After reading the comments on the recent cd thread, I grabbed a copy of Mike Rafferty’s “Speed 78.” It’s as good as everybody said, with a few things that, as a new player, I particularly valued. The tempos are moderate, so I can hear what’s going on with the ornaments. And the recording quality really captures the sounds he gets from the flute – breathiness, overtones, changes in tone color from note to note. Very varied, very interesting. Good for learning about breath and phrasing as well. It was recorded in MR’s house, and it has the relaxed feel of a house session, with some very nice turns by the accordion and fiddle as well as MR on flute and pipes.
Hi, Jordan, I’m terribly sorry I didn’t get to see you this summer.
Things really became very tough for us, including a death in
our family.
Mike is playing an Olwell Pratten, as I mentioned in the earlier
thread, and one of the things that’s happening, IMO, is that
you hear an Olwell Pratten played by Mike R. A good deal
of that sound is that flute, though it sounds very different
in the hands of a player like John Skelton, masterful
but in a different way.
I spent a good deal of time this summer playing the tunes
on that CD, first on a Pratten, then on a Byrne
Rudall, slowly going bonkers trying to understand
these flutes and the way they coloured the tunes.
The wonderful (but deceptive) simplicity of Mike’s
playing is complimented by that Olwell.
He gives lessons in your area, did you know?
I was about to throw myself at his feet and
beg him to teach me, but he seems to be
teaching only very advanced players.
Continue to read your poetry.
Best wishes, Jim
Jim –
Thanks for the reply. I just sent you a PM.
“Deceptive simplicity” is right. His playing makes it sound so possible, if you know what I mean. Then I try it, and that’s all it takes to realize how much went into the clarity and grace of his playing.
Hope things get easier for you,
Jordan
Thanks very much, Jordan. I’m OK.
What a lovely way of playing the flute, yes?
The simplicity of greatness.
The best can go to the very center
of a tune and express very simply
what is there.
I’m having the distinct pleasure of learning tunes from Mr. Rafferty this week during the Irish Fest Summer School in Milwaukee. Besides getting some amazingly sweet tunes from a living legend, I’m really enjoying hearing all of his stories behind the tunes, little pointers on flute playing, and his observations on life in general. I’m in heaven!
–Jeff
Lucky devil! you’re in heaven, I’m in St. Louis.
Good for you!
Jack Coen is another for “deceptive simplicity.” On the surface it sounds like the simplest damn flute style, but trying to play like him is like peeling off the layers of an onion. The more you look into it, the more you realize you don’t know nothin’ about playing the flute like that.
Going back to Jim’s point, as far as the Olwell Pratten goes, I don’t know how much stock to take in the fact that it’s the Pratten-type Olwell. Patrick uses the same embouchure cut on his flutes; I think an Olwell Pratten and an Olwell Rudall might be much more alike (sound and playability-wise) than an Olwell Rudall and a Byrne Rudall. I could be wrong.
probably true. I have only played the Olwell Pratten, sadly.
Still when you hear Rafferty and you play those tunes
on an Olwell Pratten, I really feel I’m hearing that
flute in his playing. There was this click in my head
and the thought: Oh, I see what this flute does…
I really wasn’t (still not, I think) sure what to make
of the Olwell Pratten. Bit of a beast, IMO. But Rafferty
makes it into a lyrical, flowing beast, bless him.
Would love to hear your report on this!
Lesl
Lesl, buy Speed 78, Rafferty’s latest. He tells lots of stories, but it’s more than the stories. It’s also the way he presents them and the way he presents himself. It isn’t just what he says, but how he says it–like Micho Russell. Hearing some of these great old guys reading a telephone book out loud would be worth hearing.
Second that !
Also, just caught a cute movie…just by accident…“The Boys and Girl from County Clare” (working title was “The Ceili Wars” or some thing like that…)
Set at the All Ireland in the 70’s…cute, cute…
Thanks for the tips David and Jack!
I was hoping for the rest of Jeff’s Milwaukee report!
My contribution to this thread - Mike’s flute is a hybrid, the headjoint
from his original Eb, and the D body is blackwood. Before the D body,
the tuning slide was pulled out a bit to play in D.
(I do have Speed 78 and agree its wonderful. I sold some for him
privately, to our locals. “I’m a flute player not a seller”, but I’ve 2 left.)
Lesl
Yeah, Mike told us the story on how he got his Olwell, too. Now that Irish Fest is over, I can go back over my mini discs and pick out some good Mike Rafferty-isms and post them here, or on my website. I’m also going to ABC all the tunes he taught us and post them as well. I’ll work as quickly as I can 
–Jeff
Hey Thanks! That would be a treat!
M
I’m also going to ABC all the tunes he taught us and post them as well. I’ll work as quickly as I can
–Jeff
I may have some of these already abc’d. Would be glad to help out.
Lesl
Thanks guys,for putting me on to Mike Rafferty.
I purchased ‘The road from Ballinakill’ by Mike and Mary Rafferty this week,and I love his style of playing.
I love players (of any instrument) that have that ‘deceptively simple’ approach-unhurried tempo,clarity and lots of ‘soul’.
‘Speed 78’ is next on my list!
I bought ‘Speed 78’ a couple of weeks ago and as a fellow newcomer I totally agree with JS’s remarks. The focus is really on the TUNE, if you know what I mean; other recordings I’ve heard are so fast and so “cluttered” with ornaments that the tune itself sometimes disappears. The CD is awesome 
I got ‘Speed 78’ too this week,and I have to agree that it’s a marvelous album.
Mike Rafferty is definately joins my band of favourite ITM musicians!
Mike Rafferty and Jack Coen are my two favorite players. I got into irish flute listening to Seamus Egan, Matt Malloy etc. Then I got REALLY into the sligo style (feverishly buying up the Harry Bradley Marcus O’Murchu CD’s). For the first several years of listening and playing the music, I found Jack Coen’s “The Branch Line” to be, well, a little boring. Now, for a few years now I have simply fallen in love with the CD and Speed 78.
Personally, I think it’s really not ever a question of who the “better” player is. It’s simply matching the style to one’s temperment. I realize - at least at this point, knowing that it may change - that loading up these tunes with a ton of ornaments and playing super fast isn’t MY style. Does that mean I think Jack Coen is a better player than Matt Malloy? Of course not. In fact, I remember seeing him play one evening and my jaw dropped at the sounds he got out of that piece of wood.
I still love listening to the puncy players and the piping style players. All that said, I absolutely agree that - for me - Jack Coen and Mike Rafferty really sort of get to the heart of the matter of a tune. It’s been said before, but part of their strength lies in being able to bring attention to the lovely turns or phrases in the TUNE as opposed to bringing attention to the MUSICIAN. I personally really appreciate that. In one of the tracks in the flute geezers, one of the players…his name currently elludes me, talks about the importance of knowing what to leave OUT of a tune instead of knowing what to put in to it. Jack Coen’s uses ornaments so sparingly yet the tunes are rich and full. A paradox.
Jeff S
Well put, Jeff. I love the Rafferty “Speed 78” CD. You’ve sold me on Jack Coen’s–I’ll have to get that one now. It never ends! Isn’t it great? Ah, music! 
Jeanie