Harmon's Peak - Traditional American Music

Harmon's Peak
Traditional Old Time Music Quartet
...has a long history. Ernest and Karl met back around 1986 playing primarily Celtic music. After a while, they started playing at the Red Rock in Mtn. View under the name Mr. Barky. It was during this time that they caught the attention of Art Friedman, the fiddler (from the group “Wonderbeans”), and his friend Paul Clarke, the banjo player, who asked if they wanted to form a new group. Today, between the four of them, they have over a hundred years experience performing and playing.

Where'd they get the name?
“When I was a kid there was an old fellow named John Harmon who lived in the neighborhood who was quite an interesting character. He was fairly gruff and not that good with kids, but he had lived a fascinating life -- owned a handmade blowgun that he had bartered for in the Amazonian jungle in the 1930s and had photos to back up the story, that kind of thing. Anyway, he and his wife (who was GREAT with kids, by the way, used to make us snacks and play dominoes with us and whatnot) used to go wandering around the back-country in Arizona and elsewhere, hiking and taking photos. One day they ran across a surveyor out in the middle of nowhere, and they got to talking and all made friends, and somewhere in the middle of their conversation John gave the fellow some whiskey. It was either a swig or a flask or a whole bottle, I can't quite remember. I also can't remember whether John wanted the peak named after him and bribed the surveyor with whiskey, or whether John gave him the whiskey out of good will and the surveyor did it as a spontaneous gesture, but the surveyor wound up drunk and the maps still say Harmon's Peak.”

Old Time Music
Harmon's Peak plays a style of music known as “Old Time”. Stretching from the Civil War to about 1930 or so, this kind of recreational folk music has formed and influenced the modern bluegrass, country, contra and square dance music of today. Harmon's Peak plays with a bright, uplifting style, in an authentic manner, with voices, guitar, two fiddles, a banjo and occasional tin whistles or accordion.

Art, Karl, Ernest, and Paul at the Los Cumbres dance

Forged by the people of the rural 19th Century, with roots in Europe, Africa, and United States, Old Time contains powerful rhythms, bravado and a great deal of soul. Appealing to adults and children, it is a wonderful event at family gatherings. The melodies and songs convey a kind of natural woodland charm, and can transport you to a simpler time when homespun music was a major source of fun for generations.

Pictured here (L-R) is Lee Clarke (she likes to instigate "clog dancing" at our shows), Paul Clarke, Karl Franzen, and our friend Chip Curry. The event was the Miramonte School Western Spring Fling.
Photo by James Cho.

From: Lauren John
To: Harmon's Peak
Subject: A Big Thank You From the Palo Alto Farmer's Market
Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2006

Dear Karl:

On behalf of the entire board of the Palo Alto Farmer's Market, I wanted to thank you and Harmon's Peak for the wonderful music that you provided for our opening day of the market on Saturday, May 13th. We were all so impressed with the high quality of musicianship--and the variety of songs and styles that we heard. We have learned that “live music” is as big a deal for the kids in our neighborhood as it is for the grownups--and the performers at the market often provide their first up close and personal experience with musicians. The kids watched you with great fascination and enjoyment--thanks so much for being so patient with them. We look forward to your next appearance with us in August.

Yours truly,
Lauren John
Music coordinator
Palo Alto Farmer's Market

Harmon's Peak has also played at:

The Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival
Palo Alto & Monterey Contra Dances
The Bing and Reller concert series at Stanford Hospital
Fresno Historical Society Civil War Re-enactment

We teach
The traditional music of the United States was played in log cabins and tenant shacks, often on homemade instruments, and usually by people wh spent all day trying to scrape together a living any way they could. It is informal, homespun and very accessible to beginners and experienced musicians alike. We've helped start many people on their way to becoming traditional musicians; if you like our music and would like to make some of your own, please e-mail us to set up an introductory lesson.

Art Friedman:
Fiddle (chin style), bodhran and five string banjo. Ph: (650) 224-5604

Gary Breitbard:
Keyboard and button accordion, fiddle, guitar, piano, and banjo. Also does French and other Euro-music. Ph: (650) 493-0693

Alan Keith:
Bagpipes & Diatonic Button Accordions, Misc. Wind Instruments & Percussion. Ph: (650) 964-5279

Peter Tommerup:
Hammered dulcimer and Appalachian mountain dulcimer. Ph: (408) 867-9762. He also teaches at the Redwood Dulcimer Day Workshops.

His wife Lee Anne Welch (from the group Sidesaddle and Luceo) teaches fiddle in Saratoga.