Janie Rothfield: Traditional American Fiddler, Banjo Player, Composer and Educator

The incredibly charming American musician Janie Rothfield is a great traditional fiddler, banjo player, educator, composer, and so much fun to talk to! This episode features quite a bit of music on both fiddle and banjo. The conversation delved into the best ways to teach music, learn tunes, play with ease, accompany dancers and most importantly find connection with others through music! We talked about her childhood, learning violin in one of the first Suzuki classes in the United States with Louise Behrend, figure skating, learning the banjo, moving to Scotland, playing at music festivals, and why she started her unique “Janie’s Jumpstart Weekend Camps”. Janie records and tours with many bands and teaches both fiddle and clawhammer banjo. This episode is available as a video, and the transcript will later be published to my website as well: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/janie-rothfield-traditional-american-fiddler-banjo-player-composer-and-educator

I’ve also included timestamps below. Janie's website: https://janierothfield.com/ photo credit: Clara Williams

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:36) New Jordon on fiddle by Uncle Norm Edmonds

(04:04) groove and rhythmic drive and variety

(05:34) Suzuki lessons, Louise Behrand

(09:09) Janie’s Jumpstart Weekend camps, how they got started

(11:08) pivoting during pandemic

(12:38) Contra dances

(15:30) Allan Carr

(17:01) Janie’s childhood figure skating, dancing

(18:56) early career, balancing parenting, Little Missy with Shona Carr

(21:35) Hen’s Teeth duo with Nathan Bontrager, and the Idumea string quartet with Ewan McDonald and Becka Wolfe

(26:21) meeting Allan in Scotland

(27:24) how Janie teaches music

(33:11) different influences in old-time music

(34:50) festivals Clifftop and Fire in the Mountain

(36:28) how to memorize tunes

(38:53) cross-tuning, variety in interpretation with Candy Girl

(45:15) old-time history Jimmy McConn, Paul David Smith, Owen “Snake” Chapman and a simple approach to learning

(46:53) history of enslaved blues fiddlers, wondering about the connection with old-time dances during the time of slavery, Julie Lyonn Lieberman research, Béla Fleck

(48:26) Shetland rhythms, different fiddling traditions, story of Albany radio station being heard in Shetland and influencing the music of Peerie Willie Johnson

50:15 benefit of playing for dancers, Alexis Chartrand

51:55 Janie’s sister musician Suzy Thompson, folk influences from their mother

52:59 learning the banjo

54:27 Johnny Don’t Come Home Drunk on banjo

57:33 difference with bluegrass and old-time, story about Blaine Sprouse

01:01:12 Candy Girl on the banjo

01:03:34 learning the guitar, Allan Carr’s approach

01:04:27 Brendan Power harmonica player

01:07:55 fiddlesticks, Colin Currie Nicole Lizée, foot percussion

01:11:38 Jane’s tune “Harry Garrison” on fiddle

01:15:04 discussion about Jane’s outgoing and upbeat personality and how it’s impacted her career and music, her advice for inviting collaborations

01:22:37 Jane’s tune “The Mist”