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My forays into
the world of concertina playing were much eased by the discovery of the
workshops taking place at the Lewes Arms, home of the folk club of the
same name. http://www.lewesarmsfolkclub.org/
As I battled my way through the Lewes Favourites Tune book (new edition
out this year, 2007) and began to build up a repertoire of traditional
English tunes, the opportunity came my way to play with members of Spare
Parts, at that time a group of varying size and composition, the main
movers and shakers being Valmai Goodyear, also the main contact for the
club
Valmaigoodyear@aol.com , and Bryan Creer, originator of Concertinas
Anonymous. (For information contact
Bryancreer@aol.com ). After a year or so of floor spots and the
occasional ceilidh they suggested that I join them in providing music
for the Victorian magic lantern slide shows taking place at the 2006
Hollycombe Steam Museum Fair.
www.hollycombe.co.uk This has been a fruitful partnership, with
all of us combining to produce three part concertina arrangements as
required and requested by the lanternists, usually in response to an
e-mail saying that they have bought a slide of a volcano/procession of
ships/child blowing bubbles…. and can we think of some suitable
music. In the case of the bubbles the choice of song is obvious, even
to those who don’t live within hearing of the West Ham stands.
Spare Parts
runs tune and part playing workshops at Folk Festivals. In 2007 we
will be visible and audible at Chippenham, Teignmouth, Wickham and
Tenterden. The tunes in question are those standards to be found in
sessions, and the material for the part playing usually our own
arrangements of traditional melodies. When asked, they also
perform! Visit the
Spare Parts website.
The photos were taken at the 2006
Hollycombe Steam Fair.
Spare Parts
with all the Lanternists, Spare Parts alone, and Spare Parts with
two of the Lanternists, photographed by the local press. I’m the
one in the top hat – short hair doesn’t go with Victorian dress.
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| Bryan
Creer |
Suzanne Higgins |
Valmai
Goodyear |
Also shown
are Valmai and Bryan in my living room, and me playing the
concertina in a rather cold church hall, wearing my own creation.
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