Brad and Ken Kolodner -- See our new website at www.kenandbrad.com
Regarded as one of the most influential hammered dulcimer players and old-time fiddlers in the US, Baltimore’s Ken Kolodner has joined forces with his son Brad Kolodner, a rising star in the clawhammer banjo world to perform tight and musical arrangements of original and traditional old-time music with a “creative
curiosity that lets all listeners know that a passion for traditional music yetthrives in every generation.” The duo started performing regularly as a duo in 2009 and in 2011, they released their first recording, Otter Creek, which became the most played instrumental recording on the international Folk-DJ Radio charts. Brad’s original composition “Otter Creek” was the most played instrumental on the charts. Through performance and on the strength of Brad’s first recording, the recently named Strathmore Hall Artist In Resident and WAMU Bluegrass Country DJ has rapidly gained national recognition for his delicate touch and writing. Ken & Brad released Skipping Rocks, their second album, in September 2013. In its first month, it became the 4th most played recording on the Folk-DJ Charts. Their latest project “is both technically impressive and musically tasteful, a lovely exploration of both tradition and creativity (and of a warm musical relationship)." (CD Hotlist). Concert appearances for the duo include The Kennedy Center, The Birchmere, The Champlain Valley Folk Festival, The Creative Alliance, three appearances at Helicon’s Winter Solstice concerts with Robin Bullock and Chris Norman, several appearances on the legendary “Bound for Glory” radio show in Ithaca, NY (the longest running live concert-radio broadcast in the United States), The Common Ground Festival in MD, The Mountain Arts Gathering in NY, The Folk Society of Greater Washington, The Baltimore Banjo Showcase as well as numerous other live radio broadcasts, concerts and festivals along the Eastern seaboard from North Carolina to Vermont to Wisconsin. Wisconsin DJ Mark Pedersen writes: “Ken is regarded as one of the most accomplished hammered dulcimer players performing today. While not easy to describe, Otter Creek 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.” Dulcimer Player News writes “this is old time music played in the purest way: athome, 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." The Old Time Herald writes: “father and son have reached that musical telepathy that family members can sometimes achieve.” Among Ken Kolodner’s many credits are a featured solo in an Emmy-nominated CBS-TV Christmas special, over a dozen recordings with sales well over 150,000, an “Indie” winner for Best Seasonal Recording in 1999, a #1 World Music title (Walking Stones) and bestseller for BMG (with over 55,000 copies sold), and numerous books and instructional recordings (including a book/CD on old time fiddling for Mel Bay and two books on playing the hammered dulcimer also for Mel Bay). Ken toured with the world music trio Helicon for over a decade and continued to tour as a soloist. He was the first and remains the only U.S. player to be invited to play at the International Hackbrett Festival in Germany along with the world’s best players. His extensive repertoire of thousands of pieces includes the traditional music from over 30 countries on all continents. Ken has performed in every state in the U.S. and teaches locally in Baltimore with over 75 fiddle and hammered dulcimer students. Music was not always in Ken’s vision. Kolodner graduated from Lawrence University in 1976 and a few years later pursued a career in public health, working on a PhD in epidemiology at The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. While in grad school, he taught himself first to play the fiddle by listening to recordings. A few years later, he discovered the hammered dulcimer and quickly became recognized among a handful of the best in the U.S. Since completing his PhD at Hopkins, he has worked primarily as a musician (touring as many as 140 dates a year) but has continued to consult in public health, and has published widely with over 100 articles in medical journals. Brad didn’t start playing music until age 17 when he attended a music camp where his father was teaching. After just two years, Brad won the 2010 Takoma Park Old-Time Banjo festival (in MD) winning a Kevin Enoch banjo and a performance spot at The Birchmere, sharing the stage with banjo legend Tony Trischka, Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, Adam Hurt and other notable banjo players. In 2012, Brad won the prestigious Lowell Fiddle and Banjo Contest. Most recently, Brad won the inaugural Banjo Hangout Clawhammer Banjo contest. His version of “Boatman” was the most highest rated submission out of 69 entrants. Brad guest-recorded on Out of the Wood, a 2011 release by Elke Baker (a Scottish National Fiddle Champion) and his father. While a student at Ithaca College, Brad hosted a weekly folkradio show called “The Hobo’s Lullaby.” In the summer of 2013, Brad signed on as the host of “The Brad Kolodner Show” a weekly bluegrass show on WAMU’s Bluegrass Country, a 24/7 bluegrass radio station in Washington D.C. Since graduating from Ithaca College in June of 2012, Brad has amassed a stable of over 30 banjo students in Baltimore. He has added fiddle, guitar and vocals to his repertoire. www.bradkolodner.com 
Notable performances
The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA (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 The Honey Dew Drops, Baltimore, MD With Matching Orange, Elke Baker and Ken Kolodner, Baltimore, MD With Becky Tracy, Keith Murphy (of Nightingale), Ken Kolodner & Elke Baker, Baltimore, MD Folk Society of Greater Washington, Washington, DC Lawrence University, Appleton, WI Pig and Weasel, Evanston, IL St. James Church, Watkins Glen, NY Slydog Concert Series, Madison, WI Baldwin's Station, Sykesville, MD 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 'Bluegrass Country,' WAMU, Washington, DC ‘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 "Bluegrass Country" WAMU, Washington, DC Discography Skipping Rocks, Brad and Ken Kolodner with guests Alex Lacquement, Robin Bullock, Kagey Parish, and Elke Baker, Fenchurch Music 07, 2013. 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 Skipping Rocks (Released September 2013) "This father-son duo project is both technically impressive and musically tasteful, a lovely exploration of both tradition and creativity (and of a warm musical relationship)." - CD Hotlist, October 2013 “The musicianship on this album is absolutely incredible. Ken Kolodner is, in my estimation, the finest, most able, and diverse hammered dulcimer player anywhere...Brad Kolodner is simply one of the best of the new generation of Old Time melodic Clawhammer banjo players...it still touches me that a father and son not only can make music that sounds so good, but that they so obviously enjoy making such great music with each other and their music friends.” - Dan Hayes, September 2013 “On Ken & Brad Kolodner’s new album, Skipping Rocks, the dynamic pulse of their neo-traditional sound is ringed with masterful guest artists, sewing together new takes on old tunes, and new tunes with old slants. Listening to Brad & Ken Kolodner’s Skipping Rocks not only highlights the magic that seems to spark in musical families, but also transports its listeners to the soft shores of a summer lake, where each skip of the rock is a moment that ripples out; from father to son, from a duo to a musical community, from old tunes to new ones. It’s a moment in life and time that will have you pushing play again and again.” - Hearth Music, September 2013 Reviews of Otter Creek “Father and son have reached that musical telepathy that family members can sometimes achieve. The blend of the hammered dulcimer and banjo is exceptional.” The Old Time Herald January, 2012 “Beautiful melodies, varied instrumentation, wonderful hammered dulcimer music AND clawhammer banjo playing. It’s great to start hearing professional caliber music from the next generation of players. Otter Creek may be a bit broader than your average old time stringband recording. But, then again, old time music is more than we think. This one is a must.” The Banjo Newsletter, July 2012 "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 was the #1 most played instrumental recording on the Folk DJ-L and in the top 50 overall for 2011. Skipping Rocks was the 4th most played recording on the Folk DJ-L in the first month since its release in Octobert, 2013. Radio station feedback for Skipping Rocks compiled by Hearth Music “Been spinning it and loving it!” Kelly Wells at KDHX, St. Louis, MO “This album has a great feel to it -- reminds me of my music discovery trips in the mountains of VA and NC.” Steve Clarke at CHES, Fergus, ON “It was our Featured Album of the Day two weeks ago on NFR, and the audience loved it. Plus Ken and Brad were featured in an article in issue 12 of FolkWeekly.com. The hammered dulcimer has always had a seat at the folk music table; it brings forward all the myths of Appalachia in the hands of Ken Kolodner, especially when it's mixed with Brad's clawhammer banjo” John Hart at New Folk Radio, Portland, OR “Great stuff! And since Brad is one of our on-air music hosts, we've been playing it a lot! Besides, we're big fans of Ken & Brad's work. AND they live nearby too.” Mary Cliff at WAMU, Washington, DC “I like it very much!” Wanda Fischer at WAMC, Albany, NY “Actually been listening to it today and love it. Great stuff. Will have it in the air tomorrow.” Chrisana McGill at WSPN, Saratoga Springs, NY “Got it and have played it. Intend to play it again in my upcoming playlists” Artie Martello at WIOX, Roxbury, NY “The Kolodners recent album has been the most impressive new recording I have reviewed in some weeks. I played a cut, "Down On My Knees", from it on my show of October 11 and expect to play more from it in upcoming shows.” Howard Hunnicutt at WRFG, Atlanta, GA “I got the Kolodner CD, loved it, and added it to my rotation of new releases to be played on my show” Johnny Timewarp at WHUS, Stors, CT “I played the title cut "Skipping Rocks" on Sat. Oct. 12 and I have programmed "Red Rocking Chair" for Oct. 26. I expect to play some other cuts on later shows.” Ray Baumler at WRUR, Rochester, NY “Yes, It's great. I really like Brad & Ken's music! It has been getting a lot of spins.” Kevin Elliott at WEFT, Champaign, IL “Got It! Like it! “ Dick Hermans at WKZE, Salisbury, CT “I received the album and have played tracks from it (you know I like it if I play it). As it happens, I'm closing next week's program with their music”. Gerry Goodfriend at CKUT, Montreal, Quebec “I enjoyed it - nice and bluegrassy. I played a couple of instrumentals on my show last week” Larry Hillberg at KVMR, Nevada City, CA “I did receive the Kolodner's CD. I just had a chance to listen to it yesterday. I like "Down On My Knees" and "Falls Of Richmond". I will play something from it on today's show and then pass it along to our Acoustic Junction staff for them to play too.” Tim Little at KRVM, Eugene, OR, Routes & Branches “Sweet music and it will receive loads of air play “ Jamie at WFHB, Bloomington, IN “I've played a track every week since I received it” Paul Hartman at WTMD, Towson, MD “Got it, it's just like you describe it, and I'll definitely put something in my show on 11/09.” THOMAS OLIVER BEEBEE at WPSU, State College, PA “We received the Kolodner Bros. album, and it's already gotten some airplay. Thanks for sending it along!” Chris Jong at KZSC, Santa Cruz, CA “It's a beautiful album! I played a couple of tracks on my String Fever bluegrass show last Thursday (Red Rocking Chair, The Orchard)”. Barb Heller at Folk Alley, Canton, NY “I've been playing it on WVUD, Newark DE. So has Michelle McCann. Maybe some others!“ Richard at WVUD, Newark, DE “I am absolutely enjoying the hell out of it in my car as well as on KPFA. What an interesting and enjoyable collection of banjo/hammered dulcimer (my favorite instruments!) arrangements. Needless to say, I believe this talented duo has a great future in our music. Please pass on to them my thoughts” Ray Edlund at KPFA, Berkeley, CA “Thanks I like it very much it and will be giving it a spin in the coming weeks.” Menachem Vinegrad at Radio Upper Galilee, Israel “I do like the CD, I have played it twice already.” Stock, Michael S. at WLRN, South Florida “Yes, very excellent album and airplay will factor in on my show! I will plan to include "The Orchard" this Tuesday night.” Lilli Kuzma WDCB, Chicago, IL “We especially like the following tracks: “John Brown's March”, “Red Rocking Chair” and “Falls Of Richmond”; and we will continue to air them in rotation as often as we can.” Daniel Stratton at MerlinXL5, Internet radio |
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