Are there any fluters here who are inspired by the music of fiddle player Tommy Potts? A note from a friend got me searching to hear this man on record, but I have not got his CD “The Liffey Banks”. Still I found a few clips here: Tommy Potts - The Liffey Banks
and I am amazed and impressed by the outrageous style and beauty of his music. The air “The Parting Glass” wants me to play and flow free along on the flute like this man on his fiddle. Amazing.
My biggest fiddle hero is Martin Hayes with his lilting flowing style, but I need to immerse in Tommy Potts music to discover a new freedom. Just listen how he plays reels, whow, so totally his own way and not like the mad rushing reels I hear so often.
It’s one of those recordings that is fascinating and makes you think, but isn’t perhaps what you really feel like hearing on a Friday night. A bit like saying that Potts is some sort of meditative French Nouvelle Vague film and [your contemporary trad. musician of choice + guitar/bouzouki accomp.] is a Hong Kong action flick–not necessarily brimming with substance but some nice flashy stunts and it goes well with beer and takeout.
There are some interesting interview excerpts with Potts in the Crosbhealach An Cheoil (Crossroads Conference '96) book where he talks about how his use of phrasing is sometimes inspired by flute players.
Thanks Kenny! That fits well with Niall, being such unorthodox inventive player himself. Thinking of him brings good memories, he was such a great tutor! Any chances of another Aberdeen grand flute gathering? Or elsewhere in Scotland?
I find Tommy Potts inspiring and refreshing. The Liffey Banks is not a casual listening cd for me. I can’t put it on in the background as it just stops me in my tracks. Perhaps not for everyone, but definitely worth a listen, or three.
I have found listening to recordings of Tommy Potts over the years to be an education, an inspiration and also just plain enjoyable. Most of the tunes he was recorded playing are fairly common. It’s a great insight into the workings of a mind to hear familiar tunes presented in such an individual way. Someone mentioned liking the tune “The Butterfly”, in another thread. I think we have Tommy Potts to thank for that tune.
I love Tommy Potts’ playing personally, but I agree that it has its place. it’s unconventional and hardly “traditional”. Potts was somewhat of a maverick in the music circles. But, if you want to sit and do nothing but pay attention to the CD, see how one person can find ways to pick apart a tune to find all the possibilities, and just enjoy beautiful playing, then have a listen. I don’t listen to it all the time, but it’s an album that I grew up with and still revisit periodically. While I don’t play tunes the way he does, I would say that listening to players like him definitely improved my ability to see all the possible nuances in a tune and thus become better at throwing in variations. Tommy Peoples is another good one for that aspect…always one of my favorite fiddle players.
Tommy was brilliant, very passionate musician too. I have some private tapes where he just utterly burns on the fiddle. Sometimes he’d get very out there as well, was listening to a track I’d listed as simply “Reel” and suddenly realized it was our old pal Rakish Paddy.