April 28, 2008
This Irish tune is driving me nuts - but it’s the next one on my list to learn after Paddy Ryan’s Dream which I’ve nearly learnt.
Last week it was the Fleur de Mandragore - a great tune that I heard at the National Folk Festival this year. I’m still having trouble with Tommy’s Tarbukas - but I’m getting there on that one too 
Cheers
Jerry
April 18, 2008
My box-style pochette (travel fiddle) attracted quite a lot of attention when I took it to the National Folk Festival in Canberra. I’m still thinking through some further modifications, and no I’m not going into commercial production - others like Rickert and Ringholz already make fine box pochettes - but here is mine being played by Sydney fiddle player Tony Pryzakowski
Cheers
Jerry
March 24, 2008
Well, another National Folk Festival has come and gone - and I thought I’d share some of my personal highlights. Firstly it was great to meet up with so many old friends from interstate - including most of the former Mucky Duck members who I played with in the early-mid 1980s.
I got to a number of concerts in between music sessions in the Session Bar.
Vin Garbutt - I last saw him in 1980 in Perth Western Australia and he has just got better over the years - more political edge to his songs, and hilarious repartee. I bought his CD “Plugged” just because it had “Man of the Earth” on it.
Danish band Faerd played some great traditional Danish music and Swedish polskas… the combination of Peter Uhrlbrand’s fiddle playing (also lively in the Session bar!) with Eskil Romme’s saxaphone and Jens Ulsvand’s bouzouki was stunning
The Session Bar proved popular and I had some great sessions with Bob McInnes, Scott and Louisa Wise, and Chris Duncan
And Butch Hooper and I played at the Merry Muse to a great audience - really responsive and ready to party!
The Genticorum concerts were wonderful - I love the fiddle player’s foot percussion and the trio’s great harmonies. But one thing puzzles me… are all Quebec folk songs about food and sex or some combination of the two? I loved the story about the fiddle’s time out in the winery, slinking back home to its case after a night on the town with a ukelele 
and how when the fiddler picked it up again, he was playing tunes even he didn’t know and at twice the pace!
Trouble in the Kitchen started in Canberra a few years ago and have gone from strength to strength. I love the new direction they are taking their music. The tune “The Darkroom Fiddler” is on my must learn list. And I bought the last copy of their CD. My apologies for the poor photo quality.
Other highlights were David LaMotte and Liz Frencham - David’s guitar work was fantastic
I ran into “Gurdy Girl” Jane Ruckert playing a nyckelharpa - a kind of Swedish bowed hurdy gurdy - and we swapped instruments for a play - she on my hardingfele (eight-string Norwegian fiddle) and me on the nyckelharpa. Suffice to say I have increased my respect for nyckelharpa players - but what an awesome sound!
And speaking of amazing instruments, I saw this hurdy gurdy in the session bar
The sessions were terrific
And after trying one of David Guscott’s violins I decided that I needed an octave violin - so I bought some octave strings for my electric fiddle and mmmm love that sound! - You’ll hear more of that on our website soon!
And I have a heap of tunes to learn
Cheers
Jerry
March 20, 2008
Well folks - the National Folk Festival is on again right now - and you will be able to catch me in the Session Bar tomorrow from early til late
I might even bring along my pochette… it’ll be a good test of its volume!
For those who haven’t been before, this is what the Session Bar looks and sounds like
