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)
- 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 Repertoire.