recordings in natural caves

caveinspiredmusic.com
RECORDINGS IN NATURAL CAVES
UNITED STATES
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Blacktail Ranch Cave
Blacktail Ranch, Wolf Creek, Montana
RIC-US1 United States 2004
LIVE FROM THE SHAMAN’S CAVE *
RIC – Native American – Ethnic – New Age – Spoken Word – Vocal & Instrumental –
Recorded in Cave – Cave Pic Cover
Selections:
1. Awakening Flute – 0:27/ 2. SHAMAN’S CAVE INTRO – 0:53/ 3. Hanta Yo! (Intro) – 0:23/ 4. Hanta Yo! –
6:21/ 5. Welcome to Great Spirit (Intro) – 0:20/ 6. Welcome to Great Spirit – 4:38/ 7. Secret One (Intro) –
0:19/ 8. Secret One (Poem by Rumi & song by Zuleikha)– 3:23/ 9. Brothers and Sisters (Intro) – 0:19/ 10.
Brothers and Sisters – 7:37/ 11. Blessing the Land (Intro) – 0:25 12. Blessing the land – 3:27/ 13. Flute
Blessing – 0:23/ 14. ALTAR SONG (INTRO) – 0:24/ 15. Altar Song (Traditional) – 2:41/ 16. We Are
Ceremony (Intro) – 0:27/ 17. We Are Ceremony – 6:00/ 18. Vision Wise (Intro) – 0:34/ 19. Vision Wise –
7:34/ 20. Calling Love (Intro) – 0:13/ 21. Calling Love – 5:37/ 22. Women’s Healing Song (Intro) – 0:23/ 23.
Women’s Healing Song (Traditional) – 2:19/ 24. HEY NEY YA NAH (INTRO) – 0:22/ 25. Hey Ney Ya Nah –
2:50/ 26. Brooke’s Farewell – 0:34/ 27. Flute Farewell – 0:56
Comp: Brooke Edwards (Tks 12 & 21), Leslie Campbell (Tks 6, 17, & 19), Leah Wolfsong (Tk 4),
& Sandy Gunderson (Tk 10)
Nar: Brooke Medicine Eagle (Tks 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, & 26)
Perf: BROOKE MEDICINE EAGLE [aka. Brooke Edwards] (vocal)
(with flute & native drum)
Prod: Brooke Medicine Eagle
Prod. Co: (?)
Rec. Eng: Richard Kuschel
Time: (See above)
CD: LIVE FROM THE SHAMAN’S CAVE
Brooke Medicine Eagle 6985 (Tks 1 – 27)
Notes: Native American songs introduced and sung by
Brooke Medicine Eagle in this shaman cave in the
mountains of Montana. “Based in rural Montana,
Brooke Edwards, aka. Brooke Medicine Eagle, is a
veteran singer/songwriter who specializes in Native
American music. Though Medicine Eagle includes some traditional Native American songs in her
repertoire, she is not a purist when it comes to Native American music; some of her recordings have been
traditional, but many of her original songs could be described as modern Native American folk-rock — and
her albums have employed some world music instruments that aren't heard on totally traditional Native
American recordings (for example, Chinese bamboo flutes)… While Medicine Eagle isn't a new age artist
per se, her spiritual views have been influenced by the new age culture as well as Native American
spirituality.” (Henderson 2013) The liner notes say that she is of Crow, Lakota, Nez Perce, and European
descent.
For text of the Shaman’s Cave Introduction see under Spoken Word – Documentary – United States –
Shaman’s Cave Intro, etc. – SW-DOC-US9. Brooke Medicine Eagle provides short introductions to each
song or flute piece here, but only two of these relate to the cave.
Blacktail Ranch Cave is located on the south fork of the
Dearborn River – “Steps have been built to the first room, a
chamber about 10 feet in diameter… Several large rooms are
grouped near the entrance, but most of the cave consists of low
mud-filled crawlways. A total of 2,023 feet of passage has been
surveyed and an estimated 400 feet of passage still remains
unmapped… A short distance inside the entrance, bones and
artifacts of early man were discovered by the owner in 1948, and
pictographs are visible at the entrance. The age of the artifacts is
unknown, but they may be more than 5,000 years old. The cave
entrance was plugged with debris that had to be dug out before
entrance could be made.” (Campbell 1978) A museum at the
ranch has artifacts taken from the cave. The prehistoric
pictographs consist of one in red of the sun plus other symbols.
Brooke Edwards sings with a clear, high voice in English or Native American, sometimes solo or with native
drum backup and other times with flute either in accompaniment or as instrumental bridge. On WELCOME
TO GREAT SPIRIT she is accompanied by a bass drum, which overrides her in the mix. Usually when
Brooke sings with drum and shaker accompaniment her voice carries well, but the drum often resonates
too powerfully in the cave chamber. In her introduction to ALTAR SONG she says – “This song which was
heard at the grave site fifteen thousand years old is especially appropriate here in this cave of ancient
peoples. With this sacred song I honor all those beings who have ever been within this cave and all those
who have either sat or will sit in quiet ceremony around this shaman’s altar.” And in the intro to HEY NEY
YA NAH she says – “This free chant shared with a friend by Ute children is a favorite of mine to sing in the
vaulted chambers of this ceremonial cave. It represents a way to walk in the world, for beauty is our
business, beauty within and beauty without, beauty all around us.”
See also her cave-inspired music under World Music – United States – Native American – Ancestor Cave –
WD-US1)
Ref: Anon. 2013, Blacktail Ranch Story, Wolf Creek, Montana, blacktailranch
Azure, B. L. 2012, Stipn Culture Camp Journeys East of the Divide to Blacktail Ranch, Char-Koosta News, charkoosta
Blacktail Ranch Field School, Archaeological Institute of America, archaeological
Brooke Medicine Eagle, Live from the Shaman’s Cave CD, Amazon (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
Brooke Medicine Eagle, Live from the Shaman’s Cave CD, CDBaby (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
Campbell, Newell P. 1978, Caves of Montana, Bull. 105, Montana College of Mineral Science & Technology, Butte,
MT, p. 136-137
Henderson, Alex 2013, Brooke Medicine Eagle, Biography, Allmusic
Watson, Richard 2009, email dated Sept. 23, 2009, Missoula, MT
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Bristow Cave
Grassy Cove, Cumberland County, Tennessee
RIC-US2 United States 2005
LIVE FROM BRISTOW CAVE *
RIC – Country Rock – Vocal & Instrumental
Selections:
1. Delicious Descent – 3:50/ 2.Cemetery Tree – 4:41/ 3. Wooden Mile
Marker – 5:00/ 4. Serve and Deserve – 6:33/ 5. Bitch Wolf – 2:03/ 6. By
the Time This Car Is Paid For – 4:21/ 7. The Brown and the Green – 3:10
Perf: GOODBYE SONS
John Bristow (vocals, guitar, & mandolin)
Joshua Hall (banjo, accordion, xylophone, & harmonica)
Dave Sojka (guitar & mandolin)
Greg White (bass)
Christopher Miller (drums, percussion, & harmonica)
Prod. Co: Canaan Records; Waco, Texas
Time: (See above)
CD: LIVE FROM BRISTOW CAVE
John Bristow & Christopher Miller (No Cat. No.) (Tks 1 – 7)
Notes: This five-piece country rock band is centered in Grassy Cove, Tennessee, a mountain hamlet west
of Knoxville. “The group plays provocative contemporary rock, but with the instrumentation of traditional
southern music.” (Anon. 2005) They recorded this album in Bristow Cave on Halloween 2004.
The entrance of this undeveloped cave is 15 feet high and 50 feet wide and it opens into an impressive
room 80 ft. wide, 40 ft. high, and 300 ft. long. (Barr 1961)
The liner notes give more details – The band “invited friends and family to join them within the acoustical
marvel of Bristow Cave, a karst cavern located on the family farm, for a performance of the band’s latest
songs – music written specifically for this night and this setting. After the concept was hatched, the band
had barely a month to write and rehearse,… but the idea was to provide brand new material which would
highlight the aura and wonderment of this subterranean studio. The Band set up on a ledge overlooking the
creek that runs through the bottom of the cave, with no electricity – only torches and candles to see by. The
music was recorded live with a stereo mic running into a laptop, using one stereo track, incorporating the
natural echoing sounds of a cave into the recording – dripping water, falling stones, possibly even bat
wings. The result is a crisp recording that reflects a gamut of styles and moods, from gloomy lament to
symbols of love, from sociopolitical commentary to spiritual musings, even the tale of a haunted stretch of
highway.”
Ref: Anon. 2005, Album Notes, Live from Bristow Cave CD, CDBaby (◄AUDIO SAMPLE)
Anon. 2012, Grassy Cove, Tennessee, Geology, Wikipedia
Goodbye Sons, Live from Bristow Cave CD, Amazon (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
Barr, Thomas C. 1961, Caves of Tennessee, State of Tennessee, Division of Geology, Bull. 64, Nashville, TN, p. 139
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Carlsbad Caverns
Carlsbad, New Mexico
RIC-US3 United States 1999
Carlsbad Caverns - New Mexico –
Interior Sounds
Entrance to Bat Rookery
RIC – Bat Sounds
Prod. Co: Earth Ear; Santa Fe, NM
Rec. Eng: David Dunn
Liner Notes: (96-page book) Pages 67-72
Time: (Tk 29) 1:08; (Tk 30) 1:34
CD: WHY DO WHALES AND CHILDREN SING?
Label: Earth Ear (No Catalog No.) (Tks 29 & 30)
Notes: A charming book and CD
introducing people to sounds in
nature, which is “about coming to a better understanding of how we listen to things.”
Two of the four selections recorded at Carlsbad Caverns were made inside the
cave.
INTERIOR SOUNDS – Recorded deep inside the cave, we hear the sound of water
drops near and far, intermittent and regular. Also a sort of rushing sound which is
the bat colony. The short text that accompanies this selection says “only drips of
water are audible and sometimes the creaking of the cave walls.” Well, cave walls
don’t creak.
ENTRANCE TO BAT ROOKERY – The sound of water drops carries over into this
selection and we start to gradually hear the fluttering of bat wings in the cave. Dunn
writes – “… we can hear the wing motion of the bats as they fly through the
darkness above my head. We can barely discern the sounds of their high frequency chirps. Those sounds
are mostly out of the range of our hearing but once in awhile the pitch descends just into the upper limit of
what we can distinguish from the rushing sounds of flight.”
For more information on the bat recordings on this CD see under Spoken Word – Bats & Birds – United
States – Carlsbad Caverns.
Ref: Dunn, David 1999, Why Do Whales and Children Sing?, Earth Ear, p. 15, 22, 67-72, 90-91, & 96
Why Do Whales and Children Sing? CD, CDBaby
Why Do Whales and Children Sing? A Guide to Listening to Nature, earthear
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Echo Amphitheatre
Carson National Forest, Abiquiu, New Mexico
RIC-US4 West Germany 1984
ECHO CANYON *
RIC – Jazz – Instrumental – Cave Pic Cover
Selections:
Side One – 1. Echo Canyon – 6:44/ 2. O'Keeffe – 4:50/ 3. Ise – 5:33/ 4. Kamakura – 7:55/ 5. Land of
Enchantment – 5:43
Side Two – 1. Nocturne # 1 – 6:29/ 2. Ritual Distance – 6:54/ Nocturne # 2 – 4:44/ 4. Firebreath – 4:55
Comp: James NEWTON
Rts: Janew Music (ASCAP)
Perf: James NEWTON (C-flute, Bolivian woodflute,
& bass flute)
Prod: James Newton, Stephen Hill, & Echart Rahn
Prod. Co: Celestial Harmonies; Wilton, CT
Rec. Eng: Stephen Hill
Rec. Date: Sept. 5-7, 1984
Liner Notes: Stephen Hill
Time: (See above)
1. LP: ECHO CANYON
Celestial Harmonies CEL 012
12” 33rpm (Sides 1 & 2)
LP Cover of Echo Amphitheatre at Night
2. CD: ECHO CANYON (1991)
Celestial Harmonies 13012 (Tks 1 to 9)
Notes: These jazz flute pieces were all recorded on location in the New Mexican desert in a vast, shellshaped sandstone overhang cave, “over twenty stories high and more than a thousand feet wide.” Some
might not even consider this a cave because its width and height are greatly superior to its depth but, the
author field checked it and found the overhang sufficient to give the feeling of a huge shelter cave.
Stephen Hill writes in the liner notes – “At 7,000 feet elevation, sound travels one foot in a thousandth of a
second. It you clap your hands, you will hear two distinct echoes from the left and right about a quartersecond and a half-second from the original sound, followed by an enormous cloud of reverberation as the
impulse diffuses to the farthest reaches of the canyon. It is an intoxicating, amazingly beautiful sound
environment.”
Regarding the technical problems encountered during the recording he says – “There was no electricity
within four miles, so everything would have to be battery powered… The Sony digital equipment was easy
– we ran it from a BMW motorcycle battery… it became obvious that we would only be able to record at
night when the tourists were asleep and the traffic on the highway really was occasional. Even so, many
incredible tracks had to be scrapped due to the distant, threatening rumble/ roar of trucks.”
Ref: Echo Amphitheater, Abiquiu and Around, abiquiuandaround
James Newton, Biography, Wikipedia
James Newton, Echo Canyon CD, Amazon (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
James Newton, Echo Canyon CD, CDUniverse (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
James Newton, Echo Canyon LP, Discogs
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Fantastic Caverns
Springfield, Missouri
RIC-US5 United States 1970
THE FANTASTIC THRASHERS AT FANTASTIC CAVERNS *
RIC – Gospel – Popular – Choral – Cave Pic Cover
Selections:
Side One – 1. Daddy Sang Bass (Perkins) – 2:13/ 2. What a Wonderful Day (Moescheo) – 2:50/ 3. My
America (Goff) – 2:18/ 4. Jesus Is Coming Soon (Winsett) – 2:15/ 5. Keep on the Firing Line – 1:42/ 6. How
Great Thou Art (Hine) – 2:27
Side Two – 1. When We All Get to Heaven (Wilson) – 1:28/ 2. I Just Came to Talk with You, Lord (Rambo)
– 3:17/ 3. Our Land (Goff) – 2:01/ 4. I’m Saved (arr. Goff) – 1:29/ 5. He Looked Beyond My Fault (Rambo)
– 3:24/ 6. Where We Ever Shall Be (Goff) – 2:14
Perf: THE FANTASTIC THRASHERS
Randy McDaniel
Joe Thrasher
Jim Thrasher
Buddy Thrasher
Ellis Hill
Jerry Goff
Prod. Co: Canaan Records; Waco, Texas
Time: (See above)
LP: THE FANTASTIC THRASHERS AT FANTASTIC CAVERNS
Canaan CAS-9677-LP
12" 33rpm (stereo) (Sides 1 & 2)
Notes: The Thrashers are primarily a gospel-singing sextet but
there are some popular songs on this album. They are shown on the LP cover (from left to right as listed
above) standing in front of a massive column near the entrance of this show cave.
Further back in the cave is The Auditorium, reportedly 22,000 feet square, where a stage and a concrete
square dance floor were set up. For the NSS Convention in 1968 the campground was on the Fantastic
Caverns property. On the evening of August 21 a talk on the Hollöch System in Switzerland by Alfred Bögli
was held in The Auditorium followed by a Bar B-Q and a Costume Ball with Lloyd Evans and the
Farmarama Band playing country music. (Anon. 1968)
It was here that this concert was held in 1970. The liner notes describe the scene – “The underground
auditorium was packed and jammed. The dripping water, the underground river in the background, the
weird effect of the lights off moist stalagmites were all made to come alive by the sparkling sound of the
Thrashers. The successive echoes of the music throughout the caverns were superceded (sic) only by the
enthusiastic applause… During the performance, and much to the delight of the audience, the cameras
were grinding away making a film to be seen coast to coast on the syndicated television show ‘America
Sings.’ … The sound of the twin trumpets, the hollow deep reverb of the electric bass, the clatter of the
drums, the 20 fingers on the piano keyboard never sounded more graceful, more ecstatic, and more
captivating than the night they echoed through the rocks and formations of Fantastic Caverns.”
This “LP was named one of the top five gospel music albums of 1969 at the Gospel Music Association
awards ceremony.” (Anon. 1970)
Ref: Anon. 1968, Fantastic Caverns Sponsors Ball, NSS Conventiongram ’68, v. 1, n. 3, Springfield, MO, p. 1
Anon. 1970, Shepherd of Hills Farm to Issue 6 Promotion LP’s, Billboard, Sept. 5, 1970, p. 63, google.fr
Canaan Records, Discography, Wikipedia
Fantastic Caverns, Data, Wikipedia
Fantastic Caverns, Home site, fantasticcaverns
The Fantastic Thrashers at Fantastic Caverns LP, Amazon
The Fantastic Thrashers at Fantastic Caverns LP, worldcat
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Fern Grotto
Wailua River, Kauai, Hawaiian Islands
RIC-US6 Hawaiian Islands ca.Mid 1950s
SUNG IN THE WAILUA RIVER FERN GROTTO *
RIC – Spoken Word – World – Vocal & Instrumental
Comp: (Traditional)
Nar: (?)
Perf: SINGING DRIVER-GUIDES
OF ACHORS’
GRAY LINE – Kauai Motor Tours
Prod Co: Gray Line
Rec. Co: Associated Recorders Ltd.; Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands
Time: (Intro – 0:52) & (Song – 3:48)
EP: YOUR TRIP TO KAUAI
Gray Line FB-2614
7" 45rpm (EP) (Side 2 only)
Notes: Numerous maidenhair ferns hang down from the ceiling of this deep, wide shelter cave creating a
romantic setting in the dense jungle. During the Hawaiian folk concerts, the audience stands in the cave
while the musicians, singers, and dancers perform out under the trees on the flat ground facing the cave
flanked on either side by high cliffs. This cave could be considered more than a mere shelter cave for a
crawlway at the back end goes for over three meters into the dark zone.
A mixed choral group performs this song with the male voices in the foreground and a soprano female
voice in the background. This side two allegedly was recorded in and near this renowned shelter cave, but
it could just as easily been recorded in a studio using sound and echo effects.
For the spoken introduction see under Spoken Word – Documentary – United States – Sung in the Wailua
River Fern Grotto – SW-DOC-US12 .
Given the cardboard EP cover and the general presentation, this record was dated to the mid-1950s. At
that time Hawaii was still a territory as it only became a state in 1959. The Gray Line Tours of Wailua River
still existed in 2010, but the Kauai Motor Tours has disappeared.
Ref: Fern Grotto Tour, Kauai Activity Center, kauaiactivitycenter
Gurnee, Russell & Jeanne 1980, Gurnee Guide to American Caves, Zephyrus Press Inc., Teaneck, NJ, p. 72
Singing Drivers’ Guides to Anchors’ Gray Line, The Kauai Motor Tours 45, Discogs
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RIC-US7 United States ca.1960s
KAUAI'S FERN GROTTO SINGERS *
RIC – World – Vocal & Instrumental – Cave Pic Cover
Selections:
Side One – 1. Ke Kali Nei Au (The Wedding Song) – 2:54/ 2. Nani Wale Lihue
Side Two – 1. Lei Aloha Lei Makamae/ 2. He U'I Maoli No
Comp: C. KING
Perf: (Sd 1a & 2a) LANI JIM & Ili WAALANI (vocals)
(Sd 1b) KAUAI'S FERN GROTTO SINGERS
(female choral group)
(Sd 2b) Vickie RODRIGUES, LANI JIM, & Annie HOLT
Prod: Tommy Kearns
Prod. Co: Waikiki Records Co.; Honolulu
Rec. Co: Waikiki Records Co.; Kauai
Time: (?)
1. EP: KAUAI'S FERN GROTTO SINGERS
Waikiki EP-601
7" 45rpm (EP) (Sides 1 & 2)
2. Reissue (The Wedding Song) on Compilation LP: HAWAII’S SUNSET MELODIES (1965)
Waikiki (?)
12” 33rpm (Sd 2 – Bd 7)
3. Reissue (The Wedding Song) on Compilation CD: HAWAII’S SUNSET MELODIES (1996)
Waikiki 332 (Tk 13)
Notes: When the concerts are given at the Fern Grotto the audience stands under this large shelter cave
overhung with luxuriant ferns while the singers and choral groups perform out under the trees on the flat
ground facing the cave flanked on either side by high cliffs.
But the liner notes clearly state that – "The perfect tones from the songs are reflected from the lush dome
of the fern grotto," and the cover says that the disc was “recorded at Kauai,” which all seems to indicate
that these songs were recorded at the cave site and not in a studio.
Ref: Kauai’s Fern Grotto Singers, The Wedding Song, Discogs
Hawaii’s Sunset Melodies CD, Allmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLE)
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RIC-US8 United States ca.1960s
THE FERN GROTTO *
THE WEDDING SONG
MAMA AKUA LONO *
RIC – World – Vocal & Instrumental – Spoken Word – Cave Pic Cover
Comp: (Traditional)
Nar: Walter SMITH Sr.
Perf: SMITH FAMILY FERN GROTTO SINGERS
Prod: Tommy Kearns
Prod. Co: Sounds of Hawaii Inc.; Honolulu, Hawaii
Time: 0:37; 3:55; & 1:37
LP: SAILING ALONG THE WAILUA RIVER
Sounds of Hawaii LPS 100 (Gatefold cover)
12” 33rpm (Side 1 – Bds 1 to 3)
Notes: The first selections start with Captain Walter Smith briefly describing the scene at Fern Grotto and
introducing the famous Hawaiian song – “Now with the help of Nature’s acoustics members of the Smith
family will sing for you The Hawaiian Wedding Song – Ke Kali Neu Au.” The song is followed with what
sounds like canned applause and then Captain Smith returns, this time with his voice in an echo chamber
so as to sound like he is in the cave, to tell about the traditions associated with this cave.
See under Spoken Word – Documentary – United States – The Fern Grotto – SW-DOC-US5.
Ref: Anon. 2010, Smith’s Fern Grotto Tours, Wailua River, smithskauai
A Collection of Exotic Albums, rateyourmusic
Captain Walter Smith Sr., Sailing along the Wailua River LP, Discogs
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Great Saltpeter Cave
Mount Vernon, Kentucky
RIC-US9 United States 2001
DRUMMING INSIDE MOTHER EARTH *
RIC – World Fusion – Percussion – Experimental – Instrumental
Selections:
1. Drums for Spirits – 3:32/ 2. Clockish – 4:05/ 3. An Interesting Fonga –
4:29/ 4. Just Getting’ Started – 4:22/ 5. Big Stomp – 4:51/ 6.
Whippoorwill – 4:08/ 7. Instant Success – 3:08/ 8. Yee Haw – 5:50/ 9.
Clueless – 3:19/ 10. Mother’s Heartbeat – 5:56/ 11. Ceremony – 5:05/
12. Release the Night – 4:58
Comp: (?)
Perf: MOTHERDRUM
Hazen Frick (drums)
Juan Ortiz (drums)
Billy Sprague (drums)
Prod Co: Allan Hays Co.
Time: (See above)
CD: DRUMMING INSIDE MOTHER EARTH
Allan Hays (No Cat. No.) (Tks 1 to 12)
LP: DRUMMING INSIDE MOTHER EARTH
Allan Hays (No Cat. No.)
12” 33rpm (Sides 1 & 2)
Notes: An entire concert of tribal drum and percussion music recorded unrehearsed and live in the Great
Saltpeter Cave near Mount Vernon, Kentucky. “The cave’s existence was first documented in 1789 and
reported to president Thomas Jefferson in 1805. It was used mostly for mining the ingredients for
gunpowder. The cave in recent years has been used for barn dances with several unsuccessful attempts at
creating a commercial venture. MotherDrum began as a small group of people drumming beneath the
Discovery Bridge in Columbus, Ohio. The bridge’s reverberation led the group to search for another sight,
ultimately leading to the cave and its unexplored revelations.” (Diliberto n.d.)
“The project evolved from a series of spiritual retreats, featuring as many as 30 people drumming together
by candlelight in the great Echo Auditorium inside the cave. There were three gatherings in all; each one
was recorded for historic preservation.” (Anon. n.d.)
The photo of Echo Auditorium is by Nathan Williams, 2005.
One critic was not too impressed by this effort – “Drumming
Inside Mother Earth is either an incredibly moving, spiritual
experience or tacky hippie experiment. Individual
biographies are not included, so it is unclear what sort of
percussion expertise each "musician" has… Fractured
beats, inconsistent rhythms, as well as lame, repetitious
pounding all echoing around a large cavern could either
describe the latest industrial entry from Einstürzende
Neubauten or this disc. The real star of the album is the
Great Saltpeter Cave itself, a natural instrument that
deserves to be played by more accomplished musicians.” (Collar 2013)
The liner notes give a short history of the Great Saltpeter Cave telling of the mining of saltpeter, the use of
the cave for the Renfro Valley Barn Dances, and the 1989 private purchase of the cave followed by
management by the NSS (National Speleological Society) Greater Cincinnati Grotto.
Ref: Anon. n.d., MotherDrum, Home Website, motherdrum & motherdrum
Collar, Matt 2013, Review, Drumming inside Mother Earth LP, AllMusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
Diliberto, Chuck n.d., Music Reviews, awarenessmag
Great Saltpeter Cave, Info, Wikipedia
Great Saltpeter Preserve, The Rockcastle Karst Conservancy, caves.org
MotherDrum, Drumming inside Mother Earth CD, CDUniverse (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
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RIC-US10
United States 2003
MOTHER’S HEARTBEAT
NA – World Fusion – Percussion – Instrumental
Selections:
1. Cadence – 5:38/ 2. The Summoning – 5:32/ 3. Tribal Gathering –
6:13/ 4. ECHO AUDITORIUM – 4:01/ 5. A Faraway Place – 2:06/ 6.
Nada (Universal Heartbeat) – 3:35/ 7. Medicine Wheel – 4:32/ 8.
Midsummer – 3:39/ 9. Trance Dance – 8:22/ 10. The Journey – 3:08/
11. Widdershins – 7:09
Comp: (?)
Perf: MOTHERDRUM
Hazen Frick (drums)
Juan Ortiz (drums)
Billy Sprague (drums)
Prod Co: Allan Hays Co.
Time: (See above)
CD: MOTHER’S HEARTHBEAT
Motherdrum 2
(Tks 1 to 11)
Notes: Other live performances in the Echo Auditorium by this percussion group. Presumably this is a
supplementary album to the previous one, using unreleased pieces that were recorded earlier.
“With the exception of some haunting flute melodies [Tracks 3, 7, 8, 10, & 11], the album is almost solely
percussion, and Motherdrum's shifting rhythms, accents, and emphasis on repetition is alluring.” (Rovi
2013)
Track 4 is dedicated to and inspired by the Echo Auditorium in the Great Saltpeter Cave (for more
information see under New Age Music – Echo Auditorium).
Ref: MotherDrum, Home Website, motherdrum
MotherDrum, Mother’s Heartbeat CD, CDBaby (◄4 AUDIO SAMPLES)
Rovi 2013, MotherDrum, Mother’s Heartbeat CD, Allmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
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Longhorn Cavern
Burnet, Texas
RIC-US11 United States 2004
LIVE AT LONGHORN CAVERN *
RIC – Country – Bluegrass – Vocal & Instrumental – Cave Pic Cover
Selections:
1. Where the Water Must Go – 3:59/ 2. Your Valentine (with Kelly Jo Pichon) – 4:32/ 3. Something
Borrowed and Blue – 4:34/ 4. Whirlaway – 4:20/ 5. Lost Angel Wings – 6:23/ 6. Momma – 2:47/ 7. Holding
On and Letting Go – 4:25/ 8. Is That You – 3:20/ 9. Concrete Cowgirls – 4:20/ 10. A Kiss and That’s All –
3:26/ 11. Unbroken Man – 4:30/ 12. Last Thing On My Mind (Tom Paxton) – 4:03
Comp: Alton Rex (Unless noted)
Perf: Alton REX (lead vocal & guitar)
Steven Doster (lead guitar)
Chris Beirne (Dobro guitar)
Chico Oropeza (mandolin & harmony vocal)
Lee Duffy (harmony vocal)
Prod: Stephen Doster
Prod. Co: Laughing Boy Records; Austin, TX
Rec. Co: Crystal Fire Studios; Austin, TX
Rec. Eng: Harry Roberts
Rec. Date: March 27, 2004
Time: (See above)
CD: LIVE AT LONGHORN CAVERN
Laughing Boy (No Catalog No.) (Tks 1 – 12)
Notes: An entire album of mostly slow-paced songs written by Alton Rex and recorded live with his country
music band in the “main chamber” of this Texas show cave. The audience applauds after each number. At
the end of the second song Rex takes time to explain – “I’ve been doing this simple sounds concert series
since last May of last year and when I got the idea to do a live record I realized that this was the place to do
it because you won’t have to have a live PA [public address speaker system] in the room to fight with on
the recording side of things. Also we’re gonna…we’re not using any reverb in the recording tonight, we’re
gonna get the ambient sound of the cave, the part of it that’s recording.” He then proceeds to introduce the
other musicians.
“Four of Rex’s favorite pickers join him for this performance and the cavern quickly becomes the sixth
instrument. The music is a continuation of Rex’s writing skills.” (Anon. n.d.)
A "speakeasy" nightclub with dancing and a live orchestra was operated here during the Prohibition days of
the 1920s in that part of the cave, which is now called the Lunch Room. It became a popular nightspot for
the residents of the Llano-Burnet area. The old entrance, which was sealed in 1935, provided access
directly into the Indian Council Room, which adjoins the Lunch Room. A large wooden dance floor occupied
most of the room, which is 18 meters long and 12m wide with a ceiling height varying between 7 to 9
meters. (Matthews 1963) An old photo shows the orchestra installed in a slightly higher wall niche. The
“main chamber” mentioned by Alton Rex as the venue for the concert was probable the old Lunch Room.
Ref: Alton Rex, Where the Water Must Go, from Live at Longhorn Cavern CD, altonrex (◄COMPLETE AUDIO
SAMPLE)
Anon. n. d., Alton Rex, Live at Longhorn Cavern CD, mytexasmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
Longhorn Cavern State Park, Texas Parks & Wildlife, state.tx
Longhorn Cavern State Park, Info, Wikipedia
Matthews, William III 1963, The Geologic Story of Longhorn Cavern, Bureau of Economic Geology, Guidebook 4,
Austin, TX, p. 4, 6, 33-34
McCorkle, Rob 2004, A Cave with a Past; TPW Magazine, Dec. 2004, tpwmagazine
_____________________________________________________
Lost River Caverns
Hellertown, Pennsylvania
RIC-US12 United States 2005
LOST CAVE *
RIC – Folk – Celtic – Old Time – Blues – Ragtime – Vocal & Instrumental
Selections:
1. Dark River – 1:46/ 2. Cold Frosty Morning – 6:34/ 3. The Water Is Wide – 2:59/ 4. LOST RIVER RAG –
3:39/ 5. Sister Bay Hambo (Gerhard Bernhard) – 3:27/ 6. Haste to the Wedding/ The Joys of Wedlock –
4:34/ 7. Give Me Your Hand (Ruainn Dall O’Catháin) – 4:42/ 8. Mairi’s Wedding – 2:43/ 9. The Athol
Highlander – 3:14/ 10. Carolan’s Welcome (Turlough O’Carolan) / Timour the Tarter – 5:47/ 11. Fine Spring
Day (Cliff Cole) – 0:35/ 12. Morpeth Rant (William Shield) – 2:14/ 13. Oh, Shenandoah – 1:50/ 14. Wet
Rainy Day at the Faire (A.J. Bashore) – 2:42/ 15. Deep River Blues – 4:00/ 16. Woody’s Rag (Woody
Guthrie) – 2:01/ 17. The Chrysanthemum (Scott Joplin) – 5:07/ 18. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and
Burning – 3:32/ 19. La Valse pour les Jeunes Filles – 4:24
Comp: (As noted)
Perf: DAYBREAK
Cliff Cole (vocals, guitar, & hammered dulcimer)
Anna Lisa Yoder (violin, bouzouki, & mandolin)
Rob Yoder (vocals, concertina, bouzouki,
harp, guitar, & bass recorder)
Trudy Yoder (cello & vocals)
Emily Cole (vocals & tin whistle)
Lydia Yoder (violin, mandolin, djembe, & bodhrán)
Seth Yoder (hammered dulcimer)
A.J. Bashore II (Appalachian mountain dulcimer)
Rob Fedorczyk (Dobro guitar)
Prod. Co: Daybreak Records
Rec. Co: Morningstar Studios
Rec. Eng: Dave Schonauer & Glenn Barratt
Rec. Date: April-May 2005
Time: (See above)
CD: LOST RIVER CAVERNS – “LOST CAVE”
Daybreak 1345
(Tks 1 – 19)
Notes: To commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the cave opening to the public, the owner of the cave
asked this family group to come and record in the cave.
This show cave was first discovered during quarrying operations in 1883 and "the earliest use of the cave
was for dancing on summer nights." A small dance platform was "built in a wide room 200 feet from the
entrance, and the low temperature, 50° F, made its use enjoyable and attracted many people before the
turn of the century." (Stone, 1953) Around 1900 a trolley company developed it as a dance hall. (Uhl, 1984)
Then in 1930 “the property was bought by E.C. Gilman, who excavated the entrance and made
improvements.” (Gurnee 1980) The Daybreak musicians had played for the wedding of Beverly (Gilman)
Rosewicz in 1990 so it was she who asked them to come again.
In April and May 2005 two recording sessions were held in the cave. The Daybreak Web site tells the story
– “We played our music throughout the night after the cave was closed. As we played, our engineer, Dave
Schonauer, recorded it all from the cave entrance. We ran a cable snake 300 feet down into the cavern for
all our inputs.” For the other session “Our good friend A.J. Bashore II started off session 2 with a mountain
dulcimer solo tune. Then he joined with the rest of us to form a 7-piece ensemble... We again played our
music late into the night while our engineer Glenn Barratt [shown behind his console in the cave] captured
it all. Our children did a great job of staying focused even when it was far past their bedtimes.” (Anon.
2012)
Some interesting information about certain tracks –
1. DARK RIVER – A solo bass recorder piece mimicking the sound of a Native American flute. Rob Yoder
used the cave’s natural phreatic tubes as a resonant sound chamber.
4. LOST RIVER RAG – Cliff Cole’s own three-part ragtime piece written especially for Lost River Caverns.
(See under World Music – United States – Lost River Rag – WD-US7)
14. WET RAINY DAY AT THE FAIRE – “This four-part jig melody is played only on the melody strings with
ample use of traditional drones. Listen for the musical drips in this sweet, soggy piece.”
18. KEEP YOUR LAMPS TRIMMED AND BURNING – Good advice for an old time caver or a cave guide
of old. Rob Yoder learned this finger-style guitar piece from guitarist and teacher Eric Logosch.
The cover photo used a photo of the musicians, dressed in period outfits, and laid it over an old photo of
the main office building taken in 1948. The back cover and the CD label show two different old photos of
people going into the cave entrance building while nearby stands a 1930s-style boxy truck with the old
name of the cave, “Lost Cave,” painted on its side.
Ref: Anon. 2005, Lost Cave CD, CDBaby (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
Anon. 2012, Daybreak, The Lost Cave Sessions & Photos, daybreakfolk & Info on Lost Cave CD, daybreakfolk
Daybreak, Lost Cave CD, Allmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
Gurnee, Russell & Jeanne 1980, Gurnee Guide to American Caves, Zephyrus Press Inc., Teaneck, NJ, p. 177-178
Lost River Caverns, Home Site, lostcave
Lost River Caverns, Info, showcaves
Stone, Ralph W. 1953, Commercial Caves of Pennsylvania, The American Caver, Bull. 15, National Speleological
Society, p. 45
Uhl, Jeff 1984, (Article), Pack Rat Scat, Summer 1984; Mentioned in Mike Dyas Digest, NSS News, v. 43, n. 1, Jan.
1984, p. 9
_____________________________________________________
Luray Caverns
Luray, Virginia
THE GREAT STALACPIPE ORGAN
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
These records deserve a very special place in this speleo-discography for here the
musical instrument is the cave itself. Because of this, the stalacpipe organ, an electrically
actuated lithophone, has been dubbed the “world’s largest musical instrument.” It was designed in
1956 by Leland Sprinkle who spent three years to harness electronically a series of 37 specially
selected stalactites and draperies in an area around the Ball Room of Luray Caverns. The photo
by M. Lachovitch shows Sprinkle testing a stalactite for pitch.
Unfortunately for the conservation of the cave, individual
stalactites were ground down to give the proper pitch and then
rigged with a rubber-tipped, solenoid-actuated mallet device. The
organ can be played manually on a console with four keyboards,
a pedal board, and a versatile set of couplers that allow for a
wide range of effects. It can also be operated automatically by a
specially perforated plastic belt mechanism similar to the system
used in antique music boxes. The
listener is actually standing inside
the instrument to hear it play.
Occasionally, this "stone music" is
complimented by the plip-plop of dripping water.
Regarding the first experiments in speleothem percussion
music or speleolithophonic music in Luray Caverns, we are told
that – “The first time Andrew Campbell [co-discover of the cave in
1878] visited the cave beyond Muddy Lake he had tapped out a
tune on it [the Saracen’s Tent drapery]. The Organ soon became a popular part of the tour. In
honor of the Major [Brand] and Dr. [Horace C.] Hovey the
selections for this visit included ‘Yankee Doodle’ and ‘My
Maryland.’ “ (Gurnee 1978) This old photo by J. D.
Strickler showing two cave guides tapping out a tune was
issued in a series of postcards ca.1906.
“By the early 20th century, performances of folk
tunes, hymns, and other well-known pieces were a regular
part of guided tours. According to the modern guided tour,
Sprinkle is said to have conceived the idea for the Great
Stalacpipe Organ during one of these performances when
he toured Luray Caverns on his son's birthday in 1954.” (Anon. 2012)
Ref: Anon. 2012, The Great Stalacpipe Organ, Wikipedia
Anon., Underground Rock 'N' Roll, Mechanics Illustrated, Dec. 1957, p. 74
Anon., Cavern Console, Travel, Dec. 1957, p. 17
Cavedo, Kermit B. n.d., The Great Stalacpipe Organ (Press Release), Luray, VA, 7p.
The Great Stalacpipe Organ in the Beautiful Caverns of Luray (Brochure), Luray, VA, 7p.
Gurnee, Russell H. 1978, Discovery of Luray Caverns, Virginia, R. H. Gurnee Inc., Closter, NJ, p. 69, 77
Luray Caverns, Info, Wikipedia
Luray Caverns, Stalacpipe Organ, Home Site, luraycaverns
Nichols, Mark, Cathedral in A Cave, Coronet, Apr.1958, p. 43
Wood, F. Dorothy, The Organ That Plays Stalactites, Popular Mechanics, Sept. 1957, p.128-131, 242, 244
________________________________
RIC-US13 United States ca.Early1960s
THE GREAT STALACPIPE ORGAN *
RIC – Classical – Religious Hymn – Popular – Speleolithophonic – Instrumental – Spoken Word – Cave Pic Cover
Selections:
Side One – 1. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (Luther)/ 2. Beautiful Dreamer (Foster)/ 3. Believe Me, If All
Those Endearing Young Charms (Irish air)/ 4. America (Carey)
Side Two – 1. Prelude in A (Chopin)/ 2. Minuet in A (Boccherini)/ 3. Dance of the Blessed Spirits (Gluck)
Arr: L. Sprinkle & C.T. Chapman
Nar: John BATCHELDER
Perf: Leland W. SPRINKLE (stalacpipe organ)
Prod. Co: Luray Caverns; Virginia
Rec. Eng: Whitford L. Hall
Liner Notes: Dorothy & Francis E. Wood
Time: (?)
1. EP: THE GREAT STALACPIPE ORGAN
(No label) LC 200 (mono)
2. Second Edition EP: THE GREAT STALACPIPE ORGAN
(No label) LC 200 (mono)
3. Reissue EP: (Same title) (ca. Mid1970s)
(No label) LC 200 (mono)
Spec: (Nos. 1 & 2) 7" 45rpm (EP) (Sides 1 & 2)
(No. 3) 7" 33rpm (EP) (Sides 1 & 2)
Notes: Among the seven musical selections on this record, which were created live during a performance
of the organ, the one that comes across best is the first, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." It displays well the
deep tonal range of the instrument whereas some of the other pieces seem to emerge as nothing more
than tinkling, monotone sounds. The hesitations between each note might have been necessary due to the
acoustics of the cave chamber. If the notes followed too closely on each other, echoes would start to build
up and an unpleasant muddled effect would result. This "muddy" effect can be noticed in a few spots where
the tempo was increased.
For the spoken introduction see under Spoken Word – Documentary – United States – the Great
Stalacpipe Organ – SW-DOC-US2)
The only difference between the original and the reissue EP, other than the different cover photo, is the
turntable speed. The first plays at 45rpm and the second at 33rpm.
Part of the introduction and the first selection, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," was included in the NSS
Audio-Visual Aids program, "Caves on Phonograph Records" which I had first presented at the 1967 NSS
Convention held in Huntsville and Birmingham, Alabama.
Ref: Anon. 2012, The Great Stalacpipe Organ, Wikipedia
Leland W. Sprinkle & John Batchelder, The Great Stalacpipe Organ, Discogs
________________________________
RIC-US14 United States ca.1980s
THE GREAT STALACPIPE ORGAN *
RIC – Classical – Religious Hymn – Popular – Speleolithophonic – Instrumental – Cave Pic Cover
Selections:
Side One – 1. Shenandoah (Trad.)/ 2. Gloria (French carol)/ 3. The Old Rugged Cross (Bennard)/ 4.
Beautiful Dreamer (Foster)
Side Two – 1. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (Luther)/ 2. Silent Night, Holy Night (Gruber)/ 3. America the
Beautiful (Ward)/ 4. Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms (Irish air)/ 5. God Be with You Till
We Meet Again (Tomer)
Arr: Leland W. Sprinkle
Perf: Leland W. SPRINKLE (stalacpipe organ)
Prod. Co: Luray Caverns; Virginia
Rec. Eng: Grafton Campbell
Liner Notes: Dorothy & Francis E. Wood
Time: (?)
EP: THE GREAT STALACPIPE ORGAN [Second edition]
(No label) X-459311 & 12 (stereo)
7" 33rpm (EP) (Sides 1 & 2)
Notes: This is a second, different edition EP of re-recordings of the
stalacpipe organ in Luray Caverns. Three of the more successful
tunes from the first album were re-recorded here in stereo and six
additional melodies were performed.
A different recording engineer worked here and coincidently his
name was Campbell. The Campbell family of Luray have owned and
operated this cave for generations since the cave was first
discovered and explored by Andrew & William Campbell and Benton Stebbins in 1878. (Gurnee 1978)
The liner notes, apart from a few words about recording in stereo, are identical to those on the first album.
Ref: Gurnee, Russell H. 1978, Discovery of Luray Caverns, Virginia, R.H. Gurnee Inc., Closter, NJ, p. 20-24
Stalacpipe – Unofficial Chronicle of the World’s Largest Musical Instrument, stalacpipe.net
________________________________
RIC-US15 United States 2001
MIDNIGHT IN THE CAVERNS *
RIC – Classical – Religious Hymn – Folk – Popular – Speleolithophonic – Instrumental – Cave Pic Cover
Selections:
1. Shenandoah – 2:37/ 2. Danny Boy – 3:36/ 3. Amazing Grace – 3:09/ 4. Red River Valley – 3:06/ 5.
America the Beautiful – 3:03/ 6. Eternal Father – 2:57/ 7. Prelude in C Minor (Chopin) – 2:00/ 8. Moonlight
Sonata (Beethoven) – 6:55/ 9. Träumerei [Reverie] (Schumann) – 3:41/ 10. Greensleeves – 3:06/ 11.
Pastoral Symphony (Händel) – 4:27/ 12. Für Elise (Beethoven) – 3:34/ 13. Simple Gifts – 2:41/ 14. Silent
Night – 3:27/ 15. Four of the Musical Clocks (Hayden) – 5:38/ 16. Beautiful Dreamer – 2:55/ 17. Prelude in
A Major (Chopin) – 3:03
Arr: Monte Maxwell
Perf: Monte MAXWELL (stalacpipe organ)
Prod: Christopher Brownfield
Prod. Co:
Rec. Eng: Christopher Brownfield
Liner Notes: Christopher Brownfield
Time: (See above) Total: 60:00
CD: MIDNIGHT IN THE CAVERNS WITH MONTE
MAXWELL
Monte Maxwell (No Cat. No.) (Tks 1 to 17)
Notes: The third recording of music played on the stalacpipe organ in this show cave. However, this album
“was produced via sampling; the tracks on this release are the result of using a synthesizer to create each
song from the original samples [recorded in the cave]. (Anon. 2012) Throughout the recording the sounds
of water drops in the cave are far too prominent in the mix, but, on occasion, the drops will fall at the perfect
moment in the music.
The slow-paced arrangements on this album for the most part are very suitable to the stalacpipe organ,
which does not permit a rapid tempo. When certain lower chords are struck an unpleasant bass humming
sound intrudes; this is especially evident in “Red River Valley,” “Eternal Father,” ”Moonlight Sonata,”
“Greensleeves,” and “Pastoral Symphony.”
Among the more successful pieces for this organ are “Danny Boy,” “Träumerei,” “Für Elise,” “Simple Gifts,”
“Silent Night,” “Four of the Musical Clocks,” “Beautiful Dreamer,” and “Prelude in A Major.” At the end there
is 58 seconds of cave silence with just the water drops followed by total silence.
The liner notes falsely state that it was Leland Sprinkle, the organ’s inventor, who “discovered that striking
certain rock formations produced musical tones.” See background information above for the true story.
Ref: Anon. 2012, The Great Stalacpipe Organ, Wikipedia
Monte Maxwell, Midnight in the Caverns CD, Allmusic
Riffmaster 2012, Monte Maxwell, Midnight in the Caverns, blogspot.fr
Stalacpipe Organ, Several Different Videos, YouTube (◄COMPLETE AUDIO SAMPLES)
_____________________________________________________
Mammoth Cave
Cave City, Kentucky
RIC-US16 Japan 1997
HELL’S KITCHEN –
IMPROVISATION 5 *
IMPROVISATION 6 *
RIC – Avant Garde – Free Jazz – Speleolithophonic – Instrumental – Cave Pic Cover
Comp: Don CHERRY
Perf: Don CHERRY (stalactite speleolithophone & flute)
Prod: Verna Gillis
Prod. Co: DIW Records
Rec. Eng: Verna Gillis & Brad Graves
Rec. Date: October 1978
Liner Notes: (4-page foldout in English & Japanese) John F.
Szwed
& Anna Mayo
Time: (Tk 5) 8:18 & (Tk 6) 2:59
Compilation CD: HELL’S KITCHEN – LIVE FROM SOUNDSCAPE
DIW-405 (Tks 5 & 6)
Notes: Two tracks of free improvisation recorded in Mammoth
Cave. On track 5, Don Cherry plays on various stalactites and on
track 6 he also plays the flute in the cave. The sound of running
water can be heard.
The co-producer, Brad Graves “had been spelunking in the cave for many years and gave [Verna] Gillis the
idea for this unique expedition and it had taken Gillis two years to wheedle permission for this happening
from the National Park Service. Gillis has been interested in silence as the other side of sound since she
was 16 years old. ‘Here in the cave, Don is playing a kind of duet between himself and his echo.’ “ (Mayo
1976 – This Anna Mayo article in The Village Voice was dated Nov. 1976, but the recording was in October
1978).
Regarding this recording session in the cave, Anna Mayo wrote – “On a morning in early October I watched
the great free jazzman Don Cherry as he scaled a ledge high on the sheer wall of the Longest Cave in the
World and played the rocks like a xylophone. Far below, our guide had fired up two kerosene lanterns so
that we were able to doff our miners’ hats. Cherry, on the ledge, gave off vibes of the leopard-spirit of the
Ngbe tribe as he improvised a roller-coaster of sound. Throughout Cherry’s performance, producer Verna
Gillis sat on the cave floor, at one with her Stellavox tape recorder, earphones like a ceremonial
headdress… Adjusting the AKG microphone… was sculptor Bradford Graves. Cherry darted from one rock
to another, striking them with two hickory branches he’d brought along at the guide’s suggestion.” (Mayo
1976)
For the second improvisation, Cherry “drew out an ancient Taos Indian block flute that he had borrowed
from the Dartmouth College Museum and translated his breath into its sound. The flute/ whistle sound
seemed to be imprisoned in the cave, calling to be set free. Ancient music of this continent, it spoke of the
upper regions and seemed to carry us up the steps.” (Mayo 1976)
It is not known where in the cave these recordings were made, but presumably not on the tourist routes
because everyone had hardhats. The cover photo show Don Cherry playing the flute and dressed in caving
outfit with hardhat and headlamp.
As of 2007 Mammoth Cave is the longest known cave in the world with over 350 miles (563 km) of mapped
passage, that is, three times longer than any other known cave. (Anon. 2007)
Ref: Anon; 2007, Mammoth Cave National Park, Information Page, national-park
Hell’s Kitchen – Live from Soundscape CD, CDUniverse (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
Hell’s Kitchen – Live from Soundscape CD, Discogs
Mammoth Cave, National Park Service, Home Site, nps.gov
Mammoth Cave National Park, Info, Wikipedia
Mayo, Anna 1976, The Original Monster Rock Band, The Village Voice, Nov. 13, 1976, Reprinted in Liner Notes
_____________________________________________________
Moaning Cavern
Valecito, California
RIC-US17 United States 1998
THE OFFERING *
RIC – World – Ethnic Fusion – Native American – New Age – Instrumental
Selections:
1. The Offering – 2:32/ 2. Children’s Dance – 2:42/ 3. Tears for Kientepoos – 2:53/ 4. Silent Wolf – 2:49/ 5.
Echoes – 2:52/ 6. Mark’s Song – 3:19/ 7. She Watches Them Play – 0:56/ 8. Eagle Clan – 2:52/ 9. Aleut
Wind – 3:58/ 10. First Love – 3:56/ 11. The Gathering – 2:15/ 12. MOANING CAVERN – 2:52/ 13. Winds of
Change – 2:52/ 14. Flute Circle – 2:45/ 15. Re-Kindle the Fire – 2:01/ 16. In a Yellow Wood – 3:02/ 17.
Grandmother’s Last Sunset – 2:53
Perf: Mary YOUNGBLOOD (Native American flute)
Prod: James Marienthal, Tom Wasinger, & Mary Youngblood
Prod. Co: Silver Wave
Rec. Date: 1997
Time: (See above)
A. American CD: THE OFFERING
Silver Wave 917 (Tk 12)
B. British Reissue on Compilation CD: SPIRIT OF THE PLAINS (1998)
Connoisseur Collection SDVSOP CD 254 (Tk 15)
Notes: Album recorded live in this northern California show cave in the main
chamber reached by a 97-foot (32m) spiral staircase. A large mound
occupies the center of this room, 50 feet (17m) high and 70 feet (23m) long.
This cone has been flattened to make a platform for tourist observation.
(Halliday 1959) It was no doubt here that the flute performances were
recorded.
Executive Producer, James Marienthal said, "We listen in awe as the music
flows forth, resonating throughout the cavern. Besides Mary's flute and breath, the only sound heard on this
recording are the natural sounds of the cavern, which add just enough presence to let yourself imagine
being there." (Anon. n.d.)
See world music section for details on one piece, Moaning Cavern, that was inspired by the cave itself (see
under World Music – United States – Native American Music – Moaning
Cave – WD-US-NAM5). All 17 selections on this album have a decided
Native American feeling.
“Of Aleut/Chugach and Seminole ancestry, Mary is one of the first Native
women to record the sacred Native American flute, as this role has been
traditionally been held by men.” (Anon. 2013) So it is altogether appropriate
that she should dedicate a flute piece and record an entire album in this
cave where the bones of her ancestors were found. Archeological
excavations at the base of the great chamber revealed numerous human
bones and artifacts including torches, arrow points, shell beads, and
abalone pendants. In 1950 the University of California Archaeological
Survey excavated another part of the floor and found eleven additional
skeletons, which were dated from 1500 BC to 500 AD. Later the Santa
Barbara Museum of Natural History continued the project and unearthed
more human remains making a total of approximately twenty-five skeletons
found there. (Halliday 1959 & 1962)
The illustration here is from a poster advertising a concert given by her together with the Northern
California Flute Circle in this cave on August 12, 2006. In reference to Youngblood’s flute music in this
underground setting the cave Web site once proclaimed that “the natural acoustics lend an amazing echo
and organic quality to the distinctly memorable melodies that Youngblood creates with her flutes.”
Ref: Anon. n.d., Mary Youngblood, Silver Wave Records, silverwave
Anon. 2013, Mary Youngblood, The Offering, ladyslipper
Halliday, William 1959, Adventure Is Underground, Harper & Brothers, New York, p. 148-149
Halliday, William 1962, Caves of California, William R. Halliday, Seattle, WA, p. 51
Mary Youngblood, Biography, maryyoungblood and Music – The Offering, maryyoungblood
Mary Youngblood, Biography, Wikipedia
Mary Youngblood Cave Concert, Moaning Cavern, caverntours & Moaning Cavern Park, caverntours
Mary Youngblood, The Offering, Allmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
Mary Youngblood, The Offering, CDUniverse (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
Moaning Cavern, Wikipedia
Youngblood, Mary 2003, The Offering Songbook, Oregon Flute Store, 39p
_____________________________________________________
Stinson Beach Sea Cave
Stinson Beach, California
RIC-US18 United States 1975
SEA CAVE *
RIC – Nature Sounds – Synthesizer
Prod: Brad Miller
Prod. Co: Mobile Fidelity Productions of Nevada
Rec. Eng: Brad Miller
Rec. Loc: Stinson Beach, CA
Time: 6:20 & (No. 3) 2:51
1. Original LP: NATURE'S MYSTIC MOODS – THE SOUNDS OF
THE STORM & THE SEA
Bainbridge (?)
12” 33rpm
2. Reissue on CD: NATURE'S MYSTIC MOODS – THE SOUNDS OF
THE STORM & THE SEA (1990)
Bainbridge BCD 6244 (Tk 31)
3. Reissue on CD: NATURE'S MYSTIC MOODS – THE SOUNDS OF THE STORM & THE SEA (1997)
Digital Sound 4411 (Tk 31)
Notes: An unbroken recording of ocean waves lapping rocks on shore with the roar of breakers crashing in
the distance follows over to the sound of light waves presumably crashing into the entrance of a sea cave
with a slight reverberation. Erratically the big wave will crash in.
Ref: Nature’s Mystic Moods – The Sounds of the Storm & the Sea LP, Allmusic & 1990 CD Allmusic
Nature’s Mystic Moods – The Sounds of the Storm & the Sea, 1997 CD, Allmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLE)
The Sounds of the Storm & the Sea, Vol. 1, Amazon (◄AUDIO SAMPLE)
_____________________________________________________
Unidentified American Cave No. 1
RIC-US19 United States 1993
SEA CAVE *
RIC – Nature Sounds
Prod. Co: Laserlight Records
Rec. Eng: (?)
Time: 0:46
Compilation CD: 101 DIGITAL SOUND EFFECTS: SOUNDS OF NATURE
Delta/ Laserlight 12 146 (Tk 81)
Notes: A wave crashes into a cave.
Ref: 101 Digital Sound Effects – Sounds of Nature CD, CDUniverse (◄AUDIO SAMPLE)
101 Digital Sound Effects – Sounds of Nature CD, Discogs
_____________________________________________________
Unidentified American Cave No. 2
RIC-US20 United States 2001
WATER DRIPPING FROM ROOF OF A CAVE *
WATER RUNNING THROUGH, AND DRIPPING FROM THE ROOF
OF A CAVE *
RIC – Nature Sounds
Prod: Peter Handford
Rec. Eng: (?)
Prod. Co: ASV / Living Era Records
Time: (Tk 32) 0:48 & (Tk 33) 0:57
Compilation CD: A WORLD OF WATER
ASV / Living Era 7051 (Tks 32 & 33)
Notes: Both of these 30-second audio clips sounded like authentic
cave recordings: the first had running gurgling water falling, splashing
continuously and running off and the second had water drops near and
far at different rhythms with gurgles behind.
Ref: A World of Water CD, (Wrong CD Cover shown), Allmusic (◄AUDIO
SAMPLES)
A World of Water CD, CDUniverse (◄AUDIO SAMPLES)
_____________________________________________________
Unidentified American Cave No. 3
RIC-US21 United States 2002
FIRST PLACES *
RIC – World – Traditional – Nature Sounds – Instrumental
Selections:
2. CAVE SONG ONE – 5:10/ 4. Koku – 10:34/ 5. CAVE SONG 2 – 4:07/ 6.
Kyorei 10:24
Perf: Phil JAMES (shakuhachi flute)
Prod: Phil James
Prod. Co: Sparkling Beatnik Records
Time: (See above)
CD: FIRST PLACES – SOLO SHAKUHACHI FLUTE
Sparkling Beatnik SBR 0030 (Tks 2, 4, 5, & 6)
Notes: Four out of seven selections on this CD were recorded in an
unidentified cave.
"‘Kyorei’ (described by James as the oldest known shakuhachi piece) and the two ‘Cave Songimprovisations are inhabited by dripping water and the natural echo of the cave.” (Coulture 2013)
We are told that one piece, “Koku,” on this album was recorded in a “wet limestone cave” (Anon n.d.) and
that some pieces “honor Missouri’s natural soundscape” (Dempster n.d.) all of which might mean that
several selections here were recorded in an unidentified Missouri cave.
For a bit more information regarding the two cave-inspired jazz pieces here see under Jazz Music – Free –
Cave Song One & Cave Song 2.
Two selections, “Koku” and “Kyorei,” are traditional Japanese pieces. Album selections that were not
recorded in the cave are – 1. “Father John,” 3. “Journeys with Frogs,” and 7. “Father John Again” (both
“Father John” pieces were dedicated to John Coltrane).
Ref: Coulture, François 2013, First Places: Solo Shakuhachi Flute CD, Review, Allmusic
Dempster, Stuart n.d., Press Comments on My Music, Phil Nyokai James, Nyokai-an Shakuhachi Dojo, nyokai
Phil Nyokai James, Bio, Wikipedia
_____________________________________________________
Unidentified American or Canadian Cave
RIC-US22 Canada 1994
CAVE WITH WATER DRIPPING *
RIC – Nature Sounds
Prod. Co: Madacy Music Group; St. Laurent, Quebec, Canada
Rec. Eng: (?)
Time: (No. 1; Tk 48 or No. 2; Tk 97) 0:33
1. Compilation Box Set CDs: 300 SPECTACULAR SOUND EFFECTS – VOL. 1
Madacy 2-8710 (3XCDs) (Disc 2 – Tk 48)
2. Reissue on Compilation Box Set CDs: 300 SPECTACULAR SOUND
EFFECTS – VOL. 2 (1996)
Madacy 8721 (3XCDs) (Disc 3 – Tk 97)
Notes: The 30-second audio clip for this track had splattering water drops with
running water in the background, echoes of water drops, and all at a varied
natural rhythm.
It is not known if these water sounds were recorded in a cave in Canada or the
United States.
Ref: 300 Spectacular Sound Effects 1996 CD, Disc 3 - Tk 97, Allmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLE)
300 Spectacular Sound Effects CD, Amazon
300 Spectacular Sound Effects CD, Discogs
_____________________________________________________
NOT RECORDED IN CAVES
Meramec Caverns
Stanton, Missouri
RIC-US23 United States 1970
MERAMEC CAVERNS PRESENTS
NOTRIC – Gospel – Popular – Choral – Cave Pic Cover
Selections:
Side One – 1. Army of the Lord – 1:55/ 2. The Night Before Easter –
4:00/ 3. I’ve Got Confidence – 2:35/ 4. Oh Happy Day – 2:48/ 5.
Closer to Thee – 3:25/ 6. Daddy Sang Bass – 2:40
Side two – 1. Love Thy Neighbor – 1:35/ 2. The Old Rugged Cross
Made the Difference – 2:45/ 3. Try a Little Kindness – 1:55/ 4. I’ve
Been Born Again – 2:57/ 5. Get Together – 3:17/ 6. Impossible
Dream – 3:00
Perf: GATEWAY BOYS & DONNA
Donna, Parvin Tramel, Dave, Brian, & Glen
Prod: Parvin Tramel
Prod. Co:
Rec. Co: Lester Master/0 Sonic; St. Louis, MO
Time: (See above)
LP: MERAMEC CAVERNS PRESENTS THE GATEWAY BOYS & DONNA
Stereo/ Sonic P7-17125 (stereo)
12" 33rpm (Sides 1 & 2)
Notes: This coral group probably gave concerts in the huge Ballroom close to the entrance, but this
recording was made in a studio. Many of the songs here are of a religious nature.
Ref: American eBay postings
Meramec Caverns, History of the Caverns, Home Site, americascave
Meramec Caverns, Info, Wikipedia
_____________________________________________________
Sound Effects
RIC-US24 United States 1996
FAST DRUM BEAT IN A CAVE
SLOW DRUM BEAT IN A CAVE
NOTRIC – Natural Rock Sounds
Perf: (?)
Prod. Co: Madacy Records
Time: (Tk 72) 0:34 & (Tk 73) 0:35
1. Compilation Box Set CDs: 300 SPECTACULAR SOUND
EFFECTS – VOL. 1
Madacy 8720 (3XCDs) (Disc 1 – Tks 72 & 73)
2. Reissue on Compilation Box Set CDs: 300 SPECTACULAR
SOUND EFFECTS – VOL. 2
Madacy 8721 (3XCDs) (Disc 1 – Tk 36)
Notes: These two tracks appear on the CD albums mentioned above – see RIC-US18.
The 30-second audio clips provided the sounds of rock pounding on rock, which could have been recorded
anywhere. The first track (sample no longer available) sounds like a rock pounding on another rock with a
varied rapid rhythm, all sounding somewhat like a chugging steam train. The second track is again rock
pounding on rock; one, two, and a third hard beat over and over with resonance.
The second track only was reissued on Volume 2 and retitled, Drums in a Cave – Slow.
Ref: 300 Spectacular Sound Effects – Vol. 2, Drums in a Cave – Slow, Allmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLE)
300 Spectacular Sound Effects – Vol. 2, Amazon
caveinspiredmusic.com