Monthly Archives: June 2013

Old Time Tune for the Month of July 2013: Lazy Kate

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Here’s a great old Mississippi fiddle tune for those lazy summer days in July. The Leake County Revelers were the best-known Mississippi band of their era, hailing from Sebastopol, MS, with Will Gilmer on fiddle, Dallas Jones on guitar and most lead vocals, R.O.Moseley on banjo-mandolin, and Jim Wolverton on banjo. They had a widely heard Saturday night radio show and cut 44 diverse instrumental and vocal sides for Columbia and Okeh Records between 1927 and 1930. Their biggest hit, “Wednesday Night Waltz,” was among early country music’s biggest sellers. The Revelers often played at a relaxed, easy-does-it pace which set them apart from hell-for-leather string bands such as The Skillet Lickers.

Lazy Kate (dance speed, mp3)[wpdm_file id=294]
Lazy Kate (slow, mp3)[wpdm_file id=295]
Lazy Kate (sheet music, pdf)[wpdm_file id=296]

Quebecois Tune of the Month for July 2013: Hommage à Adrien Alain

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In honor of this year’s featured Quebecois fiddler at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, Yvon Mimeault, here is one of his tunes. Yvon learned “Hommage à Adrien Alain” from Mr. Alain, a local fiddler whose playing Yvon admired. And here’s a bit more about Yvon:

Born in 1928 in Mont-Louise, Quebec, Yvon is the seventh of a dozen children. A “preemie” baby, Yovn’s small stature precluded his following his family farming practice. Yvon discovered his passion for fiddling at the age of 21 while working as a handyman in a lumber camp. When he came home eight months later, he put his woodworking and creative skills to work and made himself a fiddle. At the same time, he went to school to become an électricien. A few months later, Yvon was playing in a radio band in Matane; from 1949 to 1954 he played for local dances on the week-ends after a 60 hour work week.

Yvon married in 1956 and he and his wife raised six children. Music went on the back burner for the next 20 years or so, but in 1977, Yvon dusted off his fiddle and started playing again. He has a huge repertory of tunes learned from family, from the radio, and from recordings, as well as a number of his own compositions. Yvon is an immensely sociable musician who loves a good laugh. He is also a very skillful woodcarver who makes wonderful animal sculptures. Look for him this summer at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes (and if you find him, please give my regards!).

Hommage à Adrien Alain (dance speed, mp3)[wpdm_file id=297]

Hommage à Adrien Alain (slow, mp3)[wpdm_file id=298]

Hommage à Adrien Alain (sheet music, pdf)[wpdm_file id=299]

 

Pinot, Pie, Camps, and Discount Fiddle Lessons!

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It’s July! In the Pacific Northwest, that means gardens full of vegetables, raspberries and marionberries and blueberries, sunshine, clear skies galore, and lots of music.  Festival of American Fiddle Tunes starts today, the Waterfront Blues Festival is coming right up. What could be better?

Here in Fiddleville, July also means pinot, pie, camps, and special prices on private lessons.

On July 4th, I’m gigging with Marionberry Jam at the

Pinot and Pie on the 4th of July, an afternoon of old-time music, pie, and wine tasting at the beautiful Bethel Heights Winery just outside of Salem, OR.  Mmmmmmm!

Then it’s camp time!  I’m on staff at two camps here in Oregon:
the Wallowa Fiddle Tunes Camp out in Wallowa (July 7-12) and the West Cascades Fiddle Camp & Workshop down in Oakridge (July 22-25). There is still room at West Cascades, and it’s a steal of a deal, so check it out!

Here in Portland,  I’ll be offering discount lesson packages for the months of July and August. It’s a great way to invest in  your fiddle chops, polish up the tunes you love and/ or learn some new ones, at bargain rates.