Fiddling Up A Storm

Tracks

Liner Notes

Mother Nature can be tame and gentle. She offers essential life with sunshine to make the grass grow and rain to water crops. She can also be wild and vicious, destroying crops, property and even lives. We don’t always have fond memories of the weather, but it is perhaps the most talked about subject.

Fiddling Up a Storm is a weather phenomenon that is musical by nature. We have some fast fingers on a fiddle or guitar or banjo and some tunes that more readily reflect the calm before the storm. And although we have fun with the themes of our live shows and CDs, make no mistake, the focus is not so literal and is always on the fiddling.

We couldn’t resist a few “storm” related titles though. Like how you must Shingle The Roof after the storm; or being the Lighthouse Keeper to ensure safe passage for vessels near the coast; or what may lie Somewhere Over The Rainbow. I have a couple new storm related tunes for this CD – Grand River Waltz (written for the river that runs through my hometown, Fergus, Ontario) and Finger Twister featuring Steve Piticco, Darin Parise, and Tyler Beckett on some fast tornado-like fingers!

I have also included a very fitting story written by my Grandmother Ariel Dyer in 1954 after my grandfather Carl Dyer was caught in Hurricane Hazel’s wrath. His car was washed away in the Humber River and he held on to a small cherry tree for 6 hours until he was rescued. She tells the story best in poem form with background music appropriately chosen: The Water is Wide.

I do have lots of great Old Time Fiddle tunes on the CD as well including my very first composition. Written when I was 9 years old, Slowpoke Waltz was a tongue-in-cheek slant on my other Grandmother, Isabelle Woods who had suffered a stroke earlier that year and was now a little slower getting around. She loved the name, though at the time, my Mom and Dad didn’t find it very complimentary.

Wellington County Breakdown was written in 1983 (age 12) when I was performing at the International Plowing Match in Wellington County.

I sincerely hope you enjoy our Fiddling Up a Storm album and are “blown away” by the incredible musicianship of Steve, Darin, Tyler, my Mom Carolyn and my sister Kendra, who really do make recording a pleasure, and inspire me to keep on fiddling! - Scott

Musicians

Scott Woods: Fiddle, Bass & Drums
Carolyn Woods: Piano
Kendra (Woods) Norris: Fiddle, Accordion, & Keyboards
Tyler Beckett: Guitar, Mandolin, & Fiddle
Steve Piticco: Electric & Acoustic Guitar
Darin Parise: 5-String Banjo

Credits

Produced by: Scott Woods
Musical Arrangements by: Scott Woods, SOCAN
Recorded & Mixed by: Scott Woods, McLeod Music, Fergus, Ontario
Mastered by: Doug Stronach, Eclipse Music Productions, Arthur, Ontario
Photography & Graphic Design by: Janet McGlynn, Lumin8 Strategy & Design Agency Inc., London, Ontario