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In case somebody should be interested, as I was learning this wonderful tune by Dave Shepherd simultaneously on both instruments: here's Rose of Raby (in order to be compared with the melodeon version) Best wishes - Wolf

This month's poll was really close, with all three contenders garnering strong support. But we have a winner: Jody Kruskal's Hop and Skip, a bouncy little tune that's loads of fun to play (and, according to my Northwest clog dancers, even more fun to dance to). Jody describes it as "a step-hop hornpipe meant for the jaunty lumpiness of English dances. Play it with a bouncy swing for full flavor." Like this. And here's Jody's notation for the tune, in D; I've also attached the PDF. In the video, he's playing a G/D Anglo, but it works just as well in G on a C/G. In the video Jody is playing it in D on a C/G (Thanks for the correction, Blue Eyed Sailor). I'm eager to hear how English and duet concertinists interpret this dance tune. As usual, feel free to give the tune your own imprint; the goal isn't slavish imitation. And the goal certainly isn't perfection. We're all in this forum to benefit from the discipline of practicing and recording and the helpful feedback we get from others. Have fun! hop_and_skip.pdf

For your consideration for the December Tune of the Month, here are four tunes in a variety of genres; hopefully there's something you'd like to learn and record! Yes, I know its holiday time, and that will be reflected in December's Theme of the Month. There have been complaints that the examples I offer are either complex arrangements beyond the skills of most of us, or played on instruments other than concertinas, which makes it harder for people to make an informed choice. I hear your pain, but the reality is that it isn’t always easy to find recordings that are available publicly - ie that don’t infringe on any copyrights - that also feature both concertinas and simple arrangements. When possible I will offer such examples - sometimes tapping the skills of other c.net participants, sometimes recording a simple version myself. But please understand: it’s not always possible to offer you simple examples played on concertina. For this month, here are some fun options. William and Nancy: this is a classic Cotswold Morris tune with plenty of bounce. I generally play it in G, keeping the local melodeon players happy, but lately I've been doing it in A, and am enjoying that a lot. Here’ a quick and dirty example - I play it once without chords, the second time more like I’d play it for a bunch of rowdy Morris dancers. Search YouTube for plenty of examples of the dance. Jämtlands Brudmarsch: This was suggested and played by our own Jim Lucas. My experience with Scandinavian music is limited, but what I’ve played, I’ve really enjoyed. Here's Jim demonstrating the tune. Oh yes, he said he can provide dots if this is the December winner. Whistling Rufus: a classic cakewalk that works nicely on all concertina systems. There are many versions of this, but I am partial to this great arrangement on Anglo. (please help me: this is a c.net member, right? I’m blanking) Winnie Hayes: A lovely Irish jig. Here's a clip with C’net’s own Peter Laban playing it (on pipes) with Kitty Hayes on Anglo. I love the modest pace of this version; it's the real deal. It's also on the wonderful Anglo International CD compilation performed by Tom Lawrence. That's it: make your choice and let's get down to the business of learning and recording. Remember, the TOTM will work only if we get a critical mass of participation - both voting in the polls and recording and posting the tunes. This isn't a competition and it's not just for advanced players; the idea is to push ourselves a little, expand our musical horizons and get constructive feedback from our peers.

The Abbess generated some fine recordings and a lot of interesting discussion in August. Many thanks to all who participated, and let’s keep the momentum going into September. For September, here's what I hope is a wide range of tunes. Please vote; active participation in these polls is the only way the TOTM will reflect the amazing diversity of musical interests on concertina.net. Old Copperplate. I’ve heard from several c.netters that the TOTM has been deficient in Irish selections. Here’s one suggested by one of those folks, and it’s a fine, driving reel. Play it fast, with the full Irish ornamentation, or give it your own spin. There are lots of examples on YouTube - here's one - and even more on Spotify.. Hambo Pa Logen What, you’ve never played a hambo? For shame; they're great fun. This is a simple tune, but that's deceptive; hambos take some practice to get the rhythm right, and believe me, dancers are pretty fussy about rhythm when it’s hambo time. It’s like a waltz, but not. Here it's played by the talented and versatile Anahata and Mary Humphreys, melodeon and English concertina, with some lovely harmonies. Hop and Skip Finally, here is a tune by one of our own, Jody Kruskal. I’ve been using this jaunty tune for my Northwest clog Morris team, and the ladies love doing step practice to it. Eventually it will find its way into one of their dances. Makes you want to step hop your troubles away. Here’s Jody demonstrating the tune - on a Bastari, no less - and his dots, so you can be sure the notation is correct. So what are you waiting for? Vote! Remember, if you look at the poll results before you've voted, the system will record a "null" vote, which means you can't come back again and register a vote. This isn't Chicago, after all.