The Portland Collection: Contra Dance Music in the Pacific Northwest, Volume 3 - Softcover

Susan Songer And Clyde Curley

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0965747662 ISBN 13: 9780965747660

Publisher: self, 2015

Synopsis

The Portland Collection, Volume3: Contra Dance Music in the Pacific Northwest is a collection of 314 traditional and recently composed jigs and reels played for dances in Portland, Oregon and in Bellingham, Washington, where Clyde Curley now resides. It follows an identical format to the popular Portland Collections 1 and 2, but all the tunes in Volume 3 are completely different from those of the first two books. As with Volumes 1 and 2, national standards and local favorites are included. The music in The Portland Collection, Volume 3 derives from New England, Irish, Scottish, Quebecois, Appalachian, and English sources, all of which are represented in the book. Chord suggestions are provided. There is an extensive commentary on each tune. Discography, bibliography, indices, and more are included. Since the publication of the first The Portland Collection in 1997, these tune books have become the standard for contra dance musicians all across the United States and are also popular among musicians of many other genres. The books are praised for their clear, readable formats; their sturdy covers and bindings; their informative, entertaining commentaries; and especially for the repertoire itself. The music in The Portland Collection, Volume 3 is suitable for any acoustic instrument. Beginners and accomplished musicians alike will find tunes that match their skill levels in this book.

About this title

About the Author

Susan Songer has enjoyed music as long as she can remember. In grade school, she played piano and eagerly participated in square dancing during P.E. classes. She played folk songs on guitar with informal groups during and just after college. Susan moved to Portland with her family in 1982 and set up a psychology practice shortly thereafter. She discovered contra dancing in 1986 and loved it immediately. In 1989, she took up fiddle and revisited the piano. Three years later, she was playing these instruments regularly for dances with her husband, Lanny Martin. Now, she also plays for dances and dance camp week ends on both coasts in a number of musical configurations. She has also tutored fiddle and piano several times at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend and has been a regular instructor for Dance Musicians Week at the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina. Susan is founder and director of the Portland Megaband, an orchestra of more than 75 dance musicians that plays for special contra dances at least once a year. Susan has retired from psychology for many years and now pursues music activities full time. In addition to the activities mentioned above, she enjoys working with community contra dance bands all across the States. Clyde Curley got his first guitar in 1959 when he was in the 9th grade and has been playing folk music ever since on an increasing arsenal of instruments. Seeing Doc Watson at a San Francisco Folk Festival and the hearing the records of the New Lost City Ramblers in the 60s were serious formative moments. After moving to Oregon in 1970, he proceeded to explore various musical styles in the world of the folk fiddle. Clyde has extensive experience as a musician at contra dance camps and music festivals, including multiple stints on staff at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes. In Portland, he was active as a contra dance musician in the bands Jigsaw and The Rose City Aces. Since retiring from high school teaching in Oregon, Clyde has moved to Bellingham, Washington, where he remains active as a dance musician with several Puget Sound area bands as a fiddler, guitarist and mandolinist. His longest and closest musical alliance is with his wife, Susan, going back to their high school folk group days to the present moment playing Swedish polskas and waltzes on fiddle and piano.

Edition details

• Publisher: self
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0965747662
• ISBN 13: 9780965747660
• Binding: Spiral-bound
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 328
• Editor: Self