Meetings & Guests for Fall 2011

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

Lynn Frederick
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
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.

Big News

The Fiddle Club of the World is ready to start rolling again. But first this big news (with some fiddle content).

A documentary film I’ve been working on will premiere on WTTW, Channel 11, at 8pm on Thursday, September 15. I was music supervisor for
The Hayloft Gang: The Story of the National Barn Dance
and also wrote the lead article for the companion book of the same name. I’m excited.

Hayloft Gang-the book

And if you get excited too, you should check out the online video contest modeled after the National Barn Dance-sponsored Home Talent Shows. You could win fabulous prizes for playing old-time music. You should check it out. (Just click the ‘prizes’ link above.)

Fiddle Club Schedule for Fall 2011
All meetings on Sundays at 6:30pm at the Atlantic Bar & Grill (5062 Lincoln)

September 18: jam session with some teaching.
(I’ll share a Czech tune and a Métis tune I just learned.)

October 23: Fred Campeau, featured guest
(A Volo Bogtrotter and one of the best square dance fiddlers in Chicago)

November 20: dance band practice
(because we’re going to have another dance)

December 11: Michi Regier with Peasants Abroad
a musical trip to Ukraine

Details to follow.
Paul Tyler, convener

Coming in Fall 2011

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

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
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
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

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


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.

And the winners are

9th Midwest Fiddle Champions

Open Division
Los Pichardo – 1st place *

Can I Get an Amen – 2nd
3rd Sunday String Band – 3rd
Kit Paulson – 4th
The Lopsiders – 5th

Youth/Family Division
The Fiddle Billies – 1st place
The Tuning Pegs – 2nd
Destiny Diaz & Friends – 3rd
Shumm Family – 4th

Over $1500 in prizes awarded at the end of a lovely week-long contest.

* Yahvi Pichardo identifies the winning numbers as “Son Guerrerence & Pajarillo (huapango arribeño)”

 

Fiddle Team Finalists for 2011

Finals, 12:30 July 7, Folk & Roots main stage
Top prize is $400. Over $1500 in prize money!

Don’t miss these bands!
Fabulous photos by Paul Doughty

Can I Get an Amen
Can I Get an Amen
John Lane & Danny Gillespie
Kit Paulson

 

Kit Paulson

accompanied by James Kreigsmann and David Stockman

 

 

Los Pichardo

 

 

Los Pichardo
Yahvi, Victor, Gabriella & Zacbe Pichardo

 

also
The Third Sunday String Band
Angela Moss & Janet Lettrich Hamling, Rich Kurowski & Sandy Bykowski
The Lopsiders
Debi Lewis, Jim Meegan, Deborah Fausch & Shane Jones

Plus the top two from the Youth/Family Division will battle for the top prize – $150
The Fiddle Billies
from Music House
The Tuning Pegs
from the Old Town School’s kids fiddle program

– Paul Tyler, convener

Two big events for July

9th Midwest Fiddle Championship
Open Division 1st Round & Youth/Family Division Finals
Thursday, July 7 at 7pm in the concert hall
Old Town School of Folk Music (4544 Lincoln)
Admission is free

Square & Ceilidh Dance
Sunday, July 17 at 6:30-9:30pm
Atlantic Bar & Grill (5062 Lincoln)
Music by the Fiddle Club of the World
Calling by Paul Tyler
No partner or experience needed.
All dances will be taught.
Admission $5 for dancers

Square & Ceilidh Dance

(click to enlarge, then print and disseminate please)

Thank you.
Paul Tyler, convener

Upcoming Events – Summer 2011

Support Your Local (& Global) Fiddler
Join the Chicago Chapter of the Fiddle Club of the World

Fiddle Club member card (partial view)

 

Yearly subscription of $60 gives you admission to all Fiddle Club events. Meetings are usually held the 3rd Sunday at the Atlantic Bar & Grill (5062 Lincoln).

 

Fiddle Club card – partial view

Square & Ceilidh Dance workshop
Sunday, June 19, 6:30 – a dry run for Fiddle Club players,* dancers welcome
Check the tune list below.

9th Midwest Fiddle Championship
Youth/Family Division – July 1, 5:30 – 7:00 PM, in the concert hall at 909 W. Armitage Avenue
Open Division 1st Round & Youth/Family Semi-Finals – Thursday, July 7, 7:00 – 10:00 PM in the concert Hall at 4544 N. Lincoln Avenue
Open Division Finals & Youth/Family Finals – Saturday, July 9 at 12:30 PM, Folk & Roots Festival main stage in Welles Park

You should enter.

Everyone is welcome to come listen and cheer. Free admission to 1st Round and Semi-Finals.
More info at Chicago Folk & Roots Festival

Square & Ceilidh Dance
Sunday, July 17, 6:30 – the real thing
Admission for dancers: $5

Visit and join the Fiddle Club of the World Facebook group.