Biography
After 30 years of teaching and a variety of jobs before that I've decided to spend a bit more time with the music. I've dabbled with this and that over the years much to my own enjoyment, though not necessarily that of others. I started trying to sing just like Bob Dylan. And Donovan. And Tom Paxton. And Joan Baez. That last one was a real stretch..


So, the usual early outing with a covers band, giving it all up, finding a fiddle many years later when I was 40, learning to play that after a fashion, playing in a ceilidh band.............. It's all been immense fun, but I did enjoy the day-job too, so it was always strictly occasional and not for making a living. The ceilidh band were The Clarty Cloot Ceilidh Band who, despite me, made a pretty damned good sound over the years I played with them and, after eventually stepping down myself and being replaced with the superb Carly Blain, are better than ever.

Back to me. I've written one or two songs over the years, as well as a number of fiddle tunes. With a bit over 50 fiddle tunes written, I 've decided to publish them. After all, you might as well share what you've written. They're mainly dedicated to people and places I know. On top of this I've recorded an album containing some of the tunes in different arrangements - either just myself or with some pals. It's called "The Road to Yair", after a stretch of road I've known all my life, which is full of ups and downs, sides to sides, memories and prospects. It's good to be on a road.

One fiddle tune was expanded way beyond the original 5 part melody, and became "Farewell to the Battlefields", in 4 parts and scored for a number of instruments. This led in turn to "Prawns and Mirabelles", a larger piece based on childhood experiences of my wife Kerstin, and scored for flute, bassoon, cello and piano. And then more and more......

I suppose this is my current career - enjoying myself! It's a decent ambition. I recommend it.