Tripping Up Stairs
(1986)
Jan Drechsler: piano
Bob Mills: banjo, mandolins, fiddle
John Pranio: fiddle, 5-string banjo
Tripping Up Stairs was a misnomer from the start. Named for an Irish jig, we became very popular playing old-time music for contra dancing. Our recording has some Irish tunes, but the feel of the album is old-time music.
Inspired by Alan Jabbour, Tommy Thompson, and Sandy Bradley, we developed a historically valid -- and exciting -- piano-driven style of old time music that people seemed to like a lot for contra dancing. John's fiddling is very back-beat, percussion-oriented; my banjo style grew to match. Jan's piano playing is right on the money for where the beat is in old-time music, and her chords are just the right mix of stubborn and innovative.
| 1 | Jackie Daley's/Oyster River/Kevin Burke's | 3:48 | |
| 2 | Frosty Morning/Johnny Don't Get Drunk | 3:48 |  |
| 3 | Madame Bonaparte's | 2:42 | |
| 4 | John Lover's Gone/Buck Mountain | 3:07 | |
| 5 | Out on the Ocean/The Rocking Chair | 3:20 | |
| 6 | Hawks and Eagles/Tiller Girl/Three Thin Dimes | 3:27 | |
| 7 | Possum on the Rail/Sally Ann Johnson/Puncheon Floor | 3:36 | |
| 8 | The Stool of Repentence/The Cowboy's Jig | 3:26 | |
| 9 | Dr. O'Neill's/Julia Delaney/The Old Grey Cat | 3:58 | |
| 10 | The Smuggler's Reel | 3:49 | |
| 11 | Liza, Liza, Liza | 3:42 | |