Submitted photo Dick Kimmel (right) and Pamela Longtine (left) pose for the cover art to their new album “Fiddle & Mandolin” which is the culmination of Kimmel’s exploration of old-style mandolin music.

NEW ULM — Richard “Dick” Kimmel and Pamela Longtine are hosting the official release party of their newest collaboration album “Fiddle & Mandolin.”

On Saturday, July 15, from 7 to 10 p.m. Kimmel and Longtine will perform for free in The Pantry (209 N. Minnesota St.). Three special guests will join them: Longtine’s daughter Adeline, Kimmel’s son Ian with his band The Heard and Andrea Lyn.

“It is the culmination of a project I did to take the mandolin, my mandolin playing back in time,” Kimmel said.

Exploring old mandolin styles and visiting a number of fiddlers, including Longtine, brought forth the new album.

“There are not a lot of people who have done this,” Kimmel said. “Generally it is the fiddlers that carry the old tunes and maintain the purity of the older tradition, not the mandolin players.”

The album is a mix of instrumental music, old folk songs and a few (both instrumental and with vocals) that were written by the two artists. Ian, Lyn and Fiddler Becky Buller all appear on the album.

One original composition by Kimmel “Fly Away to Mexico” about monarch butterflies’ journey south to Mexico is included to provide a contrast between modern and older styles of bluegrass and folk music.

“I think a lot of the modern styles it is kind of a slickness, it is meant to impress,” Kimmel said. “Where the older styles are more heartfelt and looking for tones the instruments and not worrying about how fast it is or how loud it is.”

During the interview Kimmel played a few examples to illustrate the differences. The new stuff is faster and “in your face,” Kimmel said.

The old style is slower, almost lighter with more notes played on open strings — no fingers on a fret.

“I started preferring, after 50 years of playing hard and in your face and fast, I started preferring to slow things down,” Kimmel said.

The album was funded by an Artists Grant from The Prairie Lake Regional Arts Council with funds from the McKnight Foundation.

The grant was for Kimmel’s study and helped pay for his traveling, some performances as well as recording the album.

“Having somebody providing money for something gets you to take a little more serious look at it and makes it happen faster,” Kimmel said. “Where this might have been something I would do over the next five, 10 years.”

For more information of Kimmel go to dickkimmel.com.

ccummiskey@nujournal.com.