FiddleTech.com Fiddle Page

"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).

"Where tradition meets innovation, one semitone at a time"

Music Samples

Festivals!

The Music

Page last updated on August 28 2023 18:42:42.

Web Page design by Dave Marshall.