Article & photos by Nancy Brannon
The Historic DeSoto Foundation/DeSoto County Museum and the Time Traveler hosted a benefit “Catch Cabin Fever” concert on Sunday evening September 8, 2019, featuring the Kolodner Quarter, with Ken Kolodner, son Brad, Rachel Eddy, and Alex Lacquement. The concert was a fundraiser for the restoration of the Crumpler-Ferguson log cabin, which dates to the 1850s and is adjacent to the museum at 111 E. Commerce Street in Hernando, Mississippi.
DeSoto County Museum curator Robert Long was host for the evening’s concert. He told the audience, “It is one of the oldest existing examples of the dog-trot style of home.” Long said, “It is not the oldest building in DeSoto County, but it is one of the oldest.” The cabin has alternately served as a field hospital, Confederate soldier hideout, restaurant, and residence of some of the county’s earliest pioneers. The Crumpler-Ferguson Log Cabin was brought to its current location about two decades ago from its original location after being carefully dismantled and reassembled. It was last repaired in 2010 with re-chinking. Long said he hopes the see the repaired cabin become a center for historical displays and living history demonstrations.
Warm-up entertainment was provided by local folk guitarists Brian Blake and Tony Manart.
This concert was part of a weekend mid-south tour for the Kolodner Quartet. They played in Cherokee Village, Arkansas on Friday September 6; in Mountain View, Arkansas on Saturday September 7; and at the Benjamin Hooks Library in Memphis, Tenn. on Sunday afternoon September 8, before traveling to Hernando for the Sunday evening concert.
The core members of the Kolodner Quartet are father Ken Kolodner and son Brad Kolodner. Ken primarily plays fiddle and hammered dulcimer and son Brad plays clawhammer banjo. Rachel Eddy (on fiddle) and Alex Lacquement (on bass) make up the rest of the quartet. The group primarily plays traditional and old-time music, along with some of their own compositions, and they are based in Baltimore, Maryland.
In addition to the hammered dulcimer, Ken introduced a unique instrument to the audience: a hammered mbira. It blends the hammered dulcimer with an African instrument called the mbira, also known as a thumb piano, which comes from the Shona people of Zimbabwe. Ken says, “The hammered mbira is laid out like the hammered dulcimer, but has metal rods instead of strings. It is capable of a variety of tonal qualities depending on the kind of hammers used.” The hybrid instrument was invented by Don MacClane, and is featured on the song “Otter Creek” on their CD Swift House.
Contributions are still being sought, with a goal of $10,000, to pay for continued upkeep of the historic log cabin. To find out more about the DeSoto County Museum, visit: www.desotomuseum.org
Find more information about Ken and Brad Kolodner at: http://www.kenkolodner.com
Find out more about Rachel Eddy at: http://www.racheleddymusic.com/
Read more about Alex Lacquement at: https://www.alexlacquement.com/
The Historic DeSoto Foundation/DeSoto County Museum and the Time Traveler hosted a benefit “Catch Cabin Fever” concert on Sunday evening September 8, 2019, featuring the Kolodner Quarter, with Ken Kolodner, son Brad, Rachel Eddy, and Alex Lacquement. The concert was a fundraiser for the restoration of the Crumpler-Ferguson log cabin, which dates to the 1850s and is adjacent to the museum at 111 E. Commerce Street in Hernando, Mississippi.
DeSoto County Museum curator Robert Long was host for the evening’s concert. He told the audience, “It is one of the oldest existing examples of the dog-trot style of home.” Long said, “It is not the oldest building in DeSoto County, but it is one of the oldest.” The cabin has alternately served as a field hospital, Confederate soldier hideout, restaurant, and residence of some of the county’s earliest pioneers. The Crumpler-Ferguson Log Cabin was brought to its current location about two decades ago from its original location after being carefully dismantled and reassembled. It was last repaired in 2010 with re-chinking. Long said he hopes the see the repaired cabin become a center for historical displays and living history demonstrations.
Warm-up entertainment was provided by local folk guitarists Brian Blake and Tony Manart.
This concert was part of a weekend mid-south tour for the Kolodner Quartet. They played in Cherokee Village, Arkansas on Friday September 6; in Mountain View, Arkansas on Saturday September 7; and at the Benjamin Hooks Library in Memphis, Tenn. on Sunday afternoon September 8, before traveling to Hernando for the Sunday evening concert.
The core members of the Kolodner Quartet are father Ken Kolodner and son Brad Kolodner. Ken primarily plays fiddle and hammered dulcimer and son Brad plays clawhammer banjo. Rachel Eddy (on fiddle) and Alex Lacquement (on bass) make up the rest of the quartet. The group primarily plays traditional and old-time music, along with some of their own compositions, and they are based in Baltimore, Maryland.
In addition to the hammered dulcimer, Ken introduced a unique instrument to the audience: a hammered mbira. It blends the hammered dulcimer with an African instrument called the mbira, also known as a thumb piano, which comes from the Shona people of Zimbabwe. Ken says, “The hammered mbira is laid out like the hammered dulcimer, but has metal rods instead of strings. It is capable of a variety of tonal qualities depending on the kind of hammers used.” The hybrid instrument was invented by Don MacClane, and is featured on the song “Otter Creek” on their CD Swift House.
Contributions are still being sought, with a goal of $10,000, to pay for continued upkeep of the historic log cabin. To find out more about the DeSoto County Museum, visit: www.desotomuseum.org
Find more information about Ken and Brad Kolodner at: http://www.kenkolodner.com
Find out more about Rachel Eddy at: http://www.racheleddymusic.com/
Read more about Alex Lacquement at: https://www.alexlacquement.com/
