Andy Carlson, composer, violinist, fiddler and assistant professor of music at Denison, will debut his new CD, "Beyond Boundaries," in a concert set for 8 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 21) in Burke Recital Hall. The 12-song CD features a range of music including traditional old-time Appalachian, bluegrass, swing, blues, "new" grass, classical and contemporary acoustic. Carlson is accompanied on the CD by eight musicians including three who will join him at this concert, Michael Smith on mandolin, Casey Cook on guitar and Keith Morris on bass, all based in the Atlanta area. They will be joined by Denison professor of English Richard Hood on banjo for this recital.

The CD will be available for purchase following the performance and proceeds will benefit the Denison Suzuki Program scholarship fund.

Carlson joined the Denison faculty in 2000 and currently teaches violin and music history and directs the Baroque Orchestra. Carlson earned his bachelor and master of music degrees (1992 and 1994) at the University of Georgia and his doctorate (1999) in musical arts performance and pedagogy at the University of Iowa. He served as concertmaster of the University of Iowa's Symphony Orchestra and its Chamber Orchestra and organized the Baroque Orchestra at Denison.

In addition to his experience as a classical violinist, Carlson began learning traditional fiddle music from his grandfather at age 5. He has won numerous fiddle contests and has twice been named the Georgia State Champion Fiddler and also was named the 2000 Ohio Grand Champion Fiddler. As a studio musician and string arranger he has recorded for Warner Bros., Atlantic, Elektra and Polydor. Seven of the numbers on the "Beyond Boundaries" CD are his own compositions.

Cook, born into a bluegrass family, started playing bluegrass music very early in life. A skilled guitar flatpicker, Cook founded the Dappled Grays, a bluegrass and new acoustic quintet out of Atlanta, in 1999. The Dappled Grays have released one album, "In the Gait," and have shared the stage with national touring musicians including The Del McCoury Band, David Grier and Mike Compton. Featured in Flatpicking Guitar magazine, Cook is an entertainer at Stone Mountain Park.

Smith, musician from a young age, initially played electric guitar with numerous Atlanta-area bands including the Tomfoolery Band. In 1999 Smith took up the mandolin and joined Cook's bluegrass band Stop, Look and Listen. Smith now plays mandolin with The Dappled Grays, voted best bluegrass band in Atlanta by Creative Loafing magazine, and is an entertainer at Stone Mountain Park. He also teaches bluegrass mandolin and does occasional studio work.
Morris completed his bachelor and master degrees in music at the University of Georgia, where he studied double bass. Morris has performed with numerous southeastern symphonies including the Charleston (N.C.), Columbus (Ga.) and Macon (Ga.) Symphonies. He has a performance and recording background in many different musical genres including classical, rockabilly, swing, R&B, jazz, country, rock and bluegrass.

Hood, who earned his living playing bluegrass while he earned his doctorate in English, plays old-time acoustic music on a variety of instruments. He and Don Springer recorded a CD, "Bristol Brothers: Old Style." He also plays two-finger banjo for the old-time dance band, The Butterbeans. An authority on the history and techniques of southern mountain music, Hood's music has been used by filmmakers on a documentary about the Mississippi river flood of 1993. The Bristol Brothers CD also earned a reader's choice award from Country Beat magazine. Hood hosts regular bluegrass jam sessions at Denison's Slayter Hall on a weekday lunch hour.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575