LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN SUMMER 2008 AND BEYOND Check out the following festivals where Jody will be teaching hammered dulcimer classes this summer and fall. If interested, sign up soon; class space is limited. June 21 - 27: Northeast Dulcimer Symposium at Blue Mountain Lake in New York's Adirondack Mountains. Great scenery, relaxed atmosphere, wonderful food, and loons yodeling on the lake! Jody's class will focus on embellishing solo playing, accompaniment, repertoire, and more. Other instructors will teach fiddle, mountain dulcimer, and percussion. Plenty of time in this wonderful setting to sit on your cabin's porch and feast your eyes on Adirondack beauty.       INFO: http://www.nedulcimer.org July 13 - 18: Common Ground on the Hill in Westminster, MD. This will be Jody's first time at Common Ground. She'll be teaching the intermediate-level Celtic Repertoire class. There are all kinds of other instrument, dance, and visual arts classes too, and concerts most nights. (Jody will be performing on Weds., July 16.) There is also a two-day star-studded music and arts festival on July 12 and 13.       INFO: http://www.commongroundonthehill.org August 3 - 9: Dulcimer Week at The Swannanoa Gathering in Asheville, NC. Postcard-beautiful mountain scenery, friendly folks, great vibes, jamming into the wee hours, a cafeteria with decidedly un-cafeteria-like food (complete with organic veggies grown on site), and top-notch classes, all on the environmentally progressive campus of Warren Wilson College. Jody will be teaching an intermediate-level skills-building class in the morning, and a repertoire class in the afternoon focusing on Renaissance and Early Music, a genre filled with beautiful and rhythmically interesting pieces that sit well on the dulcimer. Other instruments are certainly encouraged - bring your recorders, violins, crumhorns, and sackbuts!       INFO: http://www.swangathering.com September 12 -14: Upper Potomac Fall Dulcimer Fest in Shepherdstown, WV. This wonderful weekend festival takes place in an historic setting with plenty of sightseeing and shopping opportunities. This year it's back in Shepherdstown, its original home, after taking place in Harpers Ferry for several years. Jody will teach Advanced Beginners. Randy Marchany, Wes Chappell, Mick Doherty, and Cindy Ribet will also be on staff.       INFO: http://www.dulcimerfest.org And looking ahead to 2009. . . April 24 - 26: Spring Fling Rendezvous near Sandy, Oregon Jody heads west! Other instructors: Mick Doherty, Rick Fogel, Sam Rizzetta, and Steve Schneider. Details later, but in the meantime INFO is available at http://www.peak.org/~ballers/sfr07.htm DIGITAL DOWNLOADS OF "CAROL OF THE BELLS" NOW AVAILABLE! Carol of the Bells is available on Apple iTunes: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=265710606 MP3s are also available at CD Baby: http://cdbaby.com/cd/jodymarshallmusic Carol of the Bells A sparkling collection of Christmas music old and new, featuring hammered dulcimer with Celtic harp, fiddle, recorders, guitar, piano, and other instruments. Tracks include Carol of the Bells, Nutcracker "Mini-Suite," Gesù Bambino (The Infant Jesus), It Came Upon the Midnight Clear, Christmas Day in the Morning, Vivaldi's Winter (2nd Movement), and much more. Click here for more information about the CD. Click here to see reviews of "Carol of the Bells." READ JODY'S ARTICLE ON MEL BAY'S ONLINE WEBZINE! Check out the December, 2007, issue of Mel Bay's online dulcimer magazine at www.dulcimersessions.com. An article by Jody featuring "Winter's Run," one of her original tunes and arrangements from her "Carol of the Bells" CD -- including music notation and a sound file -- is at http://www.dulcimersessions.com/dec07/marshall.html. HEAR JODY INTERVIEWED ON "METRO CONNECTION " (WAMU, 88.5 FM) (AIRED ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2006). To listen online, click here: http://www.wamu.org/programs/mc/06/12/01.php#12596 The Feb.-Apr. 2006 issue of Dulcimer Players News (DPN) features Jody as the "cover girl" and contains an interview plus notation for "Ides of March," one of Jody's original tunes. For information about DPN, go to http://www.dpnews.com. Click on the link below to hear "The Attack of the Hammered Dulcimers," a radio interview featuring Jody Marshall, Maggie Sansone, and Ken Kolodner. The program aired April 1, 2005, on "Metro Connection," a weekly program on National Public Radio's WAMU (88.5 FM). http://www.wamu.org/programs/mc/05/04/01.php REVIEWS Praise for "Carol of the Bells" Washington Post, Dec. 1, 2006 Count the hammered dulcimer as an instrument seemingly designed for holiday music, whether folk variations on classical standards by Tchaikovsky (a "Nutcracker" mini-suite) and Vivaldi ("Winter" from the "Four Seasons," with Marshall's dulcimer in graceful counterpoint to mandobass and mandocello); wassails and carols from England, Sweden, Ireland and France; or brisk Marshall originals such as "Star of Wonder" and "Merry Greet the Day," in which Grace Griffith's crystalline vocals set the mood for a Celtic ensemble's sprint through a trio of traditional melodies. The CD features several lullabies - the lulling "Still, Still, Still" and "Gesù Bambino," but the charms of this centuries-spanning collection are in the sparkling interplay between Marshall's hammered dulcimer and piano and various other instruments, notably John Guillory's recorders and other wind instruments, Andrea Hoag's fiddle and Ellen James's Celtic harp. When these folks swing through "Sleigh Ride Set" (a Marshall original cleverly paired with Prokofiev's "Troika"), you'll feel the spray of snow on your face. -- Richard Harrington Dirty Linen, Dec. '07 / Jan. '08: " . . . a generous 57-minute selection of well-played and thoughtfully offered tunes for the winter season." Dirty Linen website: http://www.dirtylinen.com/ Dulcimer Players News, Fall 2007 (Vol. 33, No.4): " . . . outstanding dulcimer playing . . . a terrific collection of holiday cheer . . . " Dulcimer Players News website: http://www.dpnews.com Christmasreviews.com: "A Celtic delight." (See the whole review at http://www.christmasreviews.com/wjodymarshall.shtml.) Praise for "Cottage in the Glen" Dirty Linen, April/May 2006: One of the most pleasant dulcimer albums I've heard recently is Cottage in the Glen [Maggie's Music, MM232 (2005)] by dulcimer player and pianist Jody Marshall, who's joined by fellow members of the Washington, D.C.-area Celtic community. Some of the material is from the customary dulcimer realm, like Turlough O'Caroloan's quiet air "Mrs. Anne McDermott Rowe"; the rest is a mix of Marshall's originals and some delightful adaptations, such as a hammered version of Duane Allman's guitar instrumental "Little Martha," on which Marshall overdubs the dulcimer to create a sweet wall of sound. She also doubles up piano and dulcimer on a couple of sets with good effect. The Washington Post, April 1, 2005: Jody Marshall keeps fine company on "Cottage in the Glen." In fact, the enchanting vocal cameos by Grace Griffith, who first appears on Gordon Bok's "The Brandy Tree (Otter's Song)," are reason enough to recommend this release. But Marshall, who plays hammered dulcimer and piano here, is quite capable of casting a spell on her own. Her imagination and musicianship are equally evident, beginning with the Waterford, Ireland-inspired portrait "Three Sisters of Erin," and her repertoire takes some delightful twists, embracing everything from ancient odes (a soulful reprise of Turlough O'Carolan's "Mrs. Anne McDermott Rowe") to tunes associated with the Allman Brothers ("Little Martha") and Jethro Tull ("In the Grip of Stronger Stuff"). Ragtime syncopations, too, help make "Cottage in the Glen" all the more inviting. . . Celtic soul and rhythmic vitality to spare. -- Mike Joyce Sing Out!, Fall 2005: Jody Marshall . . . is a master of both piano and hammered dulcimer, and in her first solo outing gives us a taste of her broad range and virtuosity. . . Takoma Voice, December 2005: Way before I knew what "folk music" is, I loved hammered dulcimer... ... I feel a personal joy when I listen to Jody Marshall's latest recording. Her dulcimer and piano arrangements are seamless and so pretty, belying the complexity of their heritage as recounted in Jody's liner notes. Also just under the smooth surface is a piping-hot list of contributing talent -- Andrea Hoag, Al Petteway, [and] Charlie Pilzer among them. Rising up from the overwhelming depths of Celtic music history, Cottage in the Glen feels as fresh as a new memory. - Carolyn Feola New Age Retailer Magazine, Fall 2005: Sounds From the Ground Up Featuring sweet Celtic tunes, bright reels, and Scottish jigs, "Cottage in the Glen" is a perfect showcase of the talents of hammered-dulcimer player Jody Marshall. Her adaptive creativity is undeniable. Marshall transforms the Allman Brothers' "Little Martha" and Jethro Tull's "In the Grip of Stronger Stuff" into fabulous Celtic masterpieces. Other tracks are more traditional, including the 17th century "Mrs. Anne McDermott Row" and the 18th-century "Vivace." The title track, an original, highlights piano, fiddle, flute, and guitar, demonstrating Marshall's liner-note sentiment, "Oh, to have a little cottage where friends can drop by and share tunes around the hearth!" Listeners who appreciate Celtic and acoustic music will love this album. -Mara Applebaum Keltika Magazine, Sept. 2005 (translated from the original Italian): " . . . strongly evocative . . .[Jody's dulcimer] emerges faultless, smooth and precise." The Midwest Book Review online "Cottage In The Glen" features the impressive and memorable instrumental performances of Jody Marshall with twelve spirited Celtic music selections enhanced with hammered dulcimers, piano, and harmony vocals. Backed up by an impressive roster of guest musicians...Featuring superbly recorded performances, "Cottage In The Glen" is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to any personal, music department, or community library music CD collection. Dulcimer Players News, Spring 2005: Jody Marshall is a veteran performer and teacher from the Washington, D.C. area. She started playing hammered dulcimer in 1988 and, as a member of several bands -- first Ironweed and now MoonFire and Connemara -- has long been a staple on the Washington Celtic scene. On "Cottage in the Glen" she plays both hammered dulcimer and piano and enlists the help of a truly superb group of accompanying musicians, including Paul Oorts, Andrea Hoag, Al Petteway, Karen Ashbrook, Myron Bretholz, Grace Griffith, Ellen James, Zan McLeod, Amy White, Cathy Palmer, Elise Kress, Charlie Pilzer, Rico Petruccelli, Carey Creed and Paul Nahay -- in short, the absolute cream of Washington's Celtic music community. As one would expect, the album's focus is spirited Celtic music and the material ranges from 17th-century Irish harp composition, to jigs and reels from Ireland and Scotland, to contemporary acoustic compositions by Gordon Bok, Duane Allman, and Ian Anderson. It also includes a generous helping of Jody's originals. There's a classical influence here too and "Words Unspoken/Labyrinth" and "Vivace" are chamber music at its best. Jody's dulcimer playing is impeccably clear, confident and precise. Her arrangements are wonderfully developed and she draws considerable strength from the marvelous talents that surround her. Tunes include "Three Sisters of Erin" / "Little Martha," "The Gaudy Bauble" / "In the Grip of Stronger Stuff" / "Ides of March," "Brandy Tree," "Ragtime Tabby" / "Catnip Fling" / "Scattercat Polka" and more. -Neal Walters The Sounding Board, June 2005: (Excerpt - to see the whole review, go to www.newagereporter.com. "Cottage in the Glen" [is] the latest offering from talented musician Jody Marshall...[she] has put together a delightful work of old and new sounds and traditional as well as Celtic music that are a welcome companion to any kindred spirit. "Cottage in the Glen" has passion as well as appeal. I like her style. -R J Lannan All Music Guide, 2005: You have to hand it to Jody Marshall. She doesn't stand on ceremony with her music. The hammer dulcimer player isn't afraid to expand from the traditional Irish material she does so well into some unexpected, if not unrelated areas. Her own material fits the bill well, especially the title track, and she does a lovely version of O'Carolan's "Mrs. Anne McDermott Rowe." But she veers from that into a John Kirkpatrick tune, a hornpipe, and even to Scotland for a Gow piece. The joy is that everything fits together so well. Her playing is crisp and clear, the arrangements well thought out and highlighting the melodies. She's an excellent musician, not only technically, but in terms of taste, too. - Chris Nickson Greenman Review, 2005: Jody Marshall has a distinct facility for drawing together a variety of musical threads into a rich and engaging weave. Cottage in the Glen was my introduction to her music, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. One hallmark of this collection is the astonishingly fluent musicianship: flawless performances by all hands. . . . Needless to say, [Cottage in the Glen] has a Celtic flavor. "Mrs. Anne McDermott Rowe" is a tune that comes from the Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738), which Marshall has deftly transposed to the hammered dulcimer. The opening track, on the other hand, begins with Marshall's own song, "Three Sisters," which segues into Duane Allman's "Little Martha," performed on hammered dulcimer and percussion, and moves immediately into Fernando Largo's "Cau'l Chouzano," a tune from Asturias in Spain, where the Celtic legacy is still strong; it's a lovely ballad, with dulcimer, harp, flute and fiddle blending together seamlessly. Dulcimer and guitar take on eighteenth-century composer Adam Falckenhagen's "Vivace," which is rather less energetic than its title might lead you to suspect, at least in this rendering, but engaging, nevertheless. - Robert M. Tilendis