Paul Epstein lives in West Virginia and plays in a contra dance band called the Contrarians. He has recorded some childrens' music and some original songs, but on The Strawberry Lass it is only his fiddle and guitar that sing. All the tunes are originals. They are double tracked so that Epstein's fiddle is backed by his own guitar, though sometimes the fiddle and guitar interplay.
Reminiscent of Welsh musician Sian Phillips, Epstein's fiddle voice is mellow and thick like honey rather than powdered sugar. While this path has a charm all its own, it cuts the effect of ornamental nuances. In addition, there's not the treble contrast of crisp e-string notes up on the high end. To my ear, the style is great for contra dances, fine for Epstein's dance tunes, but the airs seem to drag a bit. But maybe my ear has been turned too far by upscale Kaustinen fiddlers!
Epstein's arrangements and tunes show influences from traditional American, celtic, and jazz musics. There are several pretty compositions on the album. An air in the same style as "Ashokan Farewell" called "Appalachian Morning" begs memorization with its turns and strong melody. "Wild Ponies of Chincoteague," a mid-tempo celtic-jazz based tune, is also a winner. My favorites, though, are the dance tunes, which he might be more at home with, sporting titles like "Leapin' Liz," and "Hannah On the Mountain." For euro-folks, one composition, "Penina's Wedding" has a strong jazz-klezmer ambience, without really leaving behind Epstein's general style.
Much of the strength here lies in the compositions, making The Strawberry Lass a good choice for fiddlers looking for new tunes. But it is also an interesting CD for fiddle junkies of all types!
