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About the February MeetingLaura Scott presented the new tunes at the last meeting. We'll be going over them in the March meeting: "The Boatman," "Reel of the Black Cocks," "The Fiddler's Coming Tonight," and "Loudon's Bonnie Woods." It was interesting to hear a dancer's perspective on the tunes. At one point, Laura demonstrated the dance for "Reel of the Black Cocks" in order to give us a feel for how the music should go.After this, we concluded the afternoon with another session. We played right up until dinner time, which by then we were certainly ready for. The evening coffeehouse began with an open mike performance with Debbie and Karen Billmers on fiddles, Nathan Silva on pipes, Danny Pitts on guitar and Kabrina Carlson dancing. Nate then played a pipe tune by himself. The final performance was by the board members: Mike Falkoff, Tom Moscarillo, Laura Scott, and Anne Kaufman, and Don Carlson. They discussed our current needs for people to pitch in for the Fiddle Club. Let us know if you can help checking people in, closing up, and joining us for monthly/music parties. From there on out, there was simply lots of music, and dancing, too. At first, Laura danced with the kids, then several others members took to the stage to learn some steps. From where I sat, it looked like the music was keeping their feet pretty busy. - Phyllis Lindsay |
Margaret's MuseumNext time when you're browsing in your local video store, consider renting this quirky, romantic drama set during the 1950's in a coal mining region of Cape Breton - Margaret's Museum. It stars the ubiquitous art-film actress Helena Bonham-Carter, as Margaret, who falls in love with a highland piper intent on preserving Gaelic Culture in Cape Breton. Together, they try to forge a life together here without being dependent on the mining company for economic survival; she working as a cleaning lady and he perforing odd jobs as he can find them. He had worked for the mine company, but was fired for not speaking English to his foreman. Margaret's family also had worked for the company but with tragic consequences. Her father becomes disabled with black lung disease and her brother dies in a mining accident. Margaret is intent on marying only a man who will not work for the mines.Despite the serious subject matter of this 1995 film, the movie contains some beautiful Nova Scotia scenery, some nice piping, and a fine soundtrack whose contributors include the Rankin Family, Buddy MacMaster, and many other traditional musicians probably known to many of you. In short, Margaret's Museum is a nice small movie which moves at its own moderate pace to a sad and grim conclusion. Three stars out of four from this reviewer. - Richard Dillon |
Summer Music Schools / CampsPlease continue to send me information on music schools/camps which would be of interest to members. I am aiming to have a list of such camps for the next issue. My email addresses are rdillon@cscinfo.com and richarddillon@msn.com. My mailing address is 455 Essex Street, Weymouth, MA, 02188. Thanks for your help and participation.- Richard Dillon |
Scottish Fiddle Rally NewsPlan to join us for this year's Scottish Fiddle Rally, our fourteenth annual concert, at 8pm on Saturday May 9 at the Somerville Theater in Davis Square. And don't forget the following day featuring our Rally guests -- our regular meeting schedule at CMAC with workshops, performances, and sessions.You are invited to play, regardless of your level, as long as you can make the rehearsals. The last deadline for signing up to play is at the rehearsal on Sunday evening, April 5 at CMAC. The tentative rehearsal schedule involves Sunday evenings, 7-9 pm, at CMAC: March 15, April 5, 19, 26, May 3 and a run-through Friday May 8 (location TBA). There will be a sound check/final run-through the day of the show at the theater, Saturday May 9, at 3 or 4 pm for an hour. In addition to the run-throughs the weekend of the show, all the April rehearsal are strongly recommended but two are required. Our Scottish soloist is 28 year-old Iain MacFarlane, said to be Western Scotland's finest fiddler. One person who has recommended him in this way is Wolfstone's master fiddler- Duncan Chisholm. Recently, when Aly Bain hurt his shoulder, lain was tapped to tour with the Boys of the Lough. He has recorded on ceilidh dance albums with Fergie MacDonald's band, and recently on Ann Martin's Gaelic album, along with Battlefield Band's former piper Iain MacDonald and Runrig's Malcom Jones. He hails from Glenfinnan, a center of Highland fiddlers and sessions. He has been close to the elder master fiddlers Angus Grant and Farquar MacRae. With him comes harper and pianist Ingrid Henderson. She has three solo albums to date -- at the age of 20! She was the youngest musician to receive the BBC's Young Artist Award, at the age of 13. From Cape Breton, we're happy to bring Wendy McIsaac and Jackie Dunn. Wendy is a great traditional fiddler with two fine albums: The Reel Thing, and recently, That's What You Get, featuring her famous cousin, fiddler Ashley Macisaac on piano. Wendy has recently been touring with the well-known Canadian Gaelic singer, Mary Jane Lamond, who sang the hit single "Sleepy Maggie" on Ashley's Hi How Are You Today album. Wendy is also a fine step dancer and pianist. Accompanying Wendy on piano will be Jackie Dunn, herseIf a fine fiddler and dancer. Her own fiddle album is called "Dunn to a T." Laura Scott will add some dancing at the concert, including a choreographed piece with a number of dancers, mixing and matching Highland and Cape Breton Dancing. The comparison and contrast of the dance steps is a mirror of what this concert series does for the music. Watch for it! These musicians will be great to hear, to work with, and will have lots to contribute to a workshop about their music. They may not be household names in the U.S. (yet!) but please help us get the word out about them so that many people will come experience some great music at our concert. |
Great News for Fiddle Rally CDNow Scots and other Europeans will get a chance to hear our recording, Scottish Fiddle Rally Concert Highlights, 1985-1995. The CD is being released on March 1 in Scotland by Greentrax Recordings for distribution throughout Europe. While we in Fiddle Club might take this album for granted, it is actually a historic recording of five of the best Scottish and Cape Breton Fiddlers (Aly Bain, Alasdair Fraser, Jerry Holland, Buddy MacMaster and Natalie MacMaster) along with fine group playing.
Hollywood Likes it Too!A segment of the last track of our Fiddle Rally CD will be included in the soundtrack for the next Leslie Nielsen movie, "Wrongfully Accused." Watch (and listen) for it! |
Fiddle Club at NEFFAJoin us at the New England Folk Festival (NEFFA) at Natick High School, on Saturday evening, April 25. We'll be playing for a ceilidh dance with Laura calling couples dances and Shetland reels. We will be using this year's music and some from the Blue Book. Copies of the Blue Book will be for sale at the March 15 rehearsal at 7pm at CMAC and at the April Fiddle Club meeting. The March 15 rehearsal is open to all interested in a preview of music for both the Rally and NEFFA. Please sign up at the March or April meeting! |
Calendar of EventsSat March 14 1998, The Chaisson Family, 7:30 P.M., V.F.W. Hall, 688 Huron Ave., Cambridge, MA. Admission $10:00. Children under 12 free.Sat March 21 1998, Ceilidh for all, music and dance. Starts at 5:30 p.m. with potluck supper, Park Ave. Congregational Church uphill one block from Mass Ave. in Arlington Heights. Includes Laura Scott, Ed Pearlman, Tony Cuffe, and lots of music and dance. Sun April 12, Boston Scottish Fiddle Club. Kids Session 3:00pm. Afternoon Workshop for all- 4:15 pm. Ceilidh Coffeehouse-7:30 pm, Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center., 41 Second St., East Cambridge. Lechmere T stop. Plenty of free parking nearby. |
| Consider submitting your favorite Cape Breton/Scottish tunes for the afternoon workshop/playing session with a bit of background information about the tune such as its composer or history. Also, don't forget to show off your talents at the Open Mike spot at the evening ceilidh coffeehouse which takes place at every meeting. |
Weel May the Keel RowO who is like my Johnnie, so Leish, so blythe, so bonnie?He's foremost 'mong the many keel lads 0' coaly Tyne? He'll set or row so tightly, or in the dance so sprightly, He'll cut and shuffle slightly, 'tis true, were he not mine.
chorus
He has nae mair o'lairning than tells his weekly earning, chorus
He wears a blue bonnet, blue bonnet, blue bonnet, chorus |
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 Feb'98 newsletter
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 May'98 newsletter
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Page last updated - June 11, 1998 Wednesday, 10-Feb-1999 21:08:19 EST