Sidmouth big band is a giant all-comers ceilidh band which happens at Sidmouth Folk Festival every year. A week of workshops lead to a public ceilidh, playing for dancing in the Anchor Gardens (Thursday 7th August, afternoon).
For 2025 Sidmouth festival, the tunes were selected from the Big Book below, though possessing the book isn’t a requirement!
Bound books will be available during Sidmouth week. They can also be downloaded from here:
Sidmouth Big Band Book (B flat edition)
Sidmouth Big Band Book (Mary Yates version)
Sidmouth Big Band Book (Caroline Ellis version)
HEAR THE TUNES:
1. A Dance
2. Brandon Quick Step
3. Queen of Hearts
4. The Dwarf
5. Lily Lips
6. Hudane
7. Lady Frances Pratt’s Fancy
8. Hooks Fancy
9. Alexis
10. German Spa
11. Hadrian’s Wall
12. Lee’s Polka
13. The Chinise Dance
14. Ganglat efter Skommar Far
15. German Boor Dance
16. Jubilate
17. Russells Triumph
18. Teazing Made Eazy
19. Boda Waltz
20. The Beau’s Delight
21. Glorious Appollo
In 2024 Sidmouth Big Band celebrated 25 years! To mark the occasion, and to celebrate 70 years of Sidmouth Folk Festival, there was a new Big Band tunebook!
All the 299 tunes that we have played over the years are collected into a single volume. The cunning A4 landscape 2-up coil-bound format makes it surprisingly easy to read and to handle.
This book is now available from the SHOP page. You can view or download individual tunes (for free) from the contents area of the book’s shop page – though I’d recommend getting the book!
In 2024, workshops ran daily as part of Sidmouth Folk Festival Sunday August 4th-Friday August 9th, with an Anchor Gardens Ceilidh on the Friday.
Here is the tunebook for 2024:
Get the tunebook (B flat edition)
Get the tunebook (Bass clarinet version)
Hear the tunes and the separate parts:
- The Ball (2008): (Hardy)
2. The Flight (2008): (Hardy)
3. Henri Quatre (2007): (Shatwell)
4. The Clermont (2007): (Shatwell)
5. I’ll Touzel Your Kerchy (2021): (Jackson)
6. Bloom of the Pea (2014): (Skillern)
7. Quickstep (2014): (W.G.)
8. The Feathers (2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2014):(Broderip-2)
9. Bjorklunds Polketta (2022): (Barber-3)
10. Ganglat efter Skommar Far (2022): (Barber-3)
11. Argiers (2006): (Playford)
12. The New Rigaudon (2006): (Playford)
13. Weighton Fair (2001, 2014, 2019, 2020): (Anonymous-Walsh)
14. Sir Sidney (2007, 2014, 2019): (Astor)
15. Bokker Skotsk (2022): (Barber-3)
16. Isle of France (2013, 2019): (Clarke W. )
17. Fransch Morgenstierne (2022): (Barber-3)
18. Reggish (2022): (Barber-3)
19. Lancashire Hornpipe (Irwin)
20. Miss Richards’ Hornpipe (2004, 2014): (Hardy)
21. Welcome to the World (2001, 2002): (Barber-2)
22. Sherwood Forest (Cahusac-3)
23. Fitz Ugly (2015, 2017, 2019): (Whitaker)
24. A Russian March (2013): (Clarke W. )
25. Rosalie Prairie Flower (2008)
26. Nutmiggs and Ginger (2001): (Anonymous-3)
27. Said Too Much Already (2001, 2002, 2005, 2007): (Barber-2)
28. Carol’s Waltz (2021): (Barber-2)
29. Tyrol Waltz (2019): (Irwin)
30. Feast (2001, 2002, 2005): (Barber-2)