About
Ross Smithard and Up Jumped Trouble is a bush band for hire in Hobart, TAS.
Appalachian old-time music, played fast, on fiddle, banjo, guitar and ukulele. Ross leads on fiddle with Annette on clawhammer banjo carrying the melodies, while Margaret on guitar and Jackie on banjo uke hold the rhythm, and a double bass player can be added for weight. Ross and Jackie sing. The repertoire mixes traditional mountain tunes, Cotton Eyed Joe, Cripple Creek, Turkey in the Straw, with original fiddle and banjo pieces and folk music from further afield. Ross also calls the dances, so nobody needs prior experience to join in. Based in Hobart, taking concerts, bush dances, square dances, weddings, birthdays and corporate events. They have their own PA and prefer a timber dance floor under cover.
Watch
The show
Old-time Appalachian music played fast, with Ross on fiddle and Annette's clawhammer banjo carrying the melodies over Margaret's guitar and Jackie's banjo uke. Ross and Jackie sing. You get traditional mountain tunes, Ross's own fiddle writing and folk material from further afield in the same set. If it's a dance you want, that's where this band comes into its own, because Ross calls the dances himself and makes it easy enough that nobody needs to have done it before. Expect all ages on the floor within twenty minutes.
On the day
They bring their own PA, so no sound system is needed from you. Two things do matter at your end. Under cover is important, since fiddles, banjos and the electrics don't take kindly to weather. And for a dance, a timber floor is what you want underfoot. Concrete is hard on dancers and it kills the sound of feet, which is half the point of an old-time dance.
Performance options
The four piece is the usual band. A double bass player can be added for extra weight underneath, which suits a bigger hall or a longer dance. Ross will work out the right combination of musicians with you based on what your event is, so a small house concert and a community bush dance don't get the same line-up.
Insurance and paperwork
Public liability insured
Song list
Old time Appalachian songs and tunes eg: Cotton Eyed Joe, Cripple Creek, Turkey in the Straw.
Original fiddle/banjo tunes