Mudcats Kyle Shiver and Jim Krause.

Subject: Mudcats Kyle Shiver and Jim Krause.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 10 Jul 01 - 01:45 PM

I've gotten quite a few submissions for the radio show from Catters over the last year, and along with the ones I get from regular channels ('bout 15 per week) it's easy to get wayyyy backed up. So I just thought I'd recommend a couple of interesting ones. There are other good ones I received before AND after, and I'll try to get to them over the next few months, but at the moment these are getting some airplay.

"Going Up the Missouri" features Catter Jim Krause in a really balanced collection of old time tunes. He uses the rarely heard and oddly named "English Guitar", banjo and fiddle, with good skill and great feeling. I look forward to hearing Jim "live" one day.

If you've visited ol' Tom Jefferson's digs way up on that hill, you'll see that he also had an "English guitar" on hand for his jam sessions. The tour guide never said whether he actually "played" one, but my suspicion is, that he did. (or maybe it was "Sally's")

Nice album. Jim, if there's anything you can add about the making of your album, I'd be interested.

KYLE SHIVER (see "Fortunato") "Gypsy Boy"

'Couldn't be more different than Jim's album, but equally enjoyable. I had to listen to this CD several times to really appreciate the mood of it. It's contemporary in style and lyric and has almost a "hypnotic" quality to it. I'm "instrumentally oriented" and needed the extra plays to get into Kyle's story telling, but once I did, I got hooked. Good work Kyle.

Rick

Subject: RE: Mudcats Kyle Shiver and Jim Krause.
From: catspaw49
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 12:00 PM

Now here's a damn interesting thread that I missed because of the current silliness.

I have heard from others about Fortunato (Kyle) and am not too surprised by your comments Rick. Was it Micca I heard from? Damn, but I don't remember now.......

And Jim, who now posts under his name but used to "soddy" has always impressed me with his knowledge and ideas about particular songs, so your comments there aren't surprising either.

It does strike me as a good idea that we get these kind of reviews/reports/whatever from you Rick. As you say, you get a lot of the stuff through the radio show and I'd always be interested in hearing your take on them. A bit of the verbal smaple cut, if you will.......

Also.....availability. Maybe Fort or Jim could let us know huh?

Spaw

Subject: RE: Mudcats Kyle Shiver and Jim Krause.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 12:15 PM

Another (among quite a few) nice addition to the show has been the collected works of Seamus Kennedy. He's got quite a number of CDs and they're all entertaining. I wish I had all the Mudcat contributions in front of me so I could thank everybody, but they're filed in alphabetical order (along with a total collection into the thousands) and sometimes I get confused with "Real names" and "Mudcat handles". They're all appreciated though, and I try to give them some Toronto exposure.

The most requests (from phone calls) have come for Sandy and Caroline Paton, with Art Thieme second, and Kendall Morse a close third. Frank hamilton gets a fair number of spins as well.

Rick

Subject: RE: Mudcats Kyle Shiver and Jim Krause.
From: Fortunato
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 12:31 PM

Hello spaw and Rick. Fortunato is Chance Shiver. Kyle Shiver is Kyle. We are however cousins and friends. I sent Kyle's CD to Rick and hence the confusion.

Glad you like the CD, Rick.
here's Kyles website:http://kyleshiver.com/ for anyone who wants to catch him live or order the CD.
By the By we're driving to Boston for Kyle's wedding this Saturday. The "Gypsy Boy" is going to take a bride.

Regards, Fortunato(Chance)

Subject: RE: Mudcats Kyle Shiver and Jim Krause.
From: catspaw49
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 12:57 PM

Well, duh..........I'm sorry Chance, I knew that but somehow the Kyle thing just seemed OK too. My apologies! Were you in England awhile back though? I seem to remember a message from Micca.............

Here's a blue clicky to Kyle's site....CLICK......my luck today, it won't work.........

Spaw

Subject: RE: Mudcats Kyle Shiver and Jim Krause.
From: Fortunato
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 01:10 PM

thanks, 'spaw for your most efficacious clicky. Yes, I was in England last Sept and had the pleasure of meeting Micca and Gervase and singing with old pal Johnny Collins at Herga. Your memory has some good spots on it!

How you feeling since you had yourself overhauled?

Subject: RE: Mudcats Kyle Shiver and Jim Krause.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 01:41 PM

Happy wedding Kyle.

Boy does that "real name, Mudcat handle" thing wreak havoc when I receive something. I have a cassette, of (I think) some Mudcatters singing some great "sea" music, but because it took several weeks to finally get to it, I forgot who the Mudcatter in question was.....could have been Dave the gnome. Or was it Gnu?

Rick

Subject: RE: Mudcats Kyle Shiver and Jim Krause.
From: Jim Krause
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 03:24 PM

Rick & Spaw, Thanks for the kind words. I've been away doing other things so I haven't been to the Mudcat for a week or so.

Folks interested in my CD Going Up the Missouri: Songs & Dance Tunes from Old Fort Osage have two options for purchase. One, they can purchase directly from me. Send me a PM and I'll fill you in on the details. Two, they can order from an online site called CD Baby. If you want to hear selected cuts, log onto the CD Baby website listed in the blue clicky, and you'll find them there.

This recording is a real collector's item. I've collected quite a few of 'em, and almost no one has one.
Jim

Subject: RE: Mudcats Kyle Shiver and Jim Krause.
From: Jim Krause
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 04:00 PM

As far as making the album goes, I was inspired to do it by my experience playing with the 97^th Regimental Stringband. This is a trio based in Tampa Bay/ St. Petersburg Florida which specializes in Civil War and Victorian era music. They perform concerts all over the US for various Civil War re-enactments, concerts, and so forth full time. Since I do some volunteer history interpreting at Fort Osage, outside of Kansas City, MO, I thought I'd try putting out a recording featuring musical selections that would have been current during Missouri's territorial days.

There are quite a few re-enactor musicians around. And I decided I needed something that would set my recording apart from all the others. I noticed that practically all these groups were using contemporary instruments for the most part, the hammered dulcimer, penny whistle, and fiddle excepted. So I started doing my research and discovered the English Guittar, found a luthier who specialized in early instruments, and he agreed to build one.

I'm really interested in this instrument. It is so different than anything else I have ever played. And it is easy to see why it was such a popular parlour instrument during the last half of the 18^th century. If anyone is interested in a short history of the instrument, I have a small write-up on my website. There is a musician in Scotland by the name of Rob MacKillop who is a very talented performer on the guittar. Check out his website too.
Jim

Subject: RE: Mudcats Kyle Shiver and Jim Krause.
From: catspaw49
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 05:46 PM

Very interesting info Jim and I like your website......Very good info there on the English Guitar. Seems to combine several instruments in one and I agree that it seems from the reading that it would have been quite popular as a parlor guitar. I'm a bit surprised it hasn't made a comeback of some sort........Then again, you could be the comeback...or the start of it!!!

Thanks......BTW, I can't get the other site.

Spaw