Hi all,
As a companion to the previous thread on piping CD’s, I’d like to ask what everyone’s recommendations are for non-piping Trad CD’s. I’d especially like to hear what you actually like listening to as opposed to things one “should” listen to. Although I am a piper, my favorite Irish music CD of any description is probably my Martin Hayes CD. Other than that and the odd band CD (Altan, Lunasa, neither of which I like that much) I don’t have hardly any non-piping CD’s.
One other question on ordering piping CD’s; Has anyone ordered from NPU recently? I am a member and have ordered CDs from them in the past without much problem. Although they did take quite a while to get here. I’d like to support them and I like the member discount, but I know they are understaffed, and they took about a month to reply to an email I sent asking for my account password. So, I guess my question is, what was the turnaround time on your last NPU order?
Okay, thanks for your recommendations on the CD’s.
j.
I listen to Martin Hays a lot too, and love Alton fiddle sets.
Other than Celtic, I migrate some. Right now I’m listening to a lot of So. American Inca music, Andre Segovia, Alex de Grassi, Sheila Chandra, Dire Straits, and I’m always a big fan of Phil Collins.
Just to start out on a complete tangent, when not listening to IrTrad, I like flamenco (Paco De Lucia) and Indian Sitar music (Anoushka Shankar). And for our trivia pop-quiz of the day, Anoushka Shankar’s half-sister is…?
But anyway, just to clarify, i’d like recommendations on Irish Trad CD’s.
j.
Michael Coleman on the fiddle. Imitated but never surpassed! He played a lot with Johnny Gorman, a famous piper from Roscommon, and in tunes like The Green Groves of Erin you hear lots of the fiddle equivalent of tight triplets. He was a very soulful player at times, too, and had amazing variations.
I love anything with really up front melody. Ravel, Debussy, Abba, Dionne Warwick. Sick! Also noisy pounding music that’s super catchy anyway, Black Sabbath, ZZ Top, Hawkwind, Stravinsky.
Stravinsky? Super pounding? Now Schostacovich, there’s pounging for ya.
For non-piping Trad, I like Flook a lot, flutes and bodhran and guitar but very lively music, Kila as well (although pipes are in there) Slainte Mhath, Leon Redbone (a different kind of trad), The Oyster Band, Leo Kottke (not trad but ripping, and I do mean ripping guitar), Silly Wizard, The Pogues, the Tannehill Weavers, The Bothy Band.
Non-trad music? Anything from Mamady keita and Famadou Konate to Dead Kennedys, Forgotten Rebels to Flat and Scruggs and Doc Watson, Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed. for a start. Heh.
Dasinger, you could pick up any of the Chieftans recordings, Bothy Band, and yes, Martin Hayes is excellent. Maybe some Sean Nos singers (but don’t know too much about these), as they may provide some real insight into the songs themselves. (what does that mean? dunno, but sounds good.)
And, as I mentioned in a different post, the band Fling, and their latest CD The Blackbird. While there is one whole, very lovely piping tune, and a bit of piping scattered about, the CD offers a wonderfully wrought selection of songs, by a singer with a powerful and poetic voice, and some great musicians… making this my all time favorite Irish music CD.
Oh, yeah, I agree, there’s also the Pogues, and the Waterboys!!
I know you’ll all slag me for this, but I really prefer the old-time stuff like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. These new bands like Altan, Lunasa, etc. just don’t do it for me, I’m afraid. Martin Hayes gives me the shits.
Led Zeppelin eh?
Yesterday marked the 23rd anniversary of the passing of Zeppelin’s drummer John Bonham.
I had been keeping a digitally remastered Led Zeppelin CD still in the wrapper until last night… I tore off the wrapper and played it a few times.
On the fiddle side, I’ve really been enjoying Liz Carroll’s “Lake Effect” and Winifred Horan’s “Just One Wish”, though the latter may be a bit too fusion for some purists.
Speaking of fiddles and fusion, scandinavian trad fusion can be a fun diversion. Gjallarhorn’s “Sjofn” is a favorite of mine, as well as Garmarna or anything from Vasen.
For Ir Trad outside of piping, I have enjoyed Cherish the Ladies. And of course (although piping is certainly a big part) The Chieftains. I also really like Sean Tyrrell and Mary Black.
For other music, my likes read more like a Music Library catalogue listing than anything else. Highlights would include: Victor Wooten, Rush, Tool, The Who, Yes, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Chopin, Miles Davis, King Crimson, Beethoven, Brahms.
And for one full on obscure reference…The Mills Brothers!
Eminem, DMX, John Kelly Snr., Busta Rhymes, Dennis Murphy, Black Eyed Peas, Jesse Smith, Black Rebel Motorcycle, Joe Heaney, Brian Rooney’s “The Godfather”, Tommy Peoples, Thin Lizzy
Early Clannad, old Bothy Band, Dolores Keane, Enya, Mary Black, Afro Celt Sound System, Maidens of the Celtic Harp, Loreena McKennitt, Patrick Ball, Danu, Fling, Lunasa, Planxty, La Botine Souriante…early 60’s SoCal surf music, The Astronaut’s, Lively One’s, Belaire’s, Chantay’s, Pyramid’s, Challenger’s, Dick Dale, Jan & Dean…and, of course, the long version of “Pencil Neck Geek”, by the late Freddie Blassie.
Hey, how’m I doin’ at this totally irrelevent thread stuff? I think I’m gettin’ better. Could be the anger management sessions. Could be the medication.
