current Top 5

Irish Flute
1

My current top 5 CDs:

John Creaven, “The Story So Far” - something about this guy’s phrasing and style JUST KILLS me. You don’t need breakneck tempos with cranns and short rolls everywhere to play great ITM. Tone, timing and taste are the key.

Laurence Nugent, “The Windy Gap” - I got this a couple of years ago and didn’t really listen to it much, I was sort of going away from ITM and thought it was a bit too moody. I find I’m listening to it a lot now – it IS moody, but there are some great moments here, Sean Ryan’s hornpipes is one of my favorite whistle tracks and the duets with Kevin Henry and Martin Hayes are some fine music indeed.

Mick Mulvey, “Within a Mile O’Jamestown” - Thoroughly enjoyable Sligo-Leitrim-Roscommon stuff, this guy can play some rolls… rollin’, rollin’, rollin’, he’s just a rollin’ guy. Enough rolls to open a bakery here.

Emer Mayock, “Merry Bits of Timber” - I hadn’t listened to this one in a few years, but there’s some really nice playing on here. Maybe not so pure drop but not too off the map either. My 20-month-old son really likes this one for some reason.

Russell Bros, “Russell Family of Doolin County Clare” - What can you say about this one, an evergreen. Gussie passed recently, and I trotted this one out and it’s stayed in tight rotation ever since. So many great moments but I gotta say my favorite is Miko and Gussie’s version of “Off to California”. But overall just a delightful collection.

Anybody else? Whatcha listenin to?

2

My current top three are:

Tom McElvogue’s MP3’s (http://www.tommcelvogue.com/music/OutTakes.html)

and

“kitty lie over” by Mick O’Brien and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh

and

“Sporting Nell” by TommyMcCarthy.

-Brett

3

Live at Mona’s www.liveatmonas.com

Awesome, great tunes with great feel. You can’t help but smile when you listen to this record.

I like it so much I’ve already learned 4 tracks off of it! We’ve been playing the tunes on the record in our session.

:party:

4

My current top 5:

John Creaven - The story so far (he happens to live where I live, I just saw him at a session earlier today)
Bohola - 4
Kieran O’Hare and John Skelton - double-barrelled
Kevin Henry - One’s Own Place
Packie Byrne - Donegal & Back! (reading his auto/biography at the moment as well)

I also happen to have just gotten all of those recently, so I’m really letting them sink in. Creaven’s on the stereo at the moment.

and as always,

Paul Brady - Welcome here kind stranger

5

My top Five

This one hasnt moved from #1 for over a year with me now: (drum roll)…

#1 Kevin Crawford-In Good Company

The next 4 are in no particular favorite order

Danu-Think Before You Think
Matt Malloy-Live at Matt Malloy’s
Dervish-Live in Palma
Matt Malloy-Heathery Breeze



And…Honorable Mention goes to:

The Chieftains-Water from the Well

These 5 have gotten play time repeatedly from me ever since I’ve gotten them all. These are only 5 CD’s out of the 78 that I own of IrTrad.

6

Not all flute CDs, but:

Matt Molloy/Sean Keane- Contentment is Wealth
Kevin Crawford- In good company (I don’t care for a few tracks, and the flute level in the mix is a bit weak, but what great tunes!)
Kevin Crawford-D flute album
Andy McGann w/Paul Brady- It’s a Hard Road to Travel
Jimmy Noonan/Chris McGrath- The Maple Leaf (plays a wonderful boxwood Rudall w/ Byrne headjoint)

Corin