Claude Martin – Old Time Fiddle
Self Released – Out Now
This album both serves as a showcase for a gifted musician and a memorial for a young life taken far too soon. To explain: Claude Martin was a young and talented fiddle player who had been performing traditional old-time fiddle music in the Washington DC area for over 20 years. The press release for this CD then goes on to deliver the shocking news that Claude suddenly lost his life in October 2016 shortly after his 29th birthday, just one week before he was scheduled to go into the recording studio to start proper work on his debut solo fiddle album. I’m afraid I can tell you no more, as there is simply no further information available (the mystery only deepens) – but suffice to say that on the evidence of this CD the world has been robbed of a significant musical talent, of that there is no question.
Claude came from a large musical family, with whom he had been performing regularly for many years. He’d been playing the fiddle since age 7; he also sang, and was proficient on the guitar and mandolin, while in latter days he’d also been learning clawhammer banjo. His early study of Irish fiddle technique was carried out under master fiddler Philippe Varlett, but, coming under the influence of Bruce Molsky in particular, he fairly soon swopped the bowstroke-driven emphasis of that tradition for the altogether freer expressivity of old-time Appalachian fiddling, and became a convert to, and eager advocate for, the sometimes obscure music of (sometimes equally obscure) source fiddlers from Kentucky and West Virginia; with an overwhelming evangelical zeal, he made this passion for the music into a lifetime mission. Early on, Claude had gotten well used to a musical life, since for several years he’d played and toured with the six-piece family string band The Martin Family Band and in recent years he was also developing a duo repertoire with guitarist Erica Snow as well as seeking funding to make his own solo album. By the fall of 2016, the kickstarter process had achieved the desired result, and a small team of collaborating artists including banjo ace Victor Furtado and guitarist Danny Knicely were lined up for the 11th October session. But, tragically, it was not to happen.
Fast-forward to earlier this year, when his family announced: “we decided we could not leave the album unfinished, and using the funds he had raised himself began compiling the tracks and contacting the artists he was going to collaborate with.” The local (Washington DC) community and various institutions gave their support, and a memorial concert was organised. And now, just a few months later, here’s the end-product, a full album which represents the family’s sincere effort to realise the vision Claude had for his solo project. In Claude’s own words: “The main goal of this project is to preserve and further the traditional Old Time Fiddle Music of Appalachia…I love this music, and through this CD I can only hope that some young fiddler will discover the same passion I have for this art.” The posthumously-released album, modestly yet over-plainly titled Old Time Fiddle, is to a large extent made up from practice recordings he’d taken of pieces considered for the project that were being prepared for the upcoming in-studio sessions; several of these utilise or emanate from informal home recordings originally unintended for public release. On two of these (Indian Ate A Woodchuck and Farewell To Trion), Claude’s basic fiddle tracks have been augmented with recordings made in the local studio at Patuxent Records by collaborators Victor and Danny; these two musicians also back Claude on the driving Railroading Through The Rockies, which turns out to be an unreleased in-studio recording from 2014. Claude’s vocal prowess is demonstrated on a thoughtful account of the traditional ballad Peggy-O, recorded back in 2013.
Two tracks feature accompaniment from family members: his mother Jeanan on guitar (the slightly mournful Ookpik Waltz) and sister Emily on mountain dulcimer (Ducks On The Pond – a clear favourite tune of Claude’s, which he attacks with relish and gusto). Three tracks deliver Claude in solo fiddling mode; these comprise the blistering, fiery and fearsome Barlow Knife, Claude’s own brief but intensely expressive instrumental piece The Divide, and the captivating Five Miles From Town, the latter cut showcasing his astounding, unerring mastery of those tricky disrupted rhythms of the “crooked tune”. A fourth solo track (his own original composition Hangman) finds him singing as well as playing both fiddle and guitar, and unashamedly parading his all-round musicianship and his stylistic versatility outwith the pure old-time tradition. The smoothness and elegance of Claude’s playing comes through on the steady-‘n-slow Farewell To Trion, but also in the easy, relaxed collaborations on the more familiar tunes like Growling Old Man and Indian Ate A Woodchuck. On every track, though, Claude’s immediacy and directness of musical expression conveys his deep understanding of old-time fiddle tradition and his gift for communicating and carrying it on.
Fine as this beautifully presented posthumous album release is, it would be a pity if Old Time Fiddle were Claude’s only available recorded legacy; the booklet notes mention in passing a 2009 Martin siblings’ trio album with Lydia and Emily, Ten Thousand Miles, and I understand Claude also appeared on the (I believe three) Martin Family records, but I’ve been unable to confirm the discography and neither Claude’s own website (www.claudemartinfiddle.com) nor the MFB’s website provide any clues as to availability (Claude’s site does however contain some dynamic live videos of Claude and friends). But at least you can obtain the Old Time Fiddle album through https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/claudemartin and streaming media.