Chris Sherburn has played the Anglo Concertina from the age of eight. His parents organised Goole Folk Club, then gave lodgings to the artists. Monday nights he watched them perform. Tuesday morning he played truant and got a free lesson. Chris was mad keen for the music and practised incessantly. After honing his talent at innumerable Irish music sessions, he went on to perform at major events and folk festivals.

Dave Mallinson didn’t discover traditional music until the late age of twenty-two and is completely self taught. Hard work, sheer dogged determination and lengthy practice have had to be his way of life. His constant struggle to maintain his skill gives him a unique insight into the problems and difficulties facing beginners and novices.
Chris’s enormous skill and knowledge combined with Dave’s affinity with beginners make an ideal combination to present this introduction to the Anglo concertina and traditional music.

Foreword by John Spiers

A mop of hair bobbing up and down and a leg tapping wildly to the rhythm of the amazing and complex music, coming from a seemingly tiny instrument in the middle of this frenzy of motion – that was my first impression of Chris Sherburn and his Anglo Concertina when I was just beginning to get in to folk music. He seemed to be ever-present on the scene, whether playing a concert or festival, with his long-standing duo partner Denny Bartley, or just in a pub session. Any occasion is raised a gear with the addition of his wicked sense of humour, his cheeky grin and, most of all, his spellbinding music.

He has been a permanent fixture on the scene ever since, including his part in the massively successful band Last Night’s Fun. Every time I saw Chris play I wanted to have a go at playing the Anglo, until in 2004 I bought one, in a moment of unprecedented impulse buying. I haven’t looked back since. It is a fascinating, beautiful instrument, with the ability to play both euphoric dance music and melancholic airs. It is also very portable!

This book comes as a very welcome addition to the sparse amount of teaching material that currently exists for the Anglo Concertina. Modern advances in developing reliable cheaper instruments for the beginner should hopefully see more people discovering its unique charm. Armed with this excellent tutor, you are well on your way!
 
Contents
 
Foreword by John Spiers
Music Basics for Squeezers
The Anglo Concertina
Anglo Concertina Keyboard
Tunes on the Left Hand Keys
Tunes on the Right Hand Keys
Tunes on Both the Sides
The Key of C Major
Introducing 4/4 Time
Play Some Sea Songs
The Key of D Minor
The Key of G Major - G Row
Introducing 6/8 Time
Cotswold Morris Tunes
Traditional Music
Key of G Major - C Row
Key of G Major - G & C Rows
Play Some Single Reels
The Key of D Major
Slip Jigs and Slides
Introducing 2/4 Time
Irish Polkas
American Reels
The Key of A Minor
The Key of E Minor
Introducing 3/4 Time
Play a Welsh Tune
The Key of A Major
The Hornpipe Rhythm
Play Some Double Jigs
Play Some Easy Melodies
Play Some Irish Tunes

Tunes
 
Jingle Bells
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
When the Saints
Skip to My Lou
Lightly Row
Bobby Shaftoe
Little Brown Jug
The Muffin Man
Loch Lomond
Yankee Doodle
Winster Processional
Polly Put the Kettle On
Baa Baa Black Sheep
South Australia
Donkey Riding
New York Girls
Drunken Sailor
The Bear Dance
Whip Jamboree
Winster Gallop
I Have a Bonnet
Buttered Peas
Cock of the North
The Haymakers’ Jig
Shepherds’ Hey
Shave the Donkey
Hey Away
Swaggering Boney
Johnny Come Down to Hilo
Rattlin’ Bog
A Hundred Pipers
Rodney
Speed the Plough
The Duke of Perth
Oyster Girl
Constant Billy
The Tip Top Polka
Portsmouth
Rakes of Mallow
Young Collins
Muckin’ o’ Geordie’s Byre
Lass o’ Dallowgill
Drops of Brandy
Dennis Enright’s Slide
Scotland
Egans Polka
Eliza Jane
Buffalo Girls
Maggie in the Wood
Uncle Reuben
Camptown Races
John Egan’s Polka
Tralee Gaol
The Ballydesmond Polka
O’Keeffe’s Slide
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
The Rigged Ship
The Man in the Moon
Michael Turner’s Waltz
The South Wind
Sweet Jenny Jones
Miss McLeod’s Reel
Katie Bairdie
Roxburgh Castle
The Bush on the Hill
Larry O’Gaff
Fiery Clock Face
Goodbye Girls
The Ash Grove
The Enniskillen Dragoon
Rolling in the Ryegrass
The Home Ruler