Contra Pulse

This episode, Julie sits down with fiddler Amy Larkin of Falmouth, MA - a quintessential part of the New England contra dance scene playing in too many bands and musical groups to count: Uncle Gizmo, Heyday, LocoMojo, Mr. Spanky, to name a few and a Cajun Zydeco band with her husband, Jonathan Larkin. Amy talks about her formative experiences growing up in Lincoln, MA and dancing to callers such as Ted Sannella and Dudley Laufman. And we revisit her days touring with Larry Unger and other bands, talk about her current musical projects, and delve into her thoughts on working with callers and playing for dances. She also shares stories about the Boston-area dances, which have played such a huge role in her life as a musician.

Julie sits down with musician, composer, cartoonist, and stuntologist Sam Bartlett. As a musician Sam plays in the Irish and old-time American traditions on the tenor banjo, mandolin, and jaw harp and he has been a huge part of reshaping the face of modern contra dance music. He got his start as a dance musician playing with iconic bands such as Uncle Gizmo, Fresh Fish, Wild Asparagus, and the Clayfoot Strutters.

In their interview Julie and Sam discuss his many musical influences, revisit memories of his very first contra dance, expound on the joys of the jaw harp and so much more. Julie also learns the secret behind Sam’s favorite practice routine (note: do not try this at home!).

This episode, Julie sits down with multi-instrumentalist and composer Larry Unger. Larry has been a full-time musician since 1984, and he has presented a diverse range of music at contra, Scottish and English dances, music camps, festivals, coffee houses and concerts all across North America and abroad. You might have heard his guitar, banjo, or bass playing in bands like Notorious, Big Table, The Reckless Ramblers, and Uncle Gizmo. Larry gives solo concerts that include a wide variety of music: finger-style blues and slide guitar, rags, old-time banjo tunes, original waltzes and fiddle tunes. He likes to play a number of unusual instruments such as banjo guitar, fretless banjo, jaw harp and piano harp.

Larry has composed more than 5000 tunes, many of which have been recorded by his bands or by other groups. His tunes are widely played at contra dances everywhere and he’s published three books of original tunes and two entire CDs of original waltzes (with Ginny Snowe). His compositions and recordings have been featured in four different Ken Burns television documentaries, on the Grand Ole Opry, and by the San Luis Obispo Symphony Orchestra, to name a few.

This episode comes to you out of the Contra Pulse VAULT. It was recorded pre-Covid when Julie was still going to people’s homes to chat and recording interviews in video format. Because the original end-goal of this interview was not a podcast the audio quality is a little hard to hear at times. If you have any trouble understanding Larry and Julie’s fascinating conversation you can find a full transcript of the interview below.

This episode, Julie sits down with fiddler, teacher, composer, and explorer Karina Wilson. Born into a contradance family, she was dancing to the fiddle in the womb and music and dance have been her north star since before time began. Growing up she avidly studied classical violin through her childhood and youth and fostered an everlasting love affair with English and contra dance music amidst the rich folk scene of her native New Mexico.

Today there’s not much that Karina doesn’t do, as long as it involves music. She teaches and directs a private violin/viola studio, arranges and records for a handful of music studios in northern New Mexico, and performs with multiple groups in Santa Fe including a slightly sacrilegious honky-tonk gospel group, and old-time/blues group, various folk and dance groups, the incredible New Mexican/Mexican traditional music group Lone Piñon, and her own international tradfolk group the Big Heart Band. She still plays for contra and ECD working with bands and musicians such as the Gaslight Tinkers, Larry Unger, Jeff Spero, and George Paul.

In their interview over Zoom Julie and Karina discuss the New Mexico folk dance and music scene that has been so central in her life, her style as a dance musician, and the musical wanderlust, which has led her across 3 continents and 23 countries/territories in search of the complete and true context that surrounds traditional music within each unique culture.

This episode, Julie sits down with pianist, caller, dance choreographer, and west-coaster Jeff Spero. Jeff has been playing piano and singing since he was five years old. At a young age he discovered an affinity for popular music and later brought his rhythmic style to American and Celtic folk and dance music. Now he plays dances, concerts and festivals with bands such as Syncopaths and Rhythm Raptors.

Jeff and Julie discuss his early influences, the nuances of the west coast contra dance scene, the evolution of his signature style, and how he thinks about playing music for dancers. He did the interview over Zoom sitting at his home piano in Culver City, California and the conversation is embellished with tunes and musical interludes.

This episode, Julie sits down with multi-instrumentalist and long-time director of Maine Fiddle Camp Doug Protsik. Doug likes to play the “old-time piano” for dances, melodramas, honky tonk saloons, and silent movies. He’s a founding member of the band Old Grey Goose and has toured the world as a musical ambassador for the US State Department.

In their conversation over Zoom Julie and Doug explore the culture and history of Maine’s traditional music and dance scene. Doug shares his insights on the “secret sauce” that makes Maine Fiddle Camp such a unique and vibrant community and his thoughts on how dance and music styles have changed and shifted over the years. And of course, he treats us to some tunes on the piano and button accordion!

This episode Julie sits down with accordionist Sylvia Miskoe. A New Hampshire native, Sylvia first learned to dance at age 12 in 1947 and has been playing her accordion for decades, ever since college where she began playing for square and contra dancing. Today she plays for contra dancing and also Scottish and English country dance.

In their conversation over Zoom Julie and Sylvia discuss the legendary New Hampshire dance scene where Sylvia first began dancing and eventually crossed paths with Dudley Laufman, who inspired her to pick up the accordion. They explore classic New England tunes, some of the old, traditional couple dances that have been disappearing, compare notes on accordions, and talk about the hey-day of the dance orchestras of Ralph Page and Dudley Laufman. We also enjoy a visit from Sylvia’s charming cat, McQuillen.

This episode Julie sits down with Pacific Northwest fiddler, teacher, and music editor Betsy Branch. Betsy is a versatile musician who loves to explore multiple genres of music. She got her start at age 5 in classical music, and then in her 20’s fell in love with fiddle music. She plays for contra and English Country Dances, and is currently the music editor for The Portland Collection.

Julie and Betsy explore her path from Suzuki violin to square dances at the Tractor Tavern to playing chestnuts at midnight in Montague, Massachusetts. Betsy shares why she loves playing dance music, her philosophy on choosing tunes and her longtime collaboration with David Kaynor. She and Julie also swap stories of memorable on stage snafus and favorite band games to play while the caller teachers the dance.

This episode, Julie sits down with guitarist Owen Morrison known for his driving rhythm and virtuosic flat-picking in well-loved bands such as Elixir, The Figments, and the Morrison Brothers. They dive into Owen’s musical background growing up immersed in a musical family in the midst of a rich music and dance scene of Charlottesville, Virginia. They explore his tune-writing process, his philosophy as a rhythm player, and his astute taste in fashion and beer.

This episode, Julie sits down with accordionist, pianist, and composer Jeremiah McLane. He is known for his work with such groundbreaking contra dance bands as The Clayfoot Strutters and Nightingale, as well as his role as a leader and instructor, especially through his Floating Bridge Music School, which is devoted to teaching traditional music from the British Isles, Northern Europe, and North America. Julie speaks with Jeremiah about his family roots, his early background in jazz and various styles of world music before discovering Celtic music. They explore his tune writing, and composition, stories from his groundbreaking bands over the years, and what it means to innovate while drawing from tradition, but not being held back by it.