Veterans of tap mailing lists old and new may remember Kyle Wohlmut, touchstyle's most famous refugee. This American/Dutch linguist was a key player in both the SF bay tapping scene and the folk harp scene back in the mid to late 1990's.

In tapping, he was a Stick student of Bob Culbertson and had the chops to show for it. Before his mysterious dissapearance in 1997, he contributed often to our discussions and was always one of the most constructive posters around. I can remember how after one of his internet postings I changed my tuning (at his suggestion) and some other aspects of instrument setup which really improved my playing.

On the harp scene, he was known for his band The Telltale Harps, which played many a harp festival in northern California, back in the day.

I am happy to say that Wohlmut's art is back out from the shade and into the light of day, now that his new band called the Lazarus Harps has released its first CD, "Old Loves." This is a globespanning CD with plenty to offer for people who like their music eclectic. For a "harp record," it also has a lot to offer for us tapping geeks :)

Wohlmut, who currently lives in The Netherlands, plays acoustic folk harps, and electric harps made by Rüdiger Opperman. These electric harps lend themselves to processing and distortion, while still retaining a rich wood/metal tone. Check out the extra-terrestrial harp introduction to "Prince of Darkness" which sounds like wheelbarrow full of processed guitars resonating in harmony with each other.

Having established this cosmic harp sound at the core of the band, Wohlmut then surrounds himself with a spectacular cast of musicians from around the world. Let me introduce them...

Readers of this mailing list will be most intrigued by the Warr Guitar playing of the Czech tapper and bass player Jarmilla Bugosova. She clearly picked up a lot of Wohlmut's tappy chops. The opening track, which is a note for note cover of Smetena's "Vltava" features a rapid fire bass line on Warr as harps and flute sing overhead. "She's Late but she's timely" also features a Warr part that intertwines with the harps before coming out on top with a gorgeous solo with a tone that would make Trey Gunn drool.

But before I get into a track by track rundown, I should introduce the rest of the band. From Mongolia, there is fiddler Solongo Damdin. She plays the hutschirr, the traditional violin of the Gobi Desert dwelling people. Her traditional fiddle sound is truly effervescent, with a lighter, clearer tone than a western violin, but a sound that is still fuly compatible with western tunes like the Jazz standard "Prince of Darkness." Her violin sound is beautiful and distinctive without seeming exotic for the sake of being exotic. Damdin treads on her own turf, and brings Wohlmut along for the ride, in the traditional Mongolian medly termed "Gobi Dick Set."

Paul Espinoza contributes accordion to a South American flavored number called "Tense and Aspect 99" which no doubt makes reference to some Native South American linguistic concept that only Wohlmut could decipher! Another Latin flavored track is "Scherzino Mexicano."

"My Lagan Love" is one of several traditional Celtic numbers which are featured on the record. The haunting voice of Ines Caffier graces the melody over a harp and fretless bass accompaniment with jazz voicings. While other harpists may just give us an obligatory re-hash of the Irish classics, Wohlmut shows us here that he has something new to say in the genre.

"The Gift" is the only track with a rock backbeat, courtesy of drummer Mac Hine, and a very tasty Warr Guitar distorted solo from Jarmilla at the front of the mix. "The Ides of May" is a very moving and lyrical Wohlmut composition that features the rich, singing, viola of Jennifer Arnold (one of the few Americans on the record). The clean arrangement of this song, and the two harp solos "Canco Del Lladre" and "She Likes what I Do" are a nice contrast to the more orchestrated pieces.

To me the highlights of the record are the aforementioned "Prince of Darkness" and the closing number "Bridget Cruise Set" which, though from the book of O'Carolan, sounds like a natural Mongolian tune in this setting. Wohlmut's arrangement is simply a masterpiece, combining elements of rennaisance European harmony and lilting Chinese melody. Listening to it brings to mind Irish spice traders lost in the Gobi desert in the 10th century. Ever the comparitive linguist, Wohlmut closes out the album by showing us the universalism of music as a mother tongue to all that we use with which to speak.

If you are into harp and Warr guitar combinations (like Geist) or if you just like off beat eclectic music that slaps the face of convention - new age, major label, and otherwise - you'd dig this record. It is a harp record with some happy tapping, eastern fiddling, and a whole lot of attitude.

The album has extensive liner notes, with more information about some of the folk and other sources which, with Kyle's original compositions, make up the base material for the record.