New PEI Fiddling Site

I recently came across an excellent, new fiddling site:  http://bowingdownhome.ca/.  It's dedicated to the Prince Edward Island fiddling traditions, with a vast array of recordings - audio & video - 'sheet music', interviews, and written commentary.  It is presented by Ken Pearlman, under the auspices of the University of PEI, based on his extensive fieldwork in PEI.  Highly recommended!

I've put up some video clips of Blues-harp stuff, a few songs with Craig Galambos on guitar - live at Huntington House - on the brand-new page(!):  "Listen to the Music: Blues".  Check it out.

I've added a few new photos to the "Gallery" - some shots from this past summer, good times knocking tunes around with Floyd and Cecilia MacKinnon of Richmond, PEI.

New Pics

I've added a number of photos to the 'Photo Gallery', a couple of real old-timers.  Check'm out ....

There Oughta be a Law!

A gang of youths, who were parading the roadway, shouting obscene language, playing mouth organs, and pushing respectable people down.  The young ruffians were all armed with thick leather belts, on which there were heavy brass buckles.

                                 -         The Daily Graphic (England), Aug. 25, 1898; quoted in:  
                                       Geoffrey Pearson, Hooligan, London, 1983; p.83 (my italics)

Updates

I've just put recordings of three original tunes on the 'Listen to the Music' page, guitar accompaniment by  Calgary rocker Craig Galambos.

Lots of new things in the 'Library', including a link to "Arm of Gold", on youtube.  This is the documentary film about Cape Breton fiddler Lee Cremo going to compete in Nashville.  Highly recommended.

Irrepressible Hopefulness

From Middlemarch, by George Eliot:

So Fred was gratified with nearly an hour’s practice of Ar hyd y nos,
Ye banks and braes, and other favourite airs from his Instructor on
the Flute; a wheezy performance, into which he threw much ambition and
an irrepressible hopefulness.