Here are two recordings of performances of Terry Riley's, "In C". They were recorded at the Appalachian String-Band festival in Clifftop, West Virginia on Friday, August 1st and Saturday, August 2nd, 2014. The concept behind these recordings was to capture the piece being performed as a string-band. The metronome, usually played on piano, has been moved over to the banjo-ukelele and most of the other instruments are those you would find in a string band jam; banjo, fiddle, wash-tub bass, mandolin, guitar, etc., but as Clifftop plays host to many other styles of music, instruments of all varieties will be heard on the Saturday night performance.
I am honored to have such great friends that would try this thing out with me and I'm amazed that the recordings came out as well as they did. Hopefully we can do something similar or even perform the same piece again at Clifftop this coming year.
This is exactly the sort of thing I'm looking to do more of with the Questionable Records label. This recording is available for free, but please donate as you see fit and share this thing with folks you think may be interested. These donations will go directly towards making more things like this possible in the future, and possible even towards releasing this as a hard copy of some sort in the future.
Finally, please e-mail with questions about this performance, or if you have an idea you would like to see hosted on this site or on this label in the future. I would love to help make more of these, slightly off the beaten path recordings possible.
Thanks again to everyone involved,
Ben Townsend
credits
released January 20, 2015
These are the credits for everyone who signed the guest books, but there were many others involved. If you performed and were uncredited please email me at btown01@gmail.com and I will get you listed on here.
Cover photo - Lisa Elmaleh
In C #1 (Wed July 30)
Peg Evans - Voice
Gina Faber - Mandolin
Sam Hyson - Fiddle
Craig Edwards - Fiddle
Eric Lipsky - Cello
Adam Smith - Washtub Bass
Lucia Thomas - Violin
Aaron Smith - Upright Bass
Rachel Melas - guitar
Anne Hartman - Banjo
Chris Owen - Banjo
Zhenya "Gene" Nemirovsky - Shaker, Recording
Dara Weiss - Guitar
Max Evans - Banjo Uke
Conny Nowe - Mandolin
Anna Roberts Gevalt - Viola
Neal Evans - Bass
Ben Townsend - Banjo
In C #2 (July31)
(seems like an incomplete list)
Dara Weiss - Guitar
Annie Stroud - Violin
Neal Krakover - Harmonica
Johannes Mason - Flute
Anne Hartman - Banjo
Eric Lipsky
Dina Maccabee - Fiddle
Bertram Levy - concertina
Anna Roberts Gevalt - Viola
Chris Owen - Banjo
Nathan Bontriger - cello
Ben Townsend - Banjo
This album beautifully marries an two incredibly intricate pieces of technology, the pedal steel guitar and MAX MSP software to create an amazing world of tonality and texture you just have to hear. Questionable Records
supported by 5 fans who also own “In C from Clifftop, West Virginia 2014”
The wonderful performances of the group are elevated by the absolutely gorgeous production. The mix is perfect, lively and full, but not overproduced. It sounds like I'm right there with the Pickers. hagbardcelinedion
supported by 4 fans who also own “In C from Clifftop, West Virginia 2014”
This record has such a magical flow to it, it seems to capture so directly the ups and downs of life, the joy of music and dance, and it's just so damn catchy and fun to listen to as well. Giles
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