Joan and I just spent a wonderful evening with this great Irish gentleman and his lovely wife.
I can’t believe it really happened, and I don’t really know how it did, but I gave him a locally made whistle (which he played and liked) at the Grand Junction Celtic Fair, and the conversation led from one thing to another, including whistlers he knows that I’ve only dreamed of knowing. He said he’d like to come by my shop on Tuesday before he left to go back home to Chicago. I can hardly believe it, but he actually did!
They thought they would get in and out before supper, but they arrived just as we were sitting down, so they had a bite with us; then Kevin played me some tunes (I captured a few) while the ladies chatted. Before we knew it they’d been here two hours and had to leave. Too soon! And I was too addled to remember to take pictures.
Hi Mack,
You are truly blessed to have spent an evening with Kevin and his wife. I just saw Kevin and his lovely wife at Chicago Celtic Fest. Kevin is an awesome flute player, whistle player, story teller and does recitations that are wonderful.
Kevin is an amazing guy and they are both so sharp and young for their actual ages that it still startles me when I see them. It must be the wonderful attitude they have on life that keeps them so young. I feel the same way every time I get to spend some time with the Henrys. They are the kind of people that make me so happy to be in Irish Music.
Kevin just won a large award this last year for his achievements in the Irish Arts. What a privilege to know them both.
My very best to you, too Mack.
Chris, He is from Sligo. He played me a tune about the road to his place called “The Mountain Road”. It’s 25MB, but I’ll try to bring it down to a presentable size and post it(at least a snippet of it).
Michael, He spoke very highly of you and your whistles! I’m glad you have shared this pleasure, lest some (including me) might think it a fantasy.
Mack you can send that to me at my .edu address and I can resize it for you if you like. Just try to send it in the evening sometime, as the mail interface I use from work won’t be able to display a message of that size.
LOL Thanks Mac… I actually knew that… but thanks, really.
His brother Johny was a really superb fiddle player in the old Sligo tradition and a has a tune named after him.
Those interested in this kind of music should certainly get a hold of the Mountain Road CD and tune book, published by the Coleman Heritage Center. Also superb are The Coleman Archive vol. 1: The Living Tradition, which features many of same fantastic musicians as on the Mountain Road recording. This is the real deal 110%… pure drop.
I think both of these can be had through http://www.knottedchord.com ( I have no afiliation with this store, I just like it).
Also, Kevin has his own album, published by Bogfire in Chicago. It’s not my cup of tea, but many people really dig it.
I DO however, really dig his playing with Larry Nugent on the Windy Gap album.
Best,
Chris
[ This Message was edited by: ChrisLaughlin on 2002-09-25 09:25 ]
Kevin has a cd out that I highly recommend. It’s probably the cd I listen to the most. It’s a great way to get a feel for the rhythms of this music. Powerful stuff. I’'m surprised no one talks about it on the flute board.
It’s hard to find, but Ossian USA usually has it. If you don’t see it on their site, e-mail them and ask for availability.
What’s the difference between Kevin’s Playing on his CD and then with L.N. (Such that you care for one and not the other)? Just trying to decide if I’d be likely to dig Kevin’s CD or not.