Royal Mile Scottish Session is ON

Some sessioneers had worried that The Royal Mile might be closed for New Year's Day, so I made sure to call and check, and they will be open!

See you there...

Maryland Scottish Fiddle & Hammered Dulcimer workshop

Sarah Brenzo has asked me to link a flyer about an upcoming Scottish Fiddle & Hammered Dulcimer workshop put on by the Celtic Society of Southern Maryland. Here's a link to the flyer!

December Fiddle Club Session

First, I'd like to thank Pat Powers and Tom Harvey on behalf of the fiddle club for hosting our workshop, potluck, and jam session. They even brought out the good china for us to dine on. They must not know us very well!

The session was well-attended and lively, and had a wide range of instruments: fiddles, viola, mandolin, hammered dulcimer, bodhran, electronic piano, and electronic bagpipe (which was deemed to be too quiet - perhaps a first in history!). We fizzled out a wee bit earlier than usual; it was said that when the piano went home, so did we.

We briefly discussed our ongoing intention to play all tunes at least three times (in defiance of usual Scottish practice), and once again, practiced this dictum only sporadically.

Here are the tunes we played, and the PVSFC source. I may have missed a few; my attention lapsed here and there. If you remember a tune we played that I didn't list, let me know!
Smith's a Gallant Fireman (I-2)
Da Full Rigged Ship/Da New Rigged Ship/Willafjord (X-15,X-15,I-28)
Mrs McLeod of Raasay/Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside (III-2,I-1)
Duncan Grey (XIII-11?)
Spey in Spate (IX-2)
Highland Laddie/East Neuk of Fife (II-1,II-31)
Laird of Drumblair (IV-8)
Catchin' Rabbits (VI-18)
Neil Gow's Lamentation for James Moray, Esq. of Abercarney (XIII-3)
High Drive (XIII-2)
The New Fiddle/Calliope House/Andy Dejarlis' Jig/MacArthur Road (X-36,II-25,XII-24,XIII-1?)

At this point Becky tried to start Lament for Whisky but stopped when no one joined in. Shame on us for not lamenting whisky enough, and we'll try harder next time!

The Dutchess of Redford's Strathspey - not in PVSFC
Easy Club (IX-13)
Mrs McLeod of Raasay/Off She Goes/Greenholm (III-2,XI-34,XI-14)
Stumpie/Clumsy Lover (XIII-1,XIII-4)
Atholl Highlanders (II-7)
MacPhearson's Lament (IX-4), which was played enough times for some to belt out most of the verses!
Barrowburn/Stool of Repentance/Ayr Races (V-1,I-4,XIII-6?)
Prince Charles (VII-20)
Tongadale Reel (XII-5)
Skye Gathering (I-17)

December Royal Mile Jam

We had a bigger jam this month than any since Spring, so thanks to everyone for coming out: Catherine, Julie, Bob, Stephanie, Ben, and Chris (last names omitted for plausible deniability!).

We drew heavily from our standard tune list, common to the Royal Mile and fiddle club sessions. Julie brought her recently-acquired fiddle to test out, while I brought my Cittern; and Chris and I belted out some songs accompanied by his guitar at the end while I tried to restring my fiddle. We also tried to stretch out the session until 7:00, but eventually got the cut-off signal from the manager (aka, the cut throat signal!). So I made sure to be extra nice and thank her for putting up with us!

Here are the tunes we played, and the PVSFC source:
Da Road to Houll (VII-1)
John Howat's reel (XI-13)
Sitting in the Stern of a Boat (II-26)
Sailor's Wife/Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/Stool of Repentance/Teviot Brig (II-13,I-4,I-4,IV-7)
Jig Run Rig - not in PVSFC
Banks of Spey/Loch Leven Castle (II-32 or IX-1,I-3)
High Road to Linton/Put me in a Box (I-20,I-21)
High Drive (XIII-2)
Neil Gow's Lamentation for James Moray, Esq. of Abercarney (XIII-3)
Meeting of the Waters (IX-34)
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin/Tommy's Tarboukas (II-22,XI-5,XI-5)
Calliope House/The New Fiddle/Andy Dejarlis' Jig/MacArthur Road (II-25,X-36,XII-24,XIII-1?)
My Wife's A Wanton Wee Thing (I-15)
Tail Toddle/Glenburnie Rant (III-6,XI-34)
Stan Chapman's Jig (I-22 or II-25)
Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife - not in PVSFC
The White Cockade/My Love is but a Lassie Yet/Highland Laddie (I-12,I-16,II-1)
Spay in Spate (IX-2)
Cairny Mount (II-1)
Wha'll Be King But Charlie (II-29)
Miss Shepherd/Tongadale Reel (III-2,XII-5)
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Mor a Chennaich (I-2,I-2)
Geordie MacLeish/Randy Wife of Greenlaw/Pretty Pegg (II-3,I-24,II-3)
O'er the Moor Amang the Heather Skye Collection version in D w/ variations
The Bonniest Lass in a' the World (V-29)
Hughie Shorty's/Brenda Stubbart's/Barrowburn Reel (VII-8,IX-1,V-1)
Jenny Dang the Weaver/Spootiskerry/Flowers of Edinburgh/Statten Island (III-2,II-23,III-12,IV-5)
The Mason's Apron (V-11)
Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Faroe Rum/WIllafjord (I-27,I-27,I-28)
Highland Whisky/Devil in the Kitchen/De'il Amang the Tailors (V-2,I-19,I-30)

A Southern Maryland Session

Sarah Brenzo writes:

I don't how many Southern Maryland folks may be watching your blog, but we're doing a once a month Scottish fiddle session at my house. The 1st Monday of the month from 4:30pm - 5:30pm. We only have about 5 fiddlers in this so far of varying degrees from very beginner to fiddle, intermediate violin - new to Scottish fiddle style and a few competitors who need more time to focus on the style together.....and there are no other sessions in the area to join, so we started our own
- as humble and struggling as it may be.

Thanks for the heads up, Sarah! I'll put a link referencing your session and contact info in the sidebar.

Sarah also sent a flyer for the Winter Music Fest put on by the Celtic Society of Southern Maryland on January 7th. Here's a link to the flyer!

December Royal Mile Jam Pregame

Remember, everyone, December's Royal Mile jam is coming up this Sunday!

I just received a suggestion via email from Richard, who writes:

Nice site. Have you considered posting a "tune of the month?"

Great idea, and I had been thinking along those lines myself! I'll take a poll at the session and see if there are any tunes people would like to learn for next month. Feel free to make suggestions here in the comment field.