Old Songs Festival

[greenferry]

Just wondering, does anyone know if there will be CONCERTINAS at the Old Songs festival in New York at the end of June?

The performers and their concertinas (most also play other instruments) include:

... Brian Peters - anglo (an active C.net member)

... Peggy Seeger - English (I believe she learned from Alf Edwards)

... Ian Robb w/ Finest Kind - English (will he bring his fabled double-reeded Wheatstone?)

... Michael Cooney - English (I assume he still play concertina; I recall it was a baritone)

... Jeff Warner - English (both treble and baritone, I believe)

... Debby McClatchy - ??? (I don't remember her playing concertina back when she lived in NY City, but the blurb for her Friday afternoon performance says, "...accompanied by banjo, concertina, pennywhistle and spoons.")

 

The MCs (very surprising if you don't also catch them playing) include:

... George Ward - English

... John Roberts - anglo (can also play English, but I think mainly anglo these days)

 

And of course there will be lots of other concertina players there who aren't on the bill, though some of them are known performers (and others not). Probably at least a few C.net members.

 

Jamming happens. Probably some pickup Morris, as well. And I see that the full detail of the daytime schedules isn't yet available, but when I was there a few years ago there were two scheduled concertina "workshops", one where performers took turns talking and explaining and the other more like a jam.

Is it as much fun as the Northeast Squeeze-In? Anybody from C Net going there?

 

Old Songs Festival

[greenferry]

Holy smokes! Is it really this boring??

 

[greenferry]

It gets worse!!

 

[JimLucas]

OK! Whose bright idea was it to play "Drowsy Maggie"?!!

[PeterT]

So, who was playing at the time?

[greenferry]

So, who was playing at the time?

The nearest I can guess are the photos that followed the above two photos. To find the originals, go to Old Songs and scroll down the middle of the page to large blue letters "Sleeping Audience Photos."

 

This one is labeled "Suzanne & Jim"

 

 

"Mike Agranoff knockes 'em dead"

 

 

"Scintillating Moments on Sunday Afternoon of the Old Songs Festival, photographed (and choreographed) by Bill Spence"

[greenferry]

P.S.: I didn't see any photos of concertinas that put people to sleep, though; that's a little encouraging.

[Animaterra]

To return to the query, I'll be there, concertina in hand, for the 10th year in a row. But if my duo partner Melanie rises to the promise to come, and gets her way, we'll be staying in a hotel instead of camping! I'll still keep my campsite, for a place to hang out.

 

It's a wonderful festival, full of great people and a great time- no matter how sleepy!

[Animaterra]

I'm back! It was a wonderful weekend; one of the best.

 

One of the highlights was meeting Brian Peters; I made a point to attend several of his workshops and came away impressed, inspired, awed, and delighted! Brian is a superb performer, a master on the anglo concertina, and an all-around nice guy.

 

Grainne Hambly, whom I know mostly from her harp playing, played her Jeffries with Brian in a workshop entitled Main Squeeze- they were with Karen Tweed, who plays a fine PA (I liked it because she plays it in a single-reed style that resembled concertina!)

 

And oh, the singing...

 

Now the countdown begins for next year!

Edited June 26, 2006 by Animaterra

[Brian Peters]

One of the highlights was meeting Brian Peters; I made a point to attend several of his workshops and came away impressed, inspired, awed, and delighted! Brian is a superb performer, a master on the anglo concertina, and an all-around nice guy.

Grainne Hambly, whom I know mostly from her harp playing, played her Jeffries with Brian in a workshop entitled Main Squeeze- they were with Karen Tweed, who plays a fine PA (I liked it because she plays it in a single-reed style that resembled concertina!)

Thanks for those kind words - it was a pleasure to meet you too. I also endorse your remarks about Grainne Hambly, whose playing was delightful: precise, delicate, nicely-paced and cast-iron rhythm. She also picked some very nice modal tunes. She should be better known to C-netters, I think. And wasn't Karen great, too?

Brian

[Animaterra]

Thanks, Brian!

I am really enjoying Anglophilia, purchased at Old Songs. I've been trying new things on the Jeffries as a result- I'm lightyears from accomplishing much, but I'm having fun!