Music for Ceilidhs

Contents - Perfect Cure Band, Highly Strung Band, Jill Elliot Barn Dance Caller and Fiddle Player
The Perfect Cure Band - Summary - click here for more detail
Barn dances - click Irish Set Dance - click Care Home Entertainment - click Corporate Events - click Entertainment for all ages - click Duo Jill Elliot and Mark Wallis - Trio with accompanist on guitar or keyboard and extra musicians can be added where a larger band is required. Please ring me to discuss the best option for you - 01275 847909 - depends on size and type of event and size and type of venue, and budget. see also - www.theperfectcureband.com - e mail jillyelliot@gmail.com
Highly Strung Community Band - Summary - click here for more detail
A large band of up to 30 musicians for Community and Charity Events - we play foot-tapping traditional dance music. Barn Dances, Fetes, Music for Memories

Jill Elliot - Barn Dance Caller and Fiddle Player

If you are a band requiring a caller and/or fiddle player I'd like to offer my services! - please give me a ring

01275 847909 - 07515 904 707

I'm happy working with children and complete novices. The emphasis is always on having fun. I have loads of experience and patience - (so I am told!)

I provide a variety of PA equipment for different sized venues.

I have worked with many bands based in Bristol, Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Devon and Cornwall for 25 years.

I often join in with the first dance and like to get on the same wavelength as the guests. This is a party and not a dance display or class! -

We all particularly enjoyed the kilted groomsmen's Cumberland Square Eight at one wedding at Coombe Lodge in Blagdon!!

Photograph - Chris Burch, The Somerset Photographer

The Perfect Cure www.theperfectcureband.com

Entertainment for all ages and occasions

Jill plays violin and sings and calls for dances, and Mark plays button accordion, guitar and also sings.

barn dances, background music and songs for birthday parties, anniversaries, weddings, ........

Our Care Home entertainment provides interactive sing-alongs of songs all residents will remember - we bring along percussion for added participation. Colourful illustrated song books with large print are provided. We have numerous regular bookings and also welcome new enquiries.

Seasonal programmes include Christmas and Harvest, and special dates such as St. George's Day, St. Patrick's Day, and Burns Day.

Morning and Afternoon Social club and Retirement Complex programmes are always light hearted and humorous. New for this year is a slide show talk with live music and dance on the Dance Traditions of The British Isles and Ireland. Another favourite is a sing-along interspersed with highly entertaining poems and songs which we promise will put a smile on your face!

Primary and junior schools and special schools - simple barn dances/singing with actions / live music and movement. Brownies and Guides events, children's birthday parties - we've done loads!

Secondary Schools and Higher Education - barn dances for foreign students exchanges, ....... the young people of today are great and have an amazing time - with loads of energy!!

Corporate Events

Company Team Building day when over 50 employees learned two tunes on the penny whistle

without having had any previous experience!

Hi Jill

Just wanted to say a big thank you for our workshop at our event last Thursday. It went down a storm and people looked like they were having a great time!

It was great to work with you, thank you very much

Hannah

Barn Dances for all occasions

A combination ideally suited for the smaller venue or where cost is a major consideration, Jill and Mark offer barn dances as a duo. Mark's dynamic accordion playing provides a full sound perfect for dancing, whilst Jill is an extremely proficient and entertaining caller who can help even those with 3 left feet! Jill joins in on fiddle once the dance is under way.

Photographs by Chris Burch, The Somerset Photographer

Dear Jill and Mark,

This is long overdue but we wanted to say thank you for making our Wedding Celebration so special. We had so much fun as did our guests and with a marquee full of musicians, your fabulous performance and calling was really appreciated by everyone.

The amazing send off you organised Jill, was overwhelming and incredibly special - something that will remain with us for the rest of our lives.

We attach a few photos by our photographer Chris Burch, The Somerset Photographer, who I know will be happy for you to use them if you wish as long as you credit her :)

Thank you seems nowhere near enough but sometimes it’s music that expresses what cannot be said and you both certainly did that for us on 2 August at the Holcombe Inn.

With our very best wishes for a fabulous Christmas and New Year,

Becki and Glenn Clifford-Perkins x

If you would like a larger band additional musicians can be added - we regularly play with accompanists and other musicians. (for a much larger band see Highly Strung Community Band below)

Jill has played and called with various bands over the last 25 years and Mark has been playing for dance for over 45 years.

A brilliant family evening was had by all, full of fun and laughter, Jill 's infectious enthusiasm makes the evening go with a swing!
Emma Edwards, Walton in Gordano

Folk Feet weekly dance and social morning runs on Tuesdays at the Folk Hall in Portishead. £3 per person - dancers and musicians.

All the music is on this website for musicians who would like to play for dancing.

For further information ring Jill - 07515 904 707

Specialists in playing for Irish Set Dance

The Perfect Cure Band play for Irish Set Dance Workshops and Ceilidh

Look out for special days of dance run throughout the year - Details of other events can be found by visiting http://bristolirishsetdancing.blogspot.co.uk/

The Perfect Cure play for us at Irish set dancing and all the dancers have been very impressed with the standard of their playing and the enthusiasm which comes across as they play. Very danceable and a great variety of lovely tunes! We've also been to their barn dances and greatly enjoyed the music and Jill's excellent calling there. They are brilliant at involving everyone in the dance and creating an atmosphere of fun and excitement.

A very professional band to deal with too, extremely reliable and great quality.

Sharon and Mick - Bristol Irish Set Dance Club

Highly Strung - for Community Events

Ideal for local community events - a group of local traditional music enthusiasts playing a variety of instruments to guarantee foot tapping and jigging at your event - Barn Dance or Music for Memories. The group is comprised of members of the Highly Strung Music Club that meets weekly in Clapton in Gordano.

Go to our dedicated website by clicking here

Some of the band have been playing together for over 17 years now - and since 2008 have been known as the Highly Strung Band ......................see our facebook page and events on our dedicated website

*Pirates Theme at Tyntesfield 2014*	*Fundraising - Mall, Cribbs Causeway 2014*

2014 events - new regular addition to our timetable is providing music at the monthly market at Tyntesfield. This year we raised nearly £2000 for the Alzheimer's Society via our busking in Portishead and at the Mall, Cribbs Causeway. 2015 has started off with two very successful fundraising barn dances in January- one in Bristol for fundraising for refugees and the Portishead Rotary Club fundraising barn dance at the Somerset Hall where there were 23 members of the band performing. 2016-2018 - The latest series of "It's Your Ceili" barn dance fun party for all was not only a real success with band members (over 20 in the band) and dancers but also raised lots of money for Bristol charities. Tyntesfield Craft and Food markets will be on 3rd Sunday May-November 2019. Scroll down for more photos. Scroll down for summary of previous years.
*Clevedon Tides Festival - September 2014*

*Portishead Carnival June 2014* *with Highdown Junior School*	*Barn Dance for Children, April 2014* *Lido Kitchen, Portishead - Easter*

Charlton Farm, Wraxall, July 2012	Marlens Festival, Clevedon, September 2010

Victorian Fair, Portishead, December 2010

Events in 2011 include Marlens Festival in Clevedon, Avonmouth Party in the Park, Music for Memories at the Tithe Barn in Nailsea, Portishead Victorian Evening, It's Your Ceilidh and in 2012 we played at the National lighthouse day, various charity events, hospices, flower shows and monthly at the Portishead barn dances 2013 events - garden parties, fetes, barn dances, Marlens Festival for up to date events
For details of Highly Strung events over the past few years ... see our facebook page and events page on the Highly Strung website - and so much cancelled in 2020 and 2021 - lets see how it all goes in the future!