Last edited Tue Jul 15, 2014, 11:40 AM - Edit history (2)
Shetland/Scottish fiddler Aly Bain did a field recording style documentary for British television back in the early 80's I think it was and among other U.S. regions .. he went to North Carolina to visit with Tommy Jarrell, and they had a few tunes together as well as some great story telling from Tommy talking about his early life bootlegging and getting shot by the "revenuers". But I digress, in one clip Aly and Tommy are out in the field of his land playing Ole Sally Ann I think it was, and a woman set up a little wooden platform just big enough to flatfoot dance along with the Tommy and Aly's fiddling. It was great.
Don't know who the woman was, but it was definitely authentic. Might have been Mike Seeger's wife? The documentary was actually a series made for British Tv Channel 4 called "Down Home". I don't know if it's available anywhere, I happen to have a copy Aly gave me at Valley of the Moon Scottish Fiddle Camp one year. It's a treasure trove of traditional playing from the Shetland Islands to the Appalachians; from Quebec to Texas. It's worth searching for if possible.
Editing to add, that Mike Seeger is featured at his home and so many others, a panoply of musicians, well known and not so known but important contributors to the cultural and ethnic diversity of traditional music.
Bruce Molsky wasn't known when this documentary was made, but he sure is now, and a fabulous teacher/friend of mine I'm proud to say. Of course where Bruce makes friends with everyone he meets where ever he goes to all the corners of the planet. Aly is on the left, and Bruce is the fiddler on the right.. this clip is from one of the transatlantic sessions: great tune by the way.
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