Dot the Dragon’s Eyes (Cassel Records, 2013)
Hanneke Cassel has developed into a superb fiddler, composer and educator, specialized in various forms of roots music, including Celtic music from Scotland and Cape Breton as well as Texas-style fiddling.
On Dot the Dragon’s Eyes, Hanneke delivers a stellar performance with a mix of vibrant pieces and beautiful slow tempo compositions balancing the traditional with the contemporary . Many of the cuts include captivating interplay between Hanneke’s violin and various other guests who play a variety of bowed instruments. Musicians include cellist Rushad Eggleston, violist Jeremy Kittel , cellist Mike Block (her husband), and guitarist Keith Murphy. The album also showcases Aoife O’Donovan on vocals on the song “Religulous.”
Several of the tunes on the album were written by Hanneke for the weddings of friends and family members. “I feel like the danceability of a tune is helpful to making it feel traditional,” she says. “I think most of my tunes have that.”
Dot the Dragon’s Eyes is a perfect blend of traditional roots fiddle music and modern material. Hanneke Cassel is a gifted musician with a gracefully elegant style.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
