If you play (or used to play) a horn or other woodwind instrument (i.e., trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, clarinet, oboe, flute, piccolo, saxophone of any size (soprano, alto, C-melody, tenor, baritone), French horn, trombone, baritone horn, tuba, Sousaphone, etc., and/or a tenor banjo or a bowed saw, both of which we consider to be honorary horns) and you can play tunes in the key of Concert C, you’ll be sorely disappointed if you leave your horn behind (and we will be disappointed, too!). Bring it, for goodness sake, and toot your own horn in the Great Horned Ukestra at the week night Old-Time Country Dances! For the rest of the story, including information about transposed Eb and Bb charts for all the foxtrots and waltzes, click here!
June Week
Sandy Davis
Sandy started playing the five-string banjo about 60 years ago, and he started playing penny whistles and flutes about 50 years ago. That’s when he first became passionately involved with contra dancing and playing for dances. In the 1970’s, he was a founding member of the Roaring Jelly dance band (which is still going strong) and the Common Ground quintet. Back then, he also played occasionally with Dudley Laufman and the Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra. He subsequently spent over 20 years as the founder and director of two long-standing community contra dance bands, both of which are also still playing for monthly dances: The Berlin Country Dance Orchestra (Berlin, MA), and Oh, CONTRAire! (Westford, MA). He has recorded with a number of traditional musicians, including Tony Saletan, Jay Unger, Jerry Robichaud, and Trapezoid. He has also played for many well-know dance callers, including Dudley Laufman, Ted Sanella, Larry Jenkins, Tony Parkes, Lisa Greenleaf, and Sue Rosen. (more…)
August Week I
Sandy Davis
Sandy started playing the five-string banjo about 60 years ago, and he started playing penny whistles and flutes about 50 years ago. That’s when he first became passionately involved with contra dancing and playing for dances.
In the 1970’s, he was a founding member of the Roaring Jelly dance band (which is still going strong) and the Common Ground quintet. Back then, he also played occasionally with Dudley Laufman and the Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra. He subsequently spent over 20 years as the founder and director of two long-standing community contra dance bands, both of which are also still playing for monthly dances: The Berlin Country Dance Orchestra (Berlin, MA), and Oh, CONTRAire! (Westford, MA). He has recorded with a number of traditional musicians, including Tony Saletan, Jay Unger, Jerry Robichaud, and Trapezoid. He has also played for many well-know dance callers, including Dudley Laufman, Ted Sanella, Larry Jenkins, Tony Parkes, Lisa Greenleaf, and Sue Rosen. (more…)
August Week II
Sandy Davis
Sandy started playing the five-string banjo about 60 years ago, and he started playing penny whistles and flutes about 50 years ago. That’s when he first became passionately involved with contra dancing and playing for dances.
In the 1970’s, he was a founding member of the Roaring Jelly dance band (which is still going strong) and the Common Ground quintet. Back then, he also played occasionally with Dudley Laufman and the Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra. He subsequently spent over 20 years as the founder and director of two long-standing community contra dance bands, both of which are also still playing for monthly dances: The Berlin Country Dance Orchestra (Berlin, MA), and Oh, CONTRAire! (Westford, MA). He has recorded with a number of traditional musicians, including Tony Saletan, Jay Unger, Jerry Robichaud, and Trapezoid. He has also played for many well-know dance callers, including Dudley Laufman, Ted Sanella, Larry Jenkins, Tony Parkes, Lisa Greenleaf, and Sue Rosen. (more…)