I second an endorsement for Revival. I had the pleasure of being introduced to the man and his own performance at the same time as learning he'd written a novel. I'd enjoyed his nonfiction writing and the novel was even better. It gave me the same depth of "YES! That's how it is!" recognition as I'd had from Elizabeth Scarborough's Songkiller trilogy.

I cherish authors who incorporate traditional music as an integral part of the world they create, particularly when they get that spark of recognition from my own experience and knowledge. That validation of veracity in the details surely gives fiction more of an ability to carry us deeper. What comes to mind is the section in Sharyn McCrumb's Bimbos of the Death Sun where a traveling Scottish trad musician stumbles upon a filk sing at a science fiction convention, with initial bewilderment. The novel would be familiar to SF fans, mystery fans, (as well as those intrigued by the title), yes, but the intersection of those worlds with an acknowledgement of trad music is what endears it to me most.

Charles DeLint is the author who uses musicians and their world most powerfully and extensively over many novels and short stories. As musician in his own world he " gets it" completely - as he does with visual art as well.

Another peek into the Folk world book I marginally remember is one I think may have been a memoire rather than fiction is Last Night's Fun by Cirian Carson (and may have botched the name), with vivid tales from Scottish folk band adventures. Wish I could locate this book again for a retread, but our library has the horrid habit of getting rid of interesting books to make room for multiple copies of the latest best seller.

Thinking about this has now kept me from getting ANY work done today. Merry Mudcat time sink to you all.

Joanne in thawing Cleveland