Happy New Year!

Happy (almost) New Year to all melodeon nerds! This post marks over 2 years of Music and Melodeons (a temporary name that I have never got around to changing) and the end to another calendar year.

Jazz Ceilidh Project

Hello everybody! Have a listen to this:

Kristjani Reilender

I have a new spot to practise. I’ve been trying to get back into playing box recently (see this post) with some success. What I’ve been trying to do is create times where playing the box is desirable, rather than just snatching some time and trying to be productive. I find productivity rather difficult on box, I tend to progress most when I’m supposed to be doing something else. I suspect I am not alone in that regard.

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Jazz Ceilidh – 24th November at Jagz in Ascot

Tickets: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/239740

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/195882387252836/?fref=ts

I have something exciting to announce. I am playing in a ceilidh! Nothing new about that you may say, but this one is special.

A tribute to Tony Hall

It is a week of tributes apparently. I am going to break convention by making a tribute to someone whilst they are still alive. That person is Tony Hall.

I remember the first time that I ever heard Tony Hall. It was also the first time that I heard his name. It was at an amazing concert called “The Sound of Hohner” at the Manor Pavilion Theatre during Sidmouth Folk Week 2008 (I think). It was a concert which featured some of the best players of Hohner instruments around, including Tony Hall, John Kirkpatrick (another massive influence), Pete Coe, Ed Rennie (who organised it), Chris Parkinson and others. You had to be there and I’m fortunate in that I was.

It has been too long

Hello everybody! It has been far too long; over three months have passed since last we spoke.

They have been an eventful three months, which is my principal excuse for inactivity. I was offered a job part way through January and am now working full time as an Acoustic Consultant (see this post for why), mainly looking at noise management for construction projects. Unfortunately it is a hefty commute away and so most of my time has been spent going to work, commuting and sleeping. I am now getting into the swing of things though, so fingers crossed I should have a bit more time soon.

A year of Music and Melodeons

Well, today is the one year anniversary of my first ever post on this blog. It’s been an interesting year and thanks to WordPress, I can quantify exactly how interesting it was.

My New Box Demo

Hello all!

First off, I have a gig at Baldock and Letchworth Folk Club this Wednesday the 17th October. I’ll be playing for 25 minutes or so in support of the fabulous Jody Kruskall. Hope to see lots of you there.

I have now moved into my new residence in Cambridge and very nice it is too. For the first time in around 8 years I have my own desk, which need not be used for anything other than work (or in my case, fettling). The house is still full of instruments, but we are gradually getting on top of that. In a spare moment whilst sorting the house out, I recorded a demo on solo box using a Zoom H2 lent to me by a friend. This is mainly to send round clubs as advertising, but I thought that I would share it with my hypothetical readers as well.

An Inside and Out Update – Sibylla Brand G/C/F

Hello all!

Some of you may recall that back in March I did my second Inside and Out on Malcolm Woods’ Sibylla Brand G/C/F. Well, it is now the property of someone known only as “Daddy Long Les”, who has just released his version of the story of his new box. There are some interesting shots that I didn’t have, so do take a look. Take a look also at the rest of his videos on playing the melodeon, inspirational stuff for anyone starting out.

South Downs Jig and Owen’s Maggot

Firstly, please don’t forget that you can purchase There and Back Again’s new album at our  bandcamp page here: http://thereandbackagain.bandcamp.com/. For more details about the album, see here. I’ll stop posting updates here when we’ve sold enough to pay me back my investment, so keep buying!

I will shortly be writing about crooked tunes in more detail, but I thought that I would first share an English crooked tune or two with you, since I haven’t written many posts here about individual tunes.