I’m just curious to hear people’s opinions. If you could only have ONE recording of an Irish Trad flute player/group, which would it be? Who would be on the recording? And, why? I’m starting to listen to more Irish trad music as I get more into the Irish flute, and I just want to hear about people’s favorites, and WHY they’re your favorite.
Let’s not include the Wooden Flute Obsession CD’s, since owning that CD is almost a given.
Thanks for your opinions!
J 
A recording of Junior Crehan [fiddle] and Josie Hayes [flute] in their prime would be nice. But unfortunately I have never been able to find one.
Matt Molloy’s “black” CD, since it started this whole Irish flute thing for me.
I think I would have to go with Molloy’s “black” CD too… Perhaps. 
Yup, Molloy “Black” for me too. It was “The Gold Ring” that started me off. I’m considering suing Matt for the trauma that learning the flute has caused me and for the horrendous expense incurred. 
Graham
If it’s limited to commercial recordings then I think for me it would be Catherine McEvoy and Felix Dolan, even though the recording quality on that album isn’t great (it doesn’t even come close to capturing the true sound of Catherine’s flute).
Catherine’s playing has, for me, just about the perfect blend of head and heart, articulation and flow, lift and spirit, earthiness and elegance. The more you listen to her, the more you hear; there’s a lot of depth in her playing.
A close contender would be an album by Willie and Siobhan Kelly, but that hasn’t happened yet!
I hate this sort of exercise since, by tomorrow, I’ll have changed my mind, but, as you see, I can’t resist it either.
The Black album is mighty tempting as are a dozen others. Right now, though, it’s Conal O Grada’s The Top of Coom for it’s energy and for his tone which I just love. I’ve heard this one referred to as the most ‘caffeinated’ record ever made.
Well it would have to be a double CD by Easkey flute player Pat Mahon of course - but as there isn’t one available I’d choose Conal O Grada’s milestone: The Top of Coom. The most exciting inspiring flute recording ever
Contentment is Wealth–Molloy and Keane mmmmmmm flute&fiddle
<Hemming & hawing>
My opinion changes from second to second too But for a long time, Dervish’s “Live in Palma” was the only Irish CD I had. And now, many, many CD’s later, Liam Kelly’s go at “The Milliner’s Daughter” on that disc still leaves me shaking my head and grinning like the fool I am.
So … even though his name never really seems to come up in fluteplaying discussions (why is that?) – for about 3 years, Liam and “Dervish Live in Palma” was it for me – and might still be “it” today.
Where did you find Conal’s CD? I’ve been trying to find it. I checked Custy’s but their search engine leaves a lot to be desired…
Thanks,
Tony
try: www.celticgrooves.com
that’s where I got my copy. ask for the RedBull version, I wonder if he has a Decaf’ version?
Off the top of my head,I’d say..‘The Branch line’ by the Coen Brothers.
Great, deceptively’understated’ playing,which is absolutely steeped in the Tradition.
I’d definetely go for Matt Molloy’s “Shadows on Stone”. Wonderful flute cd, that’s got everything.
That’s funny, that was also one of my first irish CD’s (if not the first) ! Now with over 150 irish trad CD’s later I still find it wonderful and fresh. The very high quality recording and live-feeling makes it so much better then various other studio albums IMHO. To bad I have not yet aquired an Eb-flute to play along with it… :roll:
/Andreas
I’d Say the most listened to Cd I have is Kevin Crawford’s ‘In Good Company’ CD, and I have over 70 Irtrad CDs in the collection. It would be the one for me. The follow up would be ‘Live at Matt Molloys’ because of the ambiance/mood and then Marcus O’Murchu, then Colm O’Donnel ‘Farewell to Evening Dances’, then…
See collection list below
1 Capercaillie- From Dusk Till Dawn
2 Capercaillie-Live in Concert
3 Michael McGoldrick-Morning Rory
4 Michael McGoldrick-At First Light
5 Michael McGoldrick-Fused
6 Michael McGoldrick-Twice Live with Ed Boyd (private recording)
7 Kevin Crawford-‘D’ Flute Album
8 Kevin Crawford-In Good Company
9 Lunasa-“The Live Album”
10 Lunasa-Otherworld
11 Lunasa-Merry Sisters of Fate
12 Lunasa-Redwood from Green Linnet
13 Lunasa-Redwood from The lad’s website, the ‘Official Album’
14 Lunasa-Live in a D.C. pub
15 Cruise’s Pub-County Clare, Ireland (private recording)
16 Cillian and Niall Valley-Callanbridge
17 Conal O’Grada-Top of the Coom
18 Danu
19 Danu-Think Before You Think
20 Danu-All Things Considered
21 The Bothy Band-Live in Paris
22 Matt Malloy-Shadows on Stone
23 Matt Malloy-Contentment is Wealth
24 Matt Malloy-Live at Matt Molloy’s (on backorder right now)
25 Matt Malloy and Donal Lunny (on backorder right now)
26 Jim and John Coen-Traditional Irish Music
27 Colm O’Donell-Farewell Evening Dances
28 Chieftains-Down the Old Plank Road
29 Chieftains-Water from the Well
30 Chieftains-An Irish Evening-Live at the Belfast Opera House
31 Chieftains-Live in Gainesville, FL. I & II
32 Chietains -Chieftains 9-Boil the Breakfast Early
33 Larsen and League-The Green House
34 Larsen and League-Dark of the Moon
35 Old Blind Dogs-Fit?
36 Brian Dennehey and Todd Denman-Like Magic
37 Ashley McIassac-Hi How Are You Today?
38 Leahy
39 Leahy-Lakefield
40 Solas
41 Solas-The Words that Remain
42 Seamus Eagan-When Juniper Sleeps
43 Seamus Eagan/O’Donnell/Moloney-3 Way Street
44 Seamus Eagan-Week in January
45 Turlach Boylan-Shame the Devil
46 Jim and John Cohen-Traditional music of Ireland
47 John Williams-Steam
48 Donal Lunny-Coolfin
49 Paddy Keenan-Live somewhere (private I think)
50 Christy Moore-Live on Vickar Street
51 Laurence Nugent-Tradional Music on Flute and Whistle
52 Laurence Nugent-The Windy Gap
53 Marcus O’Murchu- O’ Bheal go Beal
54 Paddy Carty-Traditional Irish Music
55 Waking Ned Devine
56 Flutes Galore-Various Compilation
57 Joe McKenna- The Low Whistle
58 Washington Irish Folk Festival Live-I, II, III, IV (private recording)
59 Sean Tyrell and Tommy Peoples-Live in a NY Pub (private recording)
60 Heart of the Gaels- Compilation
61 Brave Hearts-Compilation
62 Afro Celt Sound System-Volume Three, Further in Time
63 Phil Hardy-Whistleworks
64 Full Moon Ensemble
65 Kevin Henry-One’s Own Place
65 Capercaillie-Choice Language
66 Matt Molloy-Heathery Breeze
67 Wooden Flute Obession Vol. 1
68 Dervish-Live in Palma
69 Danu-The Road Less Travelled
70 The Chieftains-Further Down the Old Plank Road
71 Flook-Rubai
72 Larry Nugent-Two by Two
I would also have to go with “Live at Matt Molloy’s”. It’s the style of playing I’m striving for, if but for a moment before I die.
Eddie
Tracks 9, 10 & 11. Yes, indeedy.
Grrr…I just hate these questions. Couldn’t you do some kind of High Fidelity-esque Top 5 or something? That would be a lot easier.
Hmm…Well, if pushed, I guess it would be Marcas O Murchu’s “O beal go bheal” if we’re talking strictly Irish trad. Otherwise, it would probably be a coin toss between that and Jean-Michel Veillon’s “Er Pasker.”
Any Irish flute recording WITHOUT guitar chords,
possibly with voice and harp only.
No jigs or reels - just AIRS …
