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Boundless contains intricate, delicate and complex music for the hammered dulcimer. Carolyn's playing is evocative, conjuring up images and emotional landscapes...her strongest instrumental work yet.

--Eric Hardee, Host of Folksounds radio show on KBCS, Bellevue

Cruso's playing is superb. She has attained total oneness with the instrument

--Kate Price, Hammered Dulcimer Player

Elegant melodies... painting vivid pictures with a sensual pallette of poetic images... hypnotic and alluring

--Richard Middleton, Victory Review



Carolyn's hammered dulcimer playing is strong, intricate, and dazzling in its self-assurance. Her flute playing is lyrical and equally as moving... [Transformation] is a great instrumental album.

--Dulcimer Players News



Cruso brings multi-instrumental skills and an eloquent set of pipes to the table.

--San Francisco Bay Guardian



Have You Ever
(New Recording - coming soon!)

Boundless (2005)

New Joe Clark
The Valley
Maria da Peninha
Chatter Creek
The Magic Shirt
Squall
The Power of Believing
Yen
The Elbow Polka/
The Market Polka/
The Dulcimer Polka
Carolyn's Welcome
Solstice

Carolyn Cruso - solo hammered dulcimer
CD $15, listen! and order online from cdbaby.com

As Clear a Hue (2000)

Received With Grace
In The City Tonight
Wandering but Not Lost (listen!)
What About the Mystery
We Are Passengers
Hard Won Balance
Flyway Zone
River
Hopes and Dreams
Baba Babi
Journey
As Clear a Hue

Carolyn Cruso - guitar and vocals; Tige DeCoster - acoustic bass; Jarrod Kaplan - djembe and shakers; Jay Thomas - trumpet; David Lange - piano
CD $15, hear more and/or order online from cdbaby.com

Transformation (1998)

Under the Cedars (listen!)
Trinity
Mad Farmer's Love Song
Cloudbreak
The Lover's Waltz/The Old Bus Jig
The Pomegranate's Seed/The Canopy
Baba Yaga's
Fire Sister
Ontankarana Circle
You and Me is a Rhythm
Flat Iron
Lament

Carolyn Cruso - hammered dulcimer, flute, whistles, guitar, cittern, darbuka; Robert Almblade - hammered dulcimer, guitar; Billy Oskay - fiddle, harmonium; Randal Bays - guitar; John Peekstock - cittern; Glen Moore - bass; Sean Sharp - bodhran, riq; Jarrod Kaplan - djembe, shakers, cymbals; Tarik Banzi - dumbek, udu
CD $15, hear more and/or order online from cdbaby.com

Great Blue (1995)
with Robert Almblade

Boys of Ballymurphy
Nannette and Willy's
Carolyn's Ramble to Bulgaria
Prasad (listen!)
Herodias
Power of Believing
Ocean of Wisdom
Annie's Waltz
The Four Sisters
St. Anthony's Fire
Planxty Berch

Carolyn Cruso - hammered dulcimer, silver and bamboo flutes, whistles, cittern; Robert Almblade - hammered dulcimer, cittern; Billy Oskay - violin, harmonium, keyboards; Kevin Burke - fiddle; Kim Robertson - Celtic harp; Sandin Wilson - fretless bass; Sean Sharp - bodhran, riq, bendir; Jarrod Kaplan - djembe, dumbek, tabla
CD $10

Ballincheol (1993)
with Robert Almblade

Hungarian (listen!)
Sleep Soon'd I'da Mornin/The Wailing Banshee
Polska
Small Coals for Nailers/Black Nag/Morrison's Jig
Spanoletta
Blind Mary
Breton Medley
The Hare in the Heather
Tom Morrison's Reel
Planxty Irwin
Walsh's Hornpipe/Sean Ryan's Jig
My Love in the Morning/Matt People's Reel
The Star of Munster
Hewlett's
Boys of Ballysdare Set
Robert's Farewell

Carolyn Cruso - hammered dulcimer, silver flute, whistles; Robert Almblade - 6 and 12 - string guitar, cittern, hammered dulcimer; Sean Sharp - bodhran, riq, darbuka; Jim Goettler - bones; Billy Oskay - harmonium
CD $10

The Fifth Element (1991)
with Robert Almblade

Fahren Nach Freiburg (listen!)
The Veil
Reunion
Leaving Lettergesh
Jean's Last Dance
Somethin' Else
The Fifth Element
Dorad
A.K.A.
Portage

Robert Almblade - hammered dulcimer, cittern and guitar; Carolyn Cruso - hammered dulcimer, silver flute, bamboo flute, pan pipes, pennywhistle, dumbek; Sandin Wilson - fretless bass; Lonnie Williams - alto sax; Billy Oskay - violin, keyboards; Michael Bard - soprano sax; Cal Scott - midi percussion

CD $15, cassette $5

Tone Poems (1989)
with Robert Almblade

Tone Poem
Despues de la Siesta
Maria da Peninha
Okanagan
Low Skies
Lejeune
Tarifa
Sun in the Rushes
Slant Lightning
Mrs. McDermott's/Planxty Burke
The Golden Ring (listen!)

Robert Almblade - hammered dulcimer, guitar; Carolyn Cruso - hammered dulcimer, guitar, flute; Budi Siebert - soprano and alto saxes, flute, bamboo flute, darbuka, bata and assorted percussion
CD $10, cassette $5