Butch Ross, a nationally recognized and locally based dulcimer player, will celebrate his first new album in four years at the Camp House on Friday at 8 p.m. Admission is $10 and includes a copy of the CD.
Review for Butch Ross:
Ross is well recognized for transforming traditional folk music and using the dulcimer in unexpected musical cocktails, but this fourth album goes further.
“This album is really a collection of short stories,” Mr. Ross said. “It’s an album that features the dulcimer but the emphasis here is on the narrative. Though the songs are largely based on traditional melodies the stories are original. Some of them are based on personal experiences, all of them tell a story. One—the Battle of Travis Kilgore—was written about a friend of mine, though I didn’t know him at the time. You’ll have to attend to get the whole story.”
The launch party will open with Sarah Morgan, the champion of the 2011 National Mountain Dulcimer Competition.
Also available for sale at the event will be “GONE” a 5-song EP that features songs Mr. Ross wrote and developed using his technique of looping. Both releases will be performed in their entirety. Guests on the album include local musicians Ryan Oyer, Amber Fults, Danimal Pinson (Nim Nims, Up With The Jones and the Communicators), violist Jessica Nunn and others, many of whom will also perform at the launch.
Since 2002 Butch Ross has taken the Mountain Dulcimer, previously perceived as an instrument limited to simple tunes, and made it a concert worthy feature piece of his career. Mr. Ross is an in-demand performer at folk and dulcimer festivals through the U.S. and Europe. He’s performed at such festivals as the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, and the Lancaster (UK) Music Fest. Mr. Ross moved to Chattanooga in 2007 and fell in love with the city and it’s rich musical community. Learn more at www.butchross.com.