David Greely, Cajun Fiddler

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Paul Tyler

Friday, February 24, 7:30pm
Room E324, Old Town School East (4545 Lincoln)
David Greely

For an interesting story on what can draw a person into a lifelong love affair with traditional music, you should read the bio on David Greely’s website. If you want to dance a two-step or waltz, you should pick up a Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys CD (their latest, Grand Isle, was a Grammy nominee). David and Steve, co-founded the band 23 years ago; David left for a solo and acoustic career after their storied Mardi Gras gig in Mamou, Louisiana last year. (I first met David during Mardi Gras in Mamou 17 years ago.) To be inspired to reach for new levels melodic magic and heavenly harmonies, listen to the two cuts below (from his solo CD, Sud du Sud.

Bayou Teche Waltz

Cotillion / Chatagnier

For further interest and inspiration, come to David’s demo workshop for fiddlers and other musicians at the Fiddle Club of the World this Friday. Admission for this meeting is $15, click here to register. To save some money of the next 12 months, join Fiddle Club of the World with $60 yearly dues. Plus you get your own very cool Fiddle Club card.

To learn a couple of tunes to play with David on Friday, click here.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Two Fabulous Guests

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Paul Tyler

David Greely – Cajun Fiddler
Friday, February 24, 7:30
Old Town School East (4545 Lincoln), Rm E324

David Greely

Founding fiddler of the Mamou Playboys, David Greely has assembled a repertoire of uncommon Cajun music and new companion pieces to entertain and inspire you.

To learn a couple of tunes to play with David, click here.

$15 dues for either of these meetings, click here.

Arto Järvelä with Kaivama – Finnish Trad
Saturday, March 3, 7:30p
Old Town School East (4545 Lincoln), Rm E324

Arto Järvelä & Kaivama

Born to a family of fiddlers from Kaustinen, the epicenter of Finnish fiddling, our good friend Arto Järvelä makes a return to fiddle club, bringing with him Kaivama, the Minnesota-based duo of Sara Pajunen and Jonathan Rundman, for their second visit to the Old Town School.

To learn a couple of tunes to play with Arto, click here.

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Join Fiddle Club of the World for $60 yearly dues, support our guest artists and save 20% off the spring schedule alone. You will then have free admission for the rest of your year-long membership. Plus you get your own very cool Fiddle Club card.

Fiddle Club Guests for Spring 2012

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Paul Tyler

Join Fiddle Club of the World for $60 yearly dues, support our guest artists and save 20% off the spring schedule along. You will then have free admission for the rest of your year-long membership.

Plus you get your own very cool Fiddle Club card.

Friday, February 24 – David Greely, Cajun
As the founding fiddler of the hot Louisiana band, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, David Greely has played the Old Town School many times over the last 20 years. Having embarked on a solo career–he’s also doing a twin fiddle project with Joel Savoy–he brings a rich and deep repertoire of uncommon old Cajun tunes and new companion pieces. This will be a real treat.

$15 dues for this meeting, click here, or choose the yearly dues option above.

Saturday, March 3 – Arto Järvelä & Kaivama, Finnish
Born to a family of famous Kaustinen fiddlers, Arto Järvelä makes a return visit to Fiddle Club, bringing with him the Minnesota-based Kaivama. Arto may be the hardest-working fiddler in history. He has played with just about every roots music band on the Finnish folk scene. He is a consummate master of traditional Finnish tunes, as well as a composer of tradition-worthy new tunes. Besides fiddle, he plays mandolin and various keyed-fiddles. Kaivama is fiddler Sara Pajunen and Jonathan Rundman (guitar, mandolin and keyboard). They are making their second visit to the Old Town School on their second US tour with Arto.

Learn some tunes for the jam session with Arto, Sara and Jonathon: click for tunes.

$15 dues for this meeting, click here, or choose the yearly dues option above.

Friday, March 23 – Deirdre Ní Chonghaile, Irish
A Gaelic scholar, fiddler and dancer, Deirdre comes from the Aran Islands off Ireland’s West coast. She’ll play tunes with us and tell us about Irish fiddling in its native setting.

$15 dues for this meeting, click here, or choose the yearly dues option above.

Saturday, April 14 – Ed Cosner & Katie Bern, bluegrass
Transplanted southerner Ed Cosner has been introducing scores of younger fiddlers in northwest Indiana to the sounds of bluegrass. Katie Bern, a past winner in our Midwest Fiddle Championship, was one of his finest students.

$15 dues for this meeting, click here, or choose the yearly dues option above.

Sunday, May 20 – Dorian Gehring, Cajun *
Fresh out of college, Dorian is always ready with his fiddle. He won top prize in the 2010 Midwest Fiddle Championship with his band, the Cajun Vagabonds. Plans are still being worked out for this meeting, but I’m thinking a workshop on Cajun tunes, followed by a dance.

$15 dues for this workshop, click here, or choose the yearly dues option above. Dancers pay $5 at the door.

All meetings will start at 7:30pm, except * May 20, which will start at 6:30.
Old Town School East (4545 Lincoln in Chicago).

Leave a comment. I’ll be happy to answer any questions.
Paul Tyler, convener

Old Town School East is now occupied

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Paul Tyler

This was the vision, ten years in the making.

Dance tonight in E326!

Eagerly anticipated. Much hard work to keep the promise. And so it was written:
so
“Come join us on Sunday, January 15 at 6:30 for a Housewarming Dance for the new Lincoln Square East building of the Old Town School of Folk Music (4545 Lincoln). We’ll occupy one of the fabulous new dance studios. All dancers, players and callers are welcome to help warm up the floor.”
so
so
Dance tonight in E326!

(click a picture to enlarge)

January 15, 2012

80 folks came to play or dance or both. Thanks to our 4 great callers: Paul Collins, Lynn Garren, Tom Senior and Bill Sudkamp. 30 musicians played-never more than 20 at a time-including 1 banjo, 1 accordion, 3 mandolins and the rest evenly divided between fiddles and guitars.
so
so
Congrats, Old Town

Here’s our set list as I remember:
(D tunes)
Angeline the Baker
Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss
Soldier’s Joy
Walk Old Shoe Heel Come a-Draggin’
Twin Sisters
(G Tunes)
Indian Corn
Sail Away Ladies
Roscoe
(A Tunes)
Tippin’ Back the Corn
Liza Jane
Little Dutch Girl
(final waltz in D)
Tennessee Waltz

Photos by Gail Tyler, except the first and the last, which were taken by . . .

Paul Tyler, convener

House Warming Dance – January 15

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Paul Tyler

Occupy the new Old Town School East (4545 Lincoln) on Sunday, January 15 at 6:30pm. It’s free. Come play and dance and dance and play. Callers welcome too. We’ve got sprung floors in the dance studios. The building needs some fiddle tunes to break it in right.

Room E326
(click to enlarge)
((just do it))

Meetings & Guests for Fall 2011

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Paul Tyler

All events happen at the
Atlantic Bar & Grill (5062 Lincoln)

You can now join Fiddle Club of the World for $60 yearly dues. This allows you to 1) support our effort to bring notable fiddlers to the Old Town School for friendly and up close interactions with our local players, 2) save up to 50% off of single meeting dues, and 3) get a cool Fiddle Club card with your name and renewal date inscribed. You don’t have to be a fiddler to join or attend. Everyone is welcome.

Lynn Frederick with Fred Campeau
Sunday, October 23, 6:30 – Old-Time

A Midwestern mainstay of old-time music,* Lynn Frederick, a native of Indiana now living in Ohio, played with the Rhythm Gorillas in the ’80s and the Red Mules String Band in the ’90s. From Red Mules fiddler, the late Jeff Goerhing, Lynn learned the half dozen Buckeye tunes he will share with Fiddle Club (watch for a forthcoming “Tunes” post). A multi-instrumentalist, singer and dance caller, Lynn will also give us a few of the great old songs in his repertoire.This Fiddle Club will feature Lynn paired up with Fred Campeau, of Volo Bogtrotters fame. They make up half of the Knock Knock Hoosiers that have performed annually at a festival in Nappanee, Indiana for the better part of three decades. Songs and tunes don’t get much older or timelier than this.

Or is he a mainstay of Midwestern old-time?

Go here for tunes from Lynn Frederick. Learn some or all. We’ll play them together after Lynn’s program.

Square & Ceilidh Dance workshop
Sunday, November 20, 6:30 – dance band practice** dancers welcome

Michi Regier with Peasants Abroad
Sunday, December 11, 6:30p – Ukrainian &c.

Michi Regier started out with classical violin lessons (lessons that were well-earned), but soon went off in search of Gypsy fiddling on paths that took her into the worlds of Mariachi bands and renaissance fairs. Among other gems, Michi will perform her “Fiddle Tree” travelogue in fiddle, English and Ukrainian, highlighting the musical folklore of the Ukraine, which she studied first-hand in 2003 at the Lysenko Conservatory in L’viv. She also plays with the Milwaukee based Water Street Bridge. Peasants Abroad is the Madison, Wisconsin duo of Ashli Fain on mandolin and percussionist Richard Miller. Both will also demonstrate some dancing to the accompaniment of Michi Regier’s exotic fiddling.

Single dues for a meeting with a featured fiddler are $15. Register here by date.
Or you may choose the yearly dues option for $60.

** To be a Fiddle Club player, come to a Fiddle Club event. There are no single dues for meetings at which we just play tunes, watch films or dance. Come and join us, even if you don’t have a Fiddle Club card. If you decide to register for one, we appreciate your support.

Coming in Fall 2011

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Paul Tyler

Fall meeting dates: September 18, October 23, November 20, December 11. All meetings will be held at the Atlantic Bar & Grill (5062 Lincoln). We’ll have at least two featured guests in the Fall. Invitations are out to, among others, Fred Campeau, Gail Heil, Jimmie Keane & Sean Cleland, and Scott Prouty. Scheduling yet to do.

The Fiddle Club square and ceilidh dance in July was a big success. We’ll plan for another. So for at least one of our fall meetings, we’ll work on our dance band repertoire.

And for those who love old-time country music, check out this fun new music video contest at Hayloft Gang.com. I’m going to be a judge. The contest is to help publicize a new documentary film on the history of the National Barn Dance, Chicago’s great country music radio show broadcast live on WLS radio and the old 8th Street Theatre from 1924 to 1960. The film is called The Hayloft Gang. I was music supervisor for the film and wrote the lead essay for the companion book of the same name.

Paul Tyler, convener

More dances to come

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Paul Tyler

The first Fiddle Club of the World Square & Ceilidh Dance was a roaring success, with about two dozen dancers in attendance at the Atlantic Bar & Grill. The back room was surprisingly cool on such a hot night.

Cyndy & Mitzi

Music was supplied by a rehearsed Ceilidh Band of 4 fiddlers, 3 guitarists, a harmonica player and a jaranero. Two other fiddle players sat in and learned the tunes on the spot (for the most part).

Judy & Walter

Here’s what we danced.
Squares: Chase the Rabbit, Star for Three, & a big circle square from the Deep South.
Ceilidhs: Cumberland Reel, Tacco e Punta, Gay Gordons, & Dashing White Sergeant.
Rounds: Seven Step, a schottische, Raatikko, & 2 waltzes

Paul Tyler calling a square dance
Calling a square dance

Thanks to Jason McInnes for the photos. There are also a couple of videos on the Fiddle Club of the World Facebook page.

Plans are afoot to coordinate the First Friday Square Dances with Fiddle Club. That means our next dance will be Friday, September 2, from 7 to 9:30 at the Old Town School. We’ll also schedule one for the December meeting at the Atlantic.

Paul Tyler, convener
Chicago Chapter

Fiddlers & Dancers

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Paul Tyler

Our square and ceilidh dance is tonight.
All are welcome.
6:30-9:30, Atlantic Bar & Grill (5062 Lincoln)
Admission $5 for dancers

Fiddle Club members who want to run through some of the tunes once more should show up about 5 or 5:30. Many of the tunes we’ll play can be found here or here. Or click the blue links in the lists below.

Square Dance Tunes
Daylight in the Morning, Granny, Steppin’ in the Parlour, Streak o’ Lean, Sugar in the Gourd, Who’ll Cut the Britches

Ceilidh Dance Tunes
Fire on the Mountain, Roscoe, She Oughta Been a Lady (aka Twin Sisters), Ten Cents,

Couple Dance Tunes
Cuz Teahan’s Polka, Edward Ost’s Brude Polka, Hast Schottische, Koputus Polska, Raatiko, Seven Step, Tacco e Punta (aka Shortnin’ Bread), Victor’s Waltz,

A Ceilidh Dance is a community dance

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Paul Tyler

Music by the Fiddle Club of the World (Chicago Chapter)
Calling by Paul Tyler

All dances will be taught. All are easy to learn and fun to do.

Besides some old-time squares we’ll do set or group dances like Cumberland Reel, La Cardeuse, Dashing White Sergeant, Heel-and-Toe Polka and Gay Gordson; plus couple dances including Seven Step, Raatikko and the schottische.