DISCOGRAPHY
“Pascha Dawn” Release date: March 18, 2024
Pascha Dawn is a collection of ancient folk songs from the Christian East. These songs focus on the themes of Holy Week and Pascha (Easter) The regions represented included: Serbia, Romania, Ukraine, Cyprus, Armenia, Poland, Russia, Egypt, India, and Georgia. All of the folk songs were translated into English. Producer Graham Sparkman wrote new arrangements that pay homage to the ancient versions. The goal of the album is to introduce these beautiful Eastern Pascha songs to a Western English speaking audience, for the first time in the English language! Pascha Dawn functions as a sequel to Graham Sparkman's 2019 release, "Nativity Fire".
Album credits:
Vocals:
Soprano- Armenia Sarkissian, Willow Eden, Charlene Caldwell
Alto- July Vitraniuk, Pam Benson, Willow Eden, Charlene Caldwell
Tenor- Graham Sparkman
Baritone- Corey Cerullo, Graham Sparkman
Bass- David Benson, Corey Cerullo
Chanting: Fr. Timothy Sas
Backing Vocals: KavyaKriti
Narration: Denys Lyubimov
Instruments:
Bass- Freddie Washington, Craig Young, Alex Al, Craig Nelson
Accordion- Martin Kutnar, Jeff Taylor
Guitar- Ramón Stagnaro
Percussion- Alex Acuña, Yashraj Singh Chouhan, KV Balakrishnan, Dunnie, Mc João, FP do Trem Bala, Intence, Beth Carvalho, Keita Ogawa
Qanun- Nadav Itzhak
Synthesizer- Brain Wayne Transeau, Edmond Clare, Blair Masters
Hurdy-Gurdy- Ruben Monteiro
Duduk- Lernik Khachatrian
Oud- Can Kandaz
Flute-Adam Taylor, Pinto Bella, Ace Schutte
Hammer Dulcimer- Ethan Gibbs
Sarangi- P. Deepak
Shehnai- Durgesh Bhosale
Tanpura- Dave Stringer, Stephane Pigeon
Sitar- Mahesh Pathmakumara
Harp- Sharlene Wallace
String Arrangements- Armenia Sarkissian, Avery Bright
Brass Arrangements- Jim Clark
Translators:
Tabita Bădilă
Nikkie A.
Ana Oniani
Mateusz Olszamowski
Album Art: Jenny Sorensen
Graphic Design: Ethan Gibbs
Special Thanks: The parishioners of Twelve Holy Apostles, Greek Orthodox Church, Duluth MN, for singing “Christos Anesti.”
Produced, Mixed and Mastered by: Graham Sparkman CR 2024, All rights reserved.
IN THIS ROOM
VANDEN PLAS MEMORIES
“In This Room & Vanden Plas Memories” (Single) Release date: July 27, 2023
Inspired by synth-pop music of the 1908s, These two original songs will be sure to conjure up atmospheric memories.
Credits:
Graham Sparkman: Lyrics, arrangement, lead vocals, synthesizers
Molly Gavin: Backing vocals
Jack Stafford: Saxophone
“The Adiabatic Gate” Release date: September 9, 2022
Album credits:
Synthesizers: Graham Sparkman and Brian Wayne Transeau
Saxophone: PJ Perry
Pedal Steel: Paul Franklin
This entire album was made exclusively with my Arturia synthesizer, 1972 TEAC 1230 Reel-to-Reel tape machine, and my 1980s/90s VHS home movie, tape collection.
All songs written, arranged, recorded and produced by Graham Sparkman.
“Carnival of Song” Release date: October 2, 2021
Carnival of Song is a children’s jazz album featuring a diverse collection of songs. From the action/adventure “John Crem”, to the spooky “Skin and Bones”, the silly “Sebastian McDonald’s Farm” and the educational “Introducing The Band”, Carnival of Song offers a wide range of musical material. I wrote all of the arrangements and composed three original compositions for the project. I was also joined by some ridiculously talented jazz musicians and singers. The album is a combination of children related lyrical themes, set to the backdrop of sophisticated jazz musical arrangements. This album is sure to please adults and kids alike!
Album credits:
Vocals- Graham Sparkman and Aliah Guerra
Bass- Neil Swainson, Jodi Proznick
Drums- Danny Gottlieb, Terry Clarke, Craig Scott, Lewis Nash
Percussion- Bryan Owings, Alex Acuna, Jim McGillveray
Guitar- Warner Sparkman, Mike Moreno, Carlos Eduardo Arellano, Ramon Stagnaro, Oliver Gannon, Bob Lanzetti, Michael Thompson, Quinn Bachand
Piano- Mike LeDonne, Miles Black, Kenny Barron, Mike Rojas
Organ- Mike LeDonne, Mike Rojas
Vibes- Steve Nelson
Tenor Saxophone- P. J. Perry, Jim Clark, Eric Alexander
Flute- Jack Stafford
Clarinet- James Danderfer
Trumpet- Ron King, Don Clark
Brass- Jim Clark
Cover Design: Cedric Sparkman
Arranged and Produced By: Graham Sparkman
The Coachman (Single) release date: October 2, 2020
My friend Peter Lukianov introduced me to this lovely 19th century Russian folk song. Peter provided the English translation for the lyrics and asked me to write an original bluegrass musical arrangement. The Coachman demonstrates the commonality of our folk musical cultures.
Album credits:
Vocals- Graham Sparkman
Bass- Byron House
Guitar- Pat McGarth, Quinn Bachand
Banjo- Glen Duncan
Mandolin- Andy Leftwich
Dobro- Rob Ickes
Fiddle- Stuart Duncan
Album Art: Matushka Teresa Mancuso
Arranged and Produced By: Graham Sparkman
“Nativity Fire” Release date: November 15, 2019
Nativity Fire is a collection of ancient folk Christmas carols from the Christian East. The regions represented included: Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Ukraine, Greece, Czech/Moravia and Armenia. All of the carols were translated into English. The goal of the album is to introduce these beautiful Eastern carols to a Western English speaking audience, for the first time in the English language! The album also includes three obscure ancient Western Christmas carols.
Album Credits
Vocals:
Soprano- Charlene Haapala, Alena Plavsic
Alto- Charlene Happala, Michelle Haapala
Tenor- Fr. Timothy Sas, Graham Sparkman, Kent Colwell
Baritone- Graham Sparkman, David Benson
Bass- David Benson
Chanting- Fr. Timothy Sas
Instruments:
Bass- Craig Nelson, Alex Al, Dow Tomlin
Accordion- Jeff Taylor
Guitar- Brent Mason, Pat McGarth, Quinn Bachand, Joe Robinson
String Quartet- Avery Bright, Matt Nelson
Brass- Jim Clark
Percussion- Volkan Gumus, Quinn Bachand, Graham Sparkman, Vince Ditrich, Christo Pellani
Mountain and Hammer Dulcimer- Graham Sparkman
Harpsichord- Graham Sparkman
Bouzouki- Quinn Bachand
Mandolin- Glen Duncan
Sarangi- P. Deepak
Pan Flute- K.J. Vijay
Tanpura- Stephane Pigeon
Bagpipes- Ben Murrie
Gaida- Dafo Trendafilov, Mihail Kalfov
Oud- Jazem Shaheen
Synthesizers- Brain Wayne Transeau (BT)
Arranged and Produced By: Graham Sparkman
Album Art: Jennifer Sorensen
Graphic Design: Cedric Sparkman
Translation Provided By: Raluca Octav, Fr. Radomir Plavsic, Popadija Alena Plavsic, Kitka Ensemble
“Lestovka” Release date: October 6, 2017
Lestovka is a concept album that seeks to chronologically parallel my Christian journey, through music. This is one album with three parts.
Album Credits
Vocals:
Soprano- Amanda Combs
Alto- Tate Reynolds, Alena Plavsic
Tenor-Graham Sparkman
Bass- Andrew Munn
Instrumentes:
Bass- Dow Tomlin, Byron House, Dave Francis, Craig Nelson
Guitar- Faron Sparkman, Pat McGrath, Graham Sparkman, Quinn
Bachand, Jason Roller
Banjo (Scruggs Style)- Dean Osborne
Banjo (Mountain Styles)- Graham Sparkman
Mandolin- Andy Leftwich, Glen Duncan, Jack Pearson
Dobro- Rob Ickes, Randy Kohrs
Fiddle- Kenny Sears, Andy Leftwich, Stuart Duncan
Mountain Dulcimer- Graham Sparkman
Violin- Avery Bright
Viola- Avery Bright
Cello- Matt Nelson
Glass Harp-Graham Sparkman
Tanpura- Stéphane Pigeon
Bouzouki- Quinn Bachand
Photography: Nehemiah Sliwoski
Arranged and Produced By: Graham Sparkman
Special Thanks: Vladimir Morison for translating “Scared Love”. Thank you to Abbot Seraphim, for blessing the recording of the bells, at The Hermitage of the Holy Cross Orthodox Monastery, in Wane, WV.
“Hazard Was Here” Release date: January 1, 2016
Hazard Was Here is a collection of mostly original songs regarding my childhood in Eastern Kentucky. Stylistically, the album is a fusion of bluegrass and traditional Appalachian mountain music.
Album Credits
Vocals:
Graham Sparkman, Kelly Caldwell, Jordan Bachman
Instruments:
Bass: Faron Sparkman, Dow Tomlin
Guitar: Jason Roller, Graham Sparkman, Mark Thornton
Mandolin: Andy Leftwich,
Dobro: Rob Ickes
Banjo: Scott Vestal (Scruggs style), Graham Sparkman (Mountain styles)
Pedal Steel: Curt Eversole
Fiddle: Andy Leftwich
Mountain Dulcimer: Graham Sparkman
Arranged and Produced By: Graham Sparkman
Mastered By: Jordan Bachman
Special Thanks: Tim Engle at Engle/Davis Studio.
All songs written by Graham Sparkman C.R. 2016- Except, Dark as a Dungeon, Dry Land Fish and Southern Accent. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
A note on the album title:
When I was a young boy I spent a considerable amount of time exploring the hills around my hometown of Hazard, Kentucky. On one such outing, I remember carving my name into the trunk of a tree. It must have read something like “Graham was here 10-4-87”. I was basically trying to leave my mark on the place. While brainstorming for an album title, I recalled this event. I realized that the place left more of a mark on me. I had a visual image of a tree carving its name onto the chest of a boy. Thus the album title “Hazard Was Here”. Artist Jessica Miller brought this image to life for the album cover.
“The Kentucky Hilltoppers Live WKIC Recordings From 1949” Release date: June 13, 2013
My grandfather, Ernest (String) Sparkman, put together a band in the late 1940’s. He named his band, “The Kentucky Hilltoppers”. They had a regular “live in the studio” broadcast on WKIC radio station, in Hazard, Kentucky. Two of those live broadcasts from 1949 were recorded on 16” transcription discs. I had those vinyls cleaned up and re-mastered. In 2008, I also had the wonderful opportunity to interview some of the surviving band members. I used the interview footage to compile the liner notes for the album. My family had a great collection of band related photos. It was truly a joy to weave all of these elements together, in order to produce this previously unreleased material.
Album Credits
Ernest Sparkman - Lead Vocals, Rhythm & Lead Guitar
Bobby Sumner - Fiddle
Don Akers - Fiddle
Bazz Combs - Vocals & Rhythm Guitar
Corbit Hurt - Bass
Taylor Porter - Vocals
Teddy Hurley - Lap Steel
Glenn Thomas - Vocals
Ladual "Square" Sexton - Vocals
Audio Restoration: Martin Fisher
Sleeve Design: Cedric Sparkman
Arranged and Produced By: Graham Sparkman
“I’m Lost Without Coralee” Release date: May 2, 2009.
In 2006, I interviewed my four grandparents regarding their early memories of growing up in East Kentucky. “I’m Lost Without Coralee” functions as a collage of my grandparents recollections , set to the backdrop of traditional Appalachian fiddle tunes and ballads.
Album Credits
Instruments:
Graham Sparkman’s banjo was custom made by Mike Ramsey of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It’s a Curley Maple Special. Jesse Wells plays Charlie Kinney’s German Factory fiddle and his Steve Ratcliff violin.
The Album Cover:
The log cabin was built in 1827 on Dead Mares Branch in Knott County. My great, great grandmother Polly Amburgey, was born in this cabin. It was under the cabin rafters that she married Elijah “Lige” Sparkman. The famous Appalachian author James Still lived out his days in this cabin.
Special Thanks:
Robert Hall is the album photographer. My father kept me on task with history and dates. Jesse Wells provided authentic Kentucky fiddling.
Arranged and Produced By: Graham Sparkman
