A melodic approach to Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Backstep, played by pinonnini:

(hear Dr Ralph himself, on another subject)

Here’s Daniel Heïkalo playing the cittern I built:

Mose Allison, via Christopher D. Sessums:

…and compare Peter Mulvey’s (Forty Dollar Haircut on a) 29 Cent Head, streaming via CDBaby

via Echidne:

I happened upon this bit of organological serendipitude via Make’s blog, featuring a Pitch Bending Thumb Piano:

As an instrument, I think it’s not totally successful, but certainly heuristic for those who think about musical experimentation. Lately I’ve been deeply immersed in a wide spectrum of African musics, and the clip sent me off on a search for some interesting variants of approach to “thumb piano” (so many other names… sanza, mbira, kalimba…). Here are some of the results:

Mbira at the Lake

Kariga Mombe Improv Lesson

Konono No 1 Congotronics

Jazz improvisation on a 5 octave Array mbira

Close up of the Array Mbira

Garland – Suite for Bass Sanza

Don MacLane’s musical instruments

Ken Kolodner Plays the Dulcimer-Mbira in West Virginia (and more via his Web site)

All too seldom does one see mastodons in duet (2:55 to 5:50). Here’s the Uptown Lowdown Jazz Band:

(via Keep Swinging)