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"Where tradition meets innovation, one semitone at a time"
On this page, you'll find
information on booking me, a description of
the music I play, and some music samples.
Here's a few of the things you might want to book me for:
- You want live music at your wedding, convention, party, or whatever
- You want to put on a dance (contra, ceili, square, or family dance)
and you want a band with or without a dance teacher
- You want lessons for Irish or old-time backup, or for Irish tenor banjo
- You need a musician for your studio project
I can play solo, or put together a group as big as you like. I'm linked
up with dance callers/teachers in the Irish, contra and square
traditions; we can come as a package deal. Rates vary considerably,
depending on your event: contact me for a quote, or
telephone 604-731-6762 (cell: 604-343-4667).
Warning: we don't know Danny Boy, or Whiskey in the Jar.
I play:
- Irish-style tenor banjo
- Appalachian-style (old-time) fiddle
- Backup guitar for Irish or appalachian music
- Backup bouzouki for Irish music
- Backup piano for Irish music
You'll hear me at sessions, contra dances, and ceili dances
around Vancouver, B.C., playing dance music in two distinct
styles: appalachian and Irish.
In the spring of 2002, the session players from the Irish Heather released a CD, From the Heather.
Music Samples
Description |
MP3 Music Sample |
Irish Reels: Ben Keyes is playing banjo, and I'm playing guitar |
Listen |
Cottoneyed Joe: "Holler" - Shiho Mizumoto, Cori Miyanishi, Andrea Cooper, Dave Marshall, and Michel Drouin |
Listen |
Jump in the Well, Pretty Little Miss: I'm playing fiddle with Andrea Cooper on banjo, and Joel Bernstein on harmonica |
Listen |
Poor Little Thing Cried Mammy: as above, but with Joel on banjo |
Listen |
Piney Woods: playing twin fiddles with Shiho Mizumoto |
Listen |
Mad River (by Peter Sutherland): I'm playing mandolin and guitar (the miracle of modern recording), and Frank Metcalf is playing banjo |
Listen |
Mary Claflin's: Randal Bays is playing fiddle, and I'm playing
piano. This is from the 2000 recording "The Salmon's Leap" by Randal Bays;
see Foxglove Records for more information. |
Listen |
Georgia Horseshoes played by the Three Teeners: Peter Boveng is
on fiddle, Linda Wilson on banjo, I'm on guitar - in Peter's backyard. |
Listen |
Festivals!
When I get the opportunity, I like to go to music festivals - my
favourite festivals are the Weiser National Old-Time Fiddle Contest, the Festival of
American Fiddle Music, the Appalachian Stringband Music Festival, and Seattle Folklife.
The Music
Appalachian, or old-time are terms loosely applied to
music that was popular in the southeastern United States before the
mid-1900's, and is undergoing a revival among devoted traditional music
fans. Appalachian music comes in a variety of flavours, but today it's
usually centered on the combination of the fiddle and the 5-string banjo
- the banjo played "clawhammer" style. The music is strongly
influenced by celtic and african traditions. It's a lot like drumming -
the tunes are simple melodies played with a strong groove and with lots
of subtle rhythmic variation. Here is an excellent website about old-time music.
Traditional Irish music is familiar to many: jigs, reels, polkas and
hornpipes have worked their way into the mainstream. This dance music
has enjoyed a tremendous resurgence since the 1980's. The instruments
most often used are the fiddle, Uilleann pipes, wooden flute, and in
more recent years, the 4-string tenor banjo, the guitar / bouzouki /
piano for backup, and the bodhran (drum).
Page last updated on August 28 2023 18:42:42.
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