This recording’s origin was at a summer festival in Minnesota where most of these musicians jammed together. They decided to get together in 2024 and make a more formal recording with 25 tunes from a wide range of sources, including two previously unrecorded originals by Lynn “Chirps” Smith, who plays fiddle along with AJ Srubas who plays a lot of harmony. David Robinson is on banjo, Jim Nelson is on guitar, Dedo Norris plays piano, and Rina Rossi holds down the bass. It was released in April 2025.

They open with Bob Walters’ setting of “Granny Will Your Dog Bite.” As one might expect from a band with three or four rhythm instruments, the tune is both energetic and powerful. Next is “Billy Butler,” which is from Illinois fiddler Noah Beavers, more solid dance music. Next is Nile Wilson’s “Tie Hacker #2” which has a lovely soaring slide in the B part. “Five Miles Out of Town” is from Iowa fiddler Frame Davis, and is not related to “Five Miles From Town,” except that both are in the key of D. The tune that inspires the recording’s title is “Swamper’s Revenge on the Windfall” from Wisconsin fiddler Leonard Finseth which has a schottishe rhythm. As Chirps’ wife, Dot Kent, once told me while we were dancing to her husband’s fiddling, the rhythm is one-two-three jump. “Sugar in the Gourd” is from the Skillet Lickers’ version. “Joe Wingerter’s Old Song Tune” is from the Illinois fiddler of the same name. They got “Salty River Reel” from Missouri fiddler Cyril Stinnett, whom I suspect learned it from the aforementioned Bob Walters.

“Rummie Tum” is from Illinois’ Pappy Taylor. “Rabbit in the Woodpile” is another Noah Beavers tune. “Sweet Rose of Heaven” is a waltz from the Mississippi band the Leake County Revelers. “Lonesome Prairie” is the first of Chirps’ compositions. It starts as a fiddle/banjo duet and then expands to the full band. “Boy in the Gap” is from Brian “Hawk” Hubbard. Hubbard was born in Oakland, California in 1952 but lived in many places around the country. He died in 2024. “C&A Breakdown” was collected by Garry Harrison from Odie Griffith. As one might expect, the A part is in C and the B part is in A. “Kettle Bog” is the second Chirps original. “Lady on the Green” and “Jump Fingers” are more tunes from Bob Walters. “Happy Thought Reel” was written by Albert S. Bowman. “Jump in the Well, Pretty Little Miss” is from Noah Beavers. Garry collected “Illinois Dry & Dusty” from Otis Delbert Reynolds. “Beaver’s Schottische” is from Mr. Beavers. “Iberia Breakdown” is from African-American Missouri fiddler Bill Driver. “Drunken Sailor” comes from another Missouri fiddler, Frank Reed. “Coming Down from Denver” is from Iowa fiddler and accordion player Dwight Lamb and others. The final tune, “Ozark Mountain Waltz,” is from the Morrison Twin Brothers String Band from Arkansas. Abbie and Absie Morrison were born in 1876 and and also played with Jimmy Driftwood. Absie Morrison is believed to be the source of the tune “Valley Forge,” though it is not known whether he wrote it.

These are all great rocking tunes played by great players in a very solid ensemble. If your toes don’t start tapping involuntarily while listening, it might be because you got up to dance to them.

You can order this album at https://vigortonerecords.bandcamp.com/album/kettle-bog