I’ve never heard any tunes with only guitar and flute.
There’s Liz Carroll and John Doyle for example playing guitar and fiddle, but I can’t remember hearing any flute+guitar duets.
Anyone got some nice examples?
Donal Lunny plays some nice guitar on Molloy’s black album.
Rob
Thanks, gotta check that one out, when I can afford it (mostly buy records from eMusic).
Now that I think about it, Grey Larsen has guitar backup on Dark of the Moon (I guess there are many flute tunes with that kind of backup).
Not really in-league with aforementioned John Doyle. I’m looking for stuff that’s a bit more interesting than conventional and predictable backing, something where the guitar is as “ear-catching” as the flute.
Man, you’ve it on a hot-button issue there. Some of the best straight-trad players, the sort that might choose to make a very simple recording like you describe, can be counted on to select a more delicate accompanist. In many cases, that’s just going to be more appropriate.
Rob
That’s the “issue” I guess.
Delicate accompaniment fits great with the music, but it doesn’t always sound interesting.
On the other hand, we’ve got albums like In Play, where the guitar has more “character”.
But maybe there aren’t stuff like that with guitar and flute?
One option may be “Celtic Music for Flute” by Jessica Walsh & Allan Alexander. This is a CD and book with chords and music score for the flute. The flute/guitar interplay is very nice.
It really depends on what you are listening for, doesn’t it? For my tastes, John Blake is really ear-catching, interesting, and certainly not predictable, but he compliments by being subtle.
Honestly, it sounds like you are interested in John Doyle’s playing. In that case, get the old Solas recordings. There are a few tracks where it is mostly him and Seamus.
Otherwise, you may like Arty McGlynn’s backing. Stony Steps is a classic.
B
You might give a listen to the CD “The Gloup” by Mark Roberts.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/robertsmark
Dan Compton plays the accompany guitar, and I enjoy what he brings to the CD.
Another nice CD by Jean-Michel Veillon and Yvon Riou is “Beo”, one of my favorites.
http://jmveillon.stalig.com/
Tjones
Thanks for the suggestions!
I’m not saying that subtle and delicate guitar accompaniment is bad.
But there are many tunes with that kind of thing, and that’s what I mean with “predictable”.
Fintan Vallely with Mark Simos. Absolutely wonderful.
Arbo
I checked out “Starry Lane to Monaghan” and was breathtaken, mostly by Vallely’s playing. What a fierce sound.
As for the guitar, it still sounds kind of “conventional”, but it was good anyway.
Take a look at Shannon Heaton http://www.mattandshannonheaton.com/. Her husband Matt backs her on guitar. She has a good tune book out called oil for the chain which you can find on her website (under education) or at cdbaby.
Karl.
There are some tracks on the Wooden Flute Obsession volumes that might work for you. How about Christy Barry’s set on volume 3?
Ben Power’s CD, Mouse in the Mug, features mostly flute + guitar, with some nice Doyle-ish backup by guitarist James Reilly.
Oh lucky me! The first two of us to show up for folk group practice are the guitar player (he may have either a 6 or 12 string) and has actually studied classical guitar and me. We get to warm up in a quiet church before the other folk group members get there.
Jack Coen recorded a CD a few years back with his son, Jimmy, on guitar. Really nice stuff. I think you can get it via Phillipe Varlet’s site (celticgrooves.homestead.com/CGhome.html), and probably other places as well…