The Fumblin' Fingers Music

The Fumblin' Fingers generally play familiar favourites from the Atlantic provinces of Canada, as well as Celtic pieces, jigs and reels. The music is lively and will keep you stomping your feet and wanting more.

One of our favorites is a medley (actually, two, and sometimes three of them, played as a set) of all the Newfoundland songs you are likely to have ever heard, including "Jack was every Inch a Sailor", "I'se the B'y", "The Old Polina", "Great Big Sea", "Kelligrew's Soiree", and "Feller From Fortune".

In addition to the great wealth of traditional tunes, we also draw on the composing abilities of several of our members - Hannie, Marcia and Celeste; "The Newfie Bullet", "O'Hara's Hornpipe", "Portsmouth" and "Friend of Mine" are good examples.

We can't forget to mention our signature piece, a fast-moving set that we use to close all our sessions; "The Redwing Set", which links traditions from Scotland, Ireland and the American West.



Recordings

Here and There

CD #4. Unlike our previous CDs, when we recorded this one we didn't have a real theme in mind. So when it came time to give it a name, we were at a bit of a loss. It's a bit of this, a bit of that, music from home, and some from farther away. We toyed with such visions as Atlantic Stew, Medley Pot and so on, until I tripped over the photo on the cover that many will recognize as having been taken at a famous lighthouse in Nova Scotia. It inspired the name, and we think you will agree it is appropriate. As before, it is a good representation of the type of music we play, and reflects our Maritime roots.

We'd like to send our thanks out to Wayne Chaulk for allowing us to record his song "Salt Water Joys" - we know it will touch the hearts of many other Newfoundlanders who are temporarily lodged 'Upalong', waiting for the day when they can return home. Thanks also to Goldie for giving us permission to include her mother's wonderful fiddle tune "River John Sunset"). As usual we had a great time recording this in the studio of our favourite audio engineer, Ken Kanwisher.

  1. Harold's Jig set (Harold's Jig/Jimmy's Close In/Ruby's Garden)
  2. Cook in the Galley set (Cook In The Galley/Old Jig #4)
  3. Annie Laurie
  4. Ookpik set (Ookpik Waltz(Frankie Rodgers)/River John Sunset(Florence Killen))
  5. Wind that Shakes the Barley set (The Wind that Shakes the Barley/Rolling in the Ryegrass)
  6. Skye Boat Song
  7. The Island (Kenzie MacNeil)
  8. Maple Sugar(Ward Allen)
  9. Gypsy Polka (Hannie Fitzgerald)
  10. Salt Water Joys (Wayne Chaulk, with permission)
  11. Da Slockit Light (Tom Anderson)
  12. Isle of Newfoundland (Bert Cuff)
  13. Star of the County Down
  14. Boys Lament set (Boys Lament for his Dragon/Petronella)
  15. Black Velvet Band
  16. Sweet Forget-Me-Not
  17. Ashokan Farewell set (Ashokan Farewell (Jay Ungar)/My Cape Breton Home (Jerry Holland))
  18. Irish Rover set (The Irish Rover/The Mermaid/Roddy McCorley)
  19. Suppertime March set (John O'Shea's March/Suppertime March (Hannie Fitzgerald))

Party in Da Shed! (2015)

Our third CD, inspired by the title song, which was written by Celeste in homage to one of our favorite Newfoundland bands. Plus the usual collectionn of mostly traditional and folk tunes from England, Ireland, Scotland, Newfoundland and Labrador. Again, many thanks for the recording and engineering talents of Ken Kanwisher.

  1. Dashing set (Dashing White Sergeant/Denis Murphy's Polka/The Forty-two Pound Cheque/John Ryan's Polka)
  2. Crooked Stovepipe
  3. Nfld Medley 1A
  4. Da Shed (lyrics Celeste Bradbury-Marshall, music Scott Richardson, with permission)
  5. Banks of Newfoundland
  6. Newfoundland Blessing (Rex Roberts, with permission)
  7. Chinese Breakdown
  8. Flower of Edinburgh/Willafjord
  9. The Keel Row/Road to the Isles
  10. The Croppies March/I'll Tell Me Ma
  11. Me Mother Won't Let Me Marry/Meeting of the Waters
  12. St. Anne's Reel/Fisherman's Favourite
  13. Faded Love
  14. Carrickfergus
  15. Rowed Up In A Dory set (I Rowed Up in a Dory/Mussels in the Corner/She Said She Could Not Dance)
  16. Merry Blacksmith set (The Merry Blacksmith/Green Mountain Petronella/Reel de Montreal)
  17. Fair Winds/A Day on the Bay (Hannie Fitzgerald)
  18. The Rose of Aranmore
  19. Barren Rocks
  20. The Newfie Bullet (Hannie Fitzgerald)

Rainy Day Jigs (2009)

Another collection of mostly traditional and folk tunes from England, Ireland, Scotland, Newfoundland and Labrador, this is our second CD, released in 2010. It also contains some non-traditional tunes that we enjoy, as well as a large helping of our own original tunes and songs. Many thanks for the recording and engineering talents of Ken Kanwisher.

  1. Maid Behind the Bar/Temperance Reel
  2. Crossing to Ireland/The Mist Covered Mountains/Tha Mi Sgith
  3. Old Storyteller/King of the Fairies/Green Castle
  4. Rainy Day Jig/Irish Washerwoman
  5. Boys of Bluehill/Soldier's Joy/Staten Island Hornpipe
  6. Newfoundland Medley #4: Harbour Le Cou/Squid-Jiggin' Ground/Badger Drive/Star of Logy Bay
  7. I'se the B'y/Cock o' the North
  8. I Rowed up in a Dory/Rambler's Hornpipe
  9. Silver and Gold Two-Step
  10. Friend of Mine (Celeste Bradbury-Marshall)
  11. Si Bheag, Si Mhor/South Wind
  12. Codlins and Cream (Bryon Bonnett)/Sunshine Polka (Hannie Fitzgerald)
  13. Three Sea Captains
  14. Johnny-O/Grand Old Duke of York/Lord James Murray Reel
  15. Chapeau Boys
  16. (#15 cont'd) Log Driver's Waltz (Wade Hemsworth)
  17. Lemonville Jig (Jack Hayes/SODRAC)
  18. Chicken Reel (Joseph M. Daley)/Turkey in the Straw/Arkansas Traveller
  19. Fool's Jig/Louisberg Square/Oyster Girl
  20. Lannigan's Ball/Goat on the Green/Rakes of Kildare
  21. The Bonnie Lass that Wouldnae Marry Me/Hunter's Hill/March of St.Timothy (Judi Morningstar)
  22. Over the Waterfall/Harper's Frolic/Liberty Reel

Atlantic Treasures (2007)

Our first CD "Atlantic Treasures" is a collection of traditional and folk tunes from England, Ireland, Scotland, Newfoundland and Labrador;

  1. Red Wing Set (Belfast Polka/The Rakes of Mallow/Red Wing)
  2. Newfoundland and Labrador Set (Tune from "Tribute to Nfld" (Come A' Ye Tramps An' Hawkers)/High on the Mountain of Old Mokami)
  3. Island Medley (The Dark Island/Skye Boat Song/Westering Home/Wild Mountain Thyme)
  4. Labrador Set (Northern Lights of Labrador/Labrador Rose)
  5. Newfoundland Medley #2
  6. Galopede Set (Galopede/Pretty Little Mary/Travellers Reel)
  7. Tripping Up the Stairs Set (Tripping Up the Stairs/Smash the Windows)
  8. The Shan Van Vocht
  9. Drowsy Maggie Set (Ships Are Sailing/Drowsy Maggie)
  10. Sally Gardens
  11. It's Sunday Again Waltz
  12. Atholl Highlanders
  13. Ballyoran Set (Ballyoran Polka/The Girl I Left Behind Me)
  14. The Devil's Dream
  15. Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary's
  16. Mussels in the Corner

In addition to our own CD releases, we have been included in several of the CD recordings of public performances of the Atlantic Voices choir. The band first played for their Spring Concert in April 2005 - since then we've performed at every concert, as well as many community and fundraising events.

Our CDs can be obtained at any of our performances, including the Atlantic Voices concerts, as well as by contacting us at fumblinfingers@gmail.com.