On many a Northwest night, a ferry has carried Allspice and other enthusiastic folkdancers from Seattle toward the setting sun and Bainbridge Island for an evening of dancing fun, followed by a mad dash to the night's last boat. Headed for home the music and dancing continues. To our many friends, supporters and former band members, we dedicate this album in remembrance of those magic nights and in expectation of many more.
Allspice was formed in Seattle in 1976 when three folkdancers got together to play for a friend's wedding. Allspice continues to play for dances, perfrming dance groups, dance festivals, more weddings and benefits; plays regularly for dancing at the Northwest Folklife Festival; and represented the State of Washington at Expo 86 in Vancouver B.C.
| 1 | Lordagsnatten (Saturday night) waltz | Bob Butler |
| A celebration of the best part of the week: For Mary Nelson of Speldosen, a fine band. | ||
| 2 | Voggevise (Lullaby) Boda polska | Lars Saxegaard |
| Lars fiddled his babies into slumber 25 years ago, this memory remains. | ||
| 3 | På Huberget (On Huberget Mountain) brudmasch | Albin Scott |
| Our favorite tune for Midsommarfest parades. | ||
| 4 | Pihlaja Polka (Mountain Ash Polka) Finnish polka | Dave Bogdanoff |
| lively tune by a founding member of Allspice. | ||
| 5 | Västerbotten/Lappland senpolska | trad. |
| Two beautiful senpolskas (slow polskas) named for two northern provinces of Sweden. | ||
| 6 | Margaret's Reinlender | Bob Butler |
| Three-part harmony honoring Margaret Koontz of Speldosen. | ||
| 7 | Pols in Dm | Lars Saxegaard |
| A vigorous Norwegian couple dance, vigorously rendered. | ||
| 8 | Carol's Polka Seattle Polka / Parisarpolka | Lars Saxegaard |
| In honor of Lars' wife Carol who gratiously endured many rehearsals and often baked especially for us, for which we thank her very much. | ||
| 9 | Polsdans Norsk Masurka | Einar Valöen |
| We don't know Einar but we like his music. | ||
| 10 | Lars Bursdag Hopsa (Llars' Birthday Hopsa) | Bob Butler |
| A zesty present for Lars which mirrors his philosophy of life. | ||
| 11 | Lo Siento (Sorry) tango | Las Saxegaard |
| Love is lost, regrets remain. | ||
| 12 | Dobrudjanska Reka | trad, arr: |
| An energetic women's line dance from the Dobrudja region of Bulgaria. Also known as Topcijska Ruka. | Bob Butler | |
| 13 | La Morenita (Brown haired girl) waltz | Bob Butler |
| A venture into the world of Mariachi. | ||
| 14 | Miserlou | Nicholas |
| A Greek island syrto combined with what became a big band and surfing tune. | Roubanis | |
| 15 | Rug I Winden (Rye in the wind) reinlender | Bob Butler |
| Evocative of a field of rye on a windy summer's day. | ||
| 16 | Tango Bogdanoff | Lars Saxegaard |
| An Argentine dance by a Norwegian engineer for a Russian physicist; David. Choreographed by Sonny Newman as the mixer Tango del Norte. | ||
| 17 | Waltz Country Dance Scottish Country Dance | P. Shaw |
| Music for the popular set dance mixer. The first tune is Nan's Waltz by P. Shaw, the second is Come O'er the Stream Charlie. | trad. |
| David Bogdanoff | guitar | tracks 3, 6-10, 15 |
| John Buckner | accordion | 1, 4, 11-14, 16, 17 |
| Bob Butler | bass | 1-13, 15-17 |
| clarinet | 14, 17 | |
| Jeff Chang | accordion | 1, 4, 11-14, 16, 17 |
| Debbie Douglas | violin | all |
| Janice Gockel | violin | 1, 2, 4-17 |
| viola | 3 | |
| Linda Hodges | violin | 1, 2, 4, 5, 11-14, 16, 17 |
| John Lawson | guitar | 1, 2, 4, 5, 11-14, 16, 17 |
| Mary MacRae | flute | 1, 5, 11, 13, 16, 17 |
| pennywhistle | 12 | |
| alto flute | 14 | |
| piccolo | 4 | |
| Duane Oswald | accordion | 6, 8-10, 15 |
| Sue Ellen Porter | gammelfløyte | 3, 6-10, 15 |
| Lars Saxegaard | violin | all |
| Donna Tytus | flute | 1, 5, 11, 13, 16, 17 |
| pennywhistle | 12 |