Er…I hope I’m not in breach of list protocol here, but here goes. I’ve just made a 45 minute CD of me playing mostly Irish tunes on diatonic harmonica, with a bit of fiddle/guitar/mandolin provided by my friend/recording studio man. No big record company deal, just him and me with our own project. I wish I could afford to give it away, but I have to try to recoup my costs. Therefore, anyone prepared to risk $10 or £6 or 10 euros including postage can find out whether I just talk a good line and am a five-star bullsh***er, or whether I’m the next Brendan Power given another 35 years’ practice. I do Paypal or cash unless you live in the UK in which case a cheque is fine. Email me offlist if you want more details. I will say no more on the matter.
If I get struck off for commercial impropriety, at least I told you first!
Steve, perhaps a web site with some sound clips would be in order, as you are (no disrespect) an unknown quantity. I’m not familiar with harmonica used in this manner. I don’t even know who Brendan Power is.
Steve, i agree. A website with just one or two sound files would be fantastic. This can be easily done for free at www.geocities.com or for just sound files, www.nowhereradio.com
Im pretty excited to hear this, i got to play with a fantastic harmonica player a while ago, I belive it was Don Meade.
I am terminally computationally-deficient and have not got the knack of putting up sound-clips (I can’t do it on my own very basic site anyway). However, the above posts have possibly opened up this world to me (I particularly liked the word “free”). I’ll see what I can do. In the meantime, if you want to take a small risk you know where I am!
Don’t give up too fast. If you already have a web page it should be quite simple to do. If your recording buddy can make CDs he most likely has the software to copy out a clip and convert it into an mp3 file. This can be added with a link to a web page quite easily.
Upload the mp3 file to your web site. For example, let’s say you call it sample1.mp3. The words you want to have appear on your web page might be, “Play sample 1”. The HTML tag to write into your web page would then be: Play sample 1
In its infinite wisdom, the forum software has seen fit to provide a little “Disable HTML in this post” option below the window into which you type your post.
<<Good on you, Steve! What tunes did you record?>>
Thanks for asking, Bloomfield. Here are the tunes:
Track list for Steve’s CD “Blowing Through The Reeds:”
City Of Savannah - hornpipe (Frank Livingstone)
Lord Inchiquin (O’Carolan 1670-1738)
Mary Staunton’s/Brendan McMahon’s/The Flax In Bloom – reels
Out On The Ocean/Blarney Pilgrim – jigs
Eleanor Plunkett (O’Carolan 1670-1738)
Proudlock’s Hornpipe/Hesleyside Reel
Shores Of Lough Gowna/Trip To Durrow – jig, reel
Farewell Rose Of England – song (Martin Cole)
Ger The Rigger/Bill Sullivan’s – polkas
i. Bridget Cruise ii. The Snowy Path (i. O’Carolan 1670-1738 ii. Mark Kelly) – air, slip jig
Barrowburn Reel (Addie Harper)/Far From Home – reels
The Butterfly – slip jig
Terry “Cuz” Teahan’s Favourite/Ballyvourney/Johnny Mickey’s – polkas
The Dublin Reel/The Wind That Shakes The Barley - reels
Acoustic guitar, bass guitar, fiddle, mandolin, vocals: Martin Cole
Diatonic harmonicas: Steve Shaw
As for sound-clips, I think I’ve used up my MB allowance on my present site. I acknowledge that it’s a good idea, but I’m a complete computer chump and I need time…
Gary is a truly excellent fellow for helping me out. I’m rather ashamed that I can’t do these things for myself, but it wasn’t long ago that I didn’t know a computer from a bull’s foot, yet here I am today communicating with all and sundry across the globe in a trice (I hasten to add that the “sundry” are on lists other than this one). I’m determined to do better.
Steve’s CD arrived this morning (Saturday), and after listening to it I decided I couldn’t wait 'til Monday morning to get back to the office (and broadband connection!) to upload the soundclips, so here I am and here they are:
I know that recommending CDs is tough, one person’s taste isn’t another, so I’ll simply say “it’s the dog’s bollocks!” and let you judge for yourself from the clips online. Track 3 is there in its entirety, the other 13 are 30-40 second tasters
I’ve never heard IrTrad played on the harmonica before… and since I’ve just shelled out 200 quid on a concertina I’m now wondering why I gave up blues harp 20 years ago.
Kudos to you Steve, I’m off home to get the flutes and whistles out to play along with the one jig I know (and to learn all the other tracks I don’t know!). Drop me a PM to let me know when and where your fine threeship of fellows is playing live next
I don’t know how to thank Gary enough - he’s done a superb tasteful job on the clips, and they are thoroughly representative. Thanks for the kind words too - this is the first time I’ve stuck my head above the parapet, and every time I open an email with the subject something like “Your CD…” I quake in my size 11s… Cheers mate - you’re a true brick!
I have always had a spot in my heart for blues harp, but hearing some Irish music wow. time to pull out my harmonicas they have been idle since I began whistle, but time to pull them out.
Steve, if you object to free advertising, let me know. I’ve posted a link from Clips and Snips to Gary’s page (which links to your site…) (What did Gandalf say about the path from your front door?) The clips sound great.
Tony
Thank you Tony and thank you Gary. If either or both of you were sitting here with me now, I’d be sharing my bottle of Talisker with you. And I don’t say that to just anyone! (It’s £27.99 a bottle for a start…)
You should hear the full CD. I dunno why, but I’m finding it a lot easier to learn tunes from Steve’s album than from all the other ITM disks I have. I think maybe it’s because there’s no flute or whistle on there, makes it great to play along, without feeling like I’m “competing” against some virtuoso whistler or fluter. Great stuff!
and have not got the knack of putting up sound-clips (I can’t do it on my own very basic site anyway). However, the above posts have possibly opened up this world to me (I particularly liked the word “free”). I’ll see what I can do. In the meantime, if you want to take a small risk you know where I am!
I love it. 