Mark Olitsky, Cary Moskovitz Team Up for New Album

Mark Olitsky (left) and Cary Moskovitz in studio. (Source)

Once upon a time, I dubbed Mark Olitsky "the banjo wizard of Cleveland." Typically, he's the only banjo player in a group setting, so it might seem strange that he's joined forces with plectrum banjo player Cary Moskovitz on a new album, called "Duets," due out in April.

Instead of a crowdfunding campaign, which seems to have become ubiquitous in the old-time music world, the banjo duo has set up a page online to gauge interest.

You can visit the Olitsky & Moskovitz website (https://olitskymoskovitz.wordpress.com/) to sign up for a pre-order. Although this is not a true pre-order in the sense that it asks you to pay the $15, plus $5 shipping and handling, for the album. Instead, it's a pledge that signs you for email updates about album and how to order when it's available. Basically, it lets the musicians know how many CDs to produce.

According to their website, Olitsky and Moskovitz got together at last year's Clifftop festival to play some tunes and discovered how well their disparate playing styles fit together. They recorded the album in December at Joe Dejarnette's Studio 808A in Floyd, Virginia. They put together a teaser video to give you a little taste.

Olitsky is playing a low-tuned minstrel banjo that he built, which fits well with Moskovitz's higher pitched plectrum. If you like what you hear and would like their album, be sure to let them know.

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The Glory-Beaming Banjo

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