January 2024: a 2023 retrospective

Here are just some of the highlights: Kevin McElroy is a Portland ME-based fiddler, mandolinist, guitarist and vocalist whose music sits firmly in the Irish Tradition. I’ve had a lot of fun playing music with Kevin up at Blue in Portland, and it was delight to work with him on his first vocal-centered CD. Kevin tours with the great Irish …

January 2023

I’ve been very quiet on the Posts lately, which around here means only one thing: the studio’s been busy! Lots of good music, and I’m only finding time today to write because it’s a snow day and Concord NH’s Lynda Nelson and I had to postpone a vocal session for her third CD. This is shaping up to be a …

NH’s Lynda Nelson ‘Forever in a Song’: New England to Nashville and back!

What a blast making this music was! When Lynda Nelson of Concord  NH came to my studio to start working on recordings of her songs, it became immediately apparent that putting her music in the hands of the legendary ‘Nashville Cats’ would be the way to go.  I knew Lynda’s exuberant positivity would bring out the best in Music City’s …

Josephine County- Celtic/American fusion

Those who know me and my eclectic and far-ranging musical tastes know that there’s usually one bridge I rarely cross: the fusion of idioms and styles.  All of that conservatism is shattered with this new project from 4 of my absolute favorite musicians/singers: Hanz Araki, Colleen Raney, Matt Shipman and Erica Brown.  I must say that I’ve always found that …

Liz and Dan Faiella

These are two of the finest young New England Celtic musicians I know, and it’s been an absolute delight to work with them on what was essentially a ‘live in the studio’ project.  Liz’s fiddle tone posed absolutely no challenges to the microphone, Dan’s guitar is so good it almost makes this aging guitar player a little mad!     …

Cathy Wilson: Celtic-flavored folk/country from Tennessee

My latest trip to Nashville yielded some more beautiful tracks from Cookeville Tennessee singer-songwriter Cathy Wilson, with further overdubs and mixing back here in (cooler?-not so much, lately) Portsmouth.  Bill Verdier on fiddle, John Mock on mando/banjo/whistle/drum, Jeff Taylor this time back on his first instrument, piano.

Lindsay Straw: Traditional Folk with fresh expertise!

Superb instrumental skills on guitar and bouzouki, a keen ear for repertoire selection, new takes on centuries-old stories and a clear, sparkling voice make this project everything a folk audience can hope for. Music from the past has a bright future! Lindsay‘s thoughtful preparation prior to the recording dates ensured an efficient use of time, keeping costs low and energy levels …

Chris Vaughan: Portsmouth’s ‘Great Scot’!

One of the first projects that came to me at Mill Pond Music about five years ago involved my adding a few guitar parts to and mixing the Dave Hallowell-produced CD by Portsmouth’s Scot-about-town, bon vivant Chris Vaughan.  There’s now a new collection of his songs, ‘Americana 1974’. The production is in a folk-country vein, yours truly playing all the instruments, with bluesy …

Erica Brown and Matt Shipman: Darlin’ Corey

A couple more great musicians from Portland’s happening music scene, Matt and Erica,  are releasing this month a collection of duo recordings featuring their plaintive, evocative vocals, Erica’s wonderful old-timey, country and celtic fiddle, Matt’s rich and nimble guitar, bouzouki and banjo.  I’ve had the pleasure of working with Matt when I’ve subbed with High Range, and am a huge fan …

Carrigan & Blair

Full disclosure:  I know Mike Blair and Steve Carrigan well, having played many a gig and concert with them as a part of Portsmouth’s Maritime/Celtic Folk ensemble Great Bay Sailor.   Great fun it was to blast through some of the songs we love on this new collection entitled O Chroi.  Thanks, Mike for giving me free rein to do all the instrumental …

Cathy Wilson: Celtic Folk in Cookeville TN

Out of the blue, while waiting for a plane at the Nashville airport, I got a call from Cathy.  She had found the Mill Pond Music Studio website on line, had seen all the Celtic Tribute Series CDs I’d produced and had read about all the wonderful Celtic acts that have found their way to my workspace, but had just realized I …

Jim’s Performance Schedule

See Jim’s Performance Schedule Below: Contact Jim for your entertainment needs at mpmstudionh@gmail.com -Celtic/Irish music, Old-timey and Bluegrass, Gypsy/Dixieland/Roots Jazz, Traditional/Classic Country, 60s Folk, Klezmer and other ethnic specialties. -Wedding receptions and ceremonies, house parties, events venues, themed events, background music and more.  All instrumental or vocal/instrumental.  Formal, casual or in-between. -I bring 45 years’ experience, playing for  Governors, Presidents and …

John Carew: Boston’s Celtic Folk troubador

John is one of the first musicians I met when I started exploring the idea of moving back to New England from Nashville.  I think it was in 2005, just after spending a wonderful week in upstate NY accompanying world-renowned fiddler Craig Duncan, a long-time colleague who was being inducted into the Northeast Fiddler’s Hall of Fame.  I stepped into a …

Mt. Philo: Young Folk-Rockers from Middlebury VT

It started with an urgent call from mandolinist/dobroist Eli Orland- his band Mt Philo’s fall break recording session at a studio in CT had fallen through at the last minute, and might I be able to accommodate them in a couple of days for a long-anticipated weekend of recording.  Eli had found me through a Nashville connection we share, and …

Fodhla- Fine Irish music trio

I’ve known Nicole Rabata for 5 years and had many a lovely Irish tune session in her company.  She’s a fine flute payer and true pro, and I‘m very grateful that she chose to bring in her companions in this lovely 6-tune project, Ellery Klein on fiddle and Bethany Waickman on DADGAD guitar to record here at MPM Studio.  Here’s a …

Fall update

Lots happening this past summer into fall:  new CDs by John Carew, Skip Gorman, Annie Eastman Young, Gus LaCasse, song demos by Abbi White, Greg Lull, Brandon Harris, Brin Banta,  Portland Irish flutist Nicole Rabata‘s trio, a recent production trip to Nashville, and more- I’ll try to post some music and photos soon. Nashville’s Studio 19, one of my favorite places …