Are there any cd’s out there of uilleann/flute duets? I’ve heard both instruments with fiddle, and lots of flute/ concertina (and one uilleann/concertina, I’m sure we know who that was ). But I’ve never heard flute & up together, except for brief moments in band recordings. It seems like it would be a nice combination, similar range, similar but different ornaments, both woodwinds, one reeded one not…Is there some reason its not popular? Or are there a whole bunch of great recordings that I’ve contrived to miss out on (entirely possible)? UP and whistle wouldn’t be bad either, I’d think.
There was a whole album’s worth of material floating around on the p2p networks a year or so back that was duets of flutes and uileann pipes. I’ve no idea who the players were, but from my cursory listen it seemed that the whole recording was of the same two musicians. It seemed like it might have been a field recording, but I don’t know. I don’t know if this helps or not.
There is also “At First Light”, a duet album featuring John McSherry on uilleann pipes and Mike McGoldrick on flute and uilleann pipes. Both are ex-Lunasa. Not for purists…There are some very good tunes on this and both McSherry and McGoldrick are top notch players by any standard, but the desperately-trying-to-sound-hip backing may leave you rolling your eyes at times. Donald Shaw from Capercaillie produced it and throws in some sonic stinkbombs on keyboards…Yecch…But all in all, not a bad album. McGoldrick’s solo albums also feature him playing with himself…Interpret that comment as you like.
The Fire Aflame album would certainly be a good one to get hold of. Also bear in mind that Planxty’s 1979 album “After The Break” features Matt Molloy and Liam O’Flynn as the melodic component…Some cracking tunes on that album.
Damn…Peter beat me to it with the Planxty thing. The subsequent Planxty album…What was it called? “The Well Below The Valley” or something like that? Had a blue cover, I think…Anyway, it also features Molloy on a couple of cuts. Noel Hill (concertina) and Tony Linnane (fiddle) also guest on that one. More good tunes.
I second “At First Light”. And I think it isn´t that bad but worthwhile to have. And I think you are referring to “The Woman I loved so well” - anyway it follows “After The Break”, it is mostly blue and if I remember right those musicians are on it.
Cheers,
Hans
The Matt Molloy/Paddy Keenan duet (Wild Irishman et al) is as good as it gets. Matt Molloy has played in concert with Liam O’Flynn in the 1970s and 1980s and those recordings are fantastic.
Maybe some pipes/low whistle stuff on Sean Nua’s record? Probably at some point Molloy and Moloney get it on on some Chieftones disc, too.
Ronnie Wathen and Tom Busby. Little snicker for Peter, that. Not available in stores. I think at the Andy Conroy page at Mick Coyne’s site you get to here somebody play a drone on a flute to Andy’s lone chanter, if that counts.
It isin’t heard much, wuzzup with that? Doesn’t work with flat pipes too well. I remember reading stuff at the Flute forum about pipers wanting B flutes, and the fluters all thought the very notion was bizzare.
You could also check out Eoin Ó Riabhaigh’s album Tiomnacht from about five years ago. There’s a great set of polkas on there, including one he wrote himself, in honour of his child, it’s called The Offspring. That track is a duet with Conal Ó Gráda. If you think polkas are boring, as many do (thought not me), this might just change your mind.
The blue one is probably 'Cold Blow and the Rainy Night" - an album that Andy Irvine told me they (Planxty) didn’t really care for in the end. It has ablue background with a bad painting of the members minus Lunny plus Moynihan standing in the rain. The WOman I loved so Well has a kind of Mohair looking fabric on it with a painting in the middle of a woman kneeling at a river with a deer. Anyways, Matt Molloy makes an appearance on ‘The WOman’ album at the end of the song Little Musgrave.
Thanks for the recommendations everyone! Can’t wait to check out a number of those albums. I’m sure I won’t be disappointed, I think it would be a great combo.
). But I’ve never heard flute & up together, except for brief moments in band recordings. It seems like it would be a nice combination, similar range, similar but different ornaments, both woodwinds, one reeded one not…Is there some reason its not popular? Or are there a whole bunch of great recordings that I’ve contrived to miss out on (entirely possible)? UP and whistle wouldn’t be bad either, I’d think.