Dates for this March:
Before Easter: write and possibly record a song – watch this space…
Birthday Ceilidh for Catherine: 14th March
Event at More Music, for which I will teach the tune to be then workshopped and performed with Hannah James & Toby Kuhn: 21st March
Sea Change event – possibly?: 28th March
12/01/26
Took me a couple of goes at the date – still not used to writing 26! Welcome back all and welcome to anyone new :). We’ll be downstairs for the first few weeks this half term, but we’re strong and I’m sure we’ll manage. A few things to prepare for, but I’ll discuss them with you once we’re all together!
Here are a couple of lovely 48 bar Irish Jigs to start us back. As you can tell from the videos – the notes on the page are just intended as a reminder, or for learning the basic tune – it’s what you do with it that counts…
MIDI FILE: Up and About in the MorningTreble
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Alto Sax
Trumpet
Cello/Bass
This one’s a little more complicated in the bass part if you want it to be…
MIDI FILE: Petticoat LooseTreble
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Alto Sax
Trumpet
Cello/Bass
19/01/26
With Burns Night this coming weekend it seems appropriate to have a go at this song and maybe a tune to follow (first done in the group in 2011!)
MIDI FILE: Ye Banks and BraesTreble
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Alto Sax
Trumpet
Cello/ Bass
FYI Kathleen Ferrier was from Higher Walton, near Bamber Bridge
Drops of Brandy/Whiskey is one of those marvellously popular tunes that both Ireland and Scotland lay claim to and appears to date back to the clearances, so who could possibly know! Either way – one of the most common things to do with it is to change key, so I’ve provided the two most common keys it gets played in. Stockton’s Wing give a good example of this in the video!
MIDI FILE: Drops of Whiskey/BrandyTreble
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Alto Sax
Trumpet
Cello/Bass
26/01/26
FYI: I’ve posted some relevant dates at the top of this page
Here’s a swinging Sher from Ukraine. I wonder if it would go well with the Terkisher?
MIDI FILE: Ukranian SherTreble
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Alto Sax
Trumpet
Cello/Bass
02/02/26
I only very very rarely take requests, as I normally try to stay ahead of the game a little with planning of tunes, but Andrew requested Drumnagarry due to a family link I’m sure he’ll explain on Monday and I already had George IV in the list as a strathspey for us, so… Here we go! Don’t get worried by the video – the tunes sound lovely slow too! The Drumnagarry version Andrew showed me was from the J S Skinner collection housed in Aberdeen, which I have visited a few times, as my father’s from Aberdeen and I always spent my New Years with my Grandparents in Aberdeen. The Bassline comes from Scott Skinner’s own notes and I’ve tried to copy the style a little with George IV too.
MIDI FILE: DrumnagarryTreble
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Alto Sax
Trumpet
Cello/Bass
MIDI FILE: George the IV
Treble
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Alto Sax
Trumpet
Cello/Bass
09/02/2026
There are so many different ways of playing this tune, so I’ve done my own version with Marie’s comments about loving the Blues scale in mind, so fingers crossed it sounds OK!
We’ll also have a run through of the first quarter of our ceilidh set:
Intro: Moon and 7 stars
Circassian Circle – Tovercirkel
Arches of St Magnus – Mr Lane’s Maggot x4
Bottoms Up – Rue des Prés x2/ Sunshine x3
Treble
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Alto Sax
Trumpet
Cello/Bass