Jay Ungar

Times of great and intense joy and love, and also times of horrible anguish and tears, are portrayed and echoed in this musical score and the playing, particularly of Jay's fiddle, and also with Molly's singing. It is a tremendously moving piece at both a very primitive and a very cerebral level, effectively fusing the folk tradition with orchestral music. It is a celebration of a simpler and more natural time involving communities that were in touch with the cycles of nature and with each other. The musicianship on this disc is absolutely stellar, whether it is the smaller groupings of the folk musicians or the Nashville Chamber Orchestra conducted by Paul Gambrill. There are many shifts and changes in the music, and nary a step is missed in whichever format is used. The hauntingly beautiful waltz "Prairie Spring" closely mimics the coming of spring to the open Western prairies in its changes. There are too many special moments here to single a few out however I am going to mention "La Chason De Mardi Gras (Song of Fat Tuesday)," a traditional song from Cajun country in southwestern Louisiana. Here Jay and Molly use musicians from the stellar Cajun group Balfa Toujours to fullest advantage. Thanks to Angel Records for putting out this strongly recommended release. Jay and Molly, Jacquelyn Schwab, and Paul Horn are among the few who consistently put out music played straight from the heart. ~ Bob Gottlieb, Rovi