Ken Kolodner

This recording follows up on the Volume I reels CD. This double CD has separate tracks of instructions for arranging and playing four fiddle tunes: Shenandoah Falls, The Cuckoos Nest, Reel St. Joseph’s and YZ Hamilton’s Breakdown. In general, this CD includes ideas and tunes that are somewhat more advanced than Volume I in that the chord progressions are more adventurous, the rhythms presented are more complex in places, and there is far more on back-up. The simplest of the four tunes melodically is Reel St. Joseph’s. Reel’s St. Joseph’s presents an opportunity to incorporate a few simple syncopations and some very interesting chord substitutions. Shenandoah Falls is also not too hard melodically except perhaps for some syncopation. However, I present a wide variety of ideas that are challenging including several different approaches to back-up and a harmony and demonstrate how to blend many ideas. In The Cuckoo’s Nest, I again present several ways to back-up the tune and I walk through adding lots of challe nging ideas including basslines and various rhythmic ideas. YZ Hamilton’s is really an old time rag and again presents syncopations along with chromatic back-up ideas. The tune is great for working on swing.

The ideas and techniques are again applicable to many tunes. Written music with chords for each basic tune is included. Tracks include descriptions of:

• The basic tune
• Description of hammering and phrasing
• Flams
• Chords
• Basslines
• Chord substitutions
• Drones
• Fills
• Melodic Runs
• Syncopations
• Anticipated beats
• Using chromatics
• Ghost notes
• Variations
• Improvising
• Many other rhythmic and melodic ideas
• Many back-up ideas (vamps, harmony, chromatic runs)
• Fully embellished version