Here is what our fans,
clients and friends have been telling us about our Paul & Jody
concerts and CD:
“Brilliant concertina player” - Vin Garbutt
“Technical fireworks... exceptional skills... very exciting playing... he's able to make the anglo-concertina sound like a mouth organ... bending and blurring notes, so that his playing could never be mistaken for that of an English or even Irish player. ” - Rod Stradling, Musical Traditions, UK
"Jody is an Anglo concertina virtuoso from the USA with a joyful, energetic & distinctive style; he's a master of American contra dance, old-time and music-hall. He's a fine singer. He writes stonkingly good tunes, too.” - Lewes Saturday Folk Club
“It is very late Sunday night, and still I have your wonderful playing vividly in my mind. Believe me when I say that not in years have I enjoyed a live performance of any music--ANY MUSIC--as much as I did your presentation last Friday. You exude an ecstatic exuberance as you command/cajole/caress your concertina with energy found from the inmost part of your soul, your physical breath transmitted to the very reed itself. Your music had lilt, elegance, delight, grace, zest, and was so buoyant that its clarion call brought the audience to the art of Terpsichore.” - David Cannata
"Paul Friedman and Jody Kruskal are two musicians ideally suited to perform together. They have an uncanny sense of each other’s style - that all comes through on this fine recording. What a refreshing sound!... A perfect pairing of concertina and fiddle.” SING OUT!
"a suitably quirky collection of American tunes and songs with Paul's sweet-tempered fiddle playfully energized by jody's anglo concertina, a combo that is like something mike seeger would have dreamed up on a good day" - PETE SUTHERLAND
“Just want to let you both know how much I'm enjoying your CD. Beautiful stuff, beautifully played. A very pure strain of old-time. "Been All Round This World," "Yankee Squirrel Hunter," "Rain and Snow," "Cuckoo's Nest"--terrific.” - BILL CHRISTOPHERSEN
“I sang along with most of the songs you played last night, and though I had heard them before, you made them sound fresh and new. There is an authenticity to your presentation that made me feel like I heard those great old songs again for the first time.“ - LINDA
“Jody, I listen to the CD several times a week because it has so many wonderful renditions of old stuff--- it's nostalgic and fresh, a great combination. My faves, though all are terrific - Wreck of the Six Wheeler and Rain and Snow. I've heard so many versions of the latter, including a great one in the parking lot in Galax, West Virginia in 1963 sung by Obray Ramsey. Yours really holds up - your timing is so fine on that.” - NANCY
We’ve been basking in the good feelings from last night’s house concert. A few people called and emailed today to say how much the enjoyed the music. Your playing is an inspiration to me, and it was so enjoyable to hear Paul.” - BETH & DAN
“Paul & Jody- Thank you SO MUCH for an incredible concert - I knew you’d be good, but I didn’t know how good!” - PENELOPE
“Brilliant concertina player” - Vin Garbutt
“Technical fireworks... exceptional skills... very exciting playing... he's able to make the anglo-concertina sound like a mouth organ... bending and blurring notes, so that his playing could never be mistaken for that of an English or even Irish player. ” - Rod Stradling, Musical Traditions, UK
"Jody is an Anglo concertina virtuoso from the USA with a joyful, energetic & distinctive style; he's a master of American contra dance, old-time and music-hall. He's a fine singer. He writes stonkingly good tunes, too.” - Lewes Saturday Folk Club
“It is very late Sunday night, and still I have your wonderful playing vividly in my mind. Believe me when I say that not in years have I enjoyed a live performance of any music--ANY MUSIC--as much as I did your presentation last Friday. You exude an ecstatic exuberance as you command/cajole/caress your concertina with energy found from the inmost part of your soul, your physical breath transmitted to the very reed itself. Your music had lilt, elegance, delight, grace, zest, and was so buoyant that its clarion call brought the audience to the art of Terpsichore.” - David Cannata
"Paul Friedman and Jody Kruskal are two musicians ideally suited to perform together. They have an uncanny sense of each other’s style - that all comes through on this fine recording. What a refreshing sound!... A perfect pairing of concertina and fiddle.” SING OUT!
"a suitably quirky collection of American tunes and songs with Paul's sweet-tempered fiddle playfully energized by jody's anglo concertina, a combo that is like something mike seeger would have dreamed up on a good day" - PETE SUTHERLAND
“Just want to let you both know how much I'm enjoying your CD. Beautiful stuff, beautifully played. A very pure strain of old-time. "Been All Round This World," "Yankee Squirrel Hunter," "Rain and Snow," "Cuckoo's Nest"--terrific.” - BILL CHRISTOPHERSEN
“I sang along with most of the songs you played last night, and though I had heard them before, you made them sound fresh and new. There is an authenticity to your presentation that made me feel like I heard those great old songs again for the first time.“ - LINDA
“Jody, I listen to the CD several times a week because it has so many wonderful renditions of old stuff--- it's nostalgic and fresh, a great combination. My faves, though all are terrific - Wreck of the Six Wheeler and Rain and Snow. I've heard so many versions of the latter, including a great one in the parking lot in Galax, West Virginia in 1963 sung by Obray Ramsey. Yours really holds up - your timing is so fine on that.” - NANCY
We’ve been basking in the good feelings from last night’s house concert. A few people called and emailed today to say how much the enjoyed the music. Your playing is an inspiration to me, and it was so enjoyable to hear Paul.” - BETH & DAN
“Paul & Jody- Thank you SO MUCH for an incredible concert - I knew you’d be good, but I didn’t know how good!” - PENELOPE