Search - Hollow Rock String Band :: Traditional Dance Tunes

Clean, Clean Old-Time Fiddle Tunes - Henry Reed Lives On

Alex Scarbrough | Denver, Colorado | 02/07/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Traditional Dance Tunes" was originally recorded and released in 1968 by The Hollow Rock String Band of Durham, North Carolina. The source of most of the tunes was from Alan Jabbour's (the group's fiddle player) field recordings of Henry Reed, an old time fiddler living in Glen Lyn, Virginia. The latter was then in his 80's but still possessed a keen memory and amazing dexerity; Mr. Jabbour later donated his exhaustive collection of Mr. Reed's music to the Folk Collection of the Library of Congress which is where I first learned of both Mr. Reed as well as the band. With the Hollow Rock String Band's own great skill and marvelous talent the group has faithfully preserved a small piece of Mr. Reed's huge repertory on this recording. The tunes, which include reels, clogs, and a waltz, are executed and recorded in a clear and unmuddied style as fresh and clean as the tumbling creeks in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is easy to hear all of the insturments (flat-picking guitar with moving bass-line, claw-hammer banjo, and mandolin) as they are not overpowered by the excellent fiddling of Mr. Jabbour. Listening to the cuts one after the other makes me feel like I'm at one of the hoe-downs or square dances that old-time fiddlers like Henry Reed, Clark Kessinger, and Tommy Jarrell might have played at as young men. Although all of the tunes are simply wonderful, I found Kitchen Girl, Richmond Cotillion, Folding Down the Sheets, Over the Water Fall, and Fiddler's Drunk and the Fun's All Over especially appealing. Anyone who likes old-time music will love this CD. My only complaints are that there is only one waltz in the selection and alas, this is the only album that the group recorded! What a pity!!!"

Good tunes

Dixie Diamond | Texas | 10/11/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I think this albums sounds a little . . . I don't want to say "amateurish", but they sounded as if they had not quite developed an identity yet as a band (unfortunately, they never recorded another album so this is all we have). Not a terribly sophisticated album even by OT music standards but well-done and excellent tune selections.



Check out the Fuzzy Mountain SB and the Red Clay Ramblers while you're at it. The old RCR stuff is amazing."