top of page
John Kirkpatrick's English Choice Book - John Kirkpatrick

In this lively romp through seven centuries of English dance music, John Kirkpatrick shares the passion that has led him to become one of the foremost champions and interpreters of our native traditions.  Driven always by his love of dancing, John has constantly been striving to inject the maximum amount of energy and life into these lovely simple old tunes.  In fact, as any dance musician will tell you, the simpler the tune is, the more opportunity you are allowed to add your own kind of zest into its performance.

 

Here John presents 101 examples that are tailor-made for the strong rhythmic approach inspired by English dance steps and rhythms. With melody, chords and variations, the book is ideally suited for any instrument, but one of the prime factors in the selection of the tunes has been the fact that they sit so happily on the push-pull squeeze-box scale. Although the melodeon came along long after the style and substance of this music was well established, it's breathtaking how perfectly the one can match the other. 

 

On the two accompanying C.D.s - Orlando's Return (DMPCD0301) and Garrick's Delight (DMPCD0302) - you can hear John playing every one of these tunes on his various squeeze-boxes, joined on many of them by his son Benji on guitar or bouzouki. You can follow the dots and play along  at your leisure. With over forty years' playing experience behind him, you couldn't be in safer hands. This collection is an absolute must not only for melodeon players, but for anybody who likes their music with an uncompromising English accent.

 

Contents

 

Alexandra

Alf Gray's Jig

Battle of Prague, The

Big Ship, The

Black Joak, The

Bobby Shafto

Bonnets So Blue

Brickmakers, The

Brunswick

Captain Macintosh

Charming Maid, The

Colosseum, The

Contented Farmer, The

Croaking Cardinal, The

Dam It

Dandy Dancer, The

Dannish Waltz, The

Dennis Crowther's No. 3

Derby Hunt, The

Double Change Sides

Down the Sides and Up the Middle

Dr. Fausters’ Tumblers

Dutch Pins

Evesham Stick Dance, The

Fairy Prince, The

First of September, The

Flaxley Green Dance, The

Garrick's Delight

General Hill's Favourite

Goathland Square Eight, The

Good Old Way, The

Gypsies' Round, The

Haphazard

Hasty Money

Hexham Races

Holborn March

Hunt the Hare

Hunt the Squirrel (Polka)

Hunt the Squirrel (Hornpipe)

Hunting the Squirrel (Jig)

Hyde Park

Irish Washerwoman, The

Jack's Alive

Jingling Geordie, The

John of Paris

John of the Greeny Cheshire Way

John Peel

King Edward The Second's Jig

Kirkgate Hornpipe, The

Lass of Dallogill, The

Leap Over The Garter

Lilliburlero

Long Odds

Merry Wakefield

Milesian, The

Militia, The

Miss Gayton's Hornpipe

Mr. Cosgill's Delight

New White Hart Hornpipe, The

Nymph, The

Orlando's Return

Oscar Woods’ Jig

Penny on the Water

Philibelula All The Way

Physical Snob, The

Polly Put The Kettle On

Prince of Wales’ Jig, The

Prince Regent, The

Prince William

Princess Caroline's Waltz

Radstock Jig, The

Red Joak, The

Red Lion Hornpipe, The

Regent's Hornpipe, The

Rufty Tufty

Runaway, The

Russian Cavalry

Sailor's Delight, The

Shepton Hornpipe, The

Sheringham Breakdown, The

Shrewsbury Waltz, The

Sick And Very Bad

Soldier's Wedding, The

Squirrel, The

Sussex Bonny Breast Knot, The

Tank, The

Tempest, The

Thorpe Malsor Trumpet Tune

Tink A Tink

Touch the Thing

Touchstone, The

Trip to the Cottage

True Joak, The

Washington Hornpipe, The

We Will Down with the French

Welch Hornpipe, The

White Joak, The

Whitehaven Volunteers, The

Wilson's Favourite

Wiltshire Six-Hand Reel, The

Yellow Joak, The

John Kirkpatrick's English Choice Book - John Kirkpatrick

SKU: AP108
£12.95Price
  • John Kirkpatrick presents 101 tunes that are tailor-made for the strong rhythmic approach inspired by English dance steps and rhythms. With melody, chords and variations, the book is ideally suited for any instrument, but one of the prime factors in the selection of the tunes has been the fact that they sit so happily on the push-pull squeeze-box scale.

bottom of page