Maple Syrup Cow / Summer Kitchen Waffle Time

Maple Syrup Cow / Summer Kitchen Waffle Time (mp3) (Maple pdf) (Waffle pdf)

Two recently composed dance tunes with a breakfast theme, played a little below dance tempo, with a few more mistakes than usual.

August was a great month for music. I was lucky enough to play for contra dances every Saturday night: twice at Tapestry, once at the Seed Savers barn and once for hundreds of brand new First Year students at Luther College. In addition I was honored to play at a country wedding and enjoyed another of my monthly solo mandolin gigs at Java John's.

The first tune was finished early in the summer and the second was written the morning after Nordic Fest ended. A number of my musician friends already have this tune with the title "July 31, 2016." It's current title came to me after a tasty meal during a recent visit to Door County, WI. (See photo above)

Speaking of Java John's, here's my setlist from Wed., August 24 (the night after the 8 inch rainfall in Decorah, which delivered our second 500 year flood in less than 10 years):

Java John’s solo mandolin, August 24, 2016

Set 1

1. Swarbrick Sends a Tune to Iowa (Goodin) / O’Neill’s Favorite (trad.) / Flowers of Edinburgh (James Oswald, 1710-1769)

2. Oswald: Airs for the Seasons / The Ambrosia

3. Blake: Bright Days (Norman Blake, 1938- )

4. Playford Tunes: George’s Maggot / Chestnut (from the Dancing Master, 1651-1728)

5. O’Carolan : Hewlett / Carolan’s Concerto (Turlough O’Carolan, 1670-1738)

6. St. Louis Railyard

7. Telemann: Menuets 1728 – no. 17 & 15 (G.P. Telemann, 1681-1767)

8. Oswald: Airs for the Seasons / The Capsicum

9. O’Carolan: Lament / Morgan Megan

10. Unbelievable

                                                           Set 2

1. August Deer Tracks: August 18, 2002; August 2002; August 31, 2009

2. Oswald: Airs for the Seasons / The Arbutus

3. The North Georgia Hills

4. English Guittar music: Andante (F.T. Schumann) / Allegro (R. Straube) / Minuet (R. Bremner) / Allegretto (E. Light)

5. Playford Tunes: The Happy Marriage / The Last New Vagaries

6. August 2, 2013 / August 7, 2016

7. Oswald: Airs for the Seasons / The Candy-Tuft

8. O’Carolan: Carolan’s Draught / Planxty George Brabazon, no. 2

9. Telemann: Menuets 1728 – no. 3 & 4

10. Maple Syrup Cow / Summer Kitchen Waffle Time

As you can see I gave the Italian composers a rest and focused mostly on music from the British Isles; Oswald, O'Carolan and tunes from the Playford collections. My next scheduled Java John's date is Wednesday, Sept. 21. Drop in if you feel like it. I haven't thought too much about the musical menu beyond wanting to play some more of the Oswald "Airs for the Seasons."

Before September 21 I have a couple of dances to play with Foot-Notes, including a special fundraiser for repair of the Highlandville Schoolhouse. If you can't make it to this event please consider a donation to this most worthy cause. I also am looking forward to joining Pat's Propellers at the Squirrel Moon Contra and Square Dance Weekend, Sept. 16-18. Who knows, today's tunes might make an appearance there.