Finnish murder men (don’t fiddle with them)

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In their concert, Sunday (10/5) at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Arto & Antti Järvelä sang the song Tappelulaulu, about two murderous men who claimed many victims in a small district in central Finland in the first years of the 20th century. In 1909, they went on a killing spree at a wedding in Härmä. Nine bodies were found on the scene. Reportedly, the killings were result of the two men not being invited to the wedding.

Here is a link to a photo of Isontalon Antti and Rannanjarvi, the two murder men, in shackles.

Murder men in chains

Arto & Antti will conduct a peaceful workshop on Finnish fiddling on Monday, October 6 at Seman Violins in Skokie (4447 W. Oakton). A workshop for kids will begin at 5:30, with a regular Fiddle Club of the World workshop scheduled for 7pm. Admission is $15. Half price admission given to those who have a ticket stub or wrist band from the Sunday night concert.

Arto & Antti Järvelä workshop

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Finnish Fiddle & Guitar workshop with
Arto Järvelä & Antti Järvelä
Seman Violins (4447 W. Oakton, Skokie).
Monday, October 6
Admission is $15 at the door. *
A family friendly workshop will begin at 5:30pm followed by the regular workshop at 7pm.

* Present a ticket stub from Arto & Antti’s concert at the Old Town School of Folk Music on Sunday. Click here for information and reservations on what is sure to be a fabulous show.

Top ten reasons why you don’t want to miss this workshop.
10. This is Arto’s 3rd visit to Fiddle Club of the World. **
9. Arto’s first two visits were awesome.
8. Polskas are awesome
7. Finnish fiddling is both archaic and contemporary.
6. Järveläs have been playing the fiddle for at least 7 generations.
5. Antti is a really friendly guy.
4. This will be a load of fun.
3. Antti and Arto are awesome musicians.
2. Arto is one of Fiddle Club’s best friends.
1. Did I mention that Finnish fiddling is awesome?

** Check out these previous Fiddle Club posts (or just click Arto’s name in the tag cloud in right hand column). Check back later in case they send us more tunes.

Like these . . .
Foops two polskas from Maria Spoofs manuscript collection, circa 1800.

Reinon Knäpsäys a polkka (aka polka)

Tunes from Pete’s Posse

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For Pete Sutherland’s return to Fiddle Club of the World
Seman Violins (4447 W. Oakton, Skokie).
Sunday, September 28
Admission is $15 at the door.
The meeting begins at 7pm with a short concert followed by a jam/workshop.


Pete Sutherland                      Oliver Scanlon                  Tristan Henderson

A couple of tunes, originals by Oliver Scanlon, that we will all play together at the jam.

Descent of the Snark

Descent of the Snark slow

The Mindless Reel

Fiddle Club Guests – Fall 2014

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Meetings held at Seman Violins (4447 W. Oakton, Skokie).
Admission is $15 at the door.
All meetings begin at 7pm with a short concert * followed by a jam/workshop.

Pete's Posse
Pete’s Posse – Sunday, September 28
Traditional tunes and interpretations from Vermont. This is Pete Sutherland’s return to Fiddle Club, after a successful visit in October 2009 with Mark Roberts & Jeremiah McClane.

Fingal’s Cave-The Big Picture by Pete’s Posse

Pete Sutherland – Fiddle, guitar, banjo, piano & vocals
Oliver Scanlon – Fiddle, mandolin, dobro, foot percussion & vocals
Tristan Henderson- Guitars, bouzouki, mandolin, harmonica, jews harp, bodhran, snare drum, doumbek, foot percussion & vocals.

Arto Järvelä & Antti Järvelä – Monday, October 6
Traditional fiddling from Ostrobothnia, a district in west central Finland, an area that has one of the largest concentrations of fiddlers to be found anywhere.

Polska Ostrobott & Rahapolska by Arto Järvelä & Antti Järvelä

*Workshop and jam session only. Arto & Antti are doing a concert at the Old Town School of Folk Music on Sunday, October 5. Bring your ticket stub and get half-price admission to this Fiddle Club meeting.
 
 
Maja Kjær Jacobsen & David Boulanger – Sunday, November 9
Traditional Danish and Québecois fiddle music. (Pending visa process)

Danish Tune-Quebecois Tune by Maja & David

Maja Kjær Jacobsen, from Silkeborg (Danmark) plays fiddle and hardingfele (hardanger fiddle). David Boulanger, a member of La Bottine Souriante from Montreal, plays fiddle.
 
 
Bob Bovee & Pop Wagner – Sunday, November 30
Old-Time tunes, cowboy songs, heart songs and maybe a rope trick or two by this pair of old friends from Minnesota.

Robinson County by Pop Wagner & Bob Bovee

Pete's Posse

-Paul Tyler, convener
Fiddle Club of the World (Chicago Chapter)

Results of the 3rd Battle of the Bands

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Held July 13, 2014 at the Square Roots Festival

For the 3rd year in a row, the Battle of the Bands ended in a draw. The objective was to fill the floor with dancers. Here is the report of the judges, as texted to the emcee.

“The Fantastic Toe Trippers Orchestra actually got the most dancers on the floor, as determined by counting feet and dividing by two. However, they were assessed penalties for having both a banjo and an accordion in the band. The Renato Anesi Trio did not attract as many feet. However, as Brazilian dancing requires moving more body parts, they were given bonus points. The Byzantine Time Machine was also given a bonus for the largest inchoate mass of moving humanity. An additional technology bonus brings them into a virtual tie with the other two bands.”

The following pictures illustrate the tie-clinching bonus.

Here are some recordings from the hotly contested battle of 2014.

Greek Syrtos by the Byzantine Time Machine

Brazilian Choro by the Renato Anesi Trio

Who could have imagined. Thanks to all particpated.

Paul Tyler – convenver

Results of 12th Midwest Fiddle Championship

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July 12, 2014. Old Town School of Folk Music
Square Roots Festival. The judges made their decision.

Solo Fiddle
1st – Tim Macdonald
2nd – Jess McIntosh
3rd – Vince deBattista

Medley of Scottish Tunes (Johnny Cope-strathspey-2 reels) by Tim Macdonald

 

Team Fiddle
1st – Iron County Brass Ensemble (Evan McBrayer Collins & Heather Malyuk)
2nd – Vampire Bats (Jim Becker & Steve Rosen)
3rd – Three-Legged Chair (Clair Halpin & Aron Packer)

The Bonnie Lass’s Pladie-Old Aunt Jenny With Her Night Cap On
by Iron County Brass Ensemble

Youth Division
1st – Willa Arnold
2nd – Kalman Strauss
3rd – Peach & 43 Strings
4th – Diego

There were eight contestants in each of the three categories. Everyone played their hearts out. The music was glorious. Thanks to all particpated.

Paul Tyler – convenver

Come dance to some of Chicago’s best

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The 3rd Battle of the Bands, sponsored by the Fiddle Club of the World, will unfold in Szold Hall at the Old Town School of Folk Music (4545 N. Lincoln) in Chicago on Sunday, July 13.

3 bands, 2 hours of dancing, intermittent dance lessons, big fun

The winning band is the one that best fills the floor with dancers. Vote with your feet.

Renato Anesi Trio
Brazilan Choro

This was Renato visiting an Old Town School class.
Check out some of the many concert videos on his YouTube channel.

Byzantine Time Machine
Scientronic* Greek and Balkan syrtos and kolos.
Check out some samples on their sound cloud.

* Santur, sax, horns and drums processed through a flux capacitor.

Fantastic Toe Trippers Orchestra
Polkas, waltzes and barn dances from 3 continents

On to the Finals

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The 12th Midwest Fiddle Championship is underway

The Final Round is Saturday, July 12th at 1:30pm at the Old Town School of Folk Music (4544 N. Lincoln) as part of the Square Roots Festival. The Open Division Finalists are . . .

 

Solo Fiddle

Vince deBattista

Tim Macdonald

Jess McIntosh

 

Team Fiddle
Iron County Brass Ensemble
(Evan McBrayer Collins & Heather Malyuk)

Three-Legged Chair
(Clair Halpin & Aron Packer)

Vampire Bats
(Jim Becker & Steve Rosen)

Honorable Mention
Blue Eagle String Band (Tyler Wilson & Fred Campeau)
The Lantern Kickers (Steve Hinds & Sara Legisky)

The Youth Division winner, Willa Arnold, will perform at the Open Division Finals on Saturday, July 12.

The Youth Division round was held on Sunday, July 6, the finals on Thursday, July 10.

Youth Division winners for 2014
1st – Willa Arnold
2nd – Kalman Strauss
3rd – Peach & 43 Strings
4th – Diego

3rd annual Battle of the Bands

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at the Square Roots Festival
Festival info here.
Presented by the Chicago Chapter of the Fiddle Club of the World

Sunday, July 13, 7-9pm, Szold Hall
Old Town School of Folk Music East (4545 Lincoln)

Three bands (by invitation only).
The band that gets the most folks dancing wins!
Dancers wanted and encouraged for three different styles of music.
Quick dance lessons will be given intermittently throughout the event.

Byzantine Time Machine

 

Byzantine Time Machine
Scientronic Greek & Balkan dance music.

 

Renato Anesi Trio

 

 

Renato Anesi Trio
Choro music from Brazil.

Fantastic Toe Trippers Orchestra

 

 

 

 

Fantastic Toe Trippers Orchestra
Polkas, Waltzes & Barn Dance from 3 continents.

 

 

 

Put on your dancing shoes!

Paul Tyler, convener
Fiddle Club of the World

12th Midwest Fiddle Championship

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Presented by the Chicago Chapter of
the Fiddle Club of the World

Part of the Old Town School of Folk Music’s 3rd Square Roots Festival.

Once again, prizes will be given for the top 3 contestants in each of 3 categories: Open Division Solo, Open Division Team, and Youth Division. There are a limited number of openings for this years contest. Contestants must register by July 5, 2012.

Youth Division First Round
Sunday, July 6, 11am, Szold Hall in Old Town School East (4545 Lincoln)
Youth under 16 compete as teams or solo

Open Division First Round & Youth Finals
Thursday, July 10, 6:30pm, Maurer Hall in Old Town School West (4544 Lincoln)
Separate Fiddle Team and Fiddle Solo categories

Open Division Finals
Saturday, July 12, 1:30pm, Maurer Hall
Plus winner of the Youth Division

Prizes, Rules and online Registration form can be found at http://www.squareroots.org/fiddle/

Come back on Sunday for the 3rd annual

Battle of the Bands
Sunday, July 13, 7-9pm, Szold Hall featuring

The band that gets the most folks dancing wins!
Dancers wanted and encouraged for three different styles of music.
Quick dance lessons will be given intermittently throughout the event.
Three bands (by invitation only).

Renato Anesi Trio
Brazilian Choro.

Byzantine Time Machine
Scientronic Greek and Balkan dance music.

Fantastic Toe Trippers
Polkas, Waltzes and Barn Dances from 3 continents.

Paul Tyler, convener