Lakeman

I have fond memories of chatting to Harry and Neville Crabb at their Islington Road workshops...they showed me around and even showed me some very fancy duets they were making for themselves. I was new to the instrument but they introduced me to the London ( or was it North London) Concertina Band. I wasn;'t mch use to it at tjhe time- too new to the instrument - and I could not read music. But I did get to meet the legendary Tommy Williams... the tiny man with BIG hands. Remember him playing "Battersea in Springtime " The Crabb firm and family are part of our musical and artisan heritage in the UK

Badwellmac -I think the above link just shows my version of the transportation song, Jim Jones.. But just Google " youtube geoff lakeman" and you'll get four other songs, including a jazz standard (*I only have eyes for you) which may give you some more ideas about duet playing and accompaniment.

Hi again Jonathan - I've left a comment about your latest video on your youtube page. keep squeezing !

CONTRA..BAND ! ? !

As long as the audience doesn't throw things at you, you're doing OK ! In old English music halls there used to be a man with a long pole, with a hook on the end of it . He'd stand in the wings and if you were crap he'd just yank you off-stage . I agree with Jody . I do jazz gigs with my trio "Speakeasy" in quite noisy cocktail lounges/ bars etc and you know you are there to provide background music. Although it's nice when you see people's feet tapping, someone mouthing the words of a song or a couple get up and dance. But when I do an actual folk concert, as Jody says, you want people to listen, engage and interact. Yet, you also don't need to beat yourself up after every gig. You will know whether you've played well or not . The really curious gigs are where the audience is quiet, don't over-react but do applaud and you wonder whether they are enjoying it. Usually - the explanation is that they ARE enjoying it and just listening ( which is what they are there to do !) "Let the music keep your spirits high"

I'm a little confused by the answers/contributions on this subject. I took some trouble -after being asked - to send several recordings of my Crane duet playing for this CD. Some time ago I bumped into Jon Boden at a gig who said " I believe we are on a CD together ?" He too had contributed- despite his very busy schedule . He's a McCann player . I hope the Duet International does see the light of day - but it is probably being overtaken by other projects/ technology. I, for one, have posted half a dozen videos of my playing on Youtube ( or see them elsewhere on concertina.net website) Now I am also doing solo gigs I should be doing a CD of my own, so perhaps I should crack on with that. Best wishes to all " squeezers" out there. I'm currently in my camper van, on a beach in Brittany, listening to curlews, skylarks and noisy gulls. Hoping for a session in Tregastel tonight. "Let the music keep your spirits high." PS - For any players out there, among my summer gigs, I am booked for four days at Cornwall Folk Festival in Wadebridge.(Aug 22- 25) Between performances , it would be fun to meet up with other concertina players ( at least, the ones I don't already know ) and have a chat/ play

Hi Jody - I'd already discovered this unique guy on the net. I'm surprised too that he is not better known . His combined use of clowning, concertina-playing, text and crude, but effective, animation is almost an original art form in itself. I am sure if he entered one of his " shorts" into a film festival somewhere he would get much wider recognition

DAN - I share your curiosity on this one. I have never heard of a "Crane Jeffries" but if such a thing exists I would be competing with you in the market to get one.I have several Cranes, Wheatstone and Lachenal, and they are superb instruments. But , I have to say, one of the best instruments I ever heard was a Jeffries system duet ( which might be what you are referring to ), not to mention the extraordinarily good Jeffries Anglos that ITM players fight to get their hands on. If such a thing as a Jeffries Crane exists and there is more than one out there, I would appreciate it if you could help me track one down.

Well done Johanna, that sounds super. I'm very fond of this song but ( for fairly obvious reasons) don't think I can go near it on my duet .I have, however, just co-written a song with Seth for a BBC radio ballad about World War One.More news about this in coming months.

HI - any concertina enthusiasts within easy reach of Totnes, in south Devon, UK. I am this year - after many years of playing in bands - embqrking on solo gigs. The first is at Totnes Folk Club this coming Thursday, April 10(Dartmouth Inn, 8pm). It would be great to meet other squeezers. I shall be playing several different vintage Crane Duets and singing some of my own songs, Cornish, Irish and English folk - and probably some Jimmie Rodgers and 1920's / 30's jazz. Also in Devon - my next gig after that is at The George Hotel music venue in South Molton , on Friday, April 25. Do pop along if you are in the area.On that occasion- a slightly bigger venue - I shall be using a PA, so any 'tina players interested in amplifying their instruments might be intrigued with the double clip-on mic' solution I have come up with.

Jeff - Mick's a super bloke, and always willing to respond in person. So, if you have got any particular queries/ issues, post them here and I'll point them out to him- and he'll get back to you. By next week he might be adding a chapter on Icelandic tunes! Geoff Lakeman

Hi Jeff - I'm a duet player, but best of luck with your new anglo. Just to say, I'm off this very weekend ( with others) to play in Iceland with none other than Mick Bramwich......if you stick to his starter book you can't go wrong. On another trip , to Lisbon, we were playing in a very crowded Portugese bar with a young anglo player - who was new to the instrument but already proficient.He said he had learned from a fantastic instruction book he had got, from Mr Bramwich ...and was then utterly gob-smacked to discover he was sitting next to, and playing with, Mr Bramwich himself. Keep squeezing. "Let the music keep your spirits high"

Hi David - Have a look at the videos I posted last week on the video forum thread - I know it is a Crane duet , not the Hadyn system, but it might give you ideas of how to use duet concertina for song accompaniment. Keep at it ! "Let the music keep your spirits high"

I have set up a new You Tube channel to demonstrate playing of the Crane duet concertina- firstly for some of my songs, although I may add some tunes later. The instrument is a 1926, 58-button Wheatstone, steel-reeded duet. Hope you enjoy them. The songs are: "Jim Jones" -an Australian transportation ballad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F7IL-PjVtc "I Only Have Eyes For You" - a classic Tin Pan Alley song written in 1932 by Al Dubin and Harry Warren. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bKF8FaNPp4 "My Own Dear Galway Bay" - not the ' Galway Bay" song that begins :" If you ever go across the sea to Ireland...." made famous by Bing Crosby...but the trad' song, written in 1895 by Francis Fahey, that is sung by the people of Galway.( a much better tune in my humble opinion). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4u9yqYLqNk "Tie' em up" - a self-written, sort of angry protest " shanty" - about the limiting of fishermen's days at sea in the South West of the UK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWKeOog2kRA "Rule and Bant" - another self-written song, about two men who were entombed , but eventually rescued after five days, at the Drakewalls Mine in Gunnislake, Cornwall in 1889. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtRPow5iPug

Hi David Barnet - I had a weird malfunction/ hiccup ( part- brain and part-technical) but copy-and-paste now ability now restored. Thanks. I'll try and " steal" another 20 minutes studio time from my very busy eldest son soon to record "Buddy Can You Spare a Dime?" In only less than 24 hours I've been amazed at the reaction to these Crane duet postings of mine - from the USA , Australia and UK. Thanks to all for your encouragement. Geoff

Hooray - success! Listen and enjoy on that last link - which worls Geoff

Hang on ! One more try - just spotted another digit/letter I missed out. After this, I will truly go to the pub and get hammered ! Here goes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb0RPKsGLVEEC6OqFjxplwA

I give up ! I've just discovered, at the age of 66, I must be dyslexic ( at least, numerically ) If anyone else can access my youtube contributions and transfer them here, all I can say is " You're a better man than me Gunga Dhin ...." I'm going to the pub now

BUGGER ! Sorry ...I'll try that one more time with a capital "A " to finish.(It's easier playing the duet concertina ! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb0RPKsGLEEC6OqFjxplwA

I'll try that again - one " forward slash was missing. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb0RPKsGLEE6OqFjxplwa

I now have a direct link to my youtube concertina contributions....if you can stay awake long enough to type it in. here goes: https://www.youtube.comchannel/UCb0RPKsGLEEC6OqFjxplwa If anyone knows how to automatically transfer these to the concertina.net ( concertina videos) thread I would be obliged. Geoff

Sorry - haven't managed to download these yet . But you might find them more easily, direct on Youtube. Just Google Youtube and Geoff Lakeman and they should come up. Geoff Lakeman

I haven't done an album yet - but I shall be very shortly ( hopefully today) be posting several songs on the "concertina videos" thread. Played on a 58-button Wheatstone Crane duet. Hope you enjoy them. Geoff Lakeman "Let the music keep your spirits high"

I should have asked in previous message- who is Adrian in Amsterdam - a concertina player ? We might be able to meet up with him? Geoff

What a shame David - I'll just miss you in Europe. I am playing with a bunch of musicians in Ghent and Amsterdam between Oct 16 and 21......just before you get there. They include Mick Bramwich ( who wrote two of the best "How to play Anglo" books) and ace ulliean pipe player Erik ...and we are meeting up with a leading hurdy gurdy player in Ghent. If you can in any way change your plans we aim to be at the famous Mulligans Sunday Irish session in Amsterdam on Sunday, Oct 20 ....which I suspect starts lunchtime/afternoon and goes on into the evening. "Let the musi keep your spirits high" Regards Geoff Lakeman