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Reviews of A Portland Play Along Selection CD

fRoots October 2008 No. 304
Vic Smith

The two excellent volumes of the tune book, The Portland Collection, provided a huge selection of tunes to be played for contra dancing in the Pacific Northwest. Each of the books also provided a CD to give an idea about style.

This double CD offers a further 97 tunes for musicians to 'play along'. It fulfils this function well, but by using this title the three musicians, Betsy Branch on fiddle, Clyde Curley on mandolin and banjo with Susan Songer providing the most exquisite and inventive vamped piano accompaniments, are rather understating the album's appeal. This is really enjoyable listening music; the repertoire is borrowed from a wide variety of sources - Appalachian, Québécois, Scottish, Irish etc. - and adapted to fit the needs of the reels and jigs of contra dancing. This means that familiar tunes such as The Scholar are heard played with subtly different emphases to fit their new and different function. Dance band musicians in particular are sure to find this fascinating stuff.

From: Meryle Korn
To: Cyberpluckers
Date: April  4, 2008

Many 'Pluckers seem to enjoy learning to play contradance music, and many have  The Portland Collection 1 & 2 tune books by northwesterners Susan Songer and Clyde Curley.  Between them, the books offer 640 tunes with prolific notes on their history and other esoterica. 

After the collection was published, Sue and Clyde, along with George Penk, produced CDs labeled A Portland Selection 1 & 2 which offered some of their favorite tunes from the respective books.

Now they have released a wonderful double CD set, A Portland Play Along Selection:  97 Contra Dance Tunes for Listening and Learning.  The tunes are selected from both Portland Collection volumes and have not been recorded on the earlier CDs.  Betsy (fiddle), Clyde (mandolin, 4-string banjo & fiddle) and Sue (piano) have arranged the tunes in medleys but track-numbered each tune within the set so you can figure out which one you're listening to.  The tunes are slowed down from "dance speed" to allow you to play along and learn as you go, whether by ear or as a complement to the written-out tunes.  They make great listening in the slowed-down versions.  For folks like me who are "paper-trained" musicians who have to hear a piece before all those notes on the page make much sense, the CDs will be a wonderful tune-learning tool, and once the tunes "get into" the ears, I find the playing – and the ability to increase the speed to dance tempo – is ever so much easier!
 
Because they emphasize the melodies and play directly from the arrangements in the tune books, this CD set is an excellent choice for 'harpers who want to learn to play contradance tunes.  They're also fun for straight listening!  The album notes cross-reference the tunes with the tune books, further enhancing their usefulness.

You can find a listing of all the tunes on the CDs...(Note: details about ordering on the computer were removed)  At $25 (plus shipping), they fall into the Must-Have department for any aspiring (or experienced) contradance autoharper and for everyone who enjoys listening to charming tunes well played.
 

From: Bob Lewis
To: Cyberpluckers
Date: April 16, 2008

I heeded Meryle's mention of the Portland Collection double CD and ordered a copy.

This is going to work so well for me. I have listened to all 97 tunes, played as spare but very listenable melodies and at stately tempos that I can follow. I am familiar with many of them but had never captured them in a way that would allow me to really "learn" them. Dubuque and Big Scioty are examples...I know them when I hear them and can jump right in. I could never lead them though. There is the difference. This is like the ultimate self recording around all the jams, and dances, and festivals.

I understand there are books to go with this recording.

The key for each tune is given but on a separate list, not with each track description. It took me some time to write in key, so I could follow the key changes as I listened, sometimes playing along.

One reason for converting the CDs to my computer or other device is so that I can mark, name, and then cue specific tracks/tunes. I wouldn't have to scroll through while counting or trying to recognize snippets of a tune that I might not actually know very well. I will try playing the CDs on my computer instead and see if there is then a cuing capability about which I had forgotten, perhaps a visible play list.

(Note: details about ordering on the computer were removed)...Shipping to me in SC was $3.00, what I would call minimal.  Receipt after ordering and payment was very prompt.

One last thing about impressions is that the recording seems remarkable in quality. I also noted that the musicians have wonderful instruments with exceptional tone, character, and clarity, all played flawlessly. This is really professionally done and an impressive display of ability and
accomplishment.

Did I say that I liked it? I am hungry for some "new" music to play, and this will serve beautifully.