Rawhead & Bloodybones

The third in composer and artist Brian Harnetty's series of recording projects stemming from the Berea College Appalachian Sound Archives, Rawhead & Bloodybones combines samples of music and folk tales with live instruments. The historic archival recordings of children recounting folk tales were made by Leonard Roberts in the 1940s and '50s. The combination of the children's youthful voices and the often gruesome stories they tell offers a striking and dramatic contrast. These recordings, along with other archival samples from Berea, are woven into a larger musical world, with additional instrumental parts added as a counterpoint to the stories. Working closely with archivists, historians, musicians, and the families of those sampled, Rawhead & Bloodybones respectfully re-contextualizes traditional music and folk tales into a unique, beautiful, playful, and haunting whole. Six-panel foldout case.