Jim Besser Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 (edited) Dance bands in the UK and the US sometimes have a lot of fun with unlikely medleys - the trad tune put together with a bit from a rock classic , a French tune in the middle of an Irish set, a robust jig into the James Bond theme and so on. What odd pairings have you played in the past - and what strange combinations have you always wanted to try but never quite had the nerve to do? Making things more interesting, this month we’re doing the same theme on both concertina.net, where the TOTM forum is relatively new, and melodeon.net, which provided the idea and structure for the c.net version. So we’ll get to hear interesting combinations of music on both concertinas and melodeons. How's that for cool? Sound challenging and interesting? We think so, so have at it! Edited June 25, 2014 by Jim Besser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted July 1, 2014 Author Share Posted July 1, 2014 Here's a bit of Morris silliness to start things off. We only do this in pubs, in the winter, after we've done our annual Abbott's Bromley Horn Dance and after a fair number of pints have been consumed. The silly bar dance is a make-up-your-own-verses Rabbits in Australia; at some point someone will sing "we do it with antlers," and I play the A part of the tune used in these parts for the ABHD. Usually the dancers have had so much beer that it doesn't come out right, but so have the spectators, so nobody cares. https://soundcloud.com/concertinist/morris-silliness-2mp3mp3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted July 11, 2014 Author Share Posted July 11, 2014 (edited) Hmmm, this month's theme is starting to look like a solo project. Here's a set The Squeezers have been working on for a while - the traditional Italian mazurka Tra Vegla e Sonno, and the wonderful John Kirkpatrick tune Dance of the Demon Daffodils. As an ensemble, it hasn't come together, mostly because I've been messing it up. So I've been working on a solo version and doing a lot of recording and fixing problems. Consider this a work in progress; maybe before the end of the month we'll be able to post a group recording. https://soundcloud.com/concertinist/traveglasetsolomp3 Played in Dm on a 30 button Lachenal/Dipper anglo. As an aside: I have all John K's CDs, and last year bought his tunebook. This is a treasure trove for concertinists - so many great tunes, and none of them boring. Edited July 11, 2014 by Jim Besser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 (edited) I voted for Balkan Hills Schottische for TOTM but it didn't win. I learned it anyway(sort of) and paired it with Packington's Pound and call the medley TOTM Winner and Loser for odd pairings. I had a hard time on the Balkan Hills using my air button discretely and it sounds like someone gasping but I am working on that Played on G/D 31 button Morse Anglo http://youtu.be/-Gq_OMRZB70 Edited July 13, 2014 by Daria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 I voted for Balkan Hills Schottische for TOTM but it didn't win. I learned it anyway(sort of) and paired it with Packington's Pound and call the medley TOTM Winner and Loser for odd pairings. I had a hard time on the Balkan Hills using my air button discretely and it sounds like someone gasping but I am working on that Played on G/D 31 button Morse Anglo http://youtu.be/-Gq_OMRZB70 Hi Daria - cool pairing. But the video is set as "private," so we can't see it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 OK, I changed it. Sorry. New to all this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 OK, I changed it. Sorry. New to all this. Nice! I'm betting you're finding the new Morse G/D a lot easier to play than the Stagi! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Molkentin Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Daria, very nice - and your making further progress is quite obvious! Best wishes - Wolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Thanks so much for your encouragement Wolf! I appreciate it. Daria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 I voted for Balkan Hills Schottische for TOTM but it didn't win. I learned it anyway(sort of) and paired it with Packington's Pound and call the medley TOTM Winner and Loser for odd pairings. Clever interpretation of the theme, nice playing, and very nice arrangement(s). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twisper Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 (edited) Here's an unlikely couple, played as a duet on a Tedrow concertina in G/D, and a Castagnari Lilly melodeon in D/G. The tunes are: Newcastle (Playford), and Camptown Races. I confess, I haven't figured out how to streamline the link on this forum as yet...any pointers welcome! https://soundcloud.com/for-rest-1/newcastle-camptown-races Hmmm.....maybe I did figure it out(?) Edited July 17, 2014 by twisper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Molkentin Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Here's an unlikely couple, played as a duet on a Tedrow concertina in G/D, and a Castagnari Lilly melodeon in D/G. The tunes are: Newcastle (Playford), and Camptown Races. I confess, I haven't figured out how to streamline the link on this forum as yet...any pointers welcome! https://soundcloud.com/for-rest-1/newcastle-camptown-races Hmmm.....maybe I did figure it out(?) You did - and it's well worth following the link - I commented on your cloud... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Fisher Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 An odd pairing, quickly learnt and recorded so that I can join in the fun: https://soundcloud.com/7wheels-1/odd-pairing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Very nice Robert! And the tune names? Recognize them but would like names:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sqzbxr Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 The Wild Rover/When I'm Sixty-Four Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Fisher Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Right Sqzbxr! I didn't name them up front because I wanted people to have the surprise of not knowing what was coming next... Both songs about getting older and settling down. Not that I'm anywhere near that stage of life . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 Here's an unlikely couple, played as a duet on a Tedrow concertina in G/D, and a Castagnari Lilly melodeon in D/G. The tunes are: Newcastle (Playford), and Camptown Races. I confess, I haven't figured out how to streamline the link on this forum as yet...any pointers welcome! https://soundcloud.com/for-rest-1/newcastle-camptown-races Hmmm.....maybe I did figure it out(?) I love it. Perfect, since this theme is appearing on both concertina.net and melodeon.net! It's amazing how Stephen Foster tunes fit nicely in diverse medleys. I use Oh Susannah in a Northwest clog Morris medley! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 An odd pairing, quickly learnt and recorded so that I can join in the fun: https://soundcloud.com/7wheels-1/odd-pairing I was wondering when a Beatles tune would show up in this month's recordings. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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