Review and More

Our Review

Tony Elman's Winter Creek, first released in 1991, has stood the test of time. This excellent instrumental album features over a dozen folk instruments, including Elman's extraordinary work on the hammered dulcimer, and combines winter melodies and carols from English, French, Spanish, and American traditions, with several creative originals.

This offering promotes a folksy, down-home, good-time feel that absolutely sparkles. Winter Creek opens very well with the title track, a crisp original with dulcimer strikes that bring to mind a driving snow in mid-December. The second track, The Little Snowman is equally fun, sweetly lively and quick. The gospel soul of O Po' Little Jesus/Tell It on the Mountain highlights the variety presented here, and also is but one of seven "blended" tracks. The smooth and exotic A La Nanita Nana/El Santo Nino exudes south-of-the-border excitement, and Christmas in Dixie demonstrates strong country-western sensibilities. In distinct contrast, God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen has a regal, yet simple, elegance, while Bells of Brigadoon/Christmas Day I'da Mornin' flies o'er the Scottish highlands. All of the music is uplifting and rich, and the various folk instruments overlap their intriguing textures in a most delightful fashion. This is the sort of the music that will have you swaying in your seat and irrepressibly smiling like an idiot long before the album ends.

Winter Creek is a wonderful instrumental offering for the holidays. Fans of folk and Celtic music should especially take note; this selection will have you flying high all season long!

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2006)

More

From the liner notes:

Musicians:
Tony Elman: hammered dulcimer, alto and soprano recorders
Pete Elman: piano, guitar, synthesizer
Mike Marshall: guitars, mandolin, violin
Todd Phillips: string bass
Pete Grant: pedal steel, dobro, autoharp
Jon Eriksen: percussion, harmonica
Barry Phillips: cello
And the Arlekin String Quartet: Eugene Chukhlov (violin), Dmitri Glovko (violin), Rem Djemilev (viola), and Sergei Riabtchenko (cello)

Produced by Pete Elman
Executive Producer: Tony Elman

Tony Elman

Winter Creek

Order from Amazon

Track List