Hey guys! I’m not having the best time in my Irish music sessions because the session circle that I’m in (which happens to be the only local session circle) doesn’t play that many tunes or airs - which I really dig.
They usually start out with the 5 tunes or so that we mutually know and then go on with pub songs and then 70s-80s pop songs. It kinda drives me nuts, partly because I initially expect to play lotsa trad tunes (in trad fashion or with a modern twist, all fine with me), but they end up playing all these “other stuff” all the time! And they’re the only session around in this country! Arrgh!
I’m not a trad purist and I love lotsa other genres of music but I don’t want to accompany 70-80 pop songs on my whistle in a session! Pub songs are good, once in a while, but I like a tune-majority session. Its just so weird when Irish in an Irish pub session dig country music or some other evergreen stuff more than trad stuff.
If I do start playing a trad tune during a pop-song intermission, the whole pub just quiets down. I don’t get accompaniment from the violinist (we don’t know too many tunes mutually) and only bodhran backing, which is neat, but the pub’s atmosphere seems to be saying “oh well a trad tune, lets get this over with” (thankfully no one violently objects and I get some obligatory applause). I did consider the factor of my amateurish playing though.
Well, thanks for letting me vent my negative thoughts. It just makes me want to hit them on the noggin sometimes. What can I do?
I know the feeling well, here in Deadwood, I’m playing every thing but traditional Celtic. Early Dylan, late sixties-early seventies rock, raggae, bluegrass, old timey, country western, jazz, blues, cajun, bluegrass, newgrass, Broadway…you name it! The other night I was tickling myself with Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. Seems the folks that I play with here at an open mic just can’t the feel or lilt for airs or jigs or anything else Celtic. I’m always hungry to play anything, with anybody, and am pretty resigned that until somebody gets the idea, I just play along and call it fusion. I know it’s frustrating. I tend to think it just makes me a very flexible player, and sometimes, I even get revenge by playing merrily along on some gawdawful songwriter’s orignal bluesy bit. Kinda ruins the feeling! I’m also a great train whistle! I really want to play with other people, so I play their way, and miracles of miracles, a guitarist actually tried to dig in and play “Danny Boy” with me. Now, if I can train him to not rest while waiting to see if I can hit that high B without keeling over or squawking, we’ll be fine, but that wonderful old air will always end up with a uniquely South Dakota sound. Hey, I got tipped a hundred dollar chip from Kevin Costner’s casino for playing Danny Boy solo on the whistle in the street. Turns out it really was worth a hundred bucks. Ya never know, just keep playing, it might take a while but sooner or later some of that good stuff will seep into other players brains ans souls. There’s something so compelling about the Celtic soul, it never fails. One great thing I’ve learned is how to grab a song away from a bluegrass banjo player…ya beat 'em to it and hope they catch up, which they rarely do, and you end up soaring on some wonderfully funky solo on Hank William’s Jambalaya, showing off your whistle playing while you are unwittigly educating other musicians that the whistle is a fantastic instrument! Chin up!
Eldarion,
I hear you! You may have to start something yourself, and it may take time. Sometimes an already established session is difficult to change. If you were to advertise or put word out that you were wanting to start a group interested in playing Traditional Irish, and that you were willing to teach (or at least encourage) musicians who were interested but inexperienced, you may get some response. Depending on your own expertise, if you don’t feel comfortable “teaching” it could be promoted as a sharing circle. Make a tape of a few good tunes (off your favourite CDs) and give everyone a copy to work on. Then when you meet you can work on the tunes together. Before you know it you have your Irish Session, and these musicians will support you in other sessions too.
Of course, if nobody volunteers any interest…you may be stuck playing along with CD’s !! Good Luck,
Sue
I know exactly what you mean. My church recently started a “folk music” ensemble. It consists of about 6 guitars and one whistle player (me). Everyone wants to play only Bob Dylan,etc. music from the 70’s & 80’s. I went a few times and then said “to heck with it”.
In my experience, the whole pub quieting down is a good thing, even if it’s weird-good. That means they’re listening to you. Possibly because it’s something they’re not used to, but they’re listening..
Have you considered starting your own Irish traditional sessions at home? For a short time our local group got together once a month at a different group members home each time. After a while we started and continue to have a “slow session” at a local pub as more people became interested. A regular, full blown session follows the slow session as well, but both sessions are 100% traditional, and we have always had the regular session. However, the difference in our situation is to get interested players up to session speed by learning the tunes in the slow sessions and learning to play with others. Though your situation is different, this may be a way to get people together who are interested mainly in Irish traditional.
To tell you the truth, I like to play
pop stuff, folk stuff, and country and western with people. Lots of it is beautiful and the whistle
can be used to great effect. Makes
me a better musician, too.
In my experience, the whole pub quieting down is a good thing, even if it’s weird-good. That means they’re listening to you. Possibly because it’s something they’re not used to, but they’re listening..
Rich is right. I’m a reenactor ( War Between the States ), and have had this experience in the evenings in camp. I have a slow-air-like version of “Minstrel Boy” that I play on the fife, and have more than once heard the camp murmur completely stop while I was playing it. It meant everyone was listening, and it means a great deal to me when it happens.
I feel this open minded aproach from Irish musicians in a session is a good thing.Expanding ones musical horizon into other genres and cultures is a healthy thing even when it includes 70s pop and is perhaps why Irish music is at the same time traditional and contemporary. I would love to know what tune it was that stopped them at the pub!
Erik