The DC Scottish Sessioneer - Traditional Scottish Music Jams in the Nation's Capital

Royal Mile Jam - New Date & Location

2012-01-27T14:44:00.000-08:00

Because the Potomac Valley Scottish Fiddle Club meeting is a week early in February, overlapping with the usual time for the Royal Mile jam, we will be holding the jam a week later, on 2/12/12.

The location is still TBD pending info on the Royal Mile's status, so keep watching this space.

Royal Mile Closure

2012-01-17T10:17:00.001-08:00

The Royal Mile Pub is currently closed for repairs and "restructuring".

The jam session will be moving to a temporary location until such time as the Royal Mile reopens, or a new venue is found. Look for more information in this space soon.

January 2012 "Royal Mile" Jam

2012-01-03T14:34:00.000-08:00

With the Royal Mile closed for New Year's, the jam was moved to Barbara Saliunas' house. We had a lively jam, and here are some of the tunes we played:

Lochanside/Jenny's Bawbee/Jenny Dang the Weaver/Ale is Dear/High Road to Linton

High Drive (4 part version)

Willie Fraser/Thomas MacDonnell/A Taste of Gaelic/Barrowburn/Iggy & Squiggy/Patterson's General Store

Sailor's Wife/Cushion Dance/Wedding Jig/Detroit Jig/Glencoe Hall

The Chorus Jig

The Hurricane

College Hornpipe

Masons Apron/Timour the Tartar/Reconciliation

Xmas Day in da Moarnin

Brochan Lom

Shetland Fiddler

Tongadale/Knockadhu

Faroe Rum/Donald Blue/Jack Broke da Prison Door/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Willafjord

Cape Breton Fiddler's Welcome to the Shetland Islands

Banks/Madam Neruda

Rob Roy MacGregor/Keep it up/Hughie Shorty's

Old Man & the Young Woman (?)

Sweetness of Mary/Lime Hill/Highland Whiskey/Put Me in a Box

December 2011 Royal Mile Jam

2012-01-03T14:28:00.000-08:00

We had a short December jam session, but here are some of the tunes we played:

Susan MacLeod/Cnl MacLeod

Famous Reels

Shingley Beach

Aran Boat Song

Willie Fraser/Thomas MacDonnell/A Taste of Gaelic/Largo's Fairy Dance

Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his 2nd Wife

Wedding Jigs

Keep it up Rob

Lochanside

Bonnie at morn

Crossing the Minch

Love grows

November 2011 Fiddle Club Jam

2011-11-16T12:09:00.001-08:00

We had a small, short jam this time, but that made it no less lively! Here are the tunes we played:

Bonny at Morn

Knockadhu Reel

Nine pint coggie (Laura risk)/Skye Air/Hughie Shorty's

Shetland Fiddler/Tail Toddle/High Drive

Laxo Burn/Barrow Burn/Patterson's General Store

Sitting on the Stern of a Boat

Iggy & Squiggy/Cranking out

Remembering Marie Maclellan/Miss Gordon of Fochabers/Boys of the Loch

November 2011 Royal Mile Jam

2011-11-16T08:18:00.001-08:00

We had a fun jam this month. Here's what we played:

The Four Musketeers
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin/The Lambing Storm
The Stool of Repentence/The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/Off She Goes
Willie Davie/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Jack Broke Da Prison Door
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Stirling Castle/The Barrowburn Reel/Miss MacLeod of Raasay/Reconciliation
Johnny Cope
Sarah the Merchant/The Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Rannie MacLennan/Spootiskerry
Lochanside
The Road to Banff/Jig Runrig
The Banks of the Lossie
Troy's Wedding
High Road to Linton/The Ale is Dear/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Shetland Fiddler
The Tongadale Reel/The Knockadhu Reel
Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/The Nuptial Knot/The Wedding of Fair Ian's Sister
The Clumsy Lover/Tail Toddle/High Drive
The Day it Dawes
The Sweetness of Mary/The Lime Hill/Highland Whisky/Miss Drummond of Perth/The De'il Amang the Tailors/The Mason's Apron/Father Francis Cameron/Miss Shepherd's/Timour the Tartar/Jack Daniel's/Put Me in a Box
Willie's Auld Trews/Keep it Up/Hughie Shorty's
Da Slockit Light
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis'/The New Fiddle
Da New Rigged Ship/Da Full Rigged Ship
Lexy MacAskill
The Merry Macs

October 2011 Fiddle Club Jam

2011-10-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

We had a great first meeting of the year, and a short jam afterward, and here are the tunes that were played:

High Road to Linton/The Forest Lodge
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Jesse Smith/The Barrowburn Reel/(unknown)
Iggy & Squiggy/Patterson's General Store/Rannie MacLellan/Cranking Out
Bon nie @ Morn
Loch Torridon/Miss Drummond/Miss Shepherd
Hills of Lorne
The Pearl
The Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
Westering Home
Far From Hone
Mrs. MacLeod of Raasay
Tam Lin
Bladen Flats
Tim Horton's/Maggie's Pancakes

October Royal Mile Jam

2011-10-03T05:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I was a little too groggy to the October Jam this time. Literally, groggy. As in two large mugs of grog the night before and paying the price the next day. Barbara Saliunas took over the jam for me, and if she made a list of the tunes played, I'll put it up soon after I get it.

September Scottish Jam has moved

2011-08-29T06:31:00.000-07:00

We'll be holding the Royal Mile Scottish Jam as part of the Harp and Thistle Festival on Saturday 9/17 from 1:30 to 4:30. Hope you can come out.

The Virginia Scottish Games is the same weekend as our usual jam, and will sap away our regular players.

July Royal Mile Jam

2011-07-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

We had a lively jam this time. A lot of great tunes were played, including:

Primrose Lasses/Munlochy Bridge/Hughie Shorty's
Sleep Soon ida Moarnin/Willafjord/Spootiskerry
Dean Brig of Edinburgh/The Banks
The Road to Errogie
Calliope House (in D)/Calliope House (in E)/Andy DeJarlis'/The New Fiddle
Ingonish Jig
Lochanside
King George IV/The King's Reel/The Mason's Apron/Father Francis Cameron
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
Highland Whisky/Jack Daniel's/Put Me in a Box/The Dram Shell
The One-Horned Sheep/Sailor's Wife
The Royal Circus
The Burning of the Piper's Hut/(unknown)/The Ale is Dear/Lady Margaret Stewart/The Black Mill/High Drive
The Merry Macs
Miss Primrose/Happy Tom/Mrs. Douglass of Edman
Devil Amang the Tailors/Miss MacLeod of Raasay
McKinnon's Rant/Soldier's Joy
The Iron Man/(unknown)/Devil in the Kitchen
Moneymusk (strathspey)/Moneymusk (reel) w/ variations
Tongadale Reel/Knockadhu Reel
Stirling Castle/Barrowburn Reel/High Drive/Patterson's General Store/The Fourth Floor
Forth Bridge
King of the Fairies/Prince Charles
The Lambing Storm
Tha Mi Sgith/Alex Dan MacIssac's/Brenda Stubbert's/Iggy & Squiggy/Anne McQuarry's Reel
The Road to Banff/Jig Runrig
The Atholl Highlanders
Troy's Wedding
Muckin o' Georie's Byre/The Stool of Repentence
Da Faroe Rum/Lay Dee at Dee
Miss Spence's/Donald Blue
Jack Broke da Prison Door

Celtic Music Cruise

2011-07-11T18:39:00.001-07:00

Stacie Keenan sends us the link to the 2012 Celtic Music Cruise to Alaska. If this sounds like something you'd enjoy, check it out!

Irish Music at CCE MAD Week

2011-07-11T06:57:00.000-07:00

Mitch Fanning writes:

Hi Peter & Elke,

Peter, we met many years ago in passing when I heard your playing at the Royal Mile. Elke, we
haven't met, though I hope to correct that soon. I hope our paths intersect soon.

I'm also hoping you'll both help promote CCE MAD Week among your musical contacts. MAD Week is an
exceptionally fun week of trad Irish music and dance, not exactly the same cup of tea, but there are
many Scots and Irish over the border.

We have an exceptional faculty this year:

Fiddle: Martin Hayes, Patrick Ourceau, Jesse Smith, Cleek Schrey, Bob Spates, Donna Long, Joe DeZarn, Dylan Foley
Flute/Whistle/Uilleann Pipes: Kevin Crawford, Laura Byrne, Jerry O'Sullivan
Guitar Accompaniment (DADGAD): Josh Dukes
Bodhran: Jesse Winch, Myron Bretholz
Button Accordion: Sean McComiskey (Friday only)
Tenor Banjo: Keith Carr
Singing/Song Circle: Len Graham
Set Dance/Sean-nos: Marilyn Moore, Shannon Dunne

Would be happy to extend early registration discount ($45) to any and all of those you would care to invite!

For more information about schedule, faculty bios, and registration information:
http://www.ccepotomac.org/www/MADWeek.html

I've also attached a flyer (.pdf) for your information and convenience. Please feel free to post or forward at will.

If either of you would like to attend the public faculty concert on Wednesday, July 20th (7:30 p.m.) at Takoma Park
Community Center, please let me know and I'll be happy to set aside comp tickets in your name. For more information
about the concert, please see the calendar section of the IMT website: http://www.imtfolk.org.

Thanks much for your consideration and assistance.

Sincerely,

Mitch Fanning, Director
CCE MAD Week 2011

http://www.ccepotomac.org/www/MADWeek.html
jmitchellf@yahoo.com
m. 703.989.7369

SummerTunes 2011!

2011-07-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

Liz Donaldson writes:

Hello all - A gentle reminder that SummerTunes 2011 - Saturday, July 23 - 10 am until.... is in two weeks. Alex and I are hoping you can come join us for another splendid day of making music together. The registration form is posted on the MMFAC website- www.contradancers.com/mmfac/. Do let us know if you are planning on attending so we know how many SummerTunes tunebooks to order.

Information: http://www.contradancers.com/mmfac/, or contact Liz Donaldson - liz@us.net or (301) 986-1291 or Alexander Mitchell Fiddlemuse@yahoo.com or (240) 344-7806.

Thanks. Liz

June Royal Mile Jam

2011-06-20T05:54:00.001-07:00

Our June jam started slow, but people began to trickle in around 4:30, and by 5 it was pretty smokin'.

We have pictures on Facebook courtesy of Amy Gray.

The tunes we played were (tunes in italic, songs in bold - a new format I'll be trying out):
The Langour of Love
Jenny Dang the Weaver/Pretty Pegg/Homeward Bound
The Smith's a Gallant Fireman/This is no my ain Hoose/Petronella/The De'il amang the Tailors
The Clumsy Lover/Tail Toddle/High Drive
Lochanside
The Nuptual Knot/The Wedding of Fair Ian's Sister
Trip To Orkney/The North Isles Waltz
Iggy & Squiggy
Stan Chapman's
Willie Fraser/Thomas MacDonnell/Taste of Gaelic
Ann McQuarry's Reel
Sourgrass & Granite
Welcome Whisky Back Again
Trip to Pakistan
Tramps & Hawkers
Braes of Mar/Carolyn Lentz's
Willafjord/Spootiskerry/Da Faroe Rum
Da Slockit Light
Troy's Wedding
Andy DeJarlis
Road to Errogie
The Trippers
Antigonish
Hi Ri Him Bo
High Drive/Patterson's General Store/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Fairy Dance
Barrowburn/The Shetland Fiddler
Rob Roy MacGregor/Keep it up/Hughie Shorty's
Nine Pint Coggie (Risk's)/Skye Air
The Quarryman/Nine Pint Coggie (trad)
A Man's a Man for a' That

May Fiddle Club Tunes

2011-05-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

As it happens, I had asked my girlfriend to bring my contribution to the Fiddle Club potluck, a roasted leg of lamb, so she could join us and hang out at the jam. But due to circumstances outside her control - a faulty meat thermometer and an oven thermostat that's not to be trusted - the lamb arrived quite late, and the jam began with some tunes to hopefully speed it along:

Sheep Running About
Cheap Mutton
Ram's Horns
The One Horned Sheep
The Moffat Ram
The Lambing Storm
A Yowe Cam to wir door Yarmin
Da Blue Yowe
Ewie with a Crookit Horn

And, after long last, the leg of lamb arrived! So we took a break for a dessert of meat, and returned to our tunes:

Lochanside/High Drive
Trip to Pakistan/The Fourth Floor
Sean Truibhas/Tam Lin
Jig by William Gillis/Stool of Repentance/Sailor's Wife/Grace Hay's Delight
The Nuptial Knot/The Wedding of Fair Ian's Sister
North Highland Dance (the 9/8 from Patrick McDonald)
Skye Air/The Quarryman/9 Pint Coggie (Laura Risk's)

Thanks to everyone for the tunes, and to Amy for the lamb!

May Royal Mile Jam Tunes

2011-05-02T06:20:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to this month's Royal Mile jam session. We had some great tunes, with fiddles, cello, guitars, and of course my whistles & border pipes; and we did a few songs on top of that.

Links are to sheet music for some of the tunes & sets not in Fiddle Club.

Here's what we played:
Munlochy Bridge/Primrose Lasses/Hughie Shorty's
Morag Haig-Thomas/Thomas MacDonnell's/Willie Fraser/The Barrowburn Reel/Patterson's General Store
Lochanside
Muckin' o Geordie's Byre/Stool of Repentance/Off She Goes
My Love is But a Lassie Yet/O'er the Hills and Far Awa'
Pulling Bracken/Alex Dan MacIssac's/Brenda Stubbert's/Mutt's Favorite/High Road to Linton
Stan Chapman's Jig/Barrowburn Reel/Largo's Fairy Dance (w/ Skinner's variations)
Crossing the Minch (w/ Alasdair Fraser's ending)
Traditional Jig/The Wedding Jigs/The Detroit Jig
Calliope House (in D and E)/Andy DeJarlis' Jig/The New Fiddle/Hull's Reel
Sleepy Maggie/???/Trip to Pakistan/The Ale is Dear
Willafjord
Tam Lin/Sean Truibhas Uillichean/Lady Mary Hay's Scots Measure
Highland Whisky/The Devil in the Kitchen/Jack Daniel's Reel
Sarratoga Hornpipe/Reichwall Forrest/The Merry Making
Sarah the Merchant/The Smith's a Gallant Fireman
Harvest Home/Statten Island/Flowers of Edinburgh/Jackie Tar
Rob Roy MacGregor/Keep it up/High Drive
Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/The Drummer/The Drunken Piper
Terribus/Greenwoodside
A Man's a Man for a' That/Jenny Dang the Weaver
Bonnie at Morn
King George IV/The King's Reel
The Mason's Apron
Hi Ri Him Bo
Scalloway Lasses/Miss Forrester's
The Tongadale Reel/The Knockadhu Reel
The Road to Banff/Jig RunRig/The Atholl Highlanders

Also, we have pictures coming soon of the May and April jams, courtesy of Amy Gray.

The Smith's a Gallant Fireman: Lyrics

2011-04-19T19:36:00.001-07:00

One of our favorite tunes at both Fiddle Club and The Royal Mile is "The Smith's a Gallant Fireman", also (and possibly originally) known as "Carrick's Rant". Turns out there are words that lend the tune its name, by a man named Harrison. I found them transcribed by James Scott Skinner and intended to be included in The Harp and Claymore (though it doesn't appear to have been). The original text is shown here - check the rest of the site out, it's a wonderful tribute to everything J. Scott Skinner.

Though the first two verses seem to be praising a superhuman figure, the third verse is almost channeling "A Man's a Man for a' That"!

The Smith's a Gallant Fireman

Wha's the King o' oor toon end and sets the lads in awe man
Wha has lassies nine or ten when some hae nane ava man
Wha can mak us daftly dance till we be like to fa' man
Whene'er the music o' his pipe is heard in cot or ha' man
Oh Rab's the man oor village smith I winner that ye speer man
Whaur hae ye been for a' yer days that that ye didna hear man
He's King o' Bar and Lord of love and Knight o' a oor Shire man
At feast or fray by nicht or day The Smith's a Gallant Fireman.

Wha can spend and spare a plack and still hae twa ahint it
Gie a fren a helpin han and never care tae mint it
Wha for honour's sacred cause and honest independence
Like steadfast rock can beer the shock o' a' the warl's vengeance
Oh Rab's the man wi' hert and han tho clad in rude attire man
Wi' strong resolve and iron nerve, nae mair he doth require man
He bends the bars o' burnin steel as ain the' were but wire man
Dependen aye upon himseel, The Smith's a Gallant Fireman.

Wha would be a lordling slave, a thing withoot a name man
Wha would beg frae ither folk what they should hae at hame man
Wha would scuaner a' their gear an' syne gie fate the blame man
The growin' grass aboon his grave, it micht turn red wi' shame man
Let folks deride and ca' it pride be it mine still to aspire man
He that winna wale the road deserves tae dree the mire man
Let honest dignity and worth oor hearts and souls inspire man
Let's honor pay where honor's due: The Smith's a Gallant Fireman.

April Royal Mile Jam

2011-04-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

We had a light turnout at this month's jam, it being our fourth Fiddle Club-related event in a row. But it was still lively and fun and we got some great tunes played. Here's the list:

The Earl of Mansfield
Spootiskerry/Willafjord/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin
Da Full Rigged Ship/Da New Rigged Ship
Stool of Repentance/The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/Drummond Castle/Leslie's March
The Smith's a Gallant Fireman
Highland Whisky/The Devil in the Kitchen/The De'il Amang the Tailors
Mor a' Chennaich/Miss Drummond of Perth/Loch Leven Castle/The Tongadale Reel/The Knockadhu Reel
Captain Campbell
Terribus
Tail Toddle/Kate Dalyrimple
Willie Davie
The Barrowburn Reel
The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin/Sean Truibhas Uillichean
Highland Laddie/East Neuk of Fife
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis' Jig
My Love is Like a Red Red Rose
My Love is But a Lassie Yet
Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/High Road to Linton
Atholl Highlanders
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
Rob Roy MacGregor/As a Thoiseach/Hughie Shorty's
Largo's Fairy Dance
The Wildcat
The Sailor's Wife
Johnny Cope
Da Slockit Light

April Jam Session on April 10, not April 3

2011-03-28T05:08:00.000-07:00

Because the Potomac Valley Scottish Fiddle Club has had to move its April meeting to the 3rd, the Royal Mile Scottish Jam for April will occur a week later, on April 10.

Hope to see you there!

P.S. I'm hoping to get caught up on the backlog of tune lists soon.

March Fiddle Club Jam

2011-03-21T07:07:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of fun after this month's fiddle club meeting at my house jamming to some tunes. Here's what we played:

Corriechollie's Welcome to the Northern Meeting/Terribus/Greenwoodside
Bonnie at Morn
Sitting in the Stern of a Boat
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin/The Tongadale Reel/The Knockadhu Reel
The Piper's Weird
The Sweetness of Mary/Miss Drummond of Perth/Put Me in a Box
Petronella
The Squirrel in a Tree/The Directors
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
Far From Hame
St. Anne's/Soldier's Joy
Flowers of Edinburgh/Staten Island
Da Full Rigged Ship/Da New Rigged Ship
Bonnie George Campbell/Hector the Hero
Minnie MacMaster

March Royal Mile Jam

2011-03-07T06:59:00.000-08:00

A lively jam this month - here's what was played:

Spootiskerry/Jack Broke Da Prison Door/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Willafjord
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
The Braes of Mar
High Road to Linton
Lochanside/The Road to Banff
Thomas MacDonnell/Willie Fraser/Barrowburn/The Fairy Dance
Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/The Nuptual Knot/The Wedding of Fair Ian's Sister
The Stool of Repentance/The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/Off She Goes
The Wedding Jig/Stan Chapman's Jig
Dan R. MacDonald
Terribus/Greenwoodside
Dick Gossip's/The Drunken Piper/The Ale is Dear/Sleepy Maggie
Tail Toddle/Kate Dalyrimple
Rob Roy MacGregor/As a Thoiseach/Hughie Shorty's
Capers
Put Me in a Box/Father Francis Cameron
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
The Braes of Banffshire/The Merry Making/Miss Charles Stewart Pettyvaich
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle
My Cape Breton Home
Munlochy Bridge/Primrose Lasses/Skye Air
Soldier's Joy
Smith's a Gallant Fireman
The Road to Errogie/MacArthur Road
Mortgage Burn/The Mason's Apron
Jig Runrig/The Jig of Slurs
The Merry Macs
THe Lime Hill/Highland Whisky/Jack Daniels' Reel/High Drive

A Celtic Concert with Maggie Sansone & Friends

2011-02-28T22:47:00.000-08:00

A Celtic Concert with Maggie Sansone, Robin Bullock, Shannon Dunne, Matt Bell, Regan Riley
"In Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Saint Mark Presbyterian Church"

Date: Saturday, March 12, 2011
Time: 7:30 pm
Location: St. Mark Presbyterian Chuch, Rockville, Maryland.
Join award winning Celtic and folk musicians and dancers for a great family show.Featuring America's premier Celtic hammered dulcimer recording artist Maggie Sansone, "flat picking master" Robin Bullock, guitar, cittern, mandolin; Matt Bell, Irish Bodhran and who is a snare drum percussionist with US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps ; Shannon Dunne, concertina, vocals and Irish Step Dancer who tours with Percussive Foot Works Ensemble and also Regan Riley, a champion Irish Step dancer, former member of the Teelin School of Irish Dance. . http://www.saintmarkpresby.org. Tickets and info: events@saintmarkpresby.org ; 301-530-2613; Saint Mark Presbyterian Church, 10701 Old Georgetown Road, Rockville, MD 20852
Tickets and info:
St. Mark Presbyterian Church
10701 Old Georgetown Road
Rockville, MD 20852
301-530-2613
http://www.saintmarkpresby.org.
events@saintmarkpresby.org

Directions:
http://www.saintmarkpresby.org/pagedirections.htm

Maggie Sansone:
http://www.maggiesmusic.com/mscalen.html

February Fiddle Club jam tunes

2011-02-21T11:34:00.001-08:00

Chandler Becker sends the list of tunes played at the jam:

Spootiskerry, Sailor's Wife, Cushion Dance
My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
Primrose Lassies
Tongadale Reel, Knockadhu Reel, Tam Lin
Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside, Alex Dan MacIsaac's
Lime Hill, Highland Whisky, Jack Daniel's
Brenda Stubbart
Calliope House, Andy DeJarlis, The New Fiddle
The Wedding Jig
Barrowburn Reel, High Road to Linton
Laxo Burn
Muckin Out Geordie's Byre, Stool of Repentance, Stan Chapman Jig
Mom's Jig
Bonny at Morn
East Neuk of Fife
Crossing the Minch
Johnny Cope
Flowers of Edinburgh
Hughie Shorty
My Cape Breton Home

February Royal Mile Jam Canceled

2011-02-04T05:08:00.000-08:00

The Royal Mile will be closing early on Sunday because of the Superbowl, and so our regular jam is canceled this month.

See you next month!

January Royal Mile Jam

2011-01-06T04:20:00.000-08:00

Bit of a delay getting this up, but here goes. Here's the tunes we played at the Royal Mile Jam this January:

The Merry Macs
Sitting in the Stern of a Boat
Skye Air
High Drive
Spootiskerry/Willafjord
Boo Baby's Lullaby
Hills of Lorne
Willie Fraser/Thomas MacDonnell/Back of the Change House
The Barrowburn Reel/Da Ferry Reel
The Tongadale Reel/The Knockadhu Reel
The High Road to Linton (in D, w/ song)
Dream Angus
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis'/The New Fiddle
Father Francis Cameron/Put Me in a Box/Brenda Stubbert's/Miss MacLeod of Raasay
Da New Rigged Ship/Da Full Rigged Ship
Lady Ann Gordon's
Brochan Lom/Jenny Dang the Weaver (in G, w/ Gaelic lyrics)
Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee
Atholl Highlanders
The Soldier's Joy/St. Anne's Reel
The Smith's a Gallant Fireman
Highland Whisky/The Devil in the Kitchen/The De'il Amang the Tailors/The Dram Shell/Timour the Tartar/Jack Daniel's Reel
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
Bog an Lochan/Rob Roy MacGregor/Keep it up/Hughie Shortie's/Primrose Lasses
Cape Breton Fiddler's Welcome to the Shetland Isles
King George IV/The King's Reel/Miss Lyall's Reel
The Weeping Birks of Killmarock
Dean Brig of Edinburgh/The Banks
Lochanside
The Yellow Haired Lad
Johnny Cope
The Marquis of Huntly
Pigeon on the Gate
The Scolding Wives of Abertarff

December Fiddle Club Jam

2010-12-25T06:52:00.000-08:00

We had a good jam at this December's meeting. Here's what we played:

Flowers of Edinburgh
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
General Leslie's Goodnight
Leslie's March
The Tongadale Reel/The Knockadhu Reel
The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/Stool of Repentance/Lieutenant Maguire/Jig Runrig/Mick Walsh's/The Road to Banff
Hughie Shortie's
Brochan Lom
Bonny George Campbell
The Guizer's March
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
The Piper's Weird
The White Cockade/Highland Laddie
Da Slockit Light
Soldier's Joy
She's Rare and Good in All
Eilean Beag Donn a' Chuain

December Royal Mile Jam

2010-12-15T06:42:00.000-08:00

A lively session this month. Here's what we played:

High Drive
The Merry Macs
Lieutenant Maguire/Jig Runrig
Skye Dance #27/North Highland Dance #21/North Highland Dance #16/Skye Dance #27
MacKinnon's Rant/The Road to Errogie
The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/The Earl of Mansfield
Mrs MacLeod of Raasay/Miss Shepherd's Reel
Willie Fraser/Thomas MacDonnell/A Taste of Gaelic/The Barrowburn Reel/Iggy & Squiggy/Brenda Stubbert's Reel
The Tongadale Reel/The Knockadhu Reel/The Drummer/Father Francis Cameron
Spootiskerry/Willafjord
Miss Grace Hay's Favorite/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
Bonnie at Morn
Katherine Oggie
Cutting Bracken/Alex Dan MacIssac/Dinky Dorim/High Road to Linton
Crossing the Minch
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Stool of Repentence/Off the Goes/The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre
The Heights of Cassino
Mor a' Chennaich/Sean Truibhas Uilleachan
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
The Drunken Piper
Lochanside
Braes of Mar/Jenny Dang the Weaver/Jack Daniels' Reel/Hull's Rel/MacArthur Road
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
Stumpie/The Clumsy Lover/Tail Toddle/High Drive
Flowers of Edinburgh
Auld Lang Syne

December Fiddle Club Jam

2010-12-14T10:18:00.000-08:00

Some wonderful tunes this month in memory of Fiddle Club's founder, Anne Leslie, and a few even made it into the spirited jam afterward. Thanks to everyone for coming, and to Houston & Judy Baker for hosting.

Our tunes were:
Flowers of Edinburgh
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
General Leslie's Goodnight
Leslie's March
The Tongadale Reel/The Knockadhu Reel
The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/The Stool of Repentance/Lieutenant Maguire/Jig Runrig/Mick Walsh's/The Road to Banff
Hughie Shortie's
Brochan Lom
Bonny George Campbell
The Guizer's March
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
The Piper's Weird
The White Cockade/Highland Laddie
Da Slockit Light
Soldier's Joy
She's Rare & Good in All
Eilean Beag Donn a' Chuain

December Royal Mile Jam

2010-12-07T20:57:00.000-08:00

We had an incredibly fun jam at the Royal Mile, with a great set of players and instruments, and had wonderful energy throughout. Thanks again to everyone for coming out, and to The Royal Mile for hosting us!

We played the following tunes:
High Drive
The Merry Macs
Lt. Maguire/Jig Runrig
Skye Dance #27/North Highland Dance #21/North Highland Dance #16/Skye Dance #27
MacKinnon's Rant/The Road to Errogie
The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/The Earl of Mansfield/Terribus
Mrs. MacLeod of Raasay/Miss Shepherd
Willie Fraser/Thomas MacDonnell/A Taste of Gaelic/The Barrowburn Reel/Iggy & Squiggy/Brenda Stubbert's Reel
The Tongadale Reel/The Knockadhu Reel/The Drummer/Father Francis Cameron
Spootiskerry/Willafjord
Miss Grace Hay's Favorite/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
Bonnie at Morn/Catherine Oggie
Cutting Bracken/Alex Dan MacIssac/Dinky Dorian's/High Road to Linton
Crossing the Minch
Calliope House (in E, D, and E again!), Andy DeJarlis'/The New Fiddle
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
The Stool of Repentance/Off She Goes/The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre
The Heights of Cassino
Mor a Chenniaich/Seann Truibhas Uillichean
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
The Drunken Piper
Lochanside
The Braes of Mar/Jenny Dang the Weaver/Jack Daniel's Rell/Hull's Reel/MacArthur Road
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
Stumpie/The Clumsy Lover/Tail Toddle/High Drive
Flowers of Edinburgh/The Barrowburn Reel
Auld Lang Syne

November Fiddle Club Jam

2010-11-25T06:40:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay again, here's what we played:

Miss MacLeod
Tongadale/Knockadhu Reel
Calliope House
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
Cutting Bracken
Cranking Out
Brochan Lom/Jenny Dang the Weaver (Hò rò ghoid thu 'n nighean)
The Muckin' o Geordie's Byre/The Stool of Repentence

November Fiddle Club Jam

2010-11-15T06:51:00.000-08:00

We had a short jam after the Fiddle Club meeting. Our tunes were:

Miss MacLeod of Raasay
Tongadale Reel/Knockadhu
Calliope House
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
Cutting Bracken
Cranking Out
Stool of Repentence/Muckin' o Geordie's Byre
High Road to Linton

November Royal Mile Jam

2010-11-15T06:40:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delayed posting. Here's what we played:

Willafjord/Fenella
Thomas MacDonnell/Willie Fraser
Mason's Apron/Barrowburn
Stool of Repentance/Muckin o' Geordie's Byre/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
Lochanside
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/This is no my ain Hoose/Petronella/De'il Amang the Tailors
Laura Risk's Nine Pint Coggie/Skye Air
Willie Davie/Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver
Mor a' Chennaich/Lady Mary Hay's Scots Measure
The Burning of the Piper's Hut
Da Full Rigged Ship/Da New Rigged Ship/Da Ferry Reel/Willafjord/Spootiskerry
Bonne(?)/Katherine Oggie
Munlochy Bridge/Primrose Lasses/Hughie Shortie's
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Sitting in the Stern of a Boat
Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
Sleepy Maggie
Rathven Market
Trip to Pakistan
The Drunken Piper/Terribus
Brochan Lom
Brenda Stubbart's/Molly Rankin's/?
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle/MacArthur Road/Hull's Reel
Banks of Doon
The Sweetness of Mary/The Lime Hill/Highland Whisky/Jack Daniel's/Father Francis Cameron/Put Me in a Box
Shingley Beach
Jack Broke da Prison Door/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Lay Dee at Dee/Faroe Rum
The Day Dawes/Christmas Day ida Moarnin
Atholl Highlanders
The Merry Making/Clydesdale Lasses
Rob Roy MacGregor/As a Thoiseach
Bog an Lochan

November Royal Mile Jam

2010-11-08T03:23:00.000-08:00

So it's been a while since I've posted, and I apologize. Rather than try to piece together my scratchy notes from the jams since I last posted, I figure I'll just pick up from the latest jam.

And the latest jam was a doozie! Thanks to everyone who came out to the Royal Mile to make it happen. Eight fiddles (with Doug sometimes on guitar), a piano, a cello, two guitars, bouzouki, two percussionists (with Scott sometimes switching to whistle), and then there was me on fiddle, reel pipes, flute, and whistle. We were almost too big for the pub, which was also packed with a grateful and appreciative audience!

Here are the tunes we played:
Willafjord
Fenella
Thomas MacDonnell/Willie Fraser
The Mason's Apron/Barrowburn Reel
The Stool of Repentance/The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
Lochanside
The Smith's a Gallant Fireman/This is No My Ain Hoose/Petronella/The De'il Amang the Tailors
The Nine Pint Coggie (Laura Risk's version)/Skye Air Reel (Laura Risk's version)
The Terror Time/Willie Davie/Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver
Mor a Chennaich/Lady Mary Hay's Scots Measure
The Burning of the Piper's Hut
Da Full Rigged Ship/Da Ferry Reel/Willafjord/Spootiskerry
Bonnie at Morn/Katherine Oggie
Munlochy Bridge/The Primrose Lasses/Hughie Shorty's
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Sitting in the Stern of a Boat
The Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
Sleepie Maggie
Rathven Market
Trip to Pakistan
The Drunken Piper/Terribus
Brochan Lom
Brenda Stubbert's/Molly Rankin's Reel
Calliope House/Andy Dejarlis/The New Fiddle
Hull's Reel/MacArthur Road
The Banks of Doon
The Sweetness of Mary/The Lime Hill/Highland Whisky/Jack Daniels' Reel/Father Francis Cameron/Put Me in a Box
Shingley Beach
Jack Broke da Prison Door/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Lay Dee at Dee/Da Faroe Rum
The Day Dawes/Christmas Day in the Morning
The Atholl Highlanders
Clydesdale Lasses/The Merry Making
Rob Roy MacGregor/As a Thoiseach
Bog an Lochan

Add to this a few songs:
Brochan Lom
Horo Ghoid Thu Nighean
Bodachan a' mhìrein/Chuirinn air a' phìob e
Hi Rì Him Bò
Auld Lang Syne

July Jam Session Date Change!

2010-06-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

Sorry about the slow updates on tunes. I'll get to those soon.

As you may have noticed, our normal jam date at The Royal Mile Pub turns out to be July 4th. The Royal Mile will be closed that day, and the management has agreed to let us reschedule a week later to July 11th, the usual time.

See you all there!

Musical Arts and Dance Week, July 5-9

2010-05-11T08:19:00.001-07:00

Mitch Fanning writes:

Hope this finds you well.

And I'm hoping you'll have an interest in and be willing to help promote CCE MAD Week 2010 this year. "Musical Arts & Dance" Week (formerly FiddleWeek) will take place this year July 5-9.

While the week is a celebration of Irish culture and dance, I'm hoping there are many within your sphere of contacts who would be interested in joining us for a week.

Fiddle faculty this year includes Kevin Burke, Brendan Mulvihill, Cleek Schrey, Donna Long and Bob Spates. I'm sure there will be more than a few Highlands, Strathspeys, and Skinner tunes in the mix....

In additional classes lessons, (twice daily, 1.5 hours each), there are lunchtime electives that include bodhran, Celtic crafts, Ceili band, Sean-nos and set dancing, singing/song circle. All full time registrants also receive a single half hour private lesson from one of our staff.

For more information about the week, please see the local Comhaltas website:
http://www.ccepotomac.org

Thanks in advance for whatever you can do to help promote this extraordinary week of music making and dance. Hope to see you before then somewhere soon.

With Gratitude and Best Regards,

Mitch Fanning, Director
CCE MAD Week 2010
http://www.ccepotomac.org

Sounds like a lot of fun to me!

March Fiddle Club Jam

2010-03-15T06:50:00.000-07:00

We had a shorter jam at fiddle club this time around. I think we were all stuffed after dinner and (a few of us) sluggish from drinks.

But here are the tunes we played:
Clumsy Lover/Tail Toddle/High Drive
The Fourth Floor
Mary Claire
Garser's Dream
Ballendoire
Rights of Man
Wha' will be King but Charlie/Drummond Castle/The Apple Tree
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
Tommy's Tarboukas/Tam Lin/Captain Keeler
Duplin House (aka All the Blue Bonnets are Over the Border)
Prince Charles (aka King William)
Tongadale/Miss Shepherd/Mason's Apron
Knockadhu
Sitting in the Stern of a Boat
My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/Sailor's Wife/Turning of the Tide
Rachel Rae
Cam' Ye O'er Frae France (aka Keys to the Cellar)/Bobbin John

More Pretty Faces

2010-03-09T20:44:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of the March 2010 jam session, taken by Mary Hall. I'm hoping to get some more from Ben Williams, who took a few as well. Each thumbnail links to a bigger version. Enjoy!

March Royal Mile Jam

2010-03-08T06:49:00.000-08:00

We had a great jam last night! Fiddles, cello, guitar, bodhran, and (from me) whistles, flute, and my new border pipes! Thanks to all for coming out, and I hope to have pictures of the jam soon.

Here's what we played:

Skye Dance #27
High Drive
Barrowburn/Flowers of Edinburgh/Spootiskerry/Willafjord
Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/Stool of Repentence
North Highland Dance #16/North Highland Dance #21/Soldier's Joy
Tongadale Reel/Knockadhu
Rob Roy MacGregor/Keep it Up/Hughie Shortie's
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis'/The New Fiddle/MacArthur Road
High Road to Linton/The Sound of Sleat
Terribus
Neil Gow's Lament for James Moray of Abercairny, esq.
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/This is no my ain Hoose/Petronella/De'il Amang the Tailors/The Fairy Dance
Munlochy Bridge/Primrose Lasses
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance
Julia Delaney
Rathven Market
Nine Pint Coggie (Laura Risk's version)
Mor a' Chennaich/Green Grow the Rushes (Lucky Black's Daughter)
Iggy & Squiggy
Clumsy Lover/Tail Toddle
Bonnie at Morn/Catherine Oggie
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
Moneymusk S&R
Lieutenant Maguire/Jig Runrig/Atholl Highlanders
Lochanside
Stirling Castle/Forth Bridge
Willie Davie
Johnny Cope
East Neuk of Fife
24th Guards Brigade at Anzio
Mrs. MacLeod
Auld Lang Syne

February Fiddle Club Jam

2010-02-16T07:13:00.000-08:00

Plenty of folks braved the remnants of the snowpocalypse and a tough parking situation to come out for the February Fiddle Club jam. Here's what we played:

(sometimes I can't read my own writing!)

Spootiskerry
Primrose Lasses
A Yowe Cam ta wir Door Yarmin
Iggy & Squiggy
Robert Stubbert
Cranking Cut
Sail Her o'er the Raftrees/Tame Her When the Snaw Comes/Come Again You're Welcome/Jack Broke Da Prison Door
The Old Woman Reeled, The Old Woman Set
Skye Dance #27
XIV-31
Willie Davie
Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/Earl of Mansfield
In Dispraise of Whisky/Farewell to Whisky/Highland Whisky/Jack Daniel's/Glenlivet/Knockadhu
Tongadale/Brenda Stubbert's
Stool of Repentence/Muckin' o Geordie's Byre
???
Atholl Highlanders
Fair Jenny's Jig
Bonnie at Morn
Ca' the Yowes tae the Knowes
The Rowan Tree
Maggie's Pancakes/Sleepy Maggie
Mackenzie Hay
Stirling Castle/Barrowburn Reel
Put Me in a Box/Father Francis Cameron
Mrs. MacLeod
Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance
Tail Toddle/High Drive
The Clumsy Lover
The Drummer
Frank's Reel

February Royal Mile Jam

2010-02-08T07:37:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the snowpocalypse, I understand there wasn't much of a jam. A few people did come for beers, though!

Fiddle Workshop w/ Elke Baker

2010-01-24T20:10:00.000-08:00

Elke Baker writes:

Hello Music friends!

Winter greetings! I am writing to let you know about an upcoming concert and music workshop that I'll be teaching.

It's an entire weekend of Fiddle Mania at the Upper Potomac (Shepherdstown WV) Fiddle Retreat, January 29-31, 2010. The all-star list of instructors includes Tina Chancey, Joe DeZarn, Joe Herrmann, Adam Hurt, Laura Light, Eden MacAdam-Somer, Larry Unger, and me, teaching all kinds of fiddle styles and other instruments. The instructors will all give a concert on Friday night, January 29, at 8 pm at Reynolds Hall, Shepherd College, Shepherdstown WV. I'll be teaching on Saturday, January 30, and the topics include:
*Scottish and English fiddle for Advance Beginner & Intermediate levels
*Scottish Fiddle for Intermediate & Advanced levels
*Scottish Band for all instruments
As usual, I'll include the next allotments of my favorite topics, "Strathspey Mechanics" and "Tune Sleuth: How to Get More out of Anonymous Tunes" as part of these courses.

You may register for all or part of the weekend. Scholarships are available: please ask! For further information about the Fiddle Retreat Weekend, check the website at www.upperpotomacmusic.info or contact Joanie Blanton ( (304) 263-2531 or updf@earthlink.net).

For concert tickets, follow the link above or go directly to http://smad.us/concerts/ for further information. As usual, tickets may be purchased by following the online instructions, at the door, or in advance at O'Hurley's General Store in Shepherdstown.

I hope to see you at the concert or the workshops! If not, check my website at www.elkebaker.com for a list of upcoming events, and I hope to see you down the road sometime. Stay tuned for news of my new recording--it should be ready sometime in 2010.

In other news, I have several months worth of tune lists I hope to post soon.

January Fiddle Club Jam

2010-01-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

A great fiddle club meeting, and a great jam. Here are the tunes we played:

Leaving St. Kilda
Muckin' o Geordie's Byre/Stool of Repentance
Hills of Lorne
Wi' A Hundred Pipers
Julia Delany
Tam Lin/Tongadale/Knockadhu
My Cape Breton Home
Sir Reginald MacDonald
McPherson's Farewell
Bonnie at Morn
This is no my ain Hoose/Largo's Fairy Dance/Barrowburn/High Road to Linton
Maggie's Pancakes
Cordwainer's March
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
Hector the Hero
Highland Whisky/Miss Drummond of Perth/The Drunken Piper

January Royal Mile Jam

2010-01-03T09:45:00.000-08:00

A great jam to start the year! Here are the tunes we played:

High Drive
Stool of Repentance/Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre
Mor a Chennaich/Barrowburn Reel/Soldier's Joy/Deil Amang the Tailors
Lieutenant Maguire/Jig Runrig
Tune for Glendale
9 Pint Coggie (Laura Risk's version)
The Lime Hill/Sweetness of Mary/Miss Drummond of Perth/Brenda Stubbert's/Father Francis Cameron
Spootiskerry/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Willafjord
Lay Dee at Dee/Da Faroe Rum
Miss Spence's/Donald Blue
High Road to Linton
Lady Magdalena Sinclair
Sailor's Wife/Cushion Dance/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/This is no my ain Hoose/Petronella
Flowers of Edinburgh/Fairy Dance
Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/Earl of Mansfield/Terribus
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
24th Guards Brigade at Anzio
Bonny Ship the Diamond
Shetland Fiddler/Trip to Pakistan
Devil in the Kitchen/The Drunken Piper
Lexy McAskill
Lochanside
Julia Delaney
Braes of Banffshire/The Merry Making
Munlochy Bridge/Hughie Shortie's
Ye Banks & Braes
Bonny at Morn
Monymusk S&R
The Butterfly/Foxhunter's Jig
Yellow Haired Laddie
Highland Whisky/Jack Daniel's/Put Me in a Box
Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/Earl of Mansfield

December Fiddle Club Meeting

2009-12-15T08:28:00.000-08:00

Here's the tunes we played:

The Ale is Dear/High Road to Linton
Stirling Castle/Forth Brig/Foxhunter's Reel
Flowers of Edinburgh/Jackie Tar/Statten Island
Squirrel in a Tree
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
On the Fiddle
Tongadale/Knockadhu
Barrowburn/Spootiskerry/Willafjord
Stool of Repentance/Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
Kohler's Hornpipe
Highland Laddie
Graceful Young Woman
Laxo Burn/Sean Maguire's

December Royal Mile Jam

2009-12-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

Here's what we played (where I can read my own writing!):

Stirling Castle/Forth Bridge/Foxhunter's Reel
Flowers of Edinburgh
The Muckin' o Geordie's Byre/Stool of Repentance/Lieutenant Maguire/Jig Runrig
Devil in the Kitchen/The Drunken Piper
Hunting the Wren
Fear a Corraidh
Spootiskerry/Willafjord
Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear
Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
Jack Daniel's/Put Me In a Box/High Drive
????
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis'/The New Fiddle/MacArthur Road
Sweetness of Mary/The Lime Hill/Miss Drummond of Perth/Tongadale/Knockadhu Reel
A Gloom is upon my Soul
Petronella
The Fairy Dance
Mason's Apron/Easy Club/High Road to Linton
Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/Earl of Mansfield
Lochanside
Christmas Day in the Morning
The Day Dawns
Nail Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Miss Muir MacKenzie(?)
Lady Magdalena Sinclair

November Fiddle Club Jam

2009-11-16T07:30:00.000-08:00

Thanks to whoever wrote the tunes down for me, as I couldn't make this meeting. Finally getting caught up on some old jam tune lists (in March!)

Spootiskerry
Iggy & Squiggy
Barrowburn/High Drive
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis
Tongadale Reel
Largo's Fairy Dance
Da Ferry Reel
Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/Stool of Repentance/Off She Goes
The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/The Iron Man
The Piper's Wierd
Tam Lin
Mrs. MacLeod of Raasay
Miss Lyall's
Munlochy Bridge/The Primrose Lasses/Hughie Shortie's
The Sailor's Wife
Father John Angus Rankin's March/Put Me in a Box/Father Francis Cameron
Ho Ro My Nut Brown Maiden
Highland Laddie
The Easy Club/Mason's Apron/High Road to Linton
Hector the Hero
Flowers of Edinburgh

November Royal Mile Jam

2009-11-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

Still getting caught up with my notes. Here's what we played:

Willie's Old Trews
Iggy & Squiggy/Molly Rankin's
Fear an Corraidh
Alex Dan MacIssac's/Miss Drummond of Perth/Brenda Stubbert's/Father Francis Cameron/Put Me in a Box
Lady Magdalena Sinclair
Sailor's Wife/Cushion Dance/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/Stool of Repentance
Spootiskerry/Willafjord
High Road to Linton
Drummond Castle
Mike Walsh's/The Road to Banff
Monymusk S&R
Munlochy Bridge/Primrose Lasses
Tongadale/Knockadhu/Barrowburn/High Reel
Lt Maguire/Jig Runrig
Lochanside
Brenda Stubbert's
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Fairy Dance/Tail Toddle
Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear
Da Full Rigged Ship
Terribus
Jig of Slurs/Atholl Highlanders
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Flowers of Edinburgh/Highland Laddie/East Neuk of Fife
Sitting in the Stern of a Boat
My Love is But a Lassie Yet
Langour of Love
Bonnie at Morn
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis'

Not just pretty faces

2009-11-10T03:09:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture from our November 2009 jam, courtesy of my friend Dan Gilbert. We're playing Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife. Click on the thumbnail to see the full-sized image.

October Fiddle Club Jam

2009-10-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

Bit of a delay in posting, but here it is:

Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/72nd Highlander's Farewell/Earl of Mansfield
Highland Whisky
Flowers of Edinburgh/Jackie Tar
Dashing White Sergeant
Da Auld Resting Chair
Scarce o' Tatties/The Road to Banff
Bonnie at Morn
Lochanside/Oot Be Est da Vong
Harsh February/Maggie's Pancakes
Miss Ross'/Laxo Burn/Sean Maguire's
Leslie's March
Prince Charlie (slow reel)
Willie's Old Trews
Willie Davie/Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/Ale is Dear/Duke of Atholl's Forest Lodge/High Road to Linton
Knockadhu Reel
Gloomy Winter
Da New Rigged Ship/Da Full Rigged Ship/Willafjord
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
On the Fiddle/Cape Breton Fiddler's Welcome to the Shetland Islands
The Lime Hill/Devil in the Kitchen

October Royal Mile Jam

2009-10-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to whomever wrote these tunes down for me, as I couldn't make this jam. I'm finally getting around to entering them here in March:

Sailor's Wife/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/Stool of Repentance
The Piper's Wierd/MacCrimmon's Lament
Sarah the Merchant/Green Grow the Rushes/Hughie Shortie
Spootiskerry/Willafjord
General Leslie's Goodnight
All the Rage/Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis'/The New Fiddle/MacArthur Road
Wi' A Hundred Pipers
The Fairy Reel
Mrs. Spence's
Donald Blue
The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside
The Iron Man/Highland Whisky/Jack Daniel's/The Easy Club
The Eternal Surge of the Sea
Brenda Stubbert's/Knockadhu
The White Cockade
Drops of Brandy/Cuzzle Together
Bonnie at Morn
Julia Delaney
My Cape Breton Home
Muckin' o Geordie's Byre/Atholl Highlanders/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/The Cushion Dance

August Royal Mile jam

2009-08-04T07:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone for coming out to the August Royal Mile Jam!

We played the following tunes:
Da Full Rigged Ship/Hills of Glenorchy/Stan Chapman's Jig
Iggy & Squiggie/unknown
Lochanside
Sarah the Merchant/Smith's a Gallant Fireman/The Barrowburn Reel
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
The Gloom is upon my Soul
Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Da Faroe Rum/Willafjord/Spootiskerry
Devil in the Kitchen/The Drunken Piper
The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/The Stool of Repentance/Lieutenant Maguire/Jig Runrig
Tail Toddle/High Drive
Trip to Pakistan
The Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
The Sweetness of Mary/The Lime Hill/The Iron Man/Highland Whisky/Jack Daniel's Reel/Put Me In A Box/The Cape Breton Fiddler's Welcome to the Shetland Islands
This is no my Ain Hoose/Petronella/De'il Amang the Tailors
All the Rage/Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle/Hull's Reel/MacArthur Road
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
The College Hornpipe/Statten Island
Willie's Old Trousers
The Battle of Willie and his Dog
Reconciliation
Flowers of Edinburgh/Mrs. MacLeod of Raasay/The Mason's Apron
Soldier's Joy
Mairi's Wedding

July Royal Mile jam

2009-07-10T07:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay posting. Here's what we played:

Spootiskerry/Willafjord
Mor a Chennaich/Smith's a Gallant Fireman/This is no my ain Hoose
Calliope House (in D)
The Sweetness of Mary/Father Francis Cameron
The Iron Man/High Reel/Jack Daniel's Reel
High Road to Linton
The Silver Spear/High Drive
Monymusk (S&R)/Knockadhu Reel/Put Me in a Box
Da Ferry Reel/unknown/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Da Faroe Rum
Drops of Brandy/Brose & Butter/Cuzzle Together
The Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear
Lieutenant Maguire/Jig Runrig
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
Lochanside/The Muckin o' Geordie's Byre
Rob Roy MacGregor/Keep it up/Hughie Shorty's
Atholl Highlanders/The Jig of Slurs
Crossing the Minch
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle/MacArthur Road
The Soldier's Joy/De'il Amang the Tailors
Squirrel in the Tree
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Father John Angus Rankin/unknown/Cape Breton Fiddler's Welcome to the Shetland Islands

May Fiddle Club jam

2009-05-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay. Here's what we played:

Lochanside
The Shetland Fiddler/Easy Club
Willafjord
Road to Banff/Scarce o' Tatties
Knockadhu Reel/Tongadale Reel
Bonnie Isle of Whalsey/O'oot Be Est Da Vong
Off She Goes/The Stool of Repentence
Ewie w/ the Crookit' Horn/The Lime Hill/Devil in the Kitchen/Brenda Stubbert's
The New Fiddle/Hull's Reel/MacArthur Road
Charlie Hardie/Laxo Burn
My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/The Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance
The Barrowburn Reel/Flowers of Edinburgh
Hughie Shorty's
Capers
MacKenzie Hay/Stirling Castle
Jenny Dang the Weaver
Sleepy Maggie/Tail Toddle/High Drive

May Royal Mile Jam

2009-05-14T07:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay. Here's what we played:

Lochanside
The Lime Hill/Miss Drummond of Perth/High Road to Linton/Brenda Stubbert's Reel
Spootiskerry/Willafjord/Da Faroe Rum
The Sweetness of Mary/Iron Man/Father Francis Cameron/Put me in a Box/The Tongadale Reel
Mrs MacLeod of Raasay
The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/The Stool of Repentance/Lieutenant Maguire/Jig Runrig
MacKenzie Hay/Stirling Castle/The Barrowburn Reel/Largo's Fairy Dance
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
St. Anne's Reel/High Road to Linton
Johnny Cope
Mor a Chennaich/Lucky Black's Daughter/Flowers of Edinburgh
Bonnie at Morn
My Home
Da Full Rigged Ship/Da New Rigged Ship/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Da Road to Houll
All the Rage/Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis' Jig/The New Fiddle/MacArthur Road
Rob Roy MacGregor/Keep it up/Hughie Shorty's
Sleepy Maggie/Tail Toddle/High Drive
Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance/Jig Runrig

April Fiddle Club Jam

2009-04-21T08:22:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in posting. Here's what we played:

The Stool of Repentance
The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside
Jack Daniel's Reel/Father Francis Cameron/Put Me in a Box/High Road to Linton
The Tongadale Reel
The Muckin o' Geordie's Byre/Off She Goes
Willie Davie
Come Again You're Welcome/Tame Her When da Snow Comes/Sail Her Over da Raftrees/Willafjord
Ewie with a Crookit Horn/Glenlivet/The Knockadhu Reel
Mr. Robert MacKay
The Road to Banff
High Drive
Barrowburn Reel
Calliope House
The Sailor's Wife

April Royal Mile Jam

2009-04-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

I'm a little behind. This was a lightly-attended jam, so you people need to try harder to show up! Yep, you there, talking to you!

Here's what we played:
The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/The Earl of Mansfield
Barrowburn Reel/Flowers of Edinburgh/Largo's Fairy Dance
Stool of Repentance/Off She Goes/The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/Lieutenant Maguire/Jig Runrig
The Lime Hill/Miss Drummond of Perth/Brenda Stubbert's/Put Me in a Box/The High Road to Linton
Spootiskerry/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Willafjord
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
The Gale
Captain Campbell/Ray Mac's/Jessie Smith/Union Street Session/Ronnie MacLellan
The Bonnie Lass of Headlake
Willie Fraser/Thomas MacDonnell/A Taste of Gaelic
Mor a Chennaich
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
The Atholl Highlanders
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Chasin' Rabbits
The Jig of Slurs
Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver
Josephine's Waltz
Miss Farquharson's Reel
Neil Gow's Lament for James Moray of Abercairny, Esq.
Father John Morris Rankin/Cape Breton Fiddler's Welcome to the Shetland Islands
Julia Delaney
Willy's Old Trousers/Lady Mary Hay's Scotch Measure
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife

March Fiddle Club Jam

2009-03-16T13:25:00.001-07:00

Finally all caught up! Here's what we played at the March Fiddle Club jam:

Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Laxo Burn/Sean MacGuire's/Charlie Hardie
Sailor's Wife
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
Iron Man/Angus Campbell
Largo's Fairy Dance/The Barrowburn Reel
High Drive/Tail Toddle/Jack Daniel's Reel/The High Road to Linton
Steamboat Quickstep/Cha deann me an Obair
Bonny Dundee/Atholl Highlanders
Auld Toon o ' Ayr/This is No My Ain Hoose/Miss Drummond of Perth
Seann Truibhas Uillicheam
Old Age & Young
The Duchess of Bedford's Strathspey
Glenlivet Strathspey
The College Hornpipe/Statten Island/Steamboat Hornpipe
Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Willafjord/Da Faroe Rum
Da Full Rigged Ship/Da New Rigged Ship
Spootiskerry/The Flowers of Edinburgh
The Tongadale Reel
The Muckin' o Geordie's Byre/The Stool of Repentence/Midlothian Pipe Band/Jig Runrig

February Fiddle Club Jam

2009-02-21T15:50:00.000-08:00

Found this one in my notes, buried and lost on 4/21/09. Consider this a little "archaeology of folkjams".

Drover Lads/Stool of Repentance
The Maple Leaf
Mrs. McLeod
The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside
Highland Whisky/Stumpie/Tail Toddle/High Drive
Muckin o' Geordie's Byre/Paddy's Leather Breeches
Skye Dance #27
Barrowburn/High Road to Linton/Loch Torridon/Put Me in a Box/Father Frances Cameron
Hamish Henderson's Refusan/Tam Lin

After that, I apparently lost track.

February Royal Mile Jam

2009-02-14T13:19:00.000-08:00

Still getting caught up... Here's what we played at the February Royal Mile jam; or at least a partial list.

The Earl of Mannsfield/Greenwoodside/Terribus
The High Road to Linton
Da Road to Houll
Lt. Maguire/Jig Runrig
Stool of Repentence/Muckin' of Geordie's Byre/The Sailor's Wife
Willie Davie
The Barrowburn Reel
Mrs. MacLeod of Raasay
Miss Madaline Sinclair
Ray Mac's March
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Seann Truibhas Uilleacheam/Tam Lin

January Royal Mile Jam

2009-01-31T13:07:00.000-08:00

Again, sorry for the delay. Here's what we played:

Mackenzie Hay/Kirrie Kibbuck/Stirling Castle/Lexo Burn/Sean MacGuire's
Barrowburn Reel/Colburnie House
Chapel Keithack
'Se gilleann mo rùin (sung)
Spootiskerry/Willafjord
Willie Davie/Lexy MacAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/High Road to Linton/Largo's Fairy Dance
All the Rage/Calliope House/Andy Dejarlis' Jig/The New Fiddle
Jack Daniel's Reel
Kenny Gillis of Port Nalony
Stumpie/The Clumsy Lover/Tail Toddle/High Drive
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Stool of Repentence/Muckin' o Geordie's Byre/Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
Rob Roy MacGregor/As a toiseach/Hughie Shorty's
Da Full Rigged Ship/Da New Rigged Ship/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/(?)
The Sound of Sleat
Jig Runrig/Jig of Slurs
The Mason's Apron/The De'il amang the Tailors/Mrs. MacLeod of Raasay
The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/Trip to Pakistan
Mor a Chennaich
Miss Farquarson of Invercauld's/Cabar Feidh
The Dark Knight of Tomaidh/Reel Bizarre

December Fiddle Club Jam

2008-12-31T12:59:00.000-08:00

Greetings, all. Sorry for the delay in posting. Here's what we played at the December Fiddle Club jam:

Willie Davie/Lexy MacAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/The High Road to Linton
Greenwoodside
Sitting in the Stern of a Boat
The Ton (?)
Highland Whisky/Because He Was a Bonny Lad/Miss Drummond of Perth/The Duke of Atholl/Ian's Rant
Macrimmon's Lament
The Wonder/The Star of the East
The Kenloch Jig
The Directors/The Pentland Jig/Juniper
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle
Barrowburn Reel/Largo's Fairy Dance
The Boy's Lament for his Dragon
Lochanside
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch

Fiddle Tune Histograms

2008-12-14T08:18:00.000-08:00

Ever wondered which tunes you're going to get the most bang-for-buck learning? Which are the biggest hits? Well, you could go review our jams and pick out the ones that seem most common.

Or, as Chandler Becker did, you could write a program that does it for you! She's sent me these files (and promises to update them from time to time) of the frequency with which we play given tunes in all our jams, in Fiddle Club and Royal Mile alone, and a sorted tune name list. So if you're looking to see which tunes to learn, or are curious about the difference between the favorites of Fiddle Club's and the Royal Mile's session players, here you go!

Histogram of Tune Frequency
Royal Mile Tune Histogram
Fiddle Club Tune Histogram
Sorted Tune Name List

Thanks, Chandler!

December Royal Mile Jam

2008-12-09T13:58:00.000-08:00

We had a small turnout for the December Fiddle Club Jam, presumably because of the holidays. But it was a spirited jam nonetheless!

Susan McLeod/Colonel McLeod
The Luckenbooth
Glengarry's March/Hey Tuti Tatey
Highland Whisky/The Devil in the Kitchen/De'il Amang the Tailors/The Dram Shell/Timour the Tartar/Jack Daniel's
Da New Rigged Ship/Da Full Rigged Ship
Lay Dee at Dee
Jack Broke da Prison Door/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Da Faroe Rum/Willafjord/Spootiskerry
Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/The Duke of Atholl's Forest Lodge
High Drive
The Stool of Repentance/The Muckin o' Geordie's Byre/Off She Goes/The Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance
Mrs MacLeod of Raasay/The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside
Mor a Chennaich/Prince Charles-King William
Lucky Black's Daughter (Green Grow the Rushes)/Hughie Shorty's
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/The Barrowburn Reel/Tail Toddle/Largo's Fairy Dance
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
The High Road to Linton
Lochanside
Da Shaalds of Foula/Da Foula Reel
Lieutenant MacGuire/Jig Runrig
All the Rage/Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle/MacArthur Road
Seann Truibhas Uilleachean
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
The Old Woman Would Reel, The Woman Would Set/Skye Dance #27/The Famous Bridge
Drops of Brandy/Brose and Butter/Cuzzle Together
The Detroit Jig/Glencoe Hall

And I lost track after this...

Catching Up - November Fiddle Club Jam

2008-11-21T13:48:00.000-08:00

Catching up from way behind here. These are the tunes I recorded us as playing at the November Fiddle Club jam - assuming I have my notes straight...

Hughie Shorty's
Bulgarian Red
Brenda Stubbert's/Father Francis Cameron/Put Me in a Box
Ruffian's Rant/Mor a Chennaich/Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
MacKenzie Hay/Stirling Castle
Susan MacLeod/Devil in the Kitchen/The High Road to Linton/Jack Daniel's
Spootiskerry
Archibald McNeill/Captain Campbell/Jamie Duncan's 50th/The Complimentary Breakfast/The Knockadow Reel
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
The Muckin' of Geordie's Byre/The Stool of Repentance/Lieutenant McGuire/Jig Runrig
Da New Rigged Ship/Da Full Rigged Ship/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/The Bonny Isle of Whalsey/Jack Broke da Prison Door/Faroe Rum/Willafjord
Willie Davie/Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear
Sleepie Maggie/Tail Toddle/High Drive
All the Rage/Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle/MacArthur Road
Prince Charles
Seann Truibhas Uillechean

Catching Up - November Royal Mile Jam

2008-11-15T13:23:00.000-08:00

Catching up from way behind here. These are the tunes I recorded us as playing at the November Royal Mile jam - assuming I have my notes straight...

The Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance
The Flowers of Edinburgh
The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/Terribus/The Earl of Mansfield
The White Cockade
Stumpie/The Devil in the Kitchen/Jack Daniel's/The High Road to Linton
Sean McGuire
McKenzie Hay/Stirling Castle/Barrowburn Reel/Laxo Burn
Archibald McDonald of Keppoch
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin/Lady Mary Hay's Scotch Measure
Lochanside
Jenny's Bawbee

Catching Up - October Fiddle Club Jam

2008-10-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

Catching up from way behind here. These are the tunes I recorded us as playing at the October Fiddle Club jam - assuming I have my notes straight...

Hughie Shorty's/Spootiskerry
Rob Roy MacGregor/Keep it Up
Mor a Chennaich/Prince Charles-King William
Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance/Jig Runrig
Miss Sophia Campbell
Lochanside
Braes of Mar/Barrowburn Reel/Largo's Fairy Dance
Da New Rigged Ship/Da Full Rigged Ship/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Bonnie Isle of Walsey
The High Road to Linton/The Duke of Atholl's Forest Lodge
The Shetland Fiddler/The Drummer/Jack Daniel's
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Seann Truibhas Uilleachann
Susan McLeod
The Orange and the Blue/Jenny's Bawbee
The Terror Time
Willafjord/The Faroe Rum/Donald Blue
Jessie Smith/Union St. Session/Randy MacLellan
All the Rage/Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle/MacArthur Road
The Atholl Highlanders/The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre
The Braes of Banffshire/The Merry Making
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
Drops of Brandy/Brose and Butter/Cuzzle Together
North Highland Dance #21/North Highland Dance #16
Gar the Rigger
The Old Woman Would Reel, The Old Woman Would Set/Skye Dance #27/The Famous Bridge
Jimmy Allen
Willie Davie/Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/The Duke of Atholl's Forest Lodge

Catching Up - October Royal Mile Jam

2008-10-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

Catching up from way behind here. These are the tunes I recorded us as playing at the October Royal Mile jam - assuming I have my notes straight...

The Curlew/Drover Lads
Lochanside
Flowers of Edinburgh/The Barrowburn Reel/Largo's Fairy Dance
Jackie Tar
The Sweetness of Mary/The Lime Hill/Miss Drummond of Perth/Brenda Stubbert's/Father Francis Cameron/Put Me in a Box
Archibald McDonald of Keppoch
Stool of Repentance/Off She Goes/The Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance
Spootikerry/Willafjord/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Da Full Rigged Ship
Da New Rigged Ship
Da Ferry Reel/Miss Spence's Reel/Captain Campbell
All the Rage/Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle/MacArthur Road
Smith's a Gallant Fireman
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Mor a Chennaich/Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
Stumpie/The Clumsy Lover/Tail Toddle/High Drive
Jig of Slurs
My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/Miss Grace Hay's Delight
The Iron Man/Highland Whisky/Devil in the Kitchen/The De'il Amang the Tailors/The Miller/High Road to Linton/The Duke of Atholl's Forest Lodge
Hughie Shorty's
Seann Truibhas Uillecheann
Rob Roy MacGregor/Keep it Up
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
Stirling Castle/The Barrowburn Reel/Tail Toddle
Willie Davie/Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/The Duke of Atholl's Forest Lodge

Burns Lecture in October

2008-10-02T14:59:00.000-07:00

From Jennifer Cutting:

October 21, 2008, 12:00 noon * 1:00 pm
Whittall Pavilion, Ground Floor, Thomas Jefferson Building

Image of Robert Burns
A Bard of Nature's Making: Robert Burns and
Scottish Traditional Culture
presented by Valentina Bold, University of Glasgow

Valentina Bold will explore the ways in which Burns's work draws on,
and influences, the traditional culture of Scotland. Looking in
particular at his engagement with traditional songs and legends*from
*A Red Red Rose* to *Tam o Shanter,* Bold also considers the
impact of Burns's image as a self-styled *Bard of Nature's
Making* on later Scottish poets and songwriters. Bold will suggest
that the image of the *Heaven-taught ploughman**in itself drawing
on the work of earlier writers like Allan Ramsay and James Macpherson of
Ossian fame*played a hugely significant role in validating and
facilitating the work of other Scottish *peasant poets.* In
conclusion, the lecture will consider Burns*s impacts on other
Scottish bards *of Nature's making* including James Hogg (*the
Ettrick Shepherd*) and Allan Cunningham (*the Nithsdale Mason.*)

Valentina Bold is Head of Scottish Studies at the University of
Glasgow's Dumfries campus. Robert Burns spent his final years in
Dumfries, and Bold is part of the BARD team there (Burns Research in
Dumfries). She convenes the taught postgraduate M. Litt programme in
Robert Burns Studies, as well as the M.Litt in Scottish Cultural
Heritage. She is known for her work on Scottish poetry and song, and she
has a particular interest in the Scottish communities of the U.S. and
Canada. Bold*s publications include James Hogg: A Bard of Nature*s
Making and Smeddum: A Lewis Grassic Gibbon Anthology, as well as the
CD-ROM Northern Folk: Living Traditions of North East Scotland. She is
currently working on a new edition of Burns's Merry Muses of
Caledonia, to be published in late 2008.

September Royal Mile Jam

2008-09-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks again to everyone for coming out! We had fiddles, a cello, 12-string guitar, bodhran, and my usual parade of instruments (fiddle, smallpipes, whistle, and flute). It was a light but fun turn-out.

Here are the tunes we played:
Soldier's Joy
(missed the next couple)
Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Faroe Rum
Hughie Shorty's
Bulgarian Red
Iggy & Squiggy/Ann MacQuarrie's Reel/High Drive
Neil Gow's Lament for James Moray Esq., of Abercairny
Squirrel in the Tree
Captain Campbell
Monymusk (strathspey & reel)
Willie Davie/Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/The Duke of Atholl's Forest Lodge/High Road to Linton
Willafjord
Spootiskerry
Jenny's Bawbee
Lochanside
Archie Neil Chisholm
Flowers of Edinburgh (old version)
Malcolm the Liar/Traditional Reel #27/Alex Dan's
Boys of Bluehill
Crossing the Minch
Devil in the Kitchen/The Drunken Piper
Jessie Smith
Miss Shepherd
The Long Water/Road to Banff
The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/The Stool of Repentence/Lieutenant MacGuire/Jig Runrig
Kohler's Hornpipe
Sarah the Merchant/Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Largo's Fairy Dance/Barrowburn
Brenda Stubbert's
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
Trip to Pakistan
My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/John Trotter's/Sailor's Wife/Cushion Dance
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Da Ferry Reel
Wee Michael's March
Mason's Apron/Mrs. MacLeod of Raasay
Mis Farquharson of Invercauld's Reel/Cabar Feidh
The Langour of Love
North Highland Dance #21/North Highland Dance #16/The Piper's Clear Chanter/Harris Dance #32/The Darling of the Uist Lasses/Skye Dance #27
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
Gar the Rigger
O'Malley's/Pipe on the Hob

August Royal Mile Session

2008-08-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

Belatedly, our tunes:

Highland Whisky/Devil in the Kitchen/De'il Amang the Tailors/The Dram Shell/Timour the Tartar/Jack Daniel's
Spootiskerry/Barrowburn
Mor a Chennaich/Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Largo's Fairy Dance/The Drunken Piper/High Road to Linton
Drops of Brandy/Brose and Butter/Cuzzle Together
Da Slockit Light
Da New Rigged Ship/Da Full Rigged Ship
Ragged Sailor/Sailor's Wife/Cushion Dance
Devil Amang the Tailors/Willafjord
Hughie Shorty's/Brenda Stubbert's
The Muckin o' Geordie's Byre/Jig Runrig
The Iron Man/Smith's a Gallant Fireman/This is no my ain Hoose/Barrowburn/Flower of Edinburgh/Mrs. MacLeod of Raasay's
Lochanside
Jenny's Bawbee/A Taste of Gaelic
Josephin's Waltz
Trip to Pakistan
All the Rage/Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle/MacArthur Road
Easy Club/The Miller
Gaelic song from Cape Breton
Spey in Spate
Cushion Dance
Mairi's Wedding
Shifting Bobbins
Mason's Apron
Langour of Love
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife

July Royal Mile Jam

2008-07-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

Belatedly, our tunes:

Highland Whisky/Devil in the Kitchen/De'il Amang the Tailors/The Dram Shell/Timour the Tartar/Jack Daniel's
Rob Roy MacGregor/Keep it Up/Hughie Shorty's
Leaving St. Kilda
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
The Lime Hill/Miss Drummond of Perth/Put Me in a Box/The High Road to Linton
Spootiskerry/Flowers of Edinburgh
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Largo's Fairy Dance
Tongadale Reel/Tam Lin
Lochanside
Atholl Highlanders
Langour of Love
Bonnie Lass of Head Lake
Gar the Rigger/Jack Broke da' Prison Door/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Faroe Rum/Willafjord
Mor a Chennaich/Seann Truibhas Uillecham
Prince Charles'
Sweeny's/Jimmy Allen
Julia Delany
Willie Davie/Lexy MacAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/The Duke of Atholl's Forest Lodge
Jessie Smith/Union Street Session/Rannie MacClellan
Mason's Apron/Barrowburn
Tail Toddle/High Drive
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Cross of Inverness/The Scolding Wives of Abertarff/Mis Farquharson of Invercauld's/Cabar Feidh
Father John Angus Rankin's march/The Lime Hill

June Royal Mile Jam

2008-06-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

Belatedly, our June tunes:

Devil in the Kitchen
Jig of Slurs
Muckin' of Geordie's Byre/Stool of Repantence
Calhoun's March
Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/High Road to Linton
Terribus
Sweny's/Jimmy Allen's
Highland Laddie (Bm tune)
Glendaruel Highlanders
Trip to Pakistan
Josefin's Waltz
Stool of Repentance/Mug of Brown Ale
Seann Truibhas Uilleachan
Ed Reevy's Highland/Frank's Reel
High Road to Linton
Monymusk (strathspey & reel)
Captain Campbell's/Loch Torridon
Barrowburn
Jackie Latin
Whistle o'er the Lave o't
Spootiskerry/Jackie Tar
Rob Roy MacGregor/Keep it Up/Hughie Shorty's
Prince Charles'
Langour of Love
Squirrel in a Tree
Return to Kintail
Sailor's Wife/Cushion Dance/Detroit Jig/Paddy's Leather Britches
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/This is no my ain Hoose/Petronella/De'il Amang the Tailors/Mason's Apron
Willafjord/Faroe Rum/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin
Skye Boat Song
The Black Bear
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Life
Stumpie/Clumsy Lover/Tail Toddle/High Drive
Da Full Rigged Ship/Ferry Reel
Isla MacLeod

May Fiddle Club Jam

2008-05-21T19:12:00.000-07:00

Belatedly, our tunes:

Banks of Spey/The Drummer
Mor a Chennaich/Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Largo's Fairy Dance
Spootiskerry
Bishop Alexander MacDonald's
Farewell to Victoria
Archie Neil Chisholm/Captain Campbell/Janie & Duncan's 50th
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
The Complementary Breakfast
Thompson's Dirk
Miss Farquharson of Invercauld's/Cabar Feidh/Angus Chisholm's Favorite
Eagle and Crane
Sailor's Wife/Muckin' o Geordie's Byre/Stool of Repentance
The Omnibus
Hector the Hero
Cagaran Gaolach (?)
The Piper's Weird
Highland Lassie (air)/Trip to Pakistan
The Lime Hill/Devil in the Kitchen/Clumsy Lover/Sound of Sleat
Jenny's Bawbee
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Life
North Highland Dance #5/Upper Glencoe
Willie Davie/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/High Road to Linton/Barrowburn
Mason's Apron
Lochanside
High Road to Linton
The Shetland Fiddle
Easy Club/4th Floor/High Drive
Atholl Highlanders

May Royal Mile Jam

2008-05-06T04:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, now I'm all caught up. I inserted the last three jams' tune lists in, and played with the posting dates so it's all in order.

This month we had a small but lively turnout, with fiddles, whistles, a cello, a flute, a bodhran, smallpipes, shuttlepipes, and for a brief bit outdoors, Highland Pipes and a Gaita Redonda!

The tunes we played are as follows (pipe tunes marked with an asterisk):
Smith's a Gallant Fireman
Whisky Before Breakfast/Road to Lisdoonvarna (for an Irish excursion)
High Drive*/Barrowburn
Stool of Repentence*/The Muckin o' Geordie's Byre*/Off She Goes
Willafjord/Spootiskerry
Auchdon House
Atholl Highlanders*
Iggy & Squiggy
Father John MacMillan of Barra* (no one could remember the 3rd and 4th parts!)
The Mason's Apron/Father Francis Cameron/Put Me in a Box/The High Road to Linton*
Da New Rigged Ship
The Sound of Sleat*
The Sweetness of Mary/Miss Drummond of Perth/Brenda Stubbert's*
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle
Rob Roy MacGregor/Keep it Up/Hughie Shorty's
Highland Whisky*/Devil in the Kitchen*/De'il Amang the Tailors/The Dram Shell/Timour the Tartar/Jack Daniel's*
Drops of Brandy*/Brose and Butter*/Cuzzle Together*
Bonnie at Morn
Tail Toddle*/High Drive*
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Stirling Castle/The Barrowburn Reel/The Shetland Fiddler*
Colquhoun's March*
The Glendaurel Highlanders*
The Highland Wedding*
Lochanside*
Miss Farquaharson of Invercauld's Reel/Cabar Feidh
Willie's Old Trews
Da Slockit Light
Mrs. MacLeod's Reel*
Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Willafjord
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife

April Fiddle Club Meeting Jam

2008-04-19T02:54:00.000-07:00

I had to cut out after the workshop, and miss the jam so thanks to Barbara for this tune list!

Bonnie at Morn
Spootiskerry/Hughie Shorty's
High Drive/Culburnie House
Da Road ta Houll
Skye Boat Song
Bessie Bell and Mary Gray
Mor a' cheannaich/Stirling Castle/Smith's a Gallant Fireman
Duke of Fife's
Archie Niel Chisholm
Father Francis Cameron
Biodag air Mac Thomais
Sir Reginald MacDonald
Mrs. Gordon/Fingal's Cave/Malcom the Liar/Alex Dan's/Traditional Reel No. 27
Kohler's Hornpipe
Space Available
All the Rage/Andy DeJarlis/Calliope House/The New Fiddle/All the Rage/Bog of Rannes
Morag of Dunvegan
Editors Favorite/Mrs. Margaret MacDonald's Delight/Tom Rae/Sandy Cameron
Seann Truibhais Uilleachain
De'il Amang the Tailors/Mason's Apron/Barrowburn Reel
Come Agin, Ye're Welcome/Tame 'er When da Snaw Comes
De'il's Awa' wi' the Exciseman/Stool of Repentance/Off She Goes/Sailor's Wife/Capers
This is no my Ain Hoose
Banks of Spey

April Royal Mile Jam

2008-04-11T04:17:00.000-07:00

Here's the tune list for the April Royal Mile Jam:

Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Miss Drummond of Perth/The Drunken Piper
Catharsis
Highland Laddie
A' Bhean Bheag an Tailler Choil (spelling? The Tailor's Wife)
Spootiskerry/Hughie Shorty's/Scolding Wives of Abertarff
Dream Angus
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
Hull's Reel/MacArthur Road
Highland Whisky/The Devil in the Kitchen/The De'il Amang the Tailors/Timour the Tatar/Jack Daniel's
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Barrowburn/Easy Club/Shetland Fiddler
Stool of Repentance/The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/Lt. MacGuire/Jig Runrig
Mrs. MacLeod's Reel
Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/The Earl of Mansfield
Spootiskerry/The Flowers of Edinburgh/Largo's Fairy Dance
All the Rage/Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle
Da New Rigged Ship/Da Full Rigged Ship/Da Ferry Reel
Stumpie/Clumsy Lover/Tail Toddle/High Drive
Captain Campbell
The Iron Man
'S an ann Ile
Rachel Rae
Spey in Spate
Willafjord/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin
Space Available
Hughie Shorty's/Brenda Stubbert's/The Tongadale Reel/Tam Lin
The Sailor's Wife/Cushion Dance

March Fiddle Club Jam

2008-03-15T16:09:00.000-07:00

Here's the round-up of tunes from the March Fiddle Club jam:

Skye Dance #27
Keep it Up
Mor a Chennaich/Spootiskerry
Bonnie at Morn
Devil in the Kitchen/The Drunken Piper/Barrowburn/The Shetland Fiddler/Easy Club
Fingal's Cave/Malcolm the Liar
The Sweetness of Mary
Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Lay Dee at Dee/Da Ferry Reel
Alex Dan's/Trad. Reel #27/Put Me in a Box/Father Francis Cameron
Iggy & Squiggy/Molly Rankin's
Ruffian's Rant/Jenny Dang the Weaver/Pretty Pegg/The Ale is Dear/The High Road to Linton
The Sailor's Wife/The Cushion Dance
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis'/The New Fiddle
High Drive
Banks of the Lossie
Northern March
The Tongadale/Tam Lin
Angus Chisholm's
Stirling Castle/The Forth Brig/Spey in Spate/The Miller
Bovaglie's Plaid
Squirrel in a Tree/Golden Rod Jig/The Directors
Jenny's Bawbee
Prince Charles

Gaelic song lyrics

2008-03-10T06:18:00.000-07:00

We had some Gaelic songs last Royal Mile session, led by Nick and Liam. I thought this was a great addition to the jam - I'd love to see more songs in general, and Gaelic songs are a part of that. I asked Nick to email me the tunes they sang for us.

Tha Neacal a' sgrìobhadh (Nick writes):

Sheinn mise "Mo Chridhe Trom 's Mi Seoladh", agus "Chailleach Chrupach/Tha Bean Agam". Sheinn Liam "Ged a Sheol mi air M' aineol"

(Trans: I sang "Mo Chridhe Trom 's Mi Seoladh", and "Chailleach Chrupach/Tha Bean Agam". Liam sang "Ged a Sheol mi air M' aineol")

So for the fearless, here are the lyrics (and links to translation):

Mo Chridhe Trom 's Mi Seoladh

Sèist (Chorus):
Faili lè le bha ho / Faili lè le bha ho / Siuthadaibh ‘illean togaibh fonn / Mo chridhe trom ‘s mi seòladh.

Là dhomh ‘s mi gabhail sràid / Sìos is suas am Broomielaw / ‘S ann thachair rium a’ ghruagach bhàn / A dh’fhàiltich mi le sòlas.

Thuirt i rium am briathran ciùin / Thig a steach do’n t-seòmar chùil / Is gheibh thu an deòch as fheàrr na ‘m bùirn / Ma thig thu leam do’n t-seòmar.

Chaidh mi sin, ‘s gun d’fhuair mi ann / Deagh dheòch slàinte chaidh ‘nam cheann / ‘S mus tug mi sùil air dè na bh’ann / ‘S ann thuit mi thall ‘sa chòrnair.

Nuair a dhùisg mi as mo shuain / Mar gu’n dùisgeadh marbh a uaigh / ‘S ann bha mo cheann air càbhsair cruaidh / ‘S gun sgillin ruadh ‘nam phòcaid.

Thuirt an sgiobair dhol do’n chrann / Thuirt mi ris nach deidhinn ann / Thuirt e, feumaidh tu dhol ann / ‘S e sin a gheall thu dhòmhsa.

Ged a Sheol me air M' aineol

Sèist (Chorus):
Ged a sheòl mi air m' aineol/Cha laigh smalan air mi' inntinn/Ged a sheòl mi air m' aineol

'S ann à Boston a sheòl sinn/Dol air bhoidse chun na h-Ìnnsinn

Rinn sinn còrdadh ri captain/Air a' bhàrc a bha rìomhach

Trì latha roimh na Nollaig/Thàinig oirnn an droch shìde

Shèid i cruaidh oirnn le frasan/'S clachan mheallain a bha millteach

Cha robh ròpa 's cha robh òirleach/Nuair a reoth ann nach robh trì ann

Chaill sinn craiceann ar làmhan/Bha ar gàirdeanan sgìth dheth

Cha còignear nan seasamh/'S bha seachdnar nan sìneadh

Trì latha is trì oidhche/'S mi ri chuibhle ri droch shìde

Nuair a labhair an captain/"Illean tapaidh na dìobraibh

Nuair a ruigeas sibh cala/Bidh ur drama dhuibh cinnteach"

Tha lionn-diubh aig mo mhàthair/Is dùil aic' nach till mi

Still looking for the third song.

March Royal Mile Jam

2008-03-03T18:28:00.000-08:00

Gads! We had a mighty session this last weekend. The pub was packed, which made it hard hear one another. But turnout was fantastic. We had a lot of new faces, with reams of fiddles, two violas, a cello, two guitars, a percussionist/whistler, a percussionist/smallpiper, and myself on fiddle, smallpipes, flute and Cittern. On top of it all, my Gaelic teacher, Nick Freer, showed up with some other Gaelic speakers, and gave us a few of the old songs. Thanks for everyone for coming out!

Here's what we played:
Devil in the Kitchen/High Road to Linton
Paddy's Leather Breeches
Soldier's Joy/De'il amang the Tailors/Timour the Tartar/Jack Daniel's Reel/Put Me in a Box
Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/The Earl of Mansfield
The Marquis of Huntly/Flowers of Edinburgh/The Barrowburn Reel
Sitting in the Stern of a Boat
Squirrel in a Tree
My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/John Trotter's/The Detroit Jig/Glencoe Hall
Stirling Castle/Barrowburn Reel/High Drive
Trip to Pakistan
Willafjord/Spootiskerry
The Mason's Apron
The Miller
The Fairy Dance
The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/The Stool of Repentance
Iggy & Squiggy/Molly Rankin's Reel
Rocking the Baby
Monymusk (Strathspey & Reel)
Hull's Reel/MacArthur Road
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis' Jig/The New Fiddle
Seann Truibhas Uilleachean
Rob Roy MacGregor/As a Thoiseach/Hughie Shortie's
St. Paul's Hornpipe
Stirling Castle/The Braes or Mar/The Orange and the Blue/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/Mrs. MacLeod of Raasay
The Sweetness of Mary/The Lime Hill/Highland Whisky/Miss Drummond of Perth/Brenda Stubbert's Reel/Father Francis Cameron
Da Full Rigged Ship/Da Ferry Reel/Lay Dee at Dee
The Atholl Highlanders/Jig of Slurs
Lady Magdelena SInclair (The Tailor's Wife)
The Wind that Shakes the Barley
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Sailor's Wife/???
The Langour of Love

I think I either lost a page or didn't wrote everything down. I think it was only the latter.

February Royal Mile Jam

2008-02-05T17:45:00.000-08:00

We had another great jam this month, and thanks to everyone for coming out! We had fiddles, guitars, a cello, whistles, a cittern, flute, and smallpipes. And many thanks to our scribe who freed my hands so I could play!

Here are the tunes we played:
Sailor's Wife/Cushion Dance
Lime Hill/Miss Drummond of Perth/Highland Whisky/High Road to Linton/Cuir's a Chiste Mhor Mi/Father Francis Cameron/Brenda Stubbert's
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
Hull's Reel/MacArthur Road/Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis' Jig/The New Fiddle
The Barrowburn Reel/The Shetland Fiddler/High Drive
Dream Angus
Lochanside
Catchin' Rabbits/Carolyn Lentz's Reel
Soldier's Joy
Highland Laddie/My Love's But a Lassie Yet
Da Slockit Light
Rocking the Baby
Miss Farquharson of Invercauld's Reel/Cabar Feidh
The Tongadale/Miss Shepherd's
The Miller/The Mason's Apron/Dick Gossip's
The Stool of Repentance/The Muckin' o Geordie's Byre/Off She Goes/Lt. MacGuire/Jig Runrig
The Clumsy Lover
I bhi a da
Miss Lyall's/The Drunken Piper
Stirling Castle/Largo's Fairy Dance
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Da Faroe Rum/Willafjord/Spootiskerry
Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/Earl of Mansfield
The Forth Brig
Tail Toddle
Sister Jean
Langour of Love
Sound of Sleat (syncopated 4-part version)
Barrowburn Reel
Glenburnie Rant
Catharsis
Hughie Shorty's/Brenda Stubbert's/Cuir's a Chiste Mhor Mi
Rob Roy MacGregor/As a Thoiseach
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Rachel Rae/De'il Amang the Tailors
My Love's But a Lassie Yet
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
Trip to Pakistan

January Royal Mile and Fiddle Club Jams

2008-02-05T17:26:00.000-08:00

Late again, but better than never. Looks like I mixed up my notes so I don't know which is which. So here's both:

I think this is the Royal Mile
Spootiskerry/Flowers of Edinburgh
Lt. MacGuire/Jig RunRig
Barrowburn/High Road to Linton
Da Ferry Reel/Willafjord/Lay Dee at Dee/Spootiskerry
Clumsy Lover/Tail Toddle/High Drive/Shetland Fiddler
Catchin' Rabbits
Stool of Repentance/Muckin' o Geordie's Byre/The De'il's Awa' Wi' The Exciseman/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/John Trotter's/The Detroit Jig/Glencoe Hall
Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/Earl of Mansfield
Mrs MacLeod's
Flowers of Edinburgh/Barrowburn
Devil amang the Tailors/Timour the Tartar/Jack Daniel's Father Francis Cameron
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/New Fiddle
The Cushion Dance
Willafjord/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Da New Rigged Ship
Monymusk (strathspey & reel)
Soldier's Joy
O'er the Hills and Far Awa/Tongadale Reel
Terror Time/Willie Davie
Cello Dude
Braes of Banffshire/Clydesdale Lasses/The Merry Making
Miss Lyall's/The Drunken Piper
Devil in the Kitchen/Brenda Stubbert's
Hughie Shortie's/The Peerie Weerie/Nine Pint Coggie
Iggy & Squiggy/Molly Rankin's
Rob Roy MacGregor/As a Thoiseach
Seann Truibhas Uillechan/Lady Mary Hay's Scotch Measure
The Sweetness of Mary/The Iron Man/Highland Whisky/The Mason's Apron/The Miller
Trip to Pakistan
Auld Lang Syne (old tune)
Spootiskerry
Bonnie at Morn
Catherine Oggie

Whereas this is probably fiddle club:
Stool of Repentance/The Muckin o' Geordie's Byre/The De'il's Awa' Wi' The Exciseman/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
Bonnie at Morn
Monymusk (strathspey)
Mrs. MacLeod
Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/Earl of Mansfield
Spootiskerry/Hughie Shorty's/Iggy & Squiggy/Molly Rankin's
General Leslie's Goodnight
Sailor's Wife/Jig Runrig/Cushion Dance
Willafjord/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Da Ferry Reel/Lay Dee at Fee
Miss Spence's/Miss Shepherd
Highland Laddie/East Neuk of Fife/Barrowburn
Drummond Castle
Cradle Song
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/This is No My Ain Hoose/Petronella/De'il Amang the Tailors/Jack Daniel's/Put Me in a Box
The Tongadale Reel
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
The Piper's Weird
Lochanside
The Shetland Fiddler/The Easy Club
The Miller/The Mortgage Burn
Da Auld Resting Chair
High Drive
Hector the Hero
Willie Davie/Lexy MacAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/High Road to Linton
Jenny's Bawbee
Flowers of Edinburgh
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
The Iron Man/The Old Woman Could Reel, The Old Woman Could Set/Skye Dance #27/The Mason's Apron
Crossing the Minch
Rob Roy MacGregor/As A Thoiseach
Braes of Banffshire/The Merry Making
Highland Whisky/Father Francis Cameron
Catchin' Rabbits

December Fiddle Club Jam

2007-12-18T14:30:00.002-08:00

It was a shorter session, but a good time was had by all.

(and I'm caught up almost in time for January!)

Sailor's Wife
Tam Lin
Willafjord/Spootiskerry
Campbell's Farewell to Redcastle
Flowers of Edinburgh
Jackie Tar
Hills of Lorne
The Tongadale Reel
Muckin o' Geordie's Byre/Stool of Repentance/Paddy's Leather Britches/Tripping Upstairs
General Lesly's Goodnight
Hector the Hero
Sconse a Tatties (??? I can't read the handwriting here and don't know the tune)
Stumpie/Devil in the Kitchen/High Road to Linton/The Ale is Dear/Jenny Dang the Weaver
My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/Drummond Castle/Leslie's March
High Drive
Sir Reginald MacDonald
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
Sitting in the Stern of a Boat
Jenny's Bawbee/The Shetland Fiddler/The Easy Club

December Royal Mile Jam

2007-12-18T14:30:00.001-08:00

I was exhausted after my Thanksgiving travel, and skipped this one. Does anyone have a tune list?

November Fiddle Club Session

2007-12-18T14:22:00.000-08:00

Still catching up...

We played:
Stool of Repentance/Muckin' of Geordie's Byre/Off She Goes/The Devil's awa' with the Exciseman/My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing/Sailor's Wife/Bonnie Dundee
The Sweetness of Mary/The Lime Hill/Miss Drummond of Perth/Put Me in a Box/Father Francis Cameron/Mortgage Burn
The Piper's Weird
The High Road to Linton
The Braes of Mar/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear
My Love is but a Lassie Yet
The Northern March
The Banks of Spey/Brenda Stubbert's/The Drunken Piper
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
The Braes of Banffshire/Clydesdale Lasses/Reikswald Forest
Willafjord/Spootiskerry/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Da New Rigged Ship
The Barrowburn Reel/The Flowers of Edinburgh
Farewell to Whisky/Welcome Whisky Back Again
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis' Jig/The New Fiddle
Da Auld Resting Chair
The Clumsy Lover
Reggie MacDonald
The Mason's Apron/Dick Gossip's
Prince Charlie (aka King William aka King of the Fairies)
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
Sean Truibhas Uilleachan
Lady Mary Hay's Scots Measure

November Royal Mile Jam

2007-12-18T14:08:00.000-08:00

Better late than never...

This was a really awesome session, well-attended, a lot of newcomers, and thanks to everyone for coming out! We played a lot of tunes that haven't been played in a while, or ever.

Soldier's Joy/De'il Amang the Tailors/Timour the Tartar/Jack Daniel's Reel
The Iron Man/The Barrowburn Reel
Irish Washerwoman
Da Full Rigged Ship/Willafjord/Spootiskerry
Devil in the Kitchen/The Drunken Piper
Hull's Reel/MacArthur Road
Jig Runrig/Sailor's Wife
Trip to Pakistan/Atholl Highlanders/Jig of Slurs
The Lime Hill/King George IV/The King's Reel
The Tongadale Reel
The Clumsy Lover/Tail Toddle/High Drive
The Langor of Love/The Jacobite War Song (from Simon Fraser)
Seann Truibhas Uillechean
Jenny's Bawbee
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/This is no my ain Hoose/Petronella
The Easy Club/Brenda Stubbert's Reel
Iggy & Squiggy/Molly Rankin's Reel
The Dark Island
My Cape Breton Home
Spootiskerry/Flowers of Edinburgh
O'er the Moor Among the Heather (4-part Skye Collection version)
Jenny Dang the Weaver/Lasses of ????? (can't read my own writing)
Johnny Cope
Dowd's Favorite/Paresis/Pigeon on a ???? (can't read my writing again)
Mairi's Wedding
Muckin' o Geordie's Byre/Peter Peerie's Boat/Stool of Repentance
Earl of Mansfield
Scotland the Brave (in a variety of keys)
Lochanside
Tam Lin
Da Slockit Light
Da Full Rigged Ship/Da New Rigged Ship
Mrs. MacLeod's/Father Francis Cameron
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis' Jig/The New Fiddle
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
Highland Laddie/The White Cockade/The East Neuk of Fife
Nicole Fikory's/?/Boston Life/Trad. Reel/Old Dutch Churn
Some D jigs from Natalie MacMaster's "Fit as a Fiddle"

October Fiddle Club Session

2007-10-24T06:16:00.000-07:00

We had a good inaugural jam at the October fiddle club meeting! Thanks to everyone for coming, and sorry for the delay! Also thanks to Becky Ross for helping me keep track of the tunes we played. Speaking of which, here's the list:

Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/Earl of Mansfield
Jacky Tar/Statten Island
Hills of Lorne
Soldier's Joy/Barrowburn Reel
The Piper's Wierd
Willafjord/Spootiskerry/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/The Faroe Rum
Loch Torridon
High Drive/The Shetland Fiddler/The Easy Club
Lochanside
The New Fiddle/Andy DeJarlis' Jig/Calliope House/MacArthur's Reel/Hull's Reel
Space Available
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
Jennee Bawbee/Iggie and Squiggie
Sir Reginald
Willy Davie/Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/High Road to Linton/The Duke of Atholl's Forest Lodge/The Famous Bridge
The White Cockade
Johnny Cope
Rachel Rae
North Highland Dance #5
Glen Elg
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Tam Lin/The Tongadale Reel
Dream Angus

October Royal Mile Jam Session

2007-10-24T06:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay, and thanks to everyone for coming!

Here's our tune list:
Lochanside
The Old Woman Could Reel, the Old Woman Could Set
Muckin' o Geordie's Byre/Sailor's Wife/Bonnie Dundee
Braes of Mar/Mor a Chennaich/Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Jenny Dang the Weaver/Sleepie Maggie/High Road to Linton
Lochiel's Awa' to France/Father Frances Cameron
High Drive
Mrs. Farquharson of Invercauld's Reel/Cabar Feidh
Reconciliation/The Mason's Apron
Hughie Shortie's/Flowers of Edinburgh/The Barrowburn Reel
The Tongadale Reel/Tam Lin
Banks of Spey/Brenda Stubbert's
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Willy's Old Trews/Lady Mary Hay's Scotch Measure
The Shetland Fiddle/Jig Runrig
Susan MacLeod/Colonel MacLeod
Traditional Reel #27/Skye Dance #27/Tail Toddle
MacArthur Road
Crossing the Minch
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
Willy Davie/Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/The Forest Lodge/High Road to Linton
Flowers of the Forest
Paddy West's (Tramps & Hawkers)
Highland Whisky

September Royal Mile Session

2007-09-19T06:01:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty good session at September's session - turnout was still light, but this month was stronger than it's been in a while, and we played some good tunes. Thanks to everyone to coming!

Here's what we played:
The Wildcat
The Lime Hill/some strathspey I forgot to write down/High Road to Linton/Put Me in a Box
Seann Truibhas Uillichean
The Shetland Fiddler/The Easy Club/The Fourth Floor
The Old Woman Could Reel, The Old Woman Could Set/Skye Dance #27/Tail Toddle/High Drive
P/M J. M. Christie
Banks of Spey/Brenda Stubbert's/Mrs. MacLeod's
Loch Leven Castle/The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside
The Sailor's Wife/Jig Run Rig
The Barrowburn Reel
Mrs. Farquarson of Invercauld's Reel
Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
High Road to Linton/The Mason's Apron/Father Francis Cameron/Put Me in a Box
The Famous Bridge
Auld Tune of Ayr
Mrs. Gordon's Favorite
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
Andy DeJarlis/Calliope House/The New Fiddle/MacArthur Road
Cuzzle Together
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Jack Broke da Prison Door/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Da Faroe Rum/Willafjord
Da New Rigged Ship/Da Full Rigged Ship
The Stool of Repentence/The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre
Da Slockit Light
Braes of Banffshire/Clydesdale Lasses/Reikswald Forest/The Merry Making
Come Again You're Welcome/Tame Her When The Snaw Blaws/Sail Her O'er The Raftrees
The Braes of Mar/Largo's Fairy Dance/The Barrowburn Reel/The Flowers of Edinburgh
Reconciliation/a reel I can't remember/Spootiskerry/Hughie Shortie's
Rob Roy MacGregor/Keep it Up

August Royal Mile Session - belated

2007-09-19T05:50:00.000-07:00

Whoops... it's been busy around here. Here's the tune list from August. Pardon for any misspellings, I didn't have a chance to check many of these:

Lochanside/Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/Stool of Repentence
High Drive/Barrowburn Reel
Rachal Rae/Spey in Spate
Tail Toddle
Drops of Brandy/Cuzzle Together
Mrs. Farquarson of Invercauld's Reel
Braes of Banffshire/Clydesdale Lasses/Reikswald Forest/The Perth Assembly/The Merry Making
The Easy Club/The Miller/The Mason's Apron/High Road to Linton
Willie Davie/Lexy MacAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/The Forest Lodge/The Famous Bridge
Josefin's Waltz
Come Again You're Welcome/Tame Her When the Snaw Blaws/Sail 'er o'er the Raftrees
Willie Fraser/Thomas MacDonnell's/A Taste of Gaelic
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of His Second Wife/Neil Gow's Lament for James Moray of Abercairny, Esquire
Crossing to Ireland
Rob Roy MacGregor
Da Slockit Light

July Royal Mile Jam

2007-07-12T04:30:00.000-07:00

Again, sorry for the delay. Thanks to everyone for coming, and here's a list of the tunes we played:

My Wife's a Wanton Wee Thing
Highland Whisky/Devil in the Kitchen/De'il Amang the Tailors/Timour the Tartar/Jack Daniel's
Parcel of Rogues in a Nation
Banks of Spey/Brenda Stubbert's/Father Francis Cameron
Road to Pakistan
Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
Come Again You're Welcome/(some other shetland tunes - will fill this in later, Tame her when the Snaw Blaws? Sail her o'er the Raftrees?)/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Da New Rigged Ship
Lochanside
Lord Blannatyre's (sp?)/The Old Woman Could Reel, The Old Woman Could Set/Skye Dance #27
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
Catchin' Rabbits
Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/The High Road to Linton
Bonnie at Morn
The Peerie Weerie/Hughie Shortie's/Rachael Rae
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis'/The New Fiddle
The Barrowburn Reel/Flowers of Edinburgh
Tam Lin/The Tongadale Reel
Clydesdale Lasses/Reikswald Forest/The Merry Making
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
The Mason's Apron/The Easy Club/Willie Davie
The Lime Hill/Miss Drummond of Perth/Put Me in a Box/High Road to Linton

June Royal Mile Jam

2007-07-12T04:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry for posting this so late. Here are the tunes we played:

There Came a Young Man
High Road to Linton/Put me in a Box/Father Francis Cameron
Lord Bannatyre/The Old Woman Could Reel, the Old Woman Could Set/Skye Dance #27
High Drive
Stool of Repentence/Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre
Barrowburn Reel/Catchin' Rabbits
Tweedside
Amelia's Waltz
Ayr Races/Cushion Dance/Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis/The New Fiddle
Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Willafjord/Da Full Rigged Ship/Willafjord (reprise)
Da Ferry Reel
Lexy McAskill/Jenny Dang the Weaver/The Ale is Dear/The Forest Lodge
Catchin' Rabbits (reprise)
The Braes o' Mar
Miss Garon of Fochabers
The Piper's Weird
Stan Chapman's Jig
The Sweetness of Mary/The Lime Hill/Alex Dan's
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin/The Tongadale Reel
The Hills of Lorne
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
Braes of Breadalbane/Clydesdale Lasses
Crossing the Minch
Lt. MacGuire's
Highland Whisky/Devil in the Kitchen/De'il Amang the Tailors/Timour the Tartar/Jack Daniel's

May Royal Mile Jam - Carry on without me

2007-04-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

It looks like I'll be on travel to Colorado for work that first Sunday in May, and will miss the May Royal Mile jam. But don't let that stop you from coming, playing some tunes, drinking some beer, and having loads of fun!

If someone thinks to write down the tune list, forward it to me and I'll post it here.

April Fiddle Club Jam

2007-04-18T04:24:00.001-07:00

Becky Ross and Bill Mitchell were our gracious hosts for Fiddle Club this month. We had a fairly small turnout, but we had a good (if short) session. We had fiddles, a viola, hammered dulcimer, Scottish smallpipes, and an octave mandolin for the session.

We played the following tunes:
The Tongadale Reel
Tam Lin
Farewell to Whisky (in G)
Tommy's Tarboukas
Madame Naruda/The Banks
Rachel Rae
High Drive
Lochanside
Jig of Slurs/Jamie Gow
Cuzzle Together/Fig for a Kiss
North Highland Dance #4
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
Smith's a Gallant Fireman/Barrowburn Reel/High Reel
Stumpie/Clumsy Lover
Willafjord/Sleep Soond ida Moarnin/Da New Rigged Ship
Da Full Rigged Ship
Braes of Mar/Jenny Dang the Weaver
The Old Woman Would Reel.../Skye Dance #27

April Royal Mile Jam

2007-04-09T14:06:00.000-07:00

We had a good jam for April, with fiddles, a cello, and a little of my smallpipes. Thanks to everyone for coming!

We played the following tunes:
Amelia's Waltz
Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre
Spootiskerry
Flowers of Edinburgh
The Clumsy Lover
John Howat's Reel
Star of the County Down
Cairny Mount/Highland Laddie
Barrowburn Reel
Lamb Skinnet/Off She Goes
Corn Rigs
High Drive
Prince Charles' Last View of Scotland
Dick Gossip's Reel
Bonnie at Morn
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis' Jig
Maid Behind the Bar
The Mason's Apron
High Road to Linton/Jenny Dang the Weaver
Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch
Morag of Dunvegan
Ayr Races
Da Slockit Light

Alasdair Fraser workshop in Southern Maryland

2007-03-30T04:32:00.000-07:00

Sarah Brenzo writes:

[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE] Kick off your week with Celtic energy! Master Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser, an in-demand performer and tutor throughout the U.S and Scotland, and Natalie Haas, a vibrant young cellist, recording artist, and teacher, will be in Southern Maryland for one day: Monday, May 7, 2007. The Celtic Society of Southern Maryland is sponsoring this event to bring Mr. Fraser and Ms. Haas to the area to offer our local students of the string family an exciting new approach to playing through their workshops and an evening concert, which is open to the public. Sign up now for the workshops, as seating will be limited. Learn to tap into your inner creative rhythm to embellish and refine your individual playing style. Discover the soul in the Celtic style and learn to bring new life to your music. The workshop fee is $25 each. Concert ticket prices include discounts for advanced purchase of $20 each, families of 4 pay only $65, and workshop participants pay only $15 for the concert! Tickets purchased at the door are $25 each and $75 for families of 4. To reserve your concert tickets now, send check or money order payable to CSSM, Inc., P.O. Box 209, Prince Frederick, MD 20678. For more information, please call CSSM (443) 404- 7319, or visit the Celtic Society website: www.cssm.org .

Workshops and concert will be held at the Patuxent Presbyterian Church on Rt. 4 and Kingston Creek Rd, California, MD. The workshops will be held from 4pm – 6:30pm and the concert will begin at 8pm.

Fraser has been featured on more than 100 television and radio shows in the United Kingdom and on several nationally broadcast programs in the United States. On the ‘‘Kennedy Center Honors,” Fraser played a special solo tribute to honoree Sean Connery, a fellow Scot. He has made guest appearances with groups as diverse as Los Angeles Master Chorale, The Waterboys and The Chieftains, and as featured soloist along with Itzhak Perlman at New York’s Lincoln Center. His film credits include solo performances on the soundtracks of films including ‘‘The Last of the Mohicans” and ‘‘Titanic.”

Natalie Haas plays regularly with Alasdair Fraser and is a recent graduate of the Juilliard School.

[submitted by Sarah Brenzo, 301-904-7303]

Concert Flyer (click to view, right-click to download)

Registration Form (click to view, right-click to download)

March Royal Mile Jam

2007-03-07T09:15:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came out for a great jam! We had fiddles, smallpipes, a cello, and a classical guitar adding to the mix.

Here's a list of the tunes we played:
Corn Rigs
Bonnie at Morn
Ayr Races
Highland Whisky/Jack Daniel's
Stella's Trip to Kamloops
Dick Gossip's Reel
The Peerie Weerie/Hughie Shortie's/Brenda Stubbert's
The Mull Rant
Catchin' Rabbits/Barrowburn Reel
John Howat's Reel
Statten Island/John Ryan's
Drops of Brandy/Cuzzle Together/Brose and Butter
Shiftin' Bobbins
Hen's March on the Middens
Andy DeJarlis/Calliope House/The New Fiddle
MacArthur Road
High Drive
High Road to Linton/The Ale is Dear/Jenny Dang the Weaver
Devil in the Kitchen/The Drunken Piper
Mrs. MacLeod of Raasay
Duke of Fife/Earl of Mansfield
Stan Chapman's
Father Francis Cameron
Spey in Spate
Molly Rankin's
The Tongadale Reel
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin
Rob Roy MacGregor/Femroy Lasses (sp?)
The Iron Man
Braes of Banffshire/Clydesdale Lasses/Reichwald Forest
Sitting in the Stern of a Boat
Scully's Reel
Sailor's Wife/Muckin' o Geordie's Byre/Auld Rosin the Bow/Stool of Repentance/Off She Goes
Myra's Jig
Ross' Reel #4
Jackie Tar/Flowers of Edinburgh/Reconciliation
Off to California/Boys of Bluehill
Easy Club/Mason's Apron/The Banshee
Da Full Rigged Ship
Da New Rigged Ship/Ferry Reel/Willafjord

Some thoughts on playing together

2007-03-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

Sessions are strange animals. They're like a band without a set repertoire or rehearsal. So one of the places that they can unravel most easily is, by lack of agreed tempos or styles of expression, and by lack of a conductor, we stop playing together. There's a large Irish session in town, for example, where one half of the table is playing half a beat behind the other half!

We're pretty good in the Scottish sessions around here, but we hit a few rough spots this last session. So here are some suggestions on how to tighten things up, so when people hear our sessions, they sound like we're a well-rehearsed ensemble:

For the beginning/intermediate players: practice at home with a metronome. It takes a lot of practice to play steadily, surprisingly so, and a metronome is your best friend in the world in this area. Playing with other people is about playing together. It's especially important to have that steady tempo when starting a tune. This makes it much easier for other players to pick up which tune you're starting, and makes it a lot harder for stronger players to bully you into something faster than you're ready to play once they join in. Own that tempo! Then, everyone else will play along.

For the advanced players: We love our slow airs. But let's face it, these are solo pieces, or for tight ensembles. In those situations, our instinct is to close our eyes, lose ourselves in the tune, and play expressively, with lots of rubato. Unfortunately, this doesn't work for a session. We can still play expressively, but the melody players need to open their eyes and watch each other. We don't necessarily need to watch any one person, but to play together, we need to be taking cues from each other. And playing to metronome once in a while wouldn't kill us either.

With these simple tools and tactics, we can be playing together like a well oiled machine for many sessions to come!

Native American Flute & Scottish Fiddle Workshop

2007-02-20T03:57:00.000-08:00

Stephanie writes:

Hi Peter,

We've got an interesting performance coming up. I've been working with the organizers on this, but only recently found out that Arvel Bird (Native American) is also a Scottish Fiddler. Can you send this out to your list? Arvel will hold a flute/fiddle workshop on Friday February 23rd (tentatively 2:30pm) and a performance on Saturday, February 24th. We may be able to make some time for fiddlers to meet with him. Please let me know if you can send this out and if you (or anyone) are interested in meeting him. Hope to see you Sunday!

Stephanie (e-flyer below)

ARVEL BIRD

NATIVE AMERICAN SCOTTISH FIDDLER

Where: 2007 Potomac Native American Flute Festival Montgomery College Music
Department - Rockville, MD 55 Mannakee St. 20850

When: February 24, 2007 8 pm

Concert Tickets: $15 adults / $10 students
Contact: Angel Cruz (acruzn@yahoo.com / 703-338-2756)
Info: www.potomacflutecircle.net

· Arvel Bird is a 2006 Native American Music Award Winner. He's a dynamic and energetic Paiute /Scottish fiddlist who performs Native music, Jazz, Celtic, Blues, and Bluegrass. Fiddling like you have never heard before!!

* Workshop for Fiddle and Flute by Arvel Bird will be held at the Potomac Native American Flute Festival on Friday, February 23rd. Please contact Angel Cruz as listed above or the website for more information. Day workshop passes are available.

Arvel is a classically trained musician who attended Arizona State University on a music scholarship and later transferred to University of Illinois-Champaign/ Urbana. He is the recipient of the 2006 Best Instrumental Recording for the Native American Music Awards and the Best Contemporary Instrumental for the Indian Summer Music Awards. For 11 years Arvel enjoyed touring with Glen Campbell, Clay Walker, Louise Mandrell, Tom T. Hall, Ray Price, and Loretta Lynn and others.

Now as a solo artist, Arvel is an in-demand entertainer who tours internationally for concerts at Native American events, fairs, festivals, conventions, trade shows, and more. He is undoubtedly one of the best known and most in-demand Native American entertainers touring today.

http://www.arvelbird.com

Sorry about getting this up so late.

Scottish Fiddling Workshop

2007-02-15T03:58:00.000-08:00

I got this info on an upcoming Scottish fiddling workshop via email and thought I'd pass it along:

Hi Fiddlers and teachers,

Please join us for a Scottish Fiddling Workshop in Cary, NC on Saturday March 31st, 2007 at 10:45am. This years Fidding workshop will be held at the Cary High School Ninth Grade Center, at 1111 Maynard Rd. The workshop will be led again by Mara Shea and Tom Kagan.

Links to additional information and the registration form (also attached) are below.

Like last year's event, the students will be split into two groups based on skill level. The workshop will conclude at noon, at which time students may stay and continue fiddling in a traditional Scottish jam session.

The $10 workshop fee includes admission to the Cary Indoor Highland Dance and Piping Competition as well.

Thanks,
Ian Dunbar

http://www.scot.us/

http://www.scot.us/FiddleRegistration2007.pdf

http://www.scottishfiddling.org/

February Fiddle Club Session

2007-02-12T08:31:00.000-08:00

Hello again, everyone!

We had a great fiddle club meeting, with Elke Baker focussed on tunes in 9/8. Most were quite old tunes, and they fell into two categories: slip jigs and some of the deepest slow airs out there. We then went on into a great potluck and a rockin' well-attended session. Elke tested our memories on some of the new tunes from this week, and repeating a feat from last week, Catherine brilliantly (and accidentally) transposed a tune a whole step lower and launched into it with gusto. Who knew Duke of Fife worked so well in G, and that Back of the Change House sounded so good in C? Accident or not, it was a lot of fun trying to keep up!

Here's a list of tunes we played:
Stella's Trip to Kamloops
There Came a Young Man
Shifting Bobbins
Back of the Change House/Jenny Dang the Weaver/Pretty Pegg
Tail Toddle/High Drive
Hamish Henderson's Refusal/Tam Lin/The Tongadale Reel
In Dispraise of Whisky/Ho Ro The Dram, My Boy
Prince Charles
Hughie Shortie/Brenda Stubbart's/The Barrowburn Reel
The Piper's Weird/The Piper's Jig/Teviot Brig
Calliope House/Andy DeJarlis' Jig/The New Fiddle/MacArthur Road
Skye Boat Song (in G)/Space Available
Then Elke tried The Lees of Luncarty, but no one joined in. But it's a great tune.
Eternal Surge of the Sea
Sail Her Ower the Raftrees
Statten Island/Jackie Tar/Flowers of Edinburgh
Lochanside/The Muckin o' Geordie's Byre/The Stool of Repentance
The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside
Petronella
The Shetland Fiddler
Willafjord/Spootiskerry
Rosebud of Allenvale
Highland Laddie
Cuzzle Together
The Ale is Dear/High Road to Linton
I tried to start The Crooked Bridge here, but it fizzled.
Put Me In a Box
De'il amang the Tailors/Timour the Tartar/Jack Daniel's Reel