THE MINSTREL BANJO   In 1988 I read an article in the Banjo Newsletter by Scott Didlake describing his gourd banjos in particular and minstrel banjos in general. This peaked my interest since I had recently returned to playing Old-Timey music with my friend Harry. The obvious thing for me to do was to build an instrument and tune it a fourth low as was common before the Civil War. I never wanted to copy any of the older banjos. My aims were easy playability, a good sound and respectable volume. This led me to develop the instrument which appears on this recording.   Ken Bloom - December,1999
	THE BANJOFIDDLE   More than 10 years ago I visited Pat Conte's Secret Museum, then in Queens, where I discovered his banjo fiddle. Its haunting tone and unique design captivated me, though its great weight made it difficult for me to play. On a later trip I had Ken closely examine and measure it. During many subsequent band road trips we enthusiastically discussed how to properly construct such a beast. It seemed as though it would be a perfect accompaniment for Ken's minstrel banjo. Preliminary design was ended by Mr. Bloom's query of me, "What's your favorite dinosaur?" An exquisite anklysaurus carving now adorns my banjofiddle. With this recording we are delighted to allow you to hear this sonic pairing.   Harry Bolick - December,1999
	THE BOWED DULCIMER   In 1997 I was producing a CD by dulcimer maven Lois Hornbostle. Near the end of the project she requested that I play "some dulcimer". The only thing I could think of was to bow it. The instrument I used was a small one of her's. The tone was terrible but I thought that the idea held promise. I set about to design a dulcimer strictly for bowing. Conversations with Ralph Lee Smith (Dulcimer historian) had alerted me to the fact that many of the 19th century dulcimers were bowed. Though my early efforts were disappointing, I applied design ideas from the viola de gamba which produced the instrument which appears on this recording.   Ken Bloom - December,1999
	Ken Bloom is available for instrument building commissions. See his website