There are lots of brother acts in traditional music, and a few spouses, but not many father/son duos. Ken (father) and Brad Kolodner (son) are even more unusual in that they combine hammered dulcimer and clawhammer banjo in their “acoustic roots string band,” playing both original tunes and material pulled from old-time and bluegrass traditions. After 15 years of making music together, the Baltimore-based duo presents Hand’s Cove, their fifth studio album.
Brad’s originals Otter Creek, Peter’s Lullaby, Piper’s Lagoon, Bradley’s Tune, and the title track are beguiling tunes that recall old-time traditions, but are filtered through a modern lens. Ken’s lilting hammered dulcimer weaves among Brad’s banjo, Rachel Eddy’s guitar, and Alex Lacquement’s upright bass to create a wonderful groove, whether it evokes a high-energy Appalachian dance or a relaxed stroll down a country lane.
Piper’s Lagoon is one of the standout tracks, propelling itself forward with an entrancing beat. The dampened hammered dulcimer dances with the clawhammer banjo, giving the tune a bubbly, hypnotic effect.
All but four tracks are instrumentals. Don’t expect high lonesome bluegrass singing — vocals here are light, earnest, and folky. For a hardcore bluegrass fan, this may be a little hard to get used to on songs like Standing on the Mountain or Steam Powered Aereo Plane, but it’s a perfect match for Martha Scanlan’s Little Bird of Heaven, sung engagingly by Brad.
On two tunes, Ken plays “hammered mbira,” a rare variant of the hammered dulcimer. With steel rods instead of strings, it resonates like an African thumb piano. The resulting otherworldly sound is used to good effect on Laughing Boy, and the interplay of mbira and fretless gourd banjo on Sally in the Turnip Patch sounds like a dream sequence set in a carnival (in a good way).
In a more traditional vein, the lively Shuckin’ the Brush is an old-time breakdown, with rousing twin fiddles from father and son. Fiddlesticks is great fun, with Ken using his mallets to tap the strings of Brad’s fiddle, recalling the irresistible percussive beat of a flatfoot dancer.
Hand’s Cove is out now on the Fenchurch Music label and was engineered, mixed and mastered by Dave Nachodsky at Stages Music Arts. The album is enhanced by charming original artwork by Kelley Wills of Brain Flower Designs.
The pleasant and appealing sounds on Hand’s Cove may not fit neatly into any genre, but they forge their own living tradition. Check out this album for music made from the heart, authentic to the craftsmen who joyfully created it.
