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Reviews of Volume 2 and its Companion CD

Book Reviews:

The Portland Collection, Contra Dance Music in the Pacific Northwest, Vol. 2

This volume has been sent out to various periodicals.  We will post reviews here as soon as they are published. SS

CD Reviews:  

A Portland Selection 2: Contra Dance Music in the Pacific Northwest

A Portland Selection 2 has been featured on NPR's All Songs Considered.
Click Here, and then again on The Portland Connection link to listen to their commentary and hear a track from this recording.

Country Dance and Song Society News, May/June 2006

This CD is a fine selection of contra dance tunes from the pages of The Portland Collection, Volume 2, edited by Susan Songer and Clyde Curley. Their immensely popular tune books (listed below) bring together tunes which are played by the musicians in the Portland, Oregon dance community. Pianist Songer, multi-instrumentalist Curley, with fiddler George Penk, have selected jigs, reels, hoedowns, rags and vintage marches from the Irish, Quebecois, Scottish, English, and American traditions. Some tracks lead with the fiddle; some lead with mandolin, octave mandolin or banjo; all are played in an upbeat, clean and fresh style. Some special treats include Black Jack Grove/Shady Grove with blues guitar by guest musician Creighton Lindsay, a live version of the Camp Meeting medley with three fiddles, and a lovely rendition of MacLeod's Farewell (aka The Wedding Reel).
 

See Reviews of  The Portland Collection (1) and A Portland Selection (1)