Peter

Väsen - After another summer afield, I've been needing some time alone to reflect and recoup, but the work keeps coming. Blue August days in Maine are a help; Sunday swims in the Stillwater River don't hurt, but it all comes down to some good music. I first heard Väsen through Roger Tallroth's page. Little else has captured my heart as well since.

Väsen is a unique ensemble with incredible skill and the ability to capture our dreams in their music. They play both as a trio and a quartet, consisting of Olov Johansson on the nyckelharpa (a keyed fiddle unique to Sweden), Mikael Marin on the viola, Roger Tallroth on a twelve-stringed guitar and André Ferrari on percussion. Their acoustic presence will stir more emotion than most rock bands could ever produce.

Check out "Tiliander menuets" and "Linnaeus longdanceKoriL" on their page. The music is reflective, delicate, powerful, and simply a perfect backdrop to my life.

Here's but a taste; this song is "One Hour in Hungary." Enjoy the video.

Tim O'Brien most often performs a style of folk music that you might hear in Appalachia. But even while playing out of Nashville Tennessee, he has taken a number of musical journeys that may be more familiar to those of us steeped in Irish tunes, contra music, and the like.

In 2001 he released 'Two Journeys,' and as an album it is probably my all-time favorite; a must-have. In several of the songs he parallels his own journey to his homeland to that of the great Atlantic crossing by his ancestors. 'Two Journeys' is also a name of a song on that same album, and it is both haunting and beautiful. Take the time to listen to it; you won't be dissapointed.

Posted here is a more recent song that Tim performs with Darrell Scott. This particular song reminds me of my time working alone in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. Sometimes with my horses, most often alone, and always with the wind.

"Other Than You"
by Jakki Rogue

Some of you know that I'm a forester, and that my love for this music stems from my love for folk life in all its forms. I love things that are old, made of wood and stone, that are straight from the earth. And if I have my way I'll have a farm someday, I'll be back on a horse and working with the land. Cheers to Jason and Jagger Rutledge, Eustace Conway, and all of those that keep the working horse lifestyle alive today.

I came across this video while watching forest operation and horse logging clips. I suppose they need a day off to dance too. The song is by Nova Scotia artist, Jakki Rogue (jakkirogue.com), who was the 2005 Nova Scotia Music Award Nominee.

Enjoy, and happy new year!

Tony Reidy brings us folk, Celtic and roots music from Mayo, Ireland. Originally from Aughagower, he grew up on his father's farm where he first gained an appreciation for both the land and the people that work close with it.

So while his latest release, 'A Rough Shot of Lipstick,' came out in 2006, I'm reaching back to 2003's 'Coldest Day in Winter.' It is from that release that he's sharing with us his song 'Like a Wild Thing.' Only a year and a half ago I left years of working the land to sit at a chair and stare at a screen, and in this song he hit a soft spot for me. "Farewell to the land, where I grappled with stones..." Check out his songs on his space.

Karine Polwart is based out of Scottish Borders, Scotland. A new mother with her own recording label, she continues to put out albums and tour.

This is a wonderful video that takes a few moments to describe some of her influences and a little about her writing style. Note that she also sings with Chris Wood and others in the video to the left.

Tom Palmer is becoming one of my favorites these days. His song, Blood in the Dirt, shows off the dark, raspy voice of a great storyteller. He records with Phil Beer's Chudleigh Roots. Another favorite from Tom is a song called Calculated Chaos. Check out his songs on his space.

I first heard The Wailin' Jennys while settling in for the night in a bunkhouse up in Alaska. My roommate for a few months was quite a bit older, and he had brought over 700 songs packed onto 5 disks to bring a bit of home to our island. We put a few on each night at the week's end, as I stayed out on the Pacific during the week to work the timber. I soon fell in love with three of the most beautiful voices in music.