Jerry Douglas and Stian Carstensen with presenter Fiona Talkington
Fiona Talkington pestered her Late Junction producers for years, to bring together Jerry Douglas and and Stian Carstensen. And now you can download their session. Here's what happened ...
It was the morning after the night before and nothing will ever be the same again. After years of hoping and dreaming, two fantastic musicians met each other for the first time and made glorious music: Jerry Douglas (described famously by Alison Krauss as 'the greatest dobro player the world has ever known') and Stian Carstensen - accordionist and banjo player, soloist, collaborator and member of the zany and wonderful Farmers Market.
Stian Carstensen's Accordian
My ‘matchmaking’ had started years ago when Jerry did a solo session for Late Junction and I mentioned Stian to him then. I’m not sure if, when I talked to Stian, he thought that dream would become reality but I never let go of the idea, bothering my producer colleagues regularly with the Jerry and Stian idea. Finally, amidst a flurry of texting before Christmas, there was a date in the diary, with Jerry over here to tour with Transatlantic Sessions and Stian touring with sax player Iain Ballamy.
When Jerry and Stian finally met, on the 8th floor of Broadcasting house, I began to wonder if we were going to get any music recorded at all. They both have a great sense of humour and are born storytellers. Maybe we were about to make a comedy show rather than a music programme?
Jerry Douglas' Dobro
Stian had brought his big Bugari accordion powered by melted down Russian ammunition parts (so he told me...), and there, on a chair, was Jerry’s stunning Paul Beard dobro complete with inlaid signature. As mics were set up and sound checks done, Stian and Jerry set off with a Cajun tune that was soon going off on many different tangents. Six hours later we’d laughed and cried and recorded five tunes ranging from the tear-jerkers to ones where we, on the other side of the glass, had stood open-mouthed by the sheer unbelievable brilliance of their playing.
The session was broadcast on Late Junction on 28th February and I’m daring to dream that these two lovely people and brilliant musicians will meet again, and I hope to be there when it happens. If you missed this session, you can download it here - and please tell your friends!
