If you are a fan of the hammered dulcimer, you have to have this one! For 18 years, Rudi Zapf, a wonderful Hackbrett player (the hammered dulcimer in Germany), has hosted the International Hackbrett Festival in Munich, Germany. The festival occurs every two years. With Helicon, I had the immense pleasure of performing at the festival in 1993. We were astounded by the quality of the many players who came to perform from around the world. Over the many years of the festival, Rudi and festival organizer Jorg Baiter have recorded all the performances and have now assembled what was described to me as the best of the performances in a two volume set. Two selections from Helicon’s 1993 performance (with Chris Norman, Robin Bullock and I) were captured on the volume I CD along with truly amazing performances from a host of players. In addition to Rudi Zapf’s trio from Germany, you will find breathtaking selections from members of the Appenzeller Space Shuttle from Switzerland, Khukh Mongol from Mongolia, Radosov from the Czech Republic, Zimbalorchester "Lilia" from Belarus (with over 10 hammered dulcimer players in the group), Forest and Taras Baran from Ukraine (I saw these guys and they must be from another planet), Wu Wei und Seine Band "Drache" from China, Jalil Asid and Barzan Yassin from Kurdistan, Celtarabia from England and the 20 piece "Hackbrettorchester Salterion" from Germany. The performances are truly amazing. The liner notes are in German.

Internationales Hackbrett Festival Volume II: Live

More terrific performances from players from around the world including the amazing Xiang Zuhua and Professor Xuesheng Zhang (China), Cythara (Scotland), Miguel Pacheco (Mexico), Jessica Burl and Jim Couza both from the U.S. but living in Europe, Barry Vox (Switzerland), Irish-Steirisch (Austria), Olga Mishula (Belorus), Borte (Mongolia), Kalman Balogh and the Gipsy Cimbalom Band (Hungary), Nandkishor Muley Trio (India) and of course Rudi Zapf. No Helicon on this one.

$18 plus shipping for each CD