Mark Arrington Music: News

My new CD Feis Favorites is now available! You can hear it on the Music Samples page. You can buy the CD here, or download it from iTunes, CDBaby, Amazon, and others.

Check out my new Facebook Page Music Store. Type "Mark Arrington Feis Musician" into the search line.

I edited the traditional set dances so that the second part is twice for people who want to do the set part on both feet. You can order them on the Order Music page. I'll get a PayPal notice and email it to you.

Vintage Country will bring our authentic country music to Upper Salford Park this Thursday, the 11th, at 7:00. The park is at the corner of Salford Station and Schwenksville Roads. (Entrance is on Salford Station Road).

You can order the most recently approved set dance Planxty Hugh O'Donnell at 70 bpm from iTunes and all other download sites. If you need a different speed, order here on the Order Music page.

I changed the speed for Saint Patrick' Day to the new NAFC speed of 94. It's on iTunes for 99 cents. I also made one available for 99 cents here on the Order Music page with the set (B part) twice for dancers who will do the set on each foot.

Come on out to see Leticia and me at the Bill Clinton show Friday the 14th starting at 7:00. We'll be performing with a number of other country acts. I'll also be playing fiddle with Bill's band for all of the performers. For details go to http://billclinton37.tripod.com/

Come on out to hear me and Leticia in our Vintage Country duet in a rare local appearance! We'll be at Chandler Hall Friday night 7:00 - 7:45. Here's the site for details: http://www.allaboutnewtown.org/index.php/D.A.R.E.-in-Newtown/first-night-newtown.html

Free set dance download for Christmas! The tune of “The Pipe Through The Meadow Straying” is used for the song “Deck the Halls”. If you want music for a Christmas show this would be a good one to include. You can download “Piper” at 110 beats per minute for free on the Music Samples from now through Christmas day. You might also want to check out the Chieftains “Bells of Dublin” album for more great Irish Christmas music.

This CD includes has all of the traditional set dances at the official speeds. It also includes some tracks from Champtrax that are suitable for beginner hard shoe dances. The reels could be for had or soft shoes.

You can now download my feis music, including the new Planxty Hugh O'Donnell, at the original speed from www.irishdancetunes.com for about $1 (euros actually!) Depending on the exchange rate it's just a couple of pennies more than iTunes or CDBaby, but the site was started by a feis musician and they're a real part of the Irish dance community, so on this site you're supporting your "family"!

CD Baby is giving $1 to the Red Cross for relief to Haiti for every $8.99 or more download. So, buy from www.CDBaby.com instead of other download sites, at least for a while!

You can now download Champtrax from iTunes, CDBaby, or dozens of other sites! Of course, you can still buy the CD here!

You can now order "Champtrax" from the Order Music and Stuff page! As of today it's only available here or at a feis from Fay Shoes, Head for the Worlds, and Faery Reel (Canada). In a few weeks it will be on iTunes and just about every other MP3 download site. Like "Kick It Up A Notch", I'm playing all the instruments. Plus, until the end of the year you get a free set dance when you order Champtrax! Just type in the tune and speed when you check out.

Until the end of the year, you can order all seven traditional set dances at the new official An Coimisiun speeds for $5! Go to the "Order Music and Stuff" page, scroll down to Traditional Set Dances, and order. I email you the dances.

"Champtrax", my new CD of Irish music for feis dancers, is almost finished! It has championship-length tunes played through once, twice, and three times so dancers can practice steps multiple continuous times and still have a definite ending. Until it's released, you can download the non-championship-length tunes from the "Music Samples" page.

We'll be at Shippen Manor in Oxford NJ again this Sunday. It's a restored historic home with an amphitheater lawn used for concerts. Nice place to sit around listening to music.

Reunion concert of the original Beats' Walkin', Philadelphia's premier Western Swing band at the Mermaid this Friday night!

I recorded the long version (20 bar set) of Downfall of Paris for CRN dancers. Just order an "Individual Set Dance" on the order page and type in "Downfall of Paris long version" with the speed you need when you check out.

To promote the less common set dances, I'm giving away some tunes for Oireachtas practice through October! The free sets are Rambling Rake, Four Masters, Rub the Bag, Deep Green Pool, Rodney's Glory, Roving Peddler, Jockey at the Fair, Youghal Harbor, Hurling Boys, White Blanket, and The Three Tunes. Don't order from the site because PayPal will charge me a fee. Send me an email of the tune and speed you want and I'll email it to you as usual.