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Alan and Karen's Projects
North Shore Cemetery Decoration Project (2004-2005)
The North Shore Cemetery Decoration Project is a documentary research project undertaken by Alan and Karen
Jabbour in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina in the summer of 2004.
Click here for a fuller description and sample photos.
Jabbour in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina in the summer of 2004.
Click here for a fuller description and sample photos.
Alan Jabbour was awarded a Berea College Appalachian Music Fellowship for 2008. According to the Berea College
announcement:
"Alan Jabbour's work in the Berea Archives will provide the opportunity to delve deeply in old-time Kentucky fiddling as
represented in the recordings of such collectors as Bruce Greene, John Harrod, Barbara Kunkle, and Steve Rice.
"One aspect of his study will be tracing and understanding the cultural flow from these collectors to archives and back
into present day culture – a process that has been magnified by the multiplying new technologies of the 20th century.
More specifically, his study will focus on analyzing the correspondences and divergences between eastern Kentucky
fiddling and the fiddling of North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. A secondary focal area will be the Tallmadge
and Titon collections of Old Regular Baptist lined-out singing in connection with a book project in the works on the
Decoration Day cemetery tradition.
"Alan will share his research findings in the form of tune transcriptions and related data assembled for inclusion on the
Berea website, an on campus lecture-concert, possible print publication regarding contributions of eastern Kentucky
fiddling to American music and the place of lined hymnody in Decoration Day celebrations."
Click here to see Berea's College's announcement.
announcement:
"Alan Jabbour's work in the Berea Archives will provide the opportunity to delve deeply in old-time Kentucky fiddling as
represented in the recordings of such collectors as Bruce Greene, John Harrod, Barbara Kunkle, and Steve Rice.
"One aspect of his study will be tracing and understanding the cultural flow from these collectors to archives and back
into present day culture – a process that has been magnified by the multiplying new technologies of the 20th century.
More specifically, his study will focus on analyzing the correspondences and divergences between eastern Kentucky
fiddling and the fiddling of North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. A secondary focal area will be the Tallmadge
and Titon collections of Old Regular Baptist lined-out singing in connection with a book project in the works on the
Decoration Day cemetery tradition.
"Alan will share his research findings in the form of tune transcriptions and related data assembled for inclusion on the
Berea website, an on campus lecture-concert, possible print publication regarding contributions of eastern Kentucky
fiddling to American music and the place of lined hymnody in Decoration Day celebrations."
Click here to see Berea's College's announcement.
Berea College Appalachian Music Fellowship (2008)
Fiddle Tunes Illuminated (2008)
Alan is working on a book of musical transcriptions of the forty-five tunes on his two most recent CDs, A HENRY REED
REUNION and SOUTHERN SUMMITS. The book contains a lengthy introduction and a long section on “Terms and
Features,” and the tunes themselves include such stylistic details as bowings, double stops and drones, and unisons.
Each tune includes a page of descriptive and comparative annotations exploring the tune and its performance. The
tunes are transcribed by Liberty Rucker and Alan Jabbour, and the Introduction, annotations, and other comparative
apparatus are by Alan Jabbour. The volume should be ready for publication and distribution by spring 2008.
REUNION and SOUTHERN SUMMITS. The book contains a lengthy introduction and a long section on “Terms and
Features,” and the tunes themselves include such stylistic details as bowings, double stops and drones, and unisons.
Each tune includes a page of descriptive and comparative annotations exploring the tune and its performance. The
tunes are transcribed by Liberty Rucker and Alan Jabbour, and the Introduction, annotations, and other comparative
apparatus are by Alan Jabbour. The volume should be ready for publication and distribution by spring 2008.
Decoration Day in the Mountains (2008-2010)
Alan and Karen have continued documenting cemeteries and the tradition of Decoration Day in western North Carolina
and other parts of the Upland South. They are now at work on a richly illustrated book and an exhibition on “Decoration
Day in the Mountains” (a provisional title), with publication of the book and opening of the exhibition planned for spring
of 2009. For a description of and photos from the North Shore Cemetery Decoration Project, which was the
predecessor of this project, see the description and links below.
and other parts of the Upland South. They are now at work on a richly illustrated book and an exhibition on “Decoration
Day in the Mountains” (a provisional title), with publication of the book and opening of the exhibition planned for spring
of 2009. For a description of and photos from the North Shore Cemetery Decoration Project, which was the
predecessor of this project, see the description and links below.