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Le Soir Venu / Jabadaw Schottische No. 1

Le Soir Venu / Jabadaw Schottische No. 1

Published March 13, 2021

Revisiting a couple of tunes I learned in the 90’s for the vaults bar lockdown sessions. These are 2 pretty great schottisches, and I think they work very well together. The first is written by Stephane Durand and is a fairly well known tune on the french bal scene – Stephane is a great french hurdy gurdy player. I learned it in the traditional way, from Jo Freya’s band Tanteeka’s CD. The second comes from Manchester based euro bal dance band Jabadaw, and in particular from their multi-instrumentalists (actually I think they were all multi-instrumentalists), Martin Keates. It’s recorded on their CD, but simply labelled as ‘Schottische No. 1’. It’s a great tune and deserves a name I think.

Played for the vaults bar lockdown session in March 2021 – trying to do 2 recordings each week for the local session facebook group. Played on a Hohner Club I in C/F

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The Wrong Turn

The Wrong Turn

Published March 13, 2021

Revisiting this lovely mazurka written by Anne Marie Summers, a fine english bagpiper known for her duo with Steve Tyler, Misericordia active in both the early music and bal folk scenes in the UK. Played for the Vaults bar lockdown sessions in March 2020; trying to do a couple of these recording each week. Played on a Hohner Club I melodeon in C/F, so we’re in G minor.

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Da Slockit Light

Da Slockit Light

Published March 7, 2021

A classic shetland air written by shetland fiddler, Tom Anderson. Slockit translates to (roughly) broken, and was written as he noticed there were less house lights on his island than in his youth – more people were leaving.

Normally played in D, I’ve got the C/F Hohner Club 1 out today, and am playing on the inside row, so I’m in F.

Melodeon.net tune of the month for March 2021.

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Bonny at Morn

Bonny at Morn

Published March 7, 2021

A traditional english song, played here on melodeon (not singing, don’t worry), recorded for both the vaults bar lockdown session and the melodeon.net theme of ‘tunes that start with B’ (working our way through the alphabet!). Can’t believe I haven’t recorded this on the channel before, though I did of course record it with Mark Prescott, here www.vivantmusic.co.uk …. about 20 years ago. This time (sorry Mark) I’m in D minor on a C/F Hohner Club 1.

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I Like You You’re Common

I Like You You’re Common

Published February 14, 2021

Another recording for the vaults bar lockdown sessions in Stony Stratford. I’ve played pretty much everything I know by now, but not this one. This is an Andy Cutting tune, written for the Cecil Sharp project collaboration in about 2015 I think. Nice simple one row tune with lots of drive.

Played on a Castagnari Mory in D/G (but exclusively on the D row).

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A Sad Farewell

A Sad Farewell

Published February 14, 2021

Another lockdown session contribution for the Vaults Bar in Stony Stratford – just learned this one. It’s written by American guitarist/singer Jim Henry, whose concerts with Tracy Grammer I’ve been listening to a lot lately. They’re pretty fantastic; find them here on youtube if you haven’t already.

Played on a Castagnari Mory in D/G

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Farley Bridge

Farley Bridge

Published January 17, 2021

A rather nice tune by Duncan Chisholm that I’ve just learned up. It turns out it plays rather more easily in the upper octave. Played on a Castagnari Mory in D/G.

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Barroom Branle

Barroom Branle

Published January 9, 2021

A tune written by Rob Kay in the 1980s, who used to play keyboards with dance band Tickled Pink. A fairly unusual structure, the A music is in D, the B music in C. Played for the ‘New Tunes’ theme on melodeon.net, January 2021.

Played on a Hohner Pokerwork in D/G. You need a F natural accidental to play this tune.

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Glory of the Sun

Glory of the Sun

Published January 9, 2021

Another take on this tune for Melodeon.net’s tune of the month for January 2021. This is a trad english tune from the playford collection, here played on a D/G Castagnari Giasco. A little more sedate that my earlier version of this recorded a few years ago.

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The Wexford Carol

The Wexford Carol

Published December 12, 2020

Melodeon.net’s theme of the month for December 2020 is (once again) Christmas music, and I’ve found one I haven’t played before! That’s mostly because I couldn’t figure out how to play it, but I’ve now figured it out. Also known (by those that live in Wexford) as the Enniscorthy Christmas Carol.

Played on a D/G Castagnari Giasco I.

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