Tune Session on Sunday, April 21

6:30 – 8:30 and beyond
Leadway Bar & Grill

(5233 N. Damen – in the back room)

Some of us have been getting together to play tunes on (usually) the third Sunday of the month in our first home, the Leadway. The kitchen is open. There are a good selection of beers on tap. And the sound is good. It’s easy to hear.

We’d love for anybody to come play along with all or some of the tunes — or even just sit and listen. All instruments are welcome. We’ll work on that single jig that Jimmy Keane, Jr. taught us at the January concert, Jack Murray’s jig.


I’ll do a little teaching of some of the tunes shared by other recent guests,
like The Rout, from Kirk Sutphin,


and Barres de la Prison, from David Greely.

Click month for a list of tunes we played at recent jams.
March jam

February jam

January jam

Fiddle Club Tune Sessions

Five years worth of Fiddle Club of the World guests, a total of 36 from six different countries (and fourteen states in the US of A)! We’ve heard a lot of great music and played a fair amount ourselves. This would be a good time to remember and work on some of the tunes our guests have shared with us.

Starting today, Fiddle Club will hold a Tune Session every month, usually on the third Sunday of the month, at the Leadway Bar & Gallery (5233 N. Damen)–back to our original home. The tune sessions will run from 6:30 to 8:30 (or beyond). Each month, we’ll pick out a few old treasures to work on. A little bit of teaching might happen. Plus we can play anything that strikes our fancy.

January 13, 6:30 at the Leadway
In two weeks, Jimmy Keane will be our featured guest at a concert and session at Seman Violins. So let’s brush up on some of the Irish tunes we’ve learned in the past.

A set of Kerry Polkas from Paddy Jones

The Black Rogue a jig from Liz Knowles

Gone for his Tea a reel also from Liz

Cuz Teahan’s Polka from Kathleen Keane

Check out this set of hornpipes we worked on with Deirdre Ní Chonghaile.

Maybe also
Tripping to the Well & Galway Belle from Frank Ferrel

February 17, 6:30 at the Leadway
Old-Time night. Suggestions?

February 17, 6:30 at the Leadway
A little Klezmer, a bit of Scandinavia and a Ukrainian tune.

Fiddle Club Jam Session

Sunday, December 12, 6:30p
Atlantic Bar & Gallery (5062 N. Lincoln)

We’ll be in the front of the bar this month. (The movies of Quebecois fiddling promised earlier are postponed to a later meeting.) Still, there will be tunes aplenty.

Here’s an abridged list of Fiddle Club tunes that have been and should be played. Even if you don’t know any of these tunes, come join us anyway. We’ll work them into shape gradually. Plus, we always play a lot of favorites and standards.

Chopique Two-Step – Will & Holly Whedbee – May ’08
Dad’s Reel – Pete Sutherland – October ’09
Who’ll Cut the Britches – Genevieve & Smith Koester – April ’10
Fire on the Mountain – Matt Brown – May ’10
Sugar in the Gourd – Paul Brown (Mostly Mountain Boys) – June ’10
Daylight in the Morning – Jim & Kim Lansford – July ’10
Kerry Slides (Irish) – Paddy Jones – March ’08
Gone for His Tea (Irish) – Liz Knowles – February ’10
Viktor’s vals (Finnish) – Kukka Lehto (Polka Chicks) – June ’10
Koputus polkka from Arto Järvelä’s month long residency in 2009.
She Oughta Been a Lady – Vesta Johnson – October ’10
Buckley Barndance – Kenny Stone – November ’10

A longer list of the Fiddle Club’s repertory can be found here.

Come check out the Atlantic. It sports a comfy seating area up front and a fabulous back room. (Also, good beer and food menus.) The owner and manager like having us there. With a good showing, we’ll be able to consistently reserve the back room.

Coming up in 2011
January 16: Mary Allsopp from Chicago Spelmanslag (Swedish)
February 20: Patt & Possum, aka Charlie Walden & Patt Plunkett (hoedowns & hokum)

Plus, a new way to support the Fiddle Club through several dues options will be announced in this space very soon.

Fiddle Club session this Sunday

Sept. 19 at 6:30 at the Leadway Bar & Gallery (5233 N. Damen).
We’re going to play tunes. Any tunes you want. I plan to start some from this list.

This session is open to all fiddlers, players of kindred instruments, and appreciative listeners. No dues to pay for this meeting. No need to register.

Looking ahead, our next three meetings will be held in the back room at the Atlantic Bar & Grill (5062 N Lincoln Ave). The meeting time will be 6:30 on a Sunday evening. The dates are October 24, November 21 and December 12.

Vesta Johnson, a fine Missouri fiddler, along with her grandson Steve Hall, will be our featured guest. There’s a wood floor at the Atlantic. We might dance a few old-time Missouri squares. That will make Vesta feel at home.

Come join us.

Paul Tyler, convener