The Zakynthos jig

I understand that this was actually written by a chap called Roger Wilson. I was inspired to learn this after hearing it a couple of times in sessions round oxford (UK) way. I just love this tune - its an absolute foot thumper!

can’t help thinking the title must be an odd (wrong?) spelling of Zakynthos??

(yes, I know it’s spelt ‘Zycanthos’ on Eliza Carthy’s CD)

https://thesession.org/recordings/1049
Roger Wilson was a memeber of the “House Band” - possibly the 2nd tune ? I don’t know - I don’t have the recording.

In 5/8 🙂

X:1
T:Zycanthos Jig in 5/8
A:Eliza Carthy
M:5/8
L:1/8
K:Am
|: “Am”a2 gag| “Am”e2a- ag| “Am”ec BcB| “F”AF F2F|
“Am”EAB cB| “F”FAB cB|“G”B2 edB| “Em”cd “Am”cBA :|
|:“Am/E”EA cBA| “F”FA cBA| “G”B2 edB|“Em”Bcd BA|
“Am”EA cBA| “F”FA cBA| “G”B2 edB|1 “Am”B2 A2 “F”F :|2 “Am”B2 A2 B |
|: “Dm”[.f2d2A2] [Lf2d2A2] [ecG] | “Dm”[fdA][ecG][fdA] [dBG][cAF] | “Dm”[f3/2d3/2A3/2][f3/2d3/2A3/2] [ecG][fdA] | “Em”[dBG][ecG][dBG] [dBG][cAF] | “Dm”[.f2d2A2] [Lf2d2A2] [ecG] | “Dm”[fdA]“^Last time go to coda” [ecG][fdA] [dBG][cAF] O|
[1-5 “Dm”[f3/2d3/2A3/2][f3/2d3/2A3/2] [ecG][fdA] | “Em”[Lg2e2B2] [geB][ecG][cAF] :| [6 O“^Coda”“Dm”dd dcd| “Em”ee e^fg| “Am”.La2z z3 |]

YES!!!!
I’ve been looking for this one for ages. I knew it had some kinda Greek name, but couldn’t remember what, so I couldn’t search.

Thank you!!

In 5/8. Love it. 🙂

Love it…. what a cracking tune….

On the House Band’s album “October Song”, Roger Wilson’s composition is called “The Zakynthos Jig”, using the correct name of that Greek island. Since he wrote it, not Eliza Carthy, could we all strive to show respect for the tune, its composer and Greece by using Roger’s title? (The House Band performance is at least as good as Carthy’s.)

Now updated and cleaner.

422 play this tune in a lovely set:
https://soundcloud.com/ianstephenson/422-dance-band-zycanthos-jig-set

Don’t know about the original recording, as I can’t access it, but Eliza Carthy, and also the 422 dance band, are definitely playing this in 6/8, not 5/8. There is a lot of syncopation and tied notes that makes it feel off-beat, but it would sound much odder in 5/8. Reminds me a lot of Horizonto by Blowzabella. Similar feel in places.

422 play Horizonto in that set. Will give it a go transcribing their version of Zycanthos later.

From the playing of 422.

Timing was a bit tricky for a few bars. Think it’s pretty close.

From the playing of Govannen.

Variations from the playing of Govannen.

From the playing of Ewen Baker.

Here’s a notation transcribed directly from the original recording by The House Band, including the composer, Roger Wilson, from the The House Band album “October Song” (Green Linnet GLCD 1190 - 1998)
- YT video linked below. The tune is actually a bit more straightforward than the existing notations here or other performances may seem to suggest. There’s a downloadable notation document here - help yourselves 🙂 : https://app.box.com/s/b20lbpw52eq5dd9q4x7zfkzbjeeo2sy9

X:7
T:The Zakynthos Jig
C:Roger Wilson
O:England
D:October Song (The House Band), Green Linnet GLCD 1190 (1998)
S:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JmqO4131Oc&t=117s & cf https://thesession.org/tunes/10446

play video

Z:Jem Hammond 15:7:2021
R:Jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
Q:3/8=132
K: Am
[P:A]{g}a2a gag|e2a a2g|ecc BcB|AFF “(~)”F3|EAB cBA|FAB cBA|
“@5,-24(~)”B2 “@-9,-4 ( )”e x3 & x2B edB|“(~)”B2d cBA:|]|:[P:B]EAB cBA|FAB cBA|“@6,18(~)”B2B edB|“(~)”B2d cBA|
EAB cBA|FAB cBA|“@6,18(~)”B2B edB|1 B2A A3:|]2B2A ABc |:[P:C (last time x3, then Coda)]d2 d2 c2|dc2 B2A|
d2 d2 cd|“(~)”B3 “(~)”B2A|d2 d2 c2|dc2 B2A|d2 d2 cd|1 e3 -e2e:|]2 e3 -e3|]
O“@-41,20 Coda” {g}a2a gag|e2a a2g|.a2 .a2 .a2|a4 z2|]

Here’s a setting with some chord suggestions. No claims to any sort of authenticity, but I think they sort of work.