Reflecting on Jim Stone, flutes and St. Louis...

Irish Flute
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I got started on my Irish flute adventure in January when I purchased a blackwood, slideless Copley & Boegli from Doc. My experience with the Boehm silver flute eased the transition, and I quickly grew to love playing my simple, wooden flute. My silver Muramatsu has been gathering dust ever since.

For a few months preceding my purchase from Doc, I read most everything I could find about Irish flutes on the internet. I would say that I learned more from this site than anywhere else, and I enjoyed the general good will and respectfulness of the forum members towards each other even when they did not agree with each other’s opinions. I had never participated in a online forum before, but decided to join in the discussion once I bought my Copley.

In the process of researching opinions about different makers’ flutes, I read quite a few of Jim Stone’s reviews. Although some members took issue with his evaluations, as a newbie, I found his opinions articulate and interesting. More recently, Jim and I began to communicate with each other via PM discussing his experience with various flutes, and in the process, we struck up a very nice acquaintance with each other. And when I decided to attend the St. Louis Tionol in early April, we made a plan to meet each other there.

Unfortunately, due to some weather related bad luck, I got stuck in the Atlanta airport for the night and didn’t get to St. Louis in time for the Kevin Crawford workshop. I finally arrived without my luggage, exhausted after having been up for 36 hours. I spoke with Jim that evening and he was so empathic about my travel fiasco and offered to do anything he could to assist me.

Jim and his wife, Judy, came over to my hotel the next morning and escorted me to their place so Jim and I could play a few of his flutes before going to McGurk’s for the Sunday sessions. He had an array of flutes laid out on the dining room table, and I felt like a kid who had just entered a candy shop. In the course of the next few hours, I got to play variety of great flutes. Not only is Jim a passionate collector, but he also plays remarkably well too, especially considering he has only been playing for five years or so.

Of the flutes I tried, my favorites were the Olwell Pratten and the Eamon Cotter. The Olwell played so easily for me, silky smooth and reedy down low. The Cotter took me a little longer to find the sweet spot, but when I did, WOW, what a beautiful, complex, rich tone appeared. Other flutes that I liked very much were the Casey Burns Boxwood C, and the Copley blackwood F. The fun didn’t stop there tough, I got to try several Sweets, a keyed Seth Gallagher, a Byrne Rudall, a couple of nice Tipples, and a huge Olwell B flat. There were even a couple of fifes to try, but I could barely get a screech out of them. I think I could have sat there all day tooting, comparing craftsmanship, and discussing flutes with Jim. It was just a wonderfully engaging few hours.

Shortly after noon, they escorted me to McGurk’s for the post-workshop sessions. I had never been to a session before, and I had an amazing time. Imagine, the first session I have ever been to included Kevin Crawford and John Skelton on flute, and 8 or 10 others great players on fiddle, whistle, pipes, guitar, bouzouki, banjo, and bodhran. Not bad, I would say!

Sure I was disappointed to have missed the Crawford workshop, but Jim and his wife took me under their wings, and I ended up having a great time in St. Louis after all. Jim and Judy are lovely, gracious people, and I feel very fortunate to have met Jim through this forum.

Thanks, Jim. I hope we are able to sit down and play together again some day, perhaps next year in St. Louis. Hopefully, I will have improved some by then and will be able to keep up with you a little better. :slight_smile:

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Sounds like you made the best of the situation, though, with Jim’s help. Guess you got stuck in all the inspections that everybody had to do all at once. Seems like the airline industry thinks that part of its job is to piss off the passengers as often as possible. :smiley:

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Bob definitely brightened our day–lovely fellow who
went through all this trouble with a far more positive
attitude than I would have. He seemed to feel
it was an adventure. Also he has been playing
Boehm flute long enough to have a strong embouchure,
so it was most helpful to hear him play the Cotter
and the Olwell Pratten so I could compare them
without them being under my ear. Just about equally lovely
pratten-style flutes, different sound.

It’s better to give than to receive; the Good Samaritan
was a selfish bugger. Judy (KOCrane)
and I were glad to have such a likable guest.

The Session at McGurks really was amazing.
Kevin C and John Skelton playing away at a table
nearbye us. Autumn Rhodes sat at our table playing
an Olwell wonderfully. The ‘consummate Olwell honk!’
We just missed Cathy Wilde (who described Autumn’s sound
to me this way in a PM).
These sessions really are good for me, because
I hear how the instruments sound when they
are played VERY well. It’s good to be reminded
of what’s possible.

Yes, next year, heaven willing!

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Amen, Jim! At my age now, each morning when I wake up, I’m grateful for all the possibilities the day may hold. Experiences like the St. Louis trip remind me of how wonderful experiences can unexpectedly unfold even in the midst of a disappointing situation.

BTW, after you and Judy left McGurks, I spent some time talking with Autumn, and we discussed the possibility of me taking lessons with her since she is living in San Francisco now. She is a delightful young woman and is incredibly talented.

There are a couple of samples of her playing with the band, Soltre’, on the band’s myspace page:

http://www.myspace.com/soltre

Also, after you left, there was a young boy, about 12 years old or so, who sat in on the session, and he played his flute like crazy…keeping up with the speed of Crawford and Skelton…just blew me away! :boggle:

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I met Autumn when she was 14 in a whistle class in
South Bend Indiana. I’ve seen her since at Tionals.
She let me play her Olwell several years ago, the first
I ever saw, and it amazed me. I would be glad to take lessons
with her myself. Lovely, talented young woman,
terrific flautist. Definitely a good idea.

As to that 12 year old, little trolls like him are one
of the reasons I loathe children.

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Wow Bob, you have a wonderful outlook on things. I could use a smidge of your positive attitude. No doubt you had a rough go there but made the best of it. It’s nice to hear that Jim and his wife helped you out some. I guess things do happen for a reason. You had wonderful flutes to try all in the same place :astonished: That’s fantastic.

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:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:…I feel like a may be entering my second childhood minus the quick dexterity, unfortunately, but perhaps an abundance of passion will help balance the learning curve…

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It was a real treat, Sean, and Jim is so personable and welcoming. I’ve read about so many of these wonderful flutes, and heard folks sing their praises about their personal favorites, so it was wonderful to get a chance to try a few. It felt like I had wondered into Doc’s house when I saw the flutes Jim had laid out on the table. And another thing that was so great, was discussing tonal qualities and little craftsmanship differences in various flutes with Jim. He is really quite knowledgeable about them.

BTW, I ordered an keyless Olwell in March and should get it in about March 2009. After playing Jim’s Pratten, I’m really psyched to get it. Jim really like my Copley also.

I got some nice feedback from Jim also regarding my tone on my Copley, and in comparison to the other flutes I tried, it really holds its own. My embouchure has really been coming around lately, and Jim said I was actually able to play a hard D…I didn’t even know I was able to do that because I didn’t know what it was supposed to sound like…:laughing:

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I had my bachelor’s party at McGurk’s. :party: I imagine it’s about a perfect place for a session, especially with Kevin and John Skelton.

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It’s hard to imagine that it could get much better. It was everything I had imagined: a 100 year old, brick building, with small, dim rooms, with lots of nicely worn tables, chairs, and wood everywhere, with concert quality live music to boot! And children were included as well, sitting in laps while mom or dad played away, and school age kids playing their whistles. It was easy to see how the music is passed on to the next generations.

I have some pretty cool pictures that I may attempt to post if I can figure out the tech stuff. I’m not exactly techie when it comes to these things…:blush:

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Hi, Bob!

Sorry I haven’t written you back yet, but I will, I swear; I’ve been away for a bit.

You could do a whole lot worse than to spend some time with Autumn; I hope you take some lessons from her while you can. She’s a grand player and I won’t be surprised if she goes on to big things, and quite soon!