Back in college/high school, I played the saxophone, and have since transitioned to the whistle (er, of the two, one is DEFINITELY easier to stash in the glove compartment).
Now, I haven’t had the fortune to run across other whistle players in person, but I remember a phenomenon among jazz band players in my college/high-school years: if anyone, ANYONE played even the first few notes of Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood”, everyone in earshot who had an in-tune instrument would join in. It was that well-known and well-loved, and instantly recognizable.
Are there equivalent “secret handshake” songs in the whistle/traditional music community that are staples of play sessions? Just curious–if I’m going to take the time to learn tunes, they may as well be songs that everyone else knows by heart as well (grin)–aside from my own favorites, of course.
–>VPutz