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Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK

08 Jan 10 - 11:13 AM (#2806645)
Subject: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March
From: Valmai Goodyear

Booking for Ben Paley 's workshop at the Lewes Saturday Folk Club is now open. Music will be sent in advance - probably two American, two Irish and two Swedish tunes. In the evening Ben treats us to a rare solo performance, for which advance tickets are available. Here are full details and a booking form.

BEN PALEY FIDDLE WORKSHOP
Saturday 27th. March 2010
10.45 a.m.- 4.45 p.m. Places £25

Elephant & Castle White Hill Lewes BN7 2DJ UK   
         
            Ben is a natural & scintillating musician who has been playing the fiddle music of the USA, Sweden & Ireland since he was six. He has toured widely with his father Tom Paley & recorded with Tab Hunter, Damon Albarn, McDermott's Two Hours, Mandragora & a host of others. His book Swedish Fiddle Music, An Anthology is the standard work on the subject in English.

            Ben writes: 'During the workshop we'll aim to enjoy learning & playing some interesting tunes from the USA, Sweden & Ireland - & maybe elsewhere! While we're at it, perhaps we'll think about technique, style, regional & national differences, how to play nicely with others ... & the state of the world in general...'

IN THE EVENING BEN PALEY PERFORMS AT THE ELEPHANT & CASTLE

Admission £5, advance tickets from address at end of this form.

Provisional Timetable

10.45   Registration & coffee; order lunch
            (refreshments not included)
11.00    Let's start with tunes from the USA ...
12.30   Lunch
13.30   ... then play some polskas & reels ...
15.00   Tea/coffee break
15.45 - 16.45   ...but not necessarily in that order.

N.B. Booking is recommended as numbers are limited. Music will be sent in advance, maps & accommodation lists on request.

BEN PALEY FIDDLE WORKSHOP
Saturday 27th. March 2010
BOOKING FORM

I would like to attend the workshop. I enclose a cheque for £25.00 (refreshments not included).



Name:



Address:











Telephone:



E-mail address:



Tick for map:    Tick for accommodation list:



No. of tickets @ £5 for evening performance (include SAE for these):



Please make cheques payable to Lewes Arms Folk Club (that's right) and send with this booking form to: Valmai Goodyear,

20, St. John's Terrace, LEWES, East Sussex BN7 2DL

Tel. (01273) 476757
e-mail: valmaigoodyear(at)aol(dot)com


08 Jan 10 - 11:17 AM (#2806647)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March
From: Will Fly

Form and cheque posted to you on Monday - hope the snow's not delayed it. I'm really looking forward to this.

Incidentally - anywhere in Lewes a car can be parked all day without dashing out to feed a meter or a machine? If not, I'll get a bus there and get Mrs. F. to pick me up after the evening gig (all buses back to my village stop at 7pm!)


08 Jan 10 - 11:25 AM (#2806660)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March
From: Valmai Goodyear

Will, your form and cheque arrived the day the snow did.

Here's a guide to Lewes car parks round the Elephant & Castle. West Street is nearest but is short stay only.

The Maltings is good, and so is Brook Street. There is some on-street parking, but you can't count on finding somewhere convenient.


05 Feb 10 - 08:24 AM (#2830539)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: Valmai Goodyear

There are only three places left for Ben's fiddle workshop, so don't leave it too late if you are thinking about coming.

We still have plenty of tickets for his evening performance at the Lewes Saturday Folk Club.

Valmai


05 Feb 10 - 08:28 AM (#2830547)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: GUEST,BanjoRay

Having done a couple of Ben's workshops, I thoroughly recommend them.
Ray


05 Feb 10 - 08:50 AM (#2830569)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: Valmai Goodyear

Thanks!

The post has just arrived and we've now only got one spare place for the workshop. After this I'll be putting names and addresses on the waiting list.

Valmai


17 Feb 10 - 05:27 PM (#2842351)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: Valmai Goodyear

Ben's workshop is sold out and we are now keeping a waiting list - sorry, I should have posted this a few days ago. We still have tickets for his evening performance at the club.

Valmai


17 Feb 10 - 06:25 PM (#2842408)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: Vic Smith

anywhere in Lewes a car can be parked all day without dashing out to feed a meter or a machine?
Mike, You can park it outside our house and then walk doen to the Elephant - about 10-12 minutes walk.


18 Feb 10 - 02:37 AM (#2842681)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: Valmai Goodyear

You have to be in league with the devil to park outside Goodyear Towers, which is a hundred yards from the Elephant.

Valmai


18 Feb 10 - 04:43 AM (#2842742)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: Will Fly

Vic - very many thanks indeed. I'll take the advice. I'll email you for the address closer to the the time.

Valmai - I used to be in league with the devil, but he got jealous of my flirting with the Angel of Death, so we don't meet up much any more. He was a crap guitarist anyway.

Mind you, we may meet again...sometime...


29 Mar 10 - 05:51 AM (#2874492)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: Valmai Goodyear

Many thanks to Will Fly for this excellent quality video clip of Ben playing 'Yew Piney Mountain' at the Lewes Saturday Folk Club on 27th. March. His all-day workshop was sold out, with half a dozen more people on the waiting list. He held us all spellbound in the evening with two forty-five minute sets of beautiful, varied and dazzling tunes.

On a local note, the thing on the wall behind Ben is a processional banner belonging to Commercial Square Bonfire Society and dating from the 1930s; it's now too frail to be taken out. The firey skull & crossbones of Cliffe Bonfire Society can be seen on the concertina case in the front row. The acoustics in this room bring out all the fine detail in Ben's playing.

Valmai


29 Mar 10 - 06:23 AM (#2874509)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: Will Fly

Valmai - many thanks for organising the day, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Ben's playing is truly stunning.


31 Mar 10 - 02:42 AM (#2876227)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: Valmai Goodyear

Great stuff. Mr. Fly, we've had a request for Ben's Ragtime Annie to go up on YouTube as well - is there any chance of that?

Two other videos have now appeared, made by another of the workshop pupils. The technical quality isn't quite as good, but they are still impressive:

Johnson Boys

Johnny Allen's/The Steampacket

People came from a long way away for the workshop, including from Oxford, Cambridge and London. We had a particularly good floor spot from two fiddlers from Oxford who did a couple of excellent duets; I think they are connected with the Oxford folk club. One of them is visible in the front row in the Johnson Boys clip.


31 Mar 10 - 05:12 AM (#2876294)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: Will Fly

Coming up - Ragtime Annie - just being converted on YouTube as I write. Check the link in a few minutes and it should be ready...


31 Mar 10 - 06:03 AM (#2876318)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: Valmai Goodyear

Excellent - many thanks. You've just made a Lewes banjo player very happy. Two of them, in fact, now I come to think of it.


31 Mar 10 - 06:28 AM (#2876329)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: The Sandman

I have his book of swedish tunes which is very good,Iam sure it will be a good workshop


31 Mar 10 - 06:59 AM (#2876351)
Subject: RE: Ben Paley fiddle workshop Lewes 27 March 2010 UK
From: Will Fly

Dick - take care of that book as it's currently out of print. Ben's hoping for a 2nd edition to come out in the near future. The workshop was excellent, by the way.