English Pub Session Tunes: 101 Tunes - Core Repertoire for English Pub Sessions, Country Dances, Ceilidhs, Barn Dances and Hoe-downs: v. 4

In this book you ll find the holy grail of pub session tunes, the very backbone and life blood of the English traditional music scene. You ll observe that many of the tunes aren t exactly English but within these pages you ll find the repertoire that crops time and time again. A sizable proportion of the tunes have been made popular by The Old Swan Band. The tunes are suitable for every instruement associated with traditional music and only 14 notes are required to play them all. They are eminently suitable for playing at country dances, ceilidhs, barn dances and hoe-downs and most have been recorded by notable bands and personalities.

In late August 1969 I finished work for the summer holidays. At 7.30 I put on my favourite radio programme, Folk On Friday and heard the presenter, Jim Lloyd, say "Tomorrow is the start of Whitby Folk Festival". "Whitby Folk Festival" I said to myself, "I think I'll have some of that. Why not? I'm on holiday with no plans." As soon as the programme ended I packed my rucksack complete with tent on the bottom and early next morning caught the bus to Leeds, another to Malton and finally one to Whitby. I swiftly marched up the Abbey steps, pitched my tent on the cliff top camp site and walked back into town. My first task was to visit the Chinese restaurant. Whilst waiting for my meal the lady on the table behind was just leaving and I overheard her say to her husband "Don't forget your melodeon." "Melodeon" I said to myself, "What in the world is a melodeon?" Later that evening I discovered The Star which, in those days, was the pub where music and song occurred. I recognised the chap from the restaurant, he was playing a musical instrument unlike any I'd seen before. I thought to myself, "So that's a melodeon, I rather like the sound, I'd like to play one." When the initial enthusiasm cools, thoughts such as these tend fade away but this time, it was not to be the case. Melodeon was just as strong in my mind in January as it had been earlier in August. One dismal January day, whilst at technical college in Bradford, I was feeling somewhat depressed (who wouldn't, studying metallurgy). I said to myself "How can I cheer myself up? I know, I'll buy a melodeon." Off I went to the local music shop, my luck was in, there was one in the window. I was encouraged to try it and after ten mind boggling minutes the laboured strains of a simple melody could be heard. I bought the instrument for £56 and never looked back.