[scots-l] Lochgoilhead Fiddle Weekend
sharon knowles wrote: Sue and I very much enjoyed the Lochgoilhead session and now we know Nigel was the one playing the mandolin! We had to leave before the end, unfortunately. Sue Richards and myself are living in Argyll for three months and doing a few gigs. I wish I'd known! I was going to run after you when you left and tell you how much I had enjoyed playing with you (and how I wished we'd been more together), but then I felt I couldn't leave the session (since I was the host). I did speak to you in the car park beforehand, but you both seemed preoccupied. So, actually, there were three professional musicians in there. Me, Sue and the guitar player who was with us, Ron Pirrie. I didn't think we sounded that bad! No - you sounded great. My comment was based on somebody saying to me earlier All the good players aren't coming till tomorrow... to which I objected. We were all good musicians there, in that we played together and had a good time doing it. Ron was good too, with his baby guitar. Also, there was a really good fiddler there who was probably Amy Geddes, as she was the one advertised. Yes, it was Amy. She didn't play for long because she had a come-and-try session in the morning, and a concert in the afternoon. I've been in too many sessions which became competitions, and it's not what turns me on. I like to play WITH people. Anyway, no offence meant by my comment, Sharon. I'm kicking myself that we didn't have a chat. Where are you staying? -- Nigel Gatherer, Crieff, Scotland [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/gatherer/ Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] Re: Lochgoilhead Fiddle Weekend
sharon knowles wrote: Sue and I very much enjoyed the Lochgoilhead session and now we know Nigel was the one playing the mandolin! We had to leave before the end, unfortunately. Sue Richards and myself are living in Argyll for three months and doing a few gigs. I wish I'd known! I was going to run after you when you left and tell you how much I had enjoyed playing with you (and how I wished we'd been more together), but then I felt I couldn't leave the session (since I was the host). I did speak to you in the car park beforehand, but you both seemed preoccupied. So, actually, there were three professional musicians in there. Me, Sue and the guitar player who was with us, Ron Pirrie. I didn't think we sounded that bad! No - you sounded great. My comment was based on somebody saying to me earlier All the good players aren't coming till tomorrow... to which I objected. We were all good musicians there, in that we played together and had a good time doing it. Ron was good too, with his baby guitar. Also, there was a really good fiddler there who was probably Amy Geddes, as she was the one advertised. Yes, it was Amy. She didn't play for long because she had a come-and-try session in the morning, and a concert in the afternoon. I've been in too many sessions which became competitions, and it's not what turns me on. I like to play WITH people. Anyway, no offence meant by my comment, Sharon. I'm kicking myself that we didn't have a chat. Where are you staying? -- Nigel Gatherer, Crieff, Scotland [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/gatherer/ Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] playing in a Scots band
A short time ago, Nigel Gatherer asked who else was playing in a Scottish band. I'm a bit reluctant to reply, but since things have been a little quiet here, maybe it would be ok. We have a relatively new Scottish Country Dance club here in Boise, Idaho. Our instructor, Mairi, is from Scotland, as is one other member. The rest of us are Americans, many with some Scots heritage. Most, I suspect, are like myself, and can claim ancestral heritage from many countries. I started out dancing with the Scottish Country dancers, being a contra-dancer prior, and then slowly migrated to playing fiddle for the dancers -- though I'm still on the dance-demo team. We also dance to pipes, and the Boise Highlanders are a top-notch pipe drum band. Anyway, I'm busy trying to pick up the Scots accent on my fiddle. There's something about the music that just resonated with me. I've been listening to the music for several years, such as Alastair Fraser and Bonnie Rideout, in addition to several of the Cape Breton fiddlers, but have only in the past year have I dedicated my own efforts to Scottish style. And I don't have enough background to distinguish between regional styles, unless perhaps I can notice a difference in Shetland fiddling. Playing for the dancers is good discipline, and tempo is always hard work. The easy tunes seem too slow, and the hard tunes seem too fast. We had a workshop here in Boise last May, with Muriel Johnstone helping us musicians. She had many good pointers, and we wish we'd had her for a longer time -- though she started out with tunes in F and Bb, which really stretched my old-time music fingers. I recently bought Traditional Scottish Fiddling book and CD from Taigh na Teud via their website. So far, it's a decent book, though I think that my efforts over the past year help me to appreciate some of the subtleties in the book. And the CD is essential -- the notation only goes so far. We also started a Scottish Folk band to play at various ceilidh. We played at a local Farmer's Market last week, and are now gearing up for the Boise Highland Games on Sept. 20th. Anyway, that's the report from Southwestern Idaho in the USA. Ken Pollard Nampa, Idaho Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] playing in a Scots band
Ken Pollard wrote: A short time ago, Nigel Gatherer asked who else was playing in a Scottish band. I'm a bit reluctant to reply, but since things have been a little quiet here, maybe it would be ok. We have a relatively new Scottish Country Dance club here in Boise, Idaho. Our instructor, Mairi, is from Scotland, as is one other member. The rest of us are Americans, many with some Scots heritage. Most, I suspect, are like myself, and can claim ancestral heritage from many countries. I started out dancing with the Scottish Country dancers, being a contra-dancer prior, and then slowly migrated to playing fiddle for the dancers -- though I'm still on the dance-demo team. We also dance to pipes, and the Boise Highlanders are a top-notch pipe drum band. Anyway, I'm busy trying to pick up the Scots accent on my fiddle. There's something about the music that just resonated with me. I've been listening to the music for several years, such as Alastair Fraser and Bonnie Rideout, in addition to several of the Cape Breton fiddlers, but have only in the past year have I dedicated my own efforts to Scottish style. And I don't have enough background to distinguish between regional styles, unless perhaps I can notice a difference in Shetland fiddling. Playing for the dancers is good discipline, and tempo is always hard work. The easy tunes seem too slow, and the hard tunes seem too fast. We had a workshop here in Boise last May, with Muriel Johnstone helping us musicians. She had many good pointers, and we wish we'd had her for a longer time -- though she started out with tunes in F and Bb, which really stretched my old-time music fingers. I recently bought Traditional Scottish Fiddling book and CD from Taigh na Teud via their website. So far, it's a decent book, though I think that my efforts over the past year help me to appreciate some of the subtleties in the book. And the CD is essential -- the notation only goes so far. We also started a Scottish Folk band to play at various ceilidh. We played at a local Farmer's Market last week, and are now gearing up for the Boise Highland Games on Sept. 20th. Anyway, that's the report from Southwestern Idaho in the USA. Ken Pollard Nampa, Idaho Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html You might try to lure Murray Shoolbraid for a visit. He's on an island (Saltspring) between Victoria and Vancouver, BC, which isn't too far away from you. He's a 3rd generation Scots fiddler, Scottish dance band leader, composer (in traditional Scots style), expert on Scots folk songs (watch for appearance of his 'Musa Proterva'), actor in TV documentaries on Scots music, editor of a local folklore journal, etc. I'm sure you would find a visit from him very educational. Bruce Olson -- Roots of Folk: Old British Isles popular and folk songs, tunes, and broadside ballads at my no-spam website A href=http://www.erols.com/olsonw; Click here for homepage (= subject index) /a Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] playing in a Scots band
Ken Pollard wrote: A short time ago, Nigel Gatherer asked who else was playing in a Scottish band. I'm a bit reluctant to reply, but since things have been a little quiet here, maybe it would be ok. We have a relatively new Scottish Country Dance club here in Boise, Idaho. Our instructor, Mairi, is from Scotland, as is one other member. The rest of us are Americans, many with some Scots heritage. Most, I suspect, are like myself, and can claim ancestral heritage from many countries. I started out dancing with the Scottish Country dancers, being a contra-dancer prior, and then slowly migrated to playing fiddle for the dancers -- though I'm still on the dance-demo team. We also dance to pipes, and the Boise Highlanders are a top-notch pipe drum band. Anyway, I'm busy trying to pick up the Scots accent on my fiddle. There's something about the music that just resonated with me. I've been listening to the music for several years, such as Alastair Fraser and Bonnie Rideout, in addition to several of the Cape Breton fiddlers, but have only in the past year have I dedicated my own efforts to Scottish style. And I don't have enough background to distinguish between regional styles, unless perhaps I can notice a difference in Shetland fiddling. Playing for the dancers is good discipline, and tempo is always hard work. The easy tunes seem too slow, and the hard tunes seem too fast. We had a workshop here in Boise last May, with Muriel Johnstone helping us musicians. She had many good pointers, and we wish we'd had her for a longer time -- though she started out with tunes in F and Bb, which really stretched my old-time music fingers. I recently bought Traditional Scottish Fiddling book and CD from Taigh na Teud via their website. So far, it's a decent book, though I think that my efforts over the past year help me to appreciate some of the subtleties in the book. And the CD is essential -- the notation only goes so far. We also started a Scottish Folk band to play at various ceilidh. We played at a local Farmer's Market last week, and are now gearing up for the Boise Highland Games on Sept. 20th. Anyway, that's the report from Southwestern Idaho in the USA. Ken Pollard Nampa, Idaho Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html It must be very difficult for you to discipline yourself to pursue such as Scottish music in Idaho. Idaho's natural attractions are a powerful seduction away from any intellectial pursuit at all! Idaho is one of God's great creations, from the northwest tip (Bonner's Ferry) through the Craters of the Moon to the southeast corner (or any route through Idaho), one can't go over 25 miles without running into new some magnificant wonder. [Excellent National Forest campgounds there even make it cheap to visit, and you'll usually find someone there with a guitar, and repertory of folk songs at the evening campfire. If you stopped at the reservation store, you can have buffalo steaks or hamburgers for supper. At night, with your butane lamp, it's very relaxing to lay in your sleeping bag and lull yourself to sleep perusing your copy of Gow's Complete Repository or Strathspey Reels. Practically Heaven!] Bruce Olson -- Roots of Folk: Old British Isles popular and folk songs, tunes, and broadside ballads at my no-spam website A href=http://www.erols.com/olsonw; Click here for homepage (= subject index) /a Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
