I posted this message in the Whistle forum but didn’t hear back from anyone. So I’m reposting it here in the hope that there are at least some people from Seattle here
Hi all! I recently landed a job at Seattle and will probably be moving there in August. I was wondering what the Irish music scene there is like.
It was a session at Fado’s that I attended a couple of years back that drew me to ITM in the first place. I was wondering whether there are other sessions/festivals around that place. Any info is appreciated. I look forward to meeting new people and playing on. Thanks!
I don’t know where exactly, but I hear the Irish music scene is wicked. Look for banjo/guitar/bodhran player extraordinaire David Corey and his sister (can’t remember her name) on pipes and fiddle.
You’ll find some amazing music, for sure.
Chris
Dave and Sarah are awesome musicians, it’s a shame that their sessions are basically only open to members of setanta. They really should really stop calling them sessions and call them what they really are, “the Dave and Sarah Show”
Somewhere in the Seattle area there is a session probably 3-5 nights a week. Most of these are too advanced for my skill level but good for listening if nothing else. Fado’s is the only public slow session that I know of, although there may be others.
A couple of pubs frequently feature the best the area has to offer - mostly recorded, well-respected musicians including the Cory siblings. While I can’t comment on their session behaviour, Dave’s been very nice and encouraging the couple of short conversations I’ve had with him.
Another of these top-notch musicians is flute player Hanz Araki. I’ve taken a couple lessons and played at slow kitchen sessions with him and he is friendly, enganging, and excited about the tradition and passing it on to others. One of the smoothest players I’ve seen - makes difficult stuff look ridiculously easy.
Also on the flute front, Leo McNamara is another perhaps lesser-known (although also excellent) player who’s band plays weekly at the Owl n’ Thistle last I heard.
Hmmm… I used to go to the same sessions as David when I lived in Boston. I was (am?) a pretty crummy musician and David was really, really nice to me and very welcome.
Chris
Murph, I missed that! Yeah… I was amazed those guys put up with me at all. David is really one of the best musicians I’ve heard on any instrument and it was great to have him treat me so well. The last time we played together was two years ago and I’ve made some good progress since then. On the other hand, David’s been playing for the last two years as well and is probably so much better now than he was last time I heard him that in comparison I’d be even worse than I used to be… make sense?
Chris
Great, thanks! Looks like there’s a lot of music to look forward to after all. I’ll get to meet some of you when I start coming to the sessions. Now to just save this thread somewhere.
I caught the Hanz & Dave show a couple weeks ago at the Conor Byrne on Ballard. Smooth is the best way to put Hanz’s playing. Dave rocked on the banjo. He even knew that “Andy Renwick’s Favourite Ferret” was originally a GHB tune. Then they had these really good stepdancers come and dance.
I talked with Hanz about lessons. He seemed to have the same frame of mind towards music as I do. He said he was busy and I’m in GHB mode so we’ll get in touch later this Spring.
I’m not too sure about the Fadó deal… it’s a franchised Irish pub. I wouldn’t be surprised if they start selling Happy O’Meals. No offense to the slow session. It’s great that they host one.
Is Molly Maguire’s the other session? When I was at Casey Burns’ he mentioned a session but don’t remember where.
McGinty’s… good one Seanny. I enjoy a pint of Ballantyne’s there myself.
yeah Aaron, Molly’s on Sunday starting around 1pm is another great session from what I hear. It’s Hanz’s weekly favorite - the high point of his week as he’s described it to me. Keep meaning to go down there and have a traditional Irish breakfast and enjoy the tunes…
Murph, I missed that! Yeah… I was amazed those guys put up with me at all. David is really one of the best musicians I’ve heard on any instrument and it was great to have him treat me so well. The last time we played together was two years ago and I’ve made some good progress since then. On the other hand, David’s been playing for the last two years as well and is probably so much better now than he was last time I heard him that in comparison I’d be even worse than I used to be… make sense?