Jody Kruskal

I just got home from NEFFA 2019 in Mansfield MA, USA. What a full weekend! Lots of concertinas in abundance where ever you looked. My all-systems workshop with over a dozen squeezers was a success as was my concert of concertina chorus songs. Such fun! I like this festival because it mixes all the performance elements I love, singing, instrumental playing and dancing in a variety of formats and styles from the formal concert, called dance or workshop settings to the informal meetings of old friends or strangers for impromptu sessions both inside and outdoors on the grounds. Really, there is something for everyone at NEFFA. It's a mammoth gathering of International traditional dance and musical arts. This years highlights for me: I played Fieldtown Valentine in a concertina trio for Morris dancing with my brother Tom Kruskal and Jan Elliot. I heard the best Mariachi band I've ever encountered. Fine potato pancakes with apple sauce and sour cream. The Romanian's were exceptional. I danced contras and English country. I had some exceptional old-time and scandi jams and some delicious song sessions with singers including a grand West Gallery session for 75 folks and an intimate group of five singers trading songs al-fresco as the late Sunday afternoon winded down. Now that NEFFA has ended, I'm in shock. Back to real life. What a great time! What a shame I can't do this year 'round all the time.

Indeed, awesome to hear. Track 4 features some bellows shaking as a tremolo, very tasteful but way more than I would ever play... still she makes it work. The backup bosuiki and piano are both top notch.

Wow Pete, what a great tune! I really like it. Evan Maguire, and a sweetly sad story too! ABC is such a functional format. Seeing the dots/chords in staff notation, plus the ability to play the tune back (melody only) with audio in various tempos, all in one easy package. I use EasyABC as my go-to ABC app. After playing along to your excelant tune for a few dozen times though, I found myself straying from your chord choices. How keen are you on your published chords? I found myself experimenting with a few different bass lines and contrasting harmony that... to my ear, seemed to enhance and support the tune rather nicely, yet somewhat differing from yours. Perhaps it is one of those tunes that lend themselves to multiple harmonic interpretations?

Wow Pete!

Ah ha! I see.

Hi Mike, so sorry as to being clueless... but what does the Hole with the Mint refer to? Your post eludes me.

Does anyone here live in South Wales? I'm looking for hospitality, a bed for the night on Wed. May 29th after singing a floor spot at The Llantrisant Folk Club http://folk.wales/updates/folk-club-wots-occurring/ 8.30pm at Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club, Castan Road, Pontyclun CF72 9EH I've never been to Llantrisant before, anyone here know of this club?

Ah... an interesting discussion about PC and Art, but life is short, so back to the original question. For instance, how does the Minstrel compare with the Stagi (at the Button Box) for $825? I seem to remember hearing about another maker coming in at under $2000. Who was that, or did I dream it?

Quite right Richard. Without home, I would be completely lost. I tried to make this ballad arrangement as fancy as I could, thinking it cleaver to show off, while showing up the lyrics for the droll comedy that they are. In performance though, I found that the song just sings itself.

I have a variety of hard cases... but rarely use them. Instead, I have a Lowepro Flipside 300 camera soft case that looks like a small backpack. It is very well padded and fits two concertinas, plus a bit of other gear. If I were to drive over it in my car... well, it would probably not do the trick... but for portability, convenience and security, it can't be beat. Mine is getting a bit frayed at the edges after 10 years of touring. Perhaps I have to get a new one.

Hi folks, My 2019 UK concert tour will be early this year, in the merry month of May. Of special interest will be workshops at the Swaledale Squeeze May 17-19, where I will be teaching Anglo concertina alongside: Simon Thoumire (Edinburgh) on English Tim Laycock (Dorset) on Duet Joined by a dedicated band of regular tutors: Alex Wade (English), Harry Scurfield (Anglo), Paul Walker (English/Anglo), Carolyn Wade (Band) and Dave Ball (Band/English). Here is my whole schedule. May 11 The Wolf Cabaret Wolverton, Norfolk May 12, The Bulls Head Folk Club Warrington, Cheshire May 17-19 Swaledale Squeeze Yorkshire May 21 Ringwood Folk Club Burley, Hampshire May 24-27 Chippenham Festival Wiltshire June 1-3, Fire In the Mountain Festival Aberystwyth, Wales I hope to see many of you at my concerts and workshops this year. Keep squeezing!

On every button box there are two ways to play a note. Button articulation and Bellows articulation. With button articulation, you load the bellows with pressure, then strike the button. With bellows articulation, you depress the button and then activate the bellows. These two ways sound subtly different. Getting control of articulation is one way to play musical phrases more musically. I often tell my beginner students to play everything with button articulation and then after they have mastered that, to add bellows articulation in certain advantageous spots.

Have fun y'all. Always a great time!

Kan-ha-diskan - wonderful!

Bob Snope from the Button Box store wrote this excellent concertina song. Here I am performing it at the Horsham Folk Club last November.