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		CD Review - Tingstad & Rumbel Reprinted from January 2006 Issue -by ANDY PLYMALE For their latest CD, A Moment’s Peace (Cheshire Records), recent 1st-time Grammy winning musicians Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel have gone the way of an increasing number of independent minded musicians, and have dumped their record label (Narada) to go it alone as independent artists. And as if to underscore this change of direction, the New Age oriented duo from the Seattle area have recorded their latest CD entirely as a duo, forsaking the piano, bass, etc., accompaniment that helped them score a Grammy win for their previous CD, Acoustic Garden (Narada). Recorded in Tingstad’s new home-studio, recently fashioned from his Issaqah home’s garage, the CD shows some new directions from this duo with a 20-year history of musical collaboration, notably in the use of single guitar line overdubs by Tingstad (fingerstyle guitar) and an occasional improvised phrase or two by Rumbel (oboe, English horn, and ocarina), who started her career in the improvisationally oriented New Age group of Paul Winter. As for Tingstad, he shows his musical allegiances by including an original composition, Lucinda, named after his favorite country singer, along with the Patsy Cline gem, Crazy, popularized by Willie Nelson. As for the home recording method, Rumbel says, “it can be a bit mind boggling, because there are no monetary restrictions, so you can record until you’re totally nuts! (which a few times it felt like.)” As for the independent label marketing, it shuts some doors even while increasing the profit margin for the artists. A Moment’s Peace is currently available at the artists’ web site, tingstadrumbel.com and at the independent web warehouse, Cdbaby.com. One can listen to samples at either site. In addition, songs can be downloaded from www.itunes.com for $.99. In addition to the Tingstad and Rumbel originals, of which Twilight is the take-home track in my book, and the aforementioned Crazy, A Moment’s Peace includes covers of Somewhere Over the Rainbow and What a Wonderful World. Those who prefer the world-music sound of Rumbel’s ocarina are advised to download the track entitled Chaco. Also, given that I am writing this column on Christmas Day, I would like, in the spirit of the season, to thank all of the musicians, music fans, and gourmands who turned out for the recent benefit event at Atomic Ale for the long-time “heart and soul” of Atomic Ale, Dave Acton, who with his new bride Karissa, recently suffered an unfortunate series of events. The willingness of musicians, Atomic customers, and in general, good-hearted souls to turn out to help Dave out was heartwarming, so a big hat’s off to Karen and all the Atomic Ale staff as well as to the sound crew, Janet Humphrey and Gary White of Precision Sound, and to all of the musicians: Bob Pringle and Kurt Gustafson; Kris Welsch and Mu Meson; Steve Cary and Romagossa Blú; and Jim Honeyman, John April, and all the guys of Badger Mountain Dry Band! Beyond the over $2,000 that was raised, Dave and Karissa were given a huge non-monetary boost as well (and a really special thanks to Atomic Ale proprietor Aaron Burke).