What are the one hundred best session tunes? Ask a group of traditional musicians that question and you will provoke a great deal of thought, and, of course, end up with a completely different answer from each one.

There is such an amazing wealth and variety of tunes out there, constantly shifting as they pass from person to person, medium to medium; song tunes, dance tunes, marches, polkas, waltzes, love songs, ancient tunes, dirges, made up tunes, sad tunes...

Nick Barber has been part of traditional English music sessions up and down the country for many years. Recently he has been spotted playing melodeon, horn and recorder a bit less and asking about tunes a bit more. His copious scribbled notes have resulted in this tune book.

The tunes are accurately transcribed, referring to original sources wherever possible. Also included is information about each tune, with Nick’s choice of chords suitable for squeezebox and guitar players alike.

If you’d like to join in with the delights of sharing tunes with others in an English session, this book is a good reference point. Every tune is a gem, tried and tested not just by Nick on melodeon and his wife Mary on fiddle, but by generations of players who, over the years, have made the tunes what they are.

Nick Barber's English Choice Book Only : Nick Barber