That's really fascinating!  As Michael notes, 112 would feel slow to  
today's dancers, but I do agree it's a great tempo for the tune. And  
at 112 the courtesy turns could certainly be more courteous!

RAF

On Mar 9, 2009, at 2:43 PM, Michael Barraclough wrote:

> Sylvia suggests that
>
>
>
> "We should follow the tempo in the Assembly Players CD Levi  
> Jackson. Nic
> Broadbridge is the leader of that group and worked closely with Pat  
> Shaw who
> wrote the dance."
>
>
>
> I am not sure that I agree.  This might be the preferred speed in  
> Scotland,
> or the UK, or now.  It says nothing, however, about the speed that Pat
> wanted or expected it to be played back in 1974.
>
>
>
> My first experience of dancing Levi Jackson Rag was to the calling  
> of Pat
> Shaw, in London, and although this was over 30 years ago, I am  
> certain that
> it was slower than generally done today.  As well as working with the
> Assembly Players, Pat also worked closely and regularly with the  
> Kenton
> Ramblers, a London-based 3 piece band led by the late Sheila  
> Mason.  As well
> as being the mother of one of the dancers in our university dance  
> group,
> Sheila lived just around the corner from me and was a regular baby  
> sitter.
> We had many musical and dance-based conversations, including about  
> Levi
> Jackson Rag.  If I recollect correctly, Sheila was the 1st person  
> to play
> the tune for Pat, if not in the world, at least in the UK.  She always
> complained that people played it much too fast and that it should  
> be slower
> and 'swing'.  That is certainly how the Kenton Ramblers played it  
> for me.
> Of course, when you play it more slowly it becomes more obvious  
> whether the
> musician has actually hit all the notes correctly!  I am thinking  
> about
> 112-114bpm.
>
>
>
>
>
> Michael Barraclough
> http://www.michaelbarraclough.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From:
> sentto-10754689-14055-1236621858- 
> michael=michaelbarraclough.com at returns.grou
> ps.yahoo.com
> [mailto:sentto-10754689-14055-1236621858- 
> michael=michaelbarraclough.com at retu
> rns.groups.yahoo.com] On Behalf Of smiskoe at aol.com
> Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 2:04 PM
> To: trad-dance-callers at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [trad-dance-callers] Re: Tempo for Levi Jackson Rag
>
>
>
> We should follow the tempo in the Assembly Players CD "Levi  
> Jackson". Nic
> Broadbridge is the leader of that group and worked closely with Pat  
> Shaw who
>
> wrote the dance. Pat has passed away but what better reference  
> could we get
> than by listening to Nic's recording. It is faster than the you tube
> selection first cited, 29 seconds for one rendition.
> Sylvia Miskoe, Concord, NH
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> .
>
>
> <http://geo.yahoo.com/serv?s=97359714/grpId=10754689/ 
> grpspId=1705123886/msgI
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