jdms

To my ears there's nothing Scottish to this tune. Have you heard many Scottish country dance tunes? Reels, jigs and strathspeys often don't sound much like what you'd hear from Andy M. Stewart, Ewan MacColl or Jean Redpath... jdms

"International Dispatch" is self-explanatory, USPS=United States Postal Service and ISC=International Service Center (according to a quick search at www.usps.com). It looks like that's one of the processing centers for international mail (others in NYC and Chicago)--I'd guess it arrived there from Birmingham on Saturday evening, and that no, it had not yet left these shores (but if it hasn't by now, it should soon). jdms

Civilized? Does this type of activity look "civilized" to you?? But isn't that a heron? jdms

Well, as long as you're not an Edeophony... jdms

My standard warning to my wife when I'm about to start practicing: "I'm going to concertinize." jdms

All together now: SAAAAAAAAALvation band and the big bass drum And the music fair goes through ya With their "Onward Christian Soldiers" And their "Glory, Hallelujah!" jdms

I'm not going to try to address all your questions (there are others more knowledgeable than I who will no doubt weigh in shortly), but I will mention this: the Morse Ceili, available from The Button Box, is a well-regarded instrument (I have one) and costs the same whether the layout is Wheatstone or Jeffries. They also sell the Rochelle and offer a full-cost upgrade if you go from the Rochelle to a Morse. On the button question: some players, especially more advanced ones, prefer the added flexibility of more, but 30 is enough for most. On the hand question: I know someone with small hands who had difficulty with his Stagi because his thumb couldn't reach the air button. He has since bought a Morse, which gives him no trouble in that regard. Any instrument at or above the Morse/Tedrow/Edgley price level should be fine for most hands. It would be best, of course, if you could find an instrument to try--I know there's at least one woman in Japan who plays an Anglo (she was at the Northeast Concertina Workshop last year, and if memory serves, she has a rather nice Wheatstone), but I don't remember her name, let alone where in Japan she lives. Not helpful, I know. Joshua Mackay-Smith

I can't see but I bet it's a portative organ. A keyboard, a tiny set of upright organ pipes in the middle and the other hand working the bellows behind them? Completely period for your mediaeval fellow. That would make sense, but no--it's definitely accordion-shaped. It may even be meant as a PA, but the carving is, erm, impressionistic enough that I have enough leeway to declare it a melodeon. jdms

If it's this one, I believe it's our own Paul Read selling it. jdms

Here is the same page in English. A little nosing around turned up very little information beyond this description from the same website (though for some reason I couldn't get to it by just clicking on a picture--instead, I got to both from a Google search by the instrument name): "Tsiko-tsiko came to Georgia from Europe in the mid-1830s. Tsiko-tsiko mainly accompanies dances." Judging by the pictures, I'd guess that "tsiko-tsiko" is the small Georgian accordion you were looking for (so you presumably knew that much already), but that the concertina falls under the same umbrella. The question of whether that's a recent development or concertinas (these are both English, I think, though the ends of the first one aren't really visible) arrived in Georgia along with accordions I will have to leave to those who know (as opposed to those who guess, like me). jdms

A family friend, knowing my interest in concertinas (but not, I think, being entirely clear on what they look like) gave me this fellow. My iffy photography skills and avatar size have conspired to make him not very clear--it's a carved wooden figure in medieval garb playing a melodeon-like instrument (anachronistic and not something I actually play, but it'll do). jdms

Depends on how you're defining "know." The Spanish origins of Morris are a subject of dispute in the Morris world, with a decided lack of agreement on the moresco=>Morris etymology...there was a recent kerfuffle on the subject on the Morris Dance Discussion List (MDDL, or Muddle). Whether or not it can ever be proven, though, it seems a likely theory that the dances/plays celebrating the defeat of the Moors could lead to similar things in England, and while I don't know how that would have led to the Cotswold, Border and North West dances we know today, there's been plenty of time for all sorts of evolution to take place. Joshua Mackay-Smith The Commonwealth Morris Men

You'll probably get some well-informed and helpful responses here, but you'd get even more at melodeon.net. jdms [edited to correct link]

I'm listening my way through these and finding all sorts of interesting stuff--my thanks to you and all involved in getting these online. There is, however, a bit of a mixup at the start of Son of Readers' Tape. I don't know most of these tunes, but that hasn't kept me from guessing (do feel free to correct/ignore me as appropriate) : 1. No idea, but it sounds Balkan to me--definitely not a blues tune... 2. ...unlike this, which is presumably therefore Willie Brown's Mississippi Blues. 3. Invention, Bach and Miles Davis. 4. Not at all sure--possibly Bouree a Frank? 5. Huitklaffen's Bridal March/Reinlander, since it sounds Scandinavian to my ears. 6. Charlestonne/La port en arnésé. Cajun as Cajun can be... 7. Don't know this one either, but it doesn't sound Irish. 8. This is the only Irish-sounding track that also sounds like more than one tune, so I'm guessing Crossing the Shannon/The Day I Met Tom Moylan. Continuing my guesswork, I think the remainder is as listed. jdms

That would be an occupational hazard, surely? jdms

On my computer at work--going on my home machine once I get there. jdms

Heh. I like all of these, but my inner pedant says: Do you mean The Who? jdms

Oh dear. I only met him a few times, but I always enjoyed conversations with him and I continue to be delighted with my Ceili. There will be a big empty space at the NCW next month. jdms

My Concertina Acquisition Disorder isn't yet a severe enough case to (1) need eight more concertinas (maybe as many as three...) or (2) part with the bike (one can always put a Shadow clock on a Rapide, though the purists will surely emit disdainful sniffs), but it's good to have options. (I certainly do seem to be contributing to severe thread drift, or would be if more people were taking part in the drifting bit...) jdms [edited to adjust for inadvertant smiley production]

Too much? Perish the thought! Though much as I'd rather be playing my concertina than tinkering with it, I'd rather be riding than wrenching...it's still winter in Massachusetts today (and snowing), though, so the decision between thirty buttons and two wheels is an easy one. Joshua Mackay-Smith Its never too cold here and only a few days a year is it too hot. My Commando had not had the same degree of attention since I discovered tinkering with concertinas (now why is that) but I still wring its neck a few times a week. Chris Hm...relocate, find job, import the R1100RS and the Rapide...nah. Though if I can ever afford an instrument from you (haven't asked after your prices, but I can't afford another hybrid at the moment, so a new concertina-reeded instrument is out of the question for the time being), my sister-in-law grew up in Gundaroo (not far from Canberra) and I can probably get her and my brother to bring it back with them from their next visit after it's done... jdms

Too much? Perish the thought! Though much as I'd rather be playing my concertina than tinkering with it, I'd rather be riding than wrenching...it's still winter in Massachusetts today (and snowing), though, so the decision between thirty buttons and two wheels is an easy one. Joshua Mackay-Smith

Jody--I'm having a fine old time with this tune and I'm looking forward to the workshop, but I think there are some more typos in the G/D tab notation: I believe that where you've put 2a you mean 1a, and where you've put 5a you mean 4a. Either that, or I'm misreading it completely. Joshua [edited to add which tab notation I meant]

If I understand the ad, this is for a Geuns-Wakker, not a Wakker. The former were concertina reeded...[elision] Ken Erm, Ken? Don't you mean "accordion-reeded"? Joshua Mackay-Smith

Well dagnabbit, I missed that too! I'd have jumped right on it yesterday if I'd been paying enough attention. Oh well--it could happen again... jdms

Is this rather battered-looking object likely to be a Lachenal? I have a feeling that getting it into playable condition might be quite a project, but that doesn't keep me from being curious... Joshua Mackay-Smith