Four comments
“The Lakeland Fiddlers”
http://www.lakelandfiddlers.co.uk/
It seems a shame that no one has left any comment here. All I can say is bless any community gathering of fiddlers to share music and inspire others, and to also, in this case, take on local takes on various melodies and give exercise to bows and feet and smiles.
In my time just south of there I have only ever heard praise for their activities and efforts. May they continue for a long time, hoping dance gets a chance to answer their passions for rhythm and melody. After all, it is dance music on the whole.
Keep up the good works - ‘c’
& I should have added, they do get the occassional chance to play for a bit of dancing - 🙂 - as you’ll hear on the “Greensleeves Dance Set”, the fifth of seven audio samples the link above will take you to…
CD & notes - “Lakeland Fiddlers: One Big Fiddle”
One very appreciated plus with this recording is that it comes with an insert of notes. Here follows just one page/fold of that, about the Lakeland Fiddlers and listing those that contributed to this recording, starting with two links…
https://myspace.com/lakelandfiddlers
https://www.facebook.com/Carolyn-Francis-and-The-Lakeland-Fiddlers-198745100608494/
Page 7:
The Lakeland Fiddlers is a community band, with fluid membership, established in 2000. Our repertoire focuses on Lakelnad fiddle tunes, thought not exclusively. We perform at galas, community events and celebrations, for listening and dancing. It is lead by Carolyn Francis.
Lakeland Fiddlers featured on this album are:
Martyn Askew
Ian Braithwaite
Phil Bull
Sarah Coates
Mike Edgar
Carolyn Francis
Pip Hall
Ian Hodkinson
Phil Keen
Anna Lee
Karen Lloyd
Walter Lloyd - ‘Big Fiddle’ = upright bass/double bass
Sally Maher
Pat Malone
Heather Milligan
Richard Selvidge - guitar
Clare Shaw
Re: One Big Fiddle
Lakeland Fiddlers are based in Kendal and led by Carolyn Francis - https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Musician/Carolyn-Francis-and-The-Lakeland-Fiddlers-198745100608494/
Palatine Fiddlers are based in Blackburn and led by Julian Taylor - http://www.fiddlemusic.co.uk/palatine-fiddlers.htm
Both these groups play fairly local music but the Palatine group is expensive and thought of as tuition and the Lakeland group is more of a session or even performance.
Sheffield Traditional Fiddlers based in Sheffield and led by Robin Garside - http://www.sheffieldfiddlers.org.uk
Leeds Folk Fiddle group coached by Iveta Hlavenkova - http://leedsfolkfiddlegroup.yolasite.com
These are what you might call musically eclectic but again totally different from each other. Anyone can turn up and be a Sheffield fiddler but the Leeds group actually mentions grades!
The Borders Shetland fiddlers are based at Kirk Yetholm, so they are in Scotland but Northumbrians go to this as well. They don’t admit to having a leader - http://www.shetlandborders.org. They play Shetland music.
Does anyone know of any more of these groups? There is, of course, the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra led by Yla Steven - http://sfo.org.uk - but that’s a different and more formidable kettle of fish.