ESMM are regularly complimented on the quality of their music. Within the side we have a number of musicians and various instruments which are used both for our dance performances and the "apres dancing" activities until the pubs close. On this page you'll find an example of some jig tunes played by ESMM.

Our main musicians are (in alphabetical order):

Keith Gamble (accordion)
Bob Hobley (Whistles)
Dick Larque (Fiddle)
Peter Brunton (concertina)
Dave Shires (accordion)
Dave Stewart (melodeon, recorder)

The music we play to accompany the dances are, by and large, the traditional ones that were collected by Cecil Sharp and his colleagues when the dances themselves were "collected" from the original dancers at the start of the 1900s. Some of the tunes are, quite clearly, of fairly modern (e.g. "Dance Hall) origin, but the majority appear to be ancient and, like the dances themselves, their sources are mostly unknown.

All East Surrey musicians are required to dance with the side before joining the band and this helps to ensure that the music supplements and supports the dance rather than overwhelming it.

The musical style of East Surrey owes much to the tutelage of Martin Jolley (fiddle). Martin was the lead musician of the side for over 30 years until his death in 1996. He has left a worthy legacy.

Click on a link below to hear music from our Reportoire.

Aston White Ladies Adderbury Beaux of London City Bluebells of Scotland Buffoon Constant Billy Flowing Bowl Lads a Buncham Postman's Knock Shepherd's Hey Badby Beaux of London City Broad Cupid Shepherd's Hey Bampton Bobbing Around The Quaker Rose Tree Bledington Black Joke Idbury Hill Leapfrog Over the Water to Charlie Trunkles William and Nancy Young Collins Brackley Jockey to the Fair Bucknell Room for the Cuckolds Queen's Delight Saturday Night Willow Tree Eynsham Brighton Camp	Fieldtown Balance the Straw Banks of the Dee Blue Eyed Stranger Bobby and Joan Country Gardens Dearest Dickey The Forester Leapfrog Old Woman Tossed Up The Rose Shepherd's Hey (Signpost) Gloryshears (Stepback) Trunkles The Valentine Headington Bean Setting Getting Upstairs Haste to the Wedding Hunt the Squirrel Laudnum Bunches Rigs o' Marlow Rodney 29th of May Lichfield Milley's Bequest Ring o' Bells Sherriff's Ride Vandals of Hammerwich Jenny Lind Sherbourne Constant Billy Cuckoo's Nest Lads a Buncham Monk's March Orange in Bloom Old Woman Tossed Up Trunkles Upton Upon Severn Stick Dance
Other Dances that we perform.
Jigs	Processionals
The Nutting Girl       Go and Enlist Princess Royal         Lumps of Plum Pudding	Wheatley Winster

If you'd like to hear more, please email me