Concertinas At Warwick

[GrahamBradshaw]

This year, the featured instrument at Warwick Folk Festival is the concertina, with emphasis on the Anglo.

 

There is a full programme of events which can be found here and you can find further details of the festival here.

 

As you will see, the featured artists are Alan Day, Jody Kruskal, John Kirkpatrick, Brian Peters, Chris Sherburn, all of whom are featuring anglo to tie in with the 3CD collection Anglo International, and also Alistair Anderson who obviously plays English and will be doing a workshop on that instrument.

 

As well as a main concert and workshops, there will also be the chance for players to get involved in the Big Squeeze which will be running on the Saturday afternoon.

 

Warwick Festival runs on the weekend of 21/22/23 July 2006

[Geraghty]

I'm going to this, and I'm trying to find out more about the concertina players teaching the workshops. I mainly play Irish style Anglo concertina and I have discovered I have a lot of trouble learning from someone who plays English concertina as I tend to learn visually.

 

Can anyone tell me which type of instrument these folks play, and what type of music they usually do? I've gotten a bit of info through their webpages (via the Warwick site) but I'd welcome information from anyone who has heard them play.

 

I have a few years experience playing Irish style music but no experience playing English style so I often get tripped up in English-style workshops as they expect you to know chording and so forth.

 

Concertina workshop leaders for Warwick:

 

Jody Kruskal (teaching 'beginning anglo concertina technique' but I don't know what styles. Also doing 'harmony and accompaniment' on the Sunday)

Alan Day (also teaching 'beginners' anglo' but no mention of styles)

Chris Sherburn (he's down as teaching an Irish style anglo one, so I'll definitely be doing that)

Brian Peters (teaching 'north-west tradition'. I took a workshop with him in Whitney but really struggled with chording)

John Kirkpatrick (simply down as teaching 'concertina')

 

Thanks for any advice.

[Peter Brook]

Concertina workshop leaders for Warwick:

 

Jody Kruskal (teaching 'beginning anglo concertina technique' but I don't know what styles. Also doing 'harmony and accompaniment' on the Sunday)

Alan Day (also teaching 'beginners' anglo' but no mention of styles)

Chris Sherburn (he's down as teaching an Irish style anglo one, so I'll definitely be doing that)

Brian Peters (teaching 'north-west tradition'. I took a workshop with him in Whitney but really struggled with chording)

John Kirkpatrick (simply down as teaching 'concertina')

 

Thanks for any advice.

John Kirkpatrick (simply down as teaching 'concertina').

That will be "English style" dance music or morris on 40 key c/g crabb anglo I would imagine [melody on right, chords on left], although I have been to a workshop where he looks at all the chords and keys that are possible on a 30 key C/G, and another one where he teaches how to play fast tunes well.

 

wish I could go - have fun

Edited July 5, 2006 by Peter Brook

[PeterT]

Jody Kruskal (teaching 'beginning anglo concertina technique' but I don't know what styles. Also doing 'harmony and accompaniment' on the Sunday)

Alan Day (also teaching 'beginners' anglo' but no mention of styles)

Chris Sherburn (he's down as teaching an Irish style anglo one, so I'll definitely be doing that)

Brian Peters (teaching 'north-west tradition'. I took a workshop with him in Whitney but really struggled with chording)

John Kirkpatrick (simply down as teaching 'concertina')

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

Hi Elizabeth,

 

Firstly, you should work on dragging your husband down to my monthly session; it would be good to see you both, and I am always happy to talk concertinas, even though I don't play Anglo in the Irish style.

 

Possibly you could get to Alan Day's session at The George, London Bridge (easier transport for you), which means that you are quite likely to see both of us. I try to side on Alan's right hand side, to see where his fingers are going, then he generally plays the G/D box, which throws me completely!

 

To answer your questions:

 

Jody Kruskal - to my shame, I've never met him (I'm not attending Warwick), but have admired his playing from way back, and on the recent Anglo International. I would say that Jody plays in the "American" style, which reminds me of Bertram Levy, who I have met a couple of times. He does interesting things with the box, which I have not heard before.

 

Alan Day - I've got to know Alan quite well in recent months, having met him, once, many years ago. Alan plays mainly French and English tunes, and has a nice, decorated, style, which is a pleasure to listen too. I don't know anyone else who plays in this style.

 

Chris Sherburn - I've heard his playing on two albums, but not met him. You'll be able to tell me, about him, after Warwick. I'm impressed, although I have to say that on Anglo International, I prefer the playing of Noel Hill and Mandy Murray, who I have met.

 

 

Brian Peters - great guy, and equally good on Anglo and Melodeon. Don't know whether Brain's doing a Melodeon workshop, but, if he is, get hubby to go along. Brian plays a very varied repertoire, including tunes from Northern England, and some "popular" numbers. Don't miss him.

 

John Kirkpatrick - give him my regards, as I've not seen him for about 8 years; and ask him whether he remembers "An Evening of Squeezing" from Sidmouth 1986 (Brian Peters will remember!). I did Warwick Festival in 1988, as musician for Downes on Tour; John K. was playing for Shropshire Bedlams (as well as performing solo). Luckily, the Bedlams were one stop ahead of us on the Morris tour of Warwick, so I managed to catch up with him at each spot.

John is another great guy, amazing sense of humour, and powerful performer. John probably has the most complete "English" style on the Anglo; difficult to understand if you are coming to Anglo from an Irish bachground, but you'll learn a lot about performing.

 

So, Elizabeth, it probably doesn't help when I say that you should try to catch all five. There's not one that I would want to miss.

 

Regards,

Peter.

[Brian Peters]

Brian Peters (teaching 'north-west tradition'. I took a workshop with him in Whitney but really struggled with chording)

Don't know whether Brain's doing a Melodeon workshop, but, if he is, get hubby to go along. Brian plays a very varied repertoire, including tunes from Northern England, and some "popular" numbers. Don't miss him.

Thanks, Peter. No, I don't think they have me down to do melodeon (I haven't actually received any details from the festival, but it doesn't appear on their website). I was a bit surprised to find myself listed as "North West tradition", but presumably I must have offered that option at some point. Just in case of any misunderstanding, this will not be about the use of concertinas in North-West Morris Dance, but I guess will be focussed on the old dance music of the region, some of which I've adapted for C/G Anglo. As a participant in my class of similar title at Witney, Elizabeth, you would have come across at least some of the music before (I try to bring in new stuff when I can, but yesterday was the first I heard of giving this particular workshop so there isn't much time to work up material). It's not clear to me whether the session is meant to be purely for Anglo players or for all systems, but I'm sure I can cope with whoever turns up! As for the others, I'd guess all of them would be teaching a chorded style except for Chris Sherburn.

John Kirkpatrick - give him my regards, as I've not seen him for about 8 years; and ask him whether he remembers "An Evening of Squeezing" from Sidmouth 1986 (Brian Peters will remember!)..

I do indeed. Was it at that show he played a particularly crazed version of "Sugar Bee"? Incidentally I interviewed John earlier in the year for fRoots magazine, so watch out for the article in a month or two.

Brian

[Animaterra]

Color me green!!! Wish I could go!

[PeterT]

I do indeed. Was it at that show he played a particularly crazed version of "Sugar Bee"? Incidentally I interviewed John earlier in the year for fRoots magazine, so watch out for the article in a month or two.

Hi Brian,

 

I think the correct term is alcohol-fuelled. I couldn't remember "Sugar Bee", so have just listened to the recording for the first time in years. Yes, it's there; the probable reason that I didn't remember was because it's the only song where John didn't either forget the words, or repeat a verse. As an aside, I can hear, on the recording, a certain Mr Peters saying that he had pocketed my change (I'm sure you gave it back at that point!).

 

This was one of the great performances; whilst scoring lower than normal marks on the technical side, it scored at least 10/10 for entertainment (which I believe is equally important). During John's performance, he uttered such memorable phrases as "it's only a hobby, you know", and "this morning, when I knew what I was doing".

 

It was great, and there was hardly a dry seat in the house! Afterwards, John came up to me and apologised; he need not have, and it was partly my fault, as I had bought him a lunch-time beer to thank him for attending my concertina workshop. Then John bought another round........Festival concerts are not like Folk Clubs; to let your hair down, once in a while, is fine.

 

I keep meaning to contact John to see whether he'd like a copy. One thing for sure; unless John's totally relaxed about it, it will never finish up in the ICA archive, since I have the only copy.

 

Regards,

Peter.

[Brian Peters]

I think the correct term is alcohol-fuelled. I couldn't remember "Sugar Bee", so have just listened to the recording for the first time in years. Yes, it's there; the probable reason that I didn't remember was because it's the only song where John didn't either forget the words, or repeat a verse.

Ah, happy memories.... So remind me, what were the other items?

As an aside, I can hear, on the recording, a certain Mr Peters saying that he had pocketed my change (I'm sure you gave it back at that point!).

I'm glad you're so sure - I'm very surprised that I admitted to it (mind you I think I might have been a little alcohol-fuelled myself on that occasion).

Brian

[Geraghty]

Hi everybody,

 

Thanks so much for the information, it really helps.

 

Peter, unfortunately it would take about an hour and a half each way to get to your session (no car), so I don't know if we'll be there anytime soon - plus we'd have to be sure to leave with enough time to get the train and the tube back home before the tube system shuts for the night. I might start trying for the session at the George but I've got a long way to go musically before I'll be ready to play with others in a full-speed session!

 

I'll likely be hitting as many 'beginner' workshops as I can, then, as I've got no real experience learning chorded stuff. Unfortunately when I went to Witney I had marked the sheet as 'intermediate' but I was thinking for Irish tunes, and I was in way over my head when I got there.

 

I think I'll go to Jody's beginner one on Saturday (and inquire about the Sunday workshops he's leading), Alan's beginner one, Chris' Irish one and to Brian's as well - I like your style and your CD, Brian, but I think I'll probably still be over my head in your class! I'll do a lot of listening and try not to hit wrong notes. Then I'll spend Sunday trying to remember it all. Think I'll bring a tape recorder.

[Howard Mitchell]

...

Concertina workshop leaders for Warwick:

 

Jody Kruskal (teaching 'beginning anglo concertina technique' but I don't know what styles. Also doing 'harmony and accompaniment' on the Sunday)

...

 

 

Jody will also be at the Furness Folk Festival, 12-16th July http://www.furnesstradition.org.uk/

 

He's then coming to the Derby Heritage Traditional Music Club (The Derby Gaol, DHTMC) on Thursday 20th before going on to Warwick. I've also hi-jacked him on Wednesday 19th to go to the Royal at Dungworth (it would normally be on Tuesday 18th).

 

I'll be at Warwick with C/G and D/G anglos and a C/G baritone anglo. If possible I'll also bring a Wheatstone Chemnitzer (it has an "anglo" core layout) if anyone's interested - picture attached.

 

 

Regards

 

Howard Mitchell

[PeterT]

Ah, happy memories.... So remind me, what were the other items?

Complete set was:

 

Here Comes Johnny (First line - John doesn't give the title)

Sugar B.

Don't Shoot, I'm Wearing my Seatbelt

Making Whoopy

A Nightgale Sang in Berkley Square

What do you do in the day?

The Bells (on Anglo)

 

Regards,

Peter.

[Brian Peters]

I've also hi-jacked him (Jody Kruskal) on Wednesday 19th to go to the Royal at Dungworth

Howard, what is the nature of the event at the Royal? Session, folk club, concert performance?

[Pete Dickey]

I've also hi-jacked him (Jody Kruskal) on Wednesday 19th to go to the Royal at Dungworth

Howard, what is the nature of the event at the Royal? Session, folk club, concert performance?

 

 

Brian

 

Just to intercept the question since I usually go to this. The Royal Hotel is the venue for originally a monthly (now sometimes twice monthly) session for concertina players only. The session in the middle of the month is frequented mainly by Anglo players such as Mark Davies, Geoff Wright, Barry Calladine, Bill Crossland, Neil Wayne and myself, occasionally Dave Prebble plus one or two or sometimes a considerable number of others. Of course English players are always welcome although they tend to more commonly frequent the other monthly session. Dave Elliott is a frequent attendee.

 

The main core of the music is English Traditional although the odd Irish, Canadian, Newfoundland, Scottish, Northumbrian and Scandinavian tunes are to be heard. Some (not me) read music and Mark and Geoff often bring new sheet music in to try out.

 

When well attended this can be a superb session.

 

Pete

[Howard Mitchell]

I've also hi-jacked him (Jody Kruskal) on Wednesday 19th to go to the Royal at Dungworth

Howard, what is the nature of the event at the Royal? Session, folk club, concert performance?

 

 

Brian

 

Just to intercept the question since I usually go to this. The Royal Hotel is the venue for originally a monthly (now sometimes twice monthly) session for concertina players only. The session in the middle of the month is frequented mainly by Anglo players such as Mark Davies, Geoff Wright, Barry Calladine, Bill Crossland, Neil Wayne and myself, occasionally Dave Prebble plus one or two or sometimes a considerable number of others. Of course English players are always welcome although they tend to more commonly frequent the other monthly session. Dave Elliott is a frequent attendee.

 

The main core of the music is English Traditional although the odd Irish, Canadian, Newfoundland, Scottish, Northumbrian and Scandinavian tunes are to be heard. Some (not me) read music and Mark and Geoff often bring new sheet music in to try out.

 

When well attended this can be a superb session.

 

Pete

 

Thanks for jumping in, Pete. I've not yet been to the session myself so I appreciate your description and I'm looking forward to it.

 

Itt should provide a little "light relief" for Jody in between his more formal commitments in the Lakes, Derby and Warwick.

 

Howard Mitchell

[Howard Mitchell]

I spoke to Neil Wayne last night and he's arranged to come to Warwick and bring "some concertina relics" for your delight and edification.

 

Howard Mitchell

Edited July 14, 2006 by Howard Mitchell