Flying Shoes Radio Hour

Chrissy Fowler
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Highlighting the roots and branches of the contra dance music we love here in Belfast, Maine and beyond, the musicians who play it with and for others, and the dancers of all ages that it inspires! In each episode, host Chrissy Fowler welcomes contra dance musicians to an informal recording session, where we get to hear their sound up close and personal, as well as stories about their history and approach to playing.

Episodes

  1. JAN 28

    Episode 6 - Benjamin Foss & Bennett Konesni

    Click here to download transcript Links:  Benjamin Foss - https://www.benjaminfoss.com/ ~ Benjamin plays with The Pine Tree Flyers, Thunderwing, and a variety of other musiciansBennett Konesni - www.bennettkonesni.com which will take you here: http://www.duckbackfarm.com/ ~ Bennett plays with Drive Train, the Gawler Family Band, and a variety of other musiciansDuring our conversation, Bennett & Benjamin referred to various individuals and organizations, including these:  Bagaduce Music - Bennett is executive director of this nonprofit, where both he and Benjamin lead music ensembles and catalyze other music happenings (https://www.bagaducemusic.org/)Maine Fiddle Camp - Both Bennett & Benjamin teach at this intergenerational music camp (https://www.mainefiddlecamp.org/)Rehoboth Contra Dance - Benjamin grew up participating in this dance series, and also served on its board (https://rehobothcontradance.com/)Brooks Contra Dance - Benjamin co-founded this thriving contra dance series at the Marsh River Theater in Brooks (https://www.instagram.com/brookscontradance/)The Gawler Family (https://www.facebook.com/GawlerFamilyBand/)Greg Boardman (Maine musician Neil Pearlman featured Greg on his great podcast, Trad Cafe, in 2017 -  https://tradcafe.libsyn.com/episode-20-greg-boardman)Simon St. Pierre, Québécois fiddler who lived in Maine for much of his life - See (a) the NEA National Heritage Fellowship bio page,  and (b) the resource page from the Maine Fiddle Camp website (https://www.arts.gov/honors/heritage/simon-st-pierre) (https://www.mainefiddlecamp.org/tunes/music-of-simon-st-pierre/)Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, published by Elias Howe - Online resource (https://www.braccio.me/session/ryans-mammoth-collection.pdf) and a brief description (https://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/ryan1.htm)Ralph Page’s publication, Northern Junket -  See (a) the overview page on the Square Dance History Project site, and (b) the digitized archive at UNH in Durham, NH (https://squaredancehistory.org/items/show/1505) (https://scholars.unh.edu/northern_junket/)The map of historic dance halls in Belfast, which is on display at the Belfast Free Library, was created through the vision of former BFS Board Member and local dancer, Alex Mann (Contra Dancing in Belfast - map.jpeg)Tunes: Mackilmoyle’s / Lamplighter’s Hornpipe (both trad)Shingling the Roof (trad, often attributed to a New Brunswick fiddler)Country Waltz (trad, from Prince Edward Island, and popularized by Don Messer)Break Schottis från Delsbo (trad, from Sweden)The Journeyman’s Jig, also called Simon’s in D in Maine (June Eikhard) / Jimmy’s Favorite, also called Simon’s in G in Maine - two jigs from the repertoire of Simon St Pierre of Smyrna MillsThe Brazen Mask (trad)Bonus track after the credits - Maclotte de Houssa, a “Walloon Tune” from Wallonia, a region of Belgium (trad) Check out the Flying Shoes Radio Hour site more information and other great episodes. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about contra and English country dance.    Produced by: Belfast Flying Shoes belfastflyingshoes.org Country Dance & Song Society cdss.org Belfast Community Radio WBFY (where the Flying Shoes Radio Hour airs weekly) wbfy.wpengine.com/show/flying-shoes-radio-hour/

    1h 26m

  2. 12/23/2025

    Episode 5 - Trip to Norwich

    Click here to download transcript Trip to Norwich Contact Carol Compton for bookings ~ cacompton2@gmail.comSome people and places mentioned in the conversation:  Country Dance & Song Society (CDSS) - Country Dance & Song SocietyBrattleboro Music Center (BMC) - Brattleboro Music CenterDavid Millstone - David MillstoneNorthern Spy, the band from the Norwich VT dance, of which Carol & Thal were both members Northern SpySPUDS, a dance band in Philadelphia - SPUDSJohn Krumm, musician and dance leader - John KrummStar Island, in the Isles of Shoals, where the Star Hampshire Traditional Music & Dance Weekend was held - https://starisland.org/ and https://www.starhampshire.org/index.htmlTunes: Glise de Sherbrooke (trad) / Flop Eared Mule (trad)Cliffs of Moher (trad) / Cat Man Dew (Thal Aylward)Tawyard Hall (Carol Compton)Eddie’s Reel (trad) / Air du Saguenay (trad) / Joys of Quebec (trad) Emilio’s Rag (Thal Aylward) Covid Free (Thal Aylward) / Lady of the Lake (trad) / La Grandeuse (trad) Check out the Flying Shoes Radio Hour site more information and other great episodes. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about contra and English country dance.    Produced by: Belfast Flying Shoes belfastflyingshoes.org Country Dance & Song Society cdss.org Belfast Community Radio WBFY (where the Flying Shoes Radio Hour airs weekly) wbfy.wpengine.com/show/flying-shoes-radio-hour/

    1h 4m

  3. 11/28/2025

    Episode 4 - Genticorum

    Click here for the full transcript Genticorum website ~ https://www.genticorum.com/facebook ~ https://www.facebook.com/genticorumInstagram ~ https://www.instagram.com/genticorum/YouTube ~ https://www.youtube.com/user/GenticorumTradGetting their music ~ https://linktr.ee/genticorumSome people and places mentioned in the conversation:  Festival Memoire et Racines - https://www.memoireracines.org/frWaterville QC community dance - https://www.centrecommunautairewaterville.ca/danse-tradFestival du Violon de Sutton (Pascal is currently the artistic director) - https://violontraditionnelsutton.com/The All Comers Band page - https://belfastflyingshoes.org/all-comers-band/ - including a transcription of Galope des montagnards laurentiens - https://belfastflyingshoes.org/all-comers-tunes-for-march-1/Crowfoot was a band comprised of Nicholas Williams, Jaige Trudel and Adam Broome. They’re no longer playing for contra dances, but toured extensively to broad acclaim.Tunes: Galope des montagnards laurentiens (trad)Quadrille de Montcalm / reel du lièvre / reel de Chicoutimi (trad)La chaine des dames (André Alain)Valse Beaulieu (Pascal Gemme)Hommage à Guy Thomas (Philippe Bruneau) Check out the Flying Shoes Radio Hour site more information and other great episodes. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about contra and English country dance.    Produced by: Belfast Flying Shoes belfastflyingshoes.org Country Dance & Song Society cdss.org Belfast Community Radio WBFY (where the Flying Shoes Radio Hour airs weekly) wbfy.wpengine.com/show/flying-shoes-radio-hour/

    1h 17m

  4. 07/25/2025

    Episode 3 - River Road

    Click here to download the full transcript River Road website ~ riverroadtrad.com/facebook ~ facebook.com/riverroadma/Instagram ~ instagram.com/riverroadtrad/#Some people and places that River Road referred to during the conversation:  Glen Loper glenloper.com ~ a Maine musician who granted permission for the band to record his tune, Water in the Attic, for this podcastCountry Dance & Song Society summer camps camp.cdss.orgPinewoods Camp pinewoods.orgPigtown Fling pigtownfling.comYouth Dance Weekend youthdanceweekend.orgBIDA bidadance.orgThe Valley Flyer amtrak.com/valley-flyer-trainTunes: Rolling Waves (trad) / Hole in the Hedge (trad) / Lucy Farr’s Barn Dance (trad)Point Roberts (Jesse Ball) / Hiccup (Jesse Ball)The Friendly Clarinetist (Kristen Planeaux)Break Water in The Attic (Glen Loper) / Starlit Skies (Jesse Ball)The Valley Flyer (Jesse Ball) Check out the Flying Shoes Radio Hour site more information and other great episodes. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about contra and English country dance.    Produced by: Belfast Flying Shoes belfastflyingshoes.org Country Dance & Song Society cdss.org Belfast Community Radio WBFY (where the Flying Shoes Radio Hour airs weekly) wbfy.wpengine.com/show/flying-shoes-radio-hour/

    1h 4m

  5. 05/23/2025

    Episode 2 - Wild Asparagus

    Full Episode Transcript Links: Wild Asparagus (Ann Percival, Becky Tracy, David Cantieni, George Marshall) ~ wildasparagus.com/George’s dance programs in St. Croix ~ tropicaldancevacation.comAnn’s projects as a visual artist ~ annpercival.com/Becky’s other projects, including with her husband Keith Murphy ~ blackislemusic.com/ and facebook.com/beckytracykeithmurphy/Hear more from the members of Wild Asparagus in another CDSS podcast, Contra Pulse, including these episodes:David Cantieni: episode-7-david-cantieni-part-1/ and episode-8-david-cantieni-part-2/Becky Tracy: episode-39-becky-tracy/George Marshall: episode-13-george-marshall/During our conversation, the members of Wild Asparagus refer to other artists, including these:  Swallowtail, the influential Pioneer Valley MA contra dance band (George Marshall, David Cantieni, Timm Triplett, Ron Grosslein, and Tim Van Egmond)John Skelton, a woodwind player in the House Band“Jamesie” Brewster, a legendary Caribbean musician. Learn more about Jamesie in this St Croix Source article; in this film about his role in “Scratch” and Quelbe music of St Croix and the US Virgin Islands jamesieproject.com/; and in the Columbia College Archives.Tunes: Ross’s Reel # 4 / Frenchie’s (both trad)Dick Gossip (trad)Stonetown (John Skelton)Song for Gale (Larry Kaplan; sung by Cindy Kallet and others)Break Recreational Doctor (Keith Murphy)The Lazy B (David Cantieni)Speed the Plow (trad) / Enjoy Yourself (Carl Sigman & Herb Magidson) from the Wild Asparagus album, “Live at the Guiding Star Grange”, © 2009 Check out the Flying Shoes Radio Hour site more information and other great episodes. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about contra and English country dance.    Produced by: Belfast Flying Shoes belfastflyingshoes.org Country Dance & Song Society cdss.org Belfast Community Radio WBFY (where the Flying Shoes Radio Hour airs weekly) wbfy.wpengine.com/show/flying-shoes-radio-hour/

    1h 1m

  6. 03/24/2025

    Episode 1 - Pine Tree Flyers

    Full episode transcript Musician websites & some topics referenced in the show: Pine Tree Flyers - pinetreeflyers.com/ Katie McNally - katiemcnally.com Emily Troll - emilytrollmusic.com Neil Pearlman - neilpearlman.com/ Owen Marshall - owenmarshallmusic.com/home/ Trad Cafe (Neil’s podcast) - tradcafe.org/ Maine Music Compendium (book referenced by Katie) - brickstoremuseum.org/product/maine-musical-compendium-by-paul-wells/ NH Library of Traditional Music & Dance at UNH (resource referenced by Chrissy) - library.unh.edu/find/special/subject/new-hampshire-library-traditional-music-dance   Tunes: Lady of the Lake / Lady Walpole / Lady Ann Montgomery (all trad)Haste to the Wedding / Coleraine (both trad)Vidita (waltz by Katie McNally)Break Petronella / Green Mountain Petronella / Petronella (all trad)Glise de Sherbrooke (trad)Hull’s Victory / Douglas’s Favorite / Lamplighter’s Hornpipe (trad / either Jack Douglas or trad / trad) Check out the Flying Shoes Radio Hour site more information and other great episodes. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about contra and English country dance.    Produced by: Belfast Flying Shoes belfastflyingshoes.org Country Dance & Song Society cdss.org Belfast Community Radio WBFY (where the Flying Shoes Radio Hour airs weekly) wbfy.wpengine.com/show/flying-shoes-radio-hour/

    1h 3m
  • 6 Episodes

About

Highlighting the roots and branches of the contra dance music we love here in Belfast, Maine and beyond, the musicians who play it with and for others, and the dancers of all ages that it inspires! In each episode, host Chrissy Fowler welcomes contra dance musicians to an informal recording session, where we get to hear their sound up close and personal, as well as stories about their history and approach to playing.

Information

  • Creator
    Chrissy Fowler
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2017-2025 Flying Shoes Radio Hour & CDSS
  • Show Website
    Flying Shoes Radio Hour