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 Buy me a coffee? Please help this podcast keep going! https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman 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”