I just finished about 4 hours of listening to and playing along with some wonderful CDs of somewhat varying types. For example:
PORTLAND, a wonderful trad album with Kevin Burke & Micheal O Domhnaill. No whistles, just fiddle and guitar, but really terrific nonetheless. I think either Bill Ochs or Loren turned me on to this.
CHIEFTAINS, 2, 3, 4. 'Nuff said.
THE LONG BLACK VEIL, Chieftains and guests. There is a really great jazzy slow version of Dunmore Lassies with Ry Cooder, that I love to play along with when feeling expressive.
REEL ‘N’ ROLL, Rawlins Cross, an interesting group from Nova Scotia - nice version of Macpherson’s Lament.
PLANXTY - I’d really like to learn Raggle Taggle Gypsy
THE BEST OF THE BOTHY BAND - favorite song title - Old Hag You Have Killed Me
A WHISTLE ON THE WIND and SONG OF THE IRISH WHISTLE, Joanie Madden
I had THE epiphanal moment last week where I was playing (or faking) along with all of the tunes that the computer spat out…
A most satisfying moment in the journey.
Right now:
“Songs from the Bottom Drawer”, Rod Paterson
“Up South”, Fred Morrison with Jamie McMenemy
“The Cottars”, The Cottars
“The Wind”, Warren Zevon
“Ceol More”, Tony McManus
“The Road North”, Alisdair Fraser
Lunasa, Paddy Keenan, Lothlorien, Altan, Afro Celt and recently…
erm…
Zion* by Fluke - note the spelling,
also Dread Rock by Oakenfold,
and trying to figure out how the hell I can get
any of my whistles to play anything like it.
Mick O’Brien’s “May Morning Dew”, both of the Ronan Browne and Peadar O’Loughlin CDs, Jimmy O’Brien Moran’s “Sean Reid’s Favorite”, Johnny B Connolly’s “Bridgetown”, Paddy Canny, Brian MacNamara’s solo album, Seamus Ennis.
Listen to? Mostly non-trad, I’m afraid, from romantic to 20th century orchestral.
Practice? Whatever I find catchy enough for my limited short-term memory, and compatible with our instrument limitations. And thusly mostly trad, but not mostly ITM for that matter.
On repeat on iTunes is an unpublished track: Gallowglass & Legacy Jig (a sixties recording of Bobby Casey & Tony McCarthy). I’ve also been listening to the CD Tracin’ by Gearoid O hAllumhrain & Patrick Orceau obsessively. And while doing the dishes this weekend I listened to Sweeney’s Men by, um, Sweeney’s Men (Johnny Monihan, Terry Woods, Andy Irvine [Joe Dolan]).
“Cinemage” and “1996” – Ryuichi Sakamoto
“The First Seven Days”–Jan Hammer
“Lost in Translation”–Soundtrack
“Live at Matt Molloy’s”
“Who’s Next”–The Who
“Live at Folsom Prison”–Johnny Cash
“Genius”–Warren Zevon
“The Essential Leonard Cohen”
“Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6”–Pablo Casals
I’m almost through recording the Back: Cello Suites, adapted for whistle. This 2-CD set will be available from CBS Masterworks in 2004.
I play along with several tunes on “The Rough Guide to Irish Folk”, and the “Teantrai” album from Music Makers (you’ll have to find that one at Shanna Quay, I think). Also some Connie Dover. Right now, my faves are “Tour de Taille” (I know… it’s Froooooooooooonchhh!), “The Ships are Sailing”, “Waiting for the Federals”, and “Inis Oirr”.
serp
Relistening to NaConnery’s a lot. Their session record has a lot of the tunes we know and play. But you hafta eat your Wheaties to play along at their tempos.
I sheepishly tore open the plastic liner surrounding that freebie compilation that came with an order from Green Linnet about a year ago, when somebody here mentioned their special. Its kinda nice.
Also, back to Kevin Griffin’s solo banjo record. The WhiskyTones zouk/mando guy just got a banjo so the disc came from beneath the bottom for his inspiration. A great record though not all trad,
And, back to Bobby Gardiner His Masters Voice. I guess Stout’s abhorrence for session accordions made me do it
Wooden Flute Obsession (various)
Long Expectant Comes at Last (Cathal McConnell)
Traditional Flute Music in the Sligo-Roscommon Style (Catherine McEvoy)
Best of the Chieftains
Though I played them all more than once, I seem to be replaying Catherine McEvoy the most - I’d love to have the ease and fluidity in my whistle playing that she has on the flute. There’s a slow march set (track 11, I think) that I want to start working on.
mmm well tonight been playing along with the tunes in this session at the Cod and Lobster in North Yorkshire especially banish misfortune, great energy in the playing and really good sound considering its a tape recording!
Music of Sligo – Peter Horan and Fred Finn
Island to Island – Various (Newfoundland and Irish tunes)
Mountain Road: Music from South Sligo – Various
Music at Matt Molloy’s – Various
“Jim Donoghue’s” – John Carty (from his new album)
Also listening to a lot of Simon and Garfunkel (just saw them Saturday night) and Jim Payne and Fergus O’Byrne (saw them Thursday and Sunday – bit of studying there as well, with Jim playing some nice singles and doubles), plus my birthday presents (Coltrane: A Love Supreme and Glenn Gould: Complete Goldberg Variations).
I practise to the Rafferty’s. On top of my stack from this weekend was:
Leg of the Duck (Joe Burke)
Easter Snow (Tansey)
Leitrim’s Hidden Treasure (McNamara Family)
Double Barrelled (John Skelton & Kieran O’Hare).
Few More Tunes (John Skelton)
Feadanista (LE McCullough)
I have an mp3 folder of the Geezers and that kind of stuff, that I listen to
a lot, and also the mp3’s on Bro. Steve’s place.
Also we saw Kieran O’Hare play in a movie on tv last night!
what the album’s title?
