DVD Review - Charlie Zahm

I’ve always had a bit of a weakness for folk music (as my CD/MP3 collection can attest). So when I heard of the latest DVD from Franklin Springs Family Media, Charlie Zahm: An Evening of Classic Melodies, I knew I couldn’t pass it up. Zahm is a talented musician and an exceptional vocalist with an absolutely unforgettable baritone.

This DVD is simply a recording of a concert he recorded in February of 2007 in the Milburn Stone Theater in North East, Maryland. Charlie handles most of the singing (with his wife supporting him at times) and leads on the guitar, penny whistle or bodhran. Playing behind him in this production are a fiddle, a guitar, a set of largely acoustic drums and an upright bass. Thus he has all the makings of a folk or celtic band.

Zahm plays a variety of Irish, Scottish, Canadian and American tunes including:

• Westering Home/Maid of Fyvie
• Poor Wayfaring Stranger
• All Through the Night
• Follow Me up to Carlow
• Loch Lomond
• Summer Rains
• Out on the Mira
• Mairi's Wedding/Mason's Apron
• Farewell to Nova Scotia
• Geordie
• Planxty Fanny Power/O'Carolon's Concerto
• Be Thou My Vision
• Minstrel Boy
• Sweet Virginia
• General Taylor
• Lighthouse on the Shore
• Scotland the Brave

The DVD clocks in at 98 minutes including a couple of features on Zahm. The concert itself is probably about an hour and a twenty minutes in length. Be sure to catch the “Making of a Song” feature where the band tries a new song (which is the Queensland variation of the tune for “Waltzing Matilda.” Sadly, that song did not make it into the concert.).

As a fan of folk music, I really enjoyed this production. I have watched it a couple of times and listened to it many more times than that. I’m glad to recommend it to you.

The DVD is available from Franklin Springs Family Media [2].