Jiggery Pokerwork
Key: E Natural Minor | Meter: 6/8 | Tempo: 90 BPM
Key: E Natural Minor | Meter: 6/8 | Tempo: 90 BPM
ABC length: 191 
X: 1
T: Jiggery Pokerwork
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Emin
|:E2F GFE|B2c A3|A2B G2B|BAG FGF|
E2F GFE|B2c A3|A2B G2B|BAF E3:|
|:B^AB GEB|^ABG EBA|BGE cGE|dAF gdB|
B^AB GEB|^ABG EBA|=A3 d3|BAF E3:|

Overview

Jiggery Pokerwork is one of the best-known modern English session tunes, composed by melodeon player John Spiers. Despite being a relatively recent composition, it has become so widely played that many musicians encounter it alongside traditional repertoire in sessions across England and beyond. The tune combines strong rhythmic drive, memorable melodic hooks, and a characteristically English dance feel that reflects Spiers’ influential style as a performer and composer.

Originally written as a tribute to Spiers’ beloved Hohner Pokerwork melodeon, the tune has become a favourite among melodeon players while remaining popular with fiddlers, flutes, whistles, concertinas, and other melody instruments.

About This Tune

  • Name: Jiggery Pokerwork
  • Composer: John Spiers
  • Tradition: Modern English Folk
  • Type: Jig
  • Key: E natural minor (with some cheeky accidentals in the B-part)
  • Structure: AABB
  • Session Popularity: Widely played in English folk sessions
  • First Published: Included in John Spiers’ tune collections and recordings with Spiers & Boden.

History

John Spiers is one of the most influential melodeon players of the modern English folk revival, best known for his work with Spiers & Boden, Bellowhead, and numerous other projects. Jiggery Pokerwork has become his signature composition and is arguably one of the most widely adopted modern English session tunes.

The tune’s title references the iconic Hohner Pokerwork melodeon, an instrument closely associated with English traditional music. The composition first gained wider attention through recordings by Spiers & Boden and has since entered the core repertoire of many English sessions.

Like many successful modern folk compositions, Jiggery Pokerwork feels rooted in traditional dance music while still carrying the distinctive fingerprint of its composer.

Learning the Tune

For players learning Jiggery Pokerwork:

  • Focus on the rhythmic lift before increasing speed.
  • The A-part is highly memorable and usually settles quickly under the fingers.
  • The B-part contains some unusual movement that can feel awkward initially.
  • Try singing or humming the phrases away from the instrument to help internalise the shape.
  • Keep the pulse strong and danceable rather than chasing maximum speed.
  • Flute and whistle players can experiment with light cuts and taps, but the tune works equally well played cleanly.

The tune rewards good rhythm and phrasing more than technical ornamentation.

Session Notes

At The Highworth Sessions, Jiggery Pokerwork is a great example of a modern composed tune that has earned its place in the living tradition. It often appears in English tune sets and sits comfortably alongside both traditional and contemporary repertoire.

Players coming from Irish sessions may notice a different feel to the phrasing and groove. Rather than driving relentlessly forward, the tune benefits from a slight bounce and lift that reflects its English dance roots.

Because the melody is memorable and repetitive, it can be a useful tune for developing listening skills and joining in by ear.

Jiggery Pokerwork is often heard alongside:

  • Haul Away
  • Seven Stars
  • Jack Robinson
  • The Cokey Hornpipe
  • Scan Tester’s No.1 Stepdance

Many of these tunes are associated with the modern English folk revival and the repertoire popularised by John Spiers and Jon Boden.

Further Listening

The tune has been recorded several times by John Spiers and appears in some of the best-known recordings from the modern English folk revival.

🎧 Spiers & Boden – Jiggery Pokerwork / Haul Away / Seven Stars

Originally released on Bellow (2003), this is the recording that introduced many session players to the tune and remains the definitive version.

Listen on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Spiers+and+Boden+Jiggery+Pokerwork+Haul+Away+Seven+Stars

🎥 John Spiers – Solo Performances

Hearing John play the tune himself is invaluable for understanding the phrasing, lift and rhythmic drive that can be difficult to capture from written notation alone.

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=John+Spiers+Jiggery+Pokerwork

🎻 Bellowhead – Live Performances

Bellowhead occasionally performed the tune as part of their live repertoire, often as a high-energy set piece. Session players may enjoy hearing how the tune develops in a larger ensemble setting.

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Bellowhead+Jiggery+Pokerwork+Haul+Away+Seven+Stars

📚 Tutorials and Slow Versions

Several melodeon players have produced tutorials and slower demonstrations that are particularly useful for learning the famously quirky B-part.

Browse tutorials on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Jiggery+Pokerwork+melodeon+tutorial

Common Session Set

A particularly common set is:

  1. Jiggery Pokerwork
  2. Haul Away
  3. Seven Stars

This is the sequence used by Spiers & Boden on Bellow and is the version most session musicians will recognise.

Listening Tips

When listening, pay particular attention to:

  • The strong dance pulse rather than sheer speed.
  • The lift at the end of phrases.
  • How the B-part creates tension through its chromatic movement.
  • The transition from Jiggery Pokerwork into Haul Away, which has become the standard pairing in many sessions.

Happy playing!