Howard Marshall, fiddle, fretless and fretted banjo; Vivian Williams, fiddle, tambourine, sounding horn, jews harp; John Williams, fiddle, percussion; Phil Williams, mandolin, guitar The journals of the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-1806 frequently mention the fiddling of Peter Cruzatte and George Gibson, members of the Corps and the first fiddlers documented in the Pacific Northwest. The violins often were played for dancing at the end of a long day on the trail, and to entertain the Indians the Expedition encountered along the way. The tunes played were not listed in the journals, so we can only make and educated guess as to what they were. Research by champion Pacific Northwest fiddler and historian Vivian Williams, and by noted Missouri fiddler and historian Dr. Howard Marshall, uncovered many popular tunes of the era. Most are still performed for dancing to this day and are a part of the continuing fiddle and old-time dance heritage from Missouri to the Columbia River country. On this CD they are masterfully performed in old-time style on violins, fretless and retted banjo, mandolin, guitar, and percussion. Experience the fiddle dance music from America’s formative years! The Williams and Dr. Marshall presented many programs of this music during the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial celebrations under the auspices of Arts and Humanities Commissions, the National Park Service, and Historical Societies, and presented workshops of this music at national conventions. They are widely recognized as experts in the research and performance of traditional dance music of this period. The 16 page booklet with the CD contains many quotes from the Journals about the fiddling and dancing on the Expedition as well has histories of the tunes. The interpretations of this material are perfectly suited for these historical recreation. The arrangements are spare, as they must have been in 1804. Fiddle Tunes of the Lewis and Clark Era is a fascinating journey to the roots of American fiddle playing. (Sing Out!) This largely unexplored aspect of the Corps of Discovery is showcased in Voyager Recordings' compact disc, "Fiddle Tunes of the Lewis & Clark Era." The album's acoustic musicians are descendants of pioneer families from both ends of the expedition - Missouri fiddlers Marshal of Millersburg and John Williams of Madison, and Seattle residents Phil and Vivian Williams. Vivian Williams wrote the extensive historical liner notes with Marshall, University of Missouri-Columbia professor emeritus of art history and archeology...The spirited album includes two dozen lively reels, hornpipes, novelty songs and waltzes believed to have been in Cruzatte or Gibson's repertoire. (Martin Northway, Rural Missouri)