Oddly enough, a search through the old threads for “CD” came up with 0 results; I must have done something wrong. Can anyone recommend a few trad. CD’s that feature the flute?
Thanks
Exactly! You beat me to it, Denny!
I can recommend them both highly-so much good fluting that you never get tired of listening. And since there is sparse if any instrumentation besides the solo flute, you can really hear the tone of the flutes.
You might as well go ahead and get both, since you get a break, and once you have one, you will want the other.
Kevin Krell mentioned the other day that WFO 2 is in short supply, but some are still available. You can get them here at Kevin’s site:
and coming, although later rather than sooner, WFO 3
Also see Michael Anthony’s Discography at http://www.theflow.org.uk/disc/disc.html
and Brad Hurley’s Guide to the Irish Flute players page at http://www.firescribble.net/flute/players.html
35 maybe. A few copies of WFO2 still also available from Dave Copley, Celtic Grooves, etc. See the DEALER page.
Kevin Krell
I’d also recommend WFO1&2, and could add a huge list, but my current favourites for great, musical playing that actually inspires me by making me think there’s just a tiny hope that I could play like them are Colm O’Donnel’s CD Farewell To Evening Dances and Gary Shannon’s Lose The Head. Of course, I’m kidding myself but it’s enough to get me playing along 
My current favorites are Harry Bradley playing in “The Tap Room Trio” and his duet recording with Paul Shaughnessy, “Born for Sport.” Very rhythmic playing. Also, Mike Rafferty’s “Speed 78”, which was discussed here a few months ago. Catherine McEvoy’s two CD’s are also very fine.
The list could go on, but those are my current favorites.
Jeanie
If you’re not talking strictly Irish, anything by or featuring Chris Norman. I especially like his first three solo recordings, The Man with the Wooden Flute, The Flower of Port Williams, and The Beauty of the North.
For Irish, Garry Shannon, Loozin’ Air; Jack and Charlie Coen, The Branch Line; The aforementioned Mike Rafferty, and also the Mike and Mary Rafferty album; the aforementioned Catherine McEvoy albums.
I am gonna get flogged for saying this but I pulled out the first Solas album last night and enjoyed it tremendously
For a “just flute” CD Paddy Carty would be hard to beat.
I second the Chris Norman suggestion. Some really fun fluting can be found in his work with the Baltimore Consort. I particularly like their two CDs of Scottish early music. I also have some Skyedance albums which are basically “smoove” jazz built on trad melodies, but they can be perfect once in a while.
I purchased WFO 1&2. I’ll be sure to check out some of the other ones listed here when I’m ready to buy a few more CD’s. Thanks for all of your suggestions.
The aforementioned Paddy Carty album
Harry Bradley- As I carelessly did stray
Kevin Crawford- D flute album (this was out of print for a while, but I believe it’s been reissued on Compass Records, Lunasa’s label)
Matt Molloy & Sean Keane- Contentment is wealth (not solo flute, but fiddle/flute duets, which is one of the best duet combos)
Claire Mann- Claire Mann (not all flute, she plays fiddle too, but great stuff)
another fav of mine is The Maple Leaf, features Jimmy Noonan on flute w/ others. Great tunes on that one.
I haven’t heard it yet, but John Skelton and Keiran O’Hare have an album called Double Barrelled, it’s flute duets w/subtle accompaniment. I’ve heard good things about it.
This is just a drop in the bucket, but enough to get started. Good luck!
A couple of my favorites off the top of my head (solo flute albums):
Conal O’Grada’s Top of the Coom
Harry Bradley’s Bad Turns and Horseshoe Bends
Paul McGrattan’s Keelwest
Kevin Henrey’s One’s Own Place
Kevin Crawford’s In Good Company (don’t have the “D Flute” album yet)
And obviously all of Molloy’s stuff.
The above contributer is obviously a man of good taste. My 3 suggestions were going to be - but he got there before me - Harry B’s “Bad Turns” , Kevin Henry’s “Place” and Conal O’Grada’s “Coom”. And if you want an Irish flute CD that’s different, there’s Desi Wilkinson’s “Shady Woods”.
One that doesn’t get mentioned much but should is John Creaven’s “The Story So Far.” It’s one of the most “solo” solo flute albums I can think of; he’s accompanied on a few tracks by Dennis Cahill on bouzouki but most of it is unaccompanied. Very nice playing and a good selection of tunes; it won’t knock your socks off but that’s not the point.
Thanks Kevin for WFO’s, you won’t go wrong, Crevan.
Apart from that:
1- Paddy Carty’s Irish Traditional Music
2- Harry Bradley’s (both of them)
3- Marcas O Murchu’s O Bheal go Bheal (sorry about the spelling)
4- Various ‘Roscommon Flute Players Vol I’ when the 2nd?
5- I know…anything by MM
haven’t heard it yet, but John Skelton and Keiran O’Hare have an album called Double Barrelled, it’s flute duets w/subtle accompaniment. I’ve heard good things about it.
That CD is other but real stuff, you can listen to a good deal of it here:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/skeltonohare/
Unfortunately seems to be temporalily out of stock. I came across it through Mr. Krell’s post. Thanks again
rafa
I recommend Draiocht by Michael Rooney and June McCormack. June’s playing is absolutely stunning.
http://homepage.eircom.net/~michaelandjune/1024_768/draiochtcd.htm
Brad’s right about Creaven’s CD - wonderful stuff.
Eric
Thanks for that CDbaby link Sylvester. I had a listen, great stuff! I put myself on the waiting list for when the come back in stock. The recording reminds me of some of the older house recording styles. Not to say it’s bad quality, just that you can tell it wasn’t overproduced, edited or overdubbed. It has a great spontaneous house session feel to it.
Pleasure! It was quite a recent discovery to me as well.
Sometimes I feel that flute duets prevent from a detailed listening to the tune, but I love that punchy, breathy, rithmical effect too…
rafa
John Skelton and Keiran O’Hare’s Double Barrelled is very good. If you can get it, get it! It was my absolute favorite CD for a long time, until I got Kitty Lie Over(which doesn’t have flute).
Get some Danu as Tom Doorley has no solo album I would suggest the album “Think Before You Think.”