Former Seattle-ite Jamie Laval has long thrilled dance and concert audiences with his technical mastery of the violin and his creative interpretations of traditional music. On this CD he teams with Ashley Broder who brings her own creative genius and musical mastery of mandolin and 'cello. She and Jamie weave a musical tapestry that ranges from Bach to Grapelli and from Galicia to Appalachia.

The CD opens with clear, bell like tones of Ashley Broder's mandolin rising and falling over a rhythmic violin drone. Then the violin takes the lead and off they go into a winding helix of alternate violin, mandolin and unison renditions of lively Irish reels that playfully tickle the listener's ear with unusual harmonies and modulations.

Throughout the CD we hear their mastery of traditional forms as they range from Bretagne round dances to Bluegrass reels. Every track is firmly rooted in tradition but develops using ideas from Bach to Grappelli. Bluegrass tunes begin simply and build to a thrilling unison accelerando. Traditional Jigs and Reels make the dancer want to dance even as the ear delights to new harmonies. Round dances begin hauntingly and grow in intensity. The 'cello begins a track (Old Man Elzic) with haunting pizzicato tones and is joined by the violin as they develop and explore Appalachian melodies, harmonies and rhythms. Every track is worth listening to again and again as the ear finds new subtleties.

Especially exciting is Staircase, Ashley's delightfully complex composition intertwining the violin and mandolin. Staircase shows all the playfulness, depth of feeling and technical mastery of these two fine artists.

The CD ends with a beautiful rendition of A Bruxa, a mournful Galician waltz with a Middle Eastern feel. The cello adds just the right texture to the expressive, liquid playing of the violin.
Some CDs get listened to once. Some get listened to a couple of times and put on the shelf. Zephyr in the Confetti Factory is a CD you will listen to again and again and again.