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Accordions have been a part of Maine Fiddle Camp since the very beginning, but as Camp has expanded, so have the opportunities to learn accordion. As in the past, this year we still have top teachers on piano accordion for both August weeks. Sylvia Miskoe, from NH, will again be on staff for the first August week, and Jeremiah McLane, from VT, will be on staff once again for the second August week. Now for the new stuff.. In June we have added a new weekend with a multi-level and multi-faceted accordion track. Staff members Sabin Jacques from Quebec, Jim Joseph and Junior Stevens from Maine will handle button accordion in several styles including Cajun, Irish, Quebecois and New England. There will be opportunities to learn Anglo AND English concertina as well!! This weekend is the second June weekend (June 21-23). Take a look at this video of Junior Stevens playing the Galway Rambler on the Irish concertina, or this video of him playing the Collier’s Reel on button accordion. For more info on these programs and teachers… read on……
June Weekend I
Jim Joseph, from Phippsburg,ME, was actually on staff a couple years ago for the inaugural June week. That was before we had an actual accordion track, and now he is back as an accordion teacher. Jim plays button accordion in the Quebecois, New England, and Cajun styles and also plays 5 string banjo, mandolin, fiddle, percussion (foot and otherwise) and is a member of several Maine bands including, T-Acadie, Scrod Pudding, and JimmyJo and the Jumbol’ayuhs, with Fiddle Camp staffers Pam Weeks and Bill Olson. Jim plays single row Cajun accordions (built by Marc Savoy and Junior Martin) and a 2 row Saltarelle D/G box. Here are some videos of Jim in action: A Cajun song with the Jumbol’Ayuhs, and a set of Quebecois reels with T-Acadie.
June Week
Jim Joseph, from Phippsburg,ME, was actually on staff a couple years ago for the inaugural June week. That was before we had an actual accordion track, and now he is back as an accordion teacher. Jim plays button accordion in the Quebecois, New England, and Cajun styles and also plays 5 string banjo, mandolin, fiddle, percussion (foot and otherwise) and is a member of several Maine bands including, T-Acadie, Scrod Pudding, and JimmyJo and the Jumbol’ayuhs, with Fiddle Camp staffers Pam Weeks and Bill Olson. Jim plays single row Cajun accordions (built by Marc Savoy and Junior Martin) and a 2 row Saltarelle D/G box. Here are some videos of Jim in action: A Cajun song with the Jumbol’Ayuhs, and a set of Quebecois reels with T-Acadie.
August Week I
- Jim Joseph
Jim Joseph, from Phippsburg,ME, was actually on staff a couple years ago for the inaugural June week. That was before we had an actual accordion track, and now he is back as an accordion teacher. Jim plays button accordion in the Quebecois, New England, and Cajun styles and also plays 5 string banjo, mandolin, fiddle, percussion (foot and otherwise) and is a member of several Maine bands including, T-Acadie, Scrod Pudding, and JimmyJo and the Jumbol’ayuhs, with Fiddle Camp staffers Pam Weeks and Bill Olson. Jim plays single row Cajun accordions (built by Marc Savoy and Junior Martin) and a 2 row Saltarelle D/G box. Here are some videos of Jim in action: A Cajun song with the Jumbol’Ayuhs, and a set of Quebecois reels with T-Acadie.
- Jeremiah McLaneJeremiah McLane is a composer, accordionist, pianist, singer and educator with a diverse musical background including blues, jazz, Celtic, Québécois, French and other roots influenced music. He is the founder and director of the Floating Bridge Music School, and has served on the faculties of the Sate University of New York in Plattsburgh, NY, the Summit School for Traditional Music in Montpelier, VT, and the Upper Valley Music Center in Lebanon, NH. He teaches regularly at summer music programs throughout the United States including Ashokan, Centrum’s American Festival of Fiddle Tunes, Swananoah, Maine Fiddle Camp, Acadia Trad Festival, Lark in the Morning, John C. Campbell Folk School, Pinewoods, Bay Area CDSS Camps, and many others.Since 1990 Jeremiah has released over thirty-nine recordings, and in 2016, Montpelier Times-Argus music critic Art Edelstein named Jeremiah Vermont’s musician of the year, citing his contributions in teaching, recording and performing is his various configurations.
August Week II
Alex Cumming is a traditional Singer, Accordionist, Pianist and dance caller hailing from Somerset, England, now living in Brattleboro VT, USA. He performs songs and tunes from around the United Kingdom and America with a great depth of knowledge of the tradition. Alex has made his mark on the folk scene with his rhythmic dance-able accordion style, strong voice and his fun and engaging stage presence. After over a decade of recording albums and touring with various bands, 2023 sees Alex record and release his debut solo album, ‘Homecoming’, featuring fiddler Audrey Jaber (Wake Up Robin, Free Raisins), guitarist Max Newman (Stringrays, Nor’Easter) and regular recording collaborator Pete Ord (Haystack Records).
Alex is a member of Celtic trio Bellwether (with Louise Bichan, Eric McDonald), award winning a capella quartet The Teacups and critically acclaimed duo Alex Cumming & Nicola Beazley. You may also catch him playing for dances in many combos, including Stuart Kenney’s Red Case Band and trio Crossover. In 2020 Alex, Jeremiah McLane and Rachel Bell co-founded Virtual Accordion Camp together. He is also Artistic Director for Revels North and bookings manager Live To Your Living Room.
Sign up now!
Here’s the link to the Maine Fiddle Camp page which has more general information and, most importantly, information on how to sign up!