner (hammered dulcimer, fiddle, hammered mbira) and his son Brad Kolodner (banjo, banjola, fretless banjo, guitar, fiddle) have been performing together for the last three years and recently released their first recording together of Appalachian and original music: Otter Creek.

Just two months after the release, Otter Creek became the second most played instrumental recording on the international folk charts. Wisconsin DJ Mark Pedersen writes: “Ken is regarded as one of the most accomplished hammered dulcimer players performing today. While not easy to describe, the CD is all instrumental of traditional Appalachian music with hammered dulcimer, fiddle and banjo. What makes this recording special is that Ken collaborates with his son Brad who plays the banjo and banjola. It is what folk music is all about in my opinion. I would also recommend that when you preview the CD do so on good equipment (not a car CD player or cheap computer speakers) otherwise you may miss the tight, intricate, and interesting arrangements.”

Dulcimer Player News writes “this is old time music played in the purest way: at home, with family, with heart, and with a creative curiosity that lets all listeners know that a passion for traditional music yet thrives in every generation.” A recent review by Sing Out! writes "Ken Kolodner is a world class multi-instrumentalist...Otter Creek is a joyous recording featuring two fine musicians who playing excellently. There must be something special to that father-son thing." Brad also recently guest-recorded on Out of the Wood, a 2011 release by Elke Baker (a Scottish National Fiddle Champion) and his father.

In performance, Ken and Brad produce a wide variety of textures with a varied instrumentation. Concert appearances for the father and son include three appearances at Helicon’s Winter Solstice concerts with Robin Bullock and Chris Norman (for an audience of over 1700), the Kennedy Center, the Creative Alliance, Baldwin’s Station, the Walter’s Art Gallery (also with fiddler Elke Baker), several appearances at the “Bound for Glory” show in Ithaca, NY (the longest running live concert-radio broadcast in the United States), The Common Ground Festival, The Folk Society of Greater Washington, several concerts celebrating the Lincoln bicentennial, as well as numerous other concerts and festivals in the Northeast.

Brad Kolodner's bio

Brad Kolodner has developed an elegant, expressive and dynamic style of playing clawhammer banjo that is rarely heard on the instrument. The son of internationally renowned hammered dulcimer and fiddle player Ken Kolodner, Brad grew up in a house full of music and has been surrounded by traditional folk musicians his entire life. He specifically credits banjo virtuosos Adam Hurt and Richie Stearns as major influences. In the summer of 2010, Brad and his father Ken completed their first collaborative studio album, Otter Creek, featuring many of Brad’s originals along with traditional old-time music. Brad on banjo and banjola). Just two months after the release, Otter Creek recently became the second most played instrumental recording on the folk charts. Brad also performs on the banjola (a cross between a banjo and bouzouki), fretless gourd banjo, guitar and fiddle. He recently guest-recorded on Out of the Wood, an album by Elke Baker (a Scottish National Fiddle Champion) and his father.

Brad was the winner of the prestigious 2010 Old-Time Banjo festival in Takoma Park, WA, after playing for just over two years. In addition to winning a Kevin Enoch banjo, Brad was a performance spot at The Birchmere, sharing the stage with banjo legend Tony Trishka, Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, Adam Hurt and other notable banjo players. Other concert appearances include Helicon’s Winter Solstice Concert with Robin Bullock and Chris Norman, the Kennedy Center, the Walter’s Art Gallery (also with fiddler Elke Baker), the “Bound for Glory” show in Ithaca, NY (the longest running live concert-radio broadcast in the United States), The Common Ground Festival, The Folk Society of Greater Washington, several concerts celebrating the Lincoln bicentennial, as well as numerous other concerts and festivals in the Northeast. Brad is a senior studying Television-Radio and Documentary at Ithaca College. www.bradkolodner.com

Notable performances

The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA (as the winner of Old Time Banjo Festival)
The Kennedy Center, Washington, DC
The Creative Alliance, Baltimore, MD
The Common Ground Festival, Westminster, MD
The Cornell Folk Song Society, Ithaca, NY
Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration, Bowie, MD
The Maiden Creek Old-Time Music Festival, Kutztown, PA
The Stone Soup Concert Series, Wilmington, NC
Ashe County Arts Center, West Jefferson, NC
Wake Robin Concert Series, Shelburne, VT
Helicon’s Winter Solstice Concerts (w Chris Norman, Robin Bullock, Ken Kolodner), 2008-11, Towson, MD
The Golden Link, Rochester, NY
Valley Folk, Corning, NY
With Matching Orange, Elke Baker and Ken Kolodner, Baltimore, MD
With Becky Tracy, Keith Murphy (of Nightingale), Ken Kolodner and Elke Baker, Baltimore, MD
Folk Society of Greater Washington, Washington, DC
Contra dances in Ithaca, NY, Lancaster, PA, Baltimore, MD

Radio/TV appearances

“Bound for Glory,” featured on the longest running live radio concert show in the United States, Ithaca, NY ‘Nonesuch,’ WVBF, Ithaca, NY
‘Detours,’ WTMD, Towson, MD
‘Music in Maryland,’ with Tom Hall, WYPR, Baltimore, MD
‘The Mark Steiner Show,’ WETA, Baltimore, MD
Kennedy Center Millenium Stage, Washington, DC
DJ on WICB on “Hobo’s Lullaby,” Ithaca, NY
Guest instrumentalist with The Ithaca College Chorus, Ithaca, NY

Discography

Otter Creek, Brad and Ken Kolodner with guests Paul Oorts and Elke Baker, Fenchurch Music 05, 2011.
Out of the Wood, Ken Kolodner and Elke Baker with guests Eric Eid-Reiner and Brad Kolodner, Fenchurch Music 06, 2011.

Reviews of Otter Creek

"This is old time music played in the purest way: at home, with family, with heart, and with a creative curiosity that lets all listeners know that a passion for traditional music yet thrives in every generation."

Dulcimer Player News April 2011

"Ken Kolodner is a world class multi-instrumentalist...Otter Creek is a joyous recording featuring two fine musicians who playing excellently. There must be something special to that father-son thing."

Sing Out! April, 2011

"Ken is regarded as one of the finest hammered dulcimer players today. What makes this recording special is that Ken collaborates with his son Brad who plays the banjo and banjola. It is what folk music is all about in my opinion. I would also recommend that when you preview the CD do so on good equipment (not a car CD player or cheap computer speakers) otherwise you may miss the tight, intricate, and interesting arrangements"

DJ Mark Pederson, WOJB Folkways, Barron, WI

Otter Creek hit as high as #2 on the Folk DJ-L for instrumental recordings and top 50 overall for several months in 2011.