I’ve been listening to UP’s for many a year but have only recently acquired a practice set.
I’m a big Paddy Moloney fan so have already got several Chieftain cd’s. I’ve got Brendan Ring’s ‘Troublesome Things’ and one of my fave cd’s is piper Michael Horgan playing in a band called Sean Talamh (which may or may not be a previous incarnation of the similarly pronounced Shantalla, I’m not sure). The pipes pop up on other albums I own as well, of course, but aren’t necessarily the main instrument. I’ve got some Kathryn Tickell stuff too - OT I know but she plays some canny tunes!
My query is this: What cd’s would, in your opinion, qualify for ‘MUST HAVE IN THE COLLECTION’ status. I want stuff to inspire, thrill and amuse me. I like the old favourites but new tunes can be just as good in my book. If I buy myself 3 new cd’s for Xmas, what do you think they should be?
Mick O’Brien and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh - “Kitty Lie Over”. Flat pipes in B with georgeous fiddle. I bought this CD two weeks ago on the recommendation that it was the best album in the world. I don’t know about that, but I’ve been listening to it literally non-stop for two weeks now. Absolutely beautiful stuff… http://www.kittylieover.com/
I suggest that you pick up CDs of solo piping. You will be able to hear what the pipes are doing better when there aren’t a bunch of other instruments playing along.
Perhaps starting with any recordings of S. Ennis, W. Clancy.
Hmm.. no, it was my buddy Geordie, whom you really should have heard play when he was around. Rarely have a heard such a fine fiddler with such beautiful tunes.
As for the reference to Breda, I’m afraid I don’t understand the joke. Care to explain?
Speaking of Breda, she is a real joy to play with and a very kind person. I really liked that she played lots set-dances, marches and hornpipes along with the reels and jigs.
I do use the search function, Tony, but I find it hard to be precise enough in my search terms and it pulls up loads of entries and it’s all interesting stuff and I lose hours and hours that way!
Ok - I can see that this question has been asked many times before and also answered very fully many times.
All interesting choices and quite a few players I’m not familiar with, of course.
Ive been busy listening to clips to find the sound I like best and so for now I’ve ordered Leo Rickard’s ‘Pure Piping’ & ‘The Best of Irish Piping’ Seamus Ennis.
Then I’ll have to decide what to add to my Xmas wish list - Leo Rowsome ‘King of the Pipers’ almost certainly. And I might have a punt on Sean Og Potts’ tutorial cd rom as well 'coz I reckon it would be good to play with when her indoors is asleep.
For my money, ain’t no one can play like Dicky Deegan. His An Phib is absolutely dazzling! I know, I know, there’s flaws… but it’s inspired piping none-the-less.
‘At First Light’, by Mike McGoldrick & John McSherry, has some amazing piping on it, especially when the 2 both play pipes together - doesn’t get any tighter than that! They’re supposed to release a new CD soon or so I’m told…
Also Brian McNamara’s ‘Fort of the Jewels’ is gorgeous as well - K&Q concert full set and Wooff C full set in combination with Mr. McNamara’s exquisite playing…tasty!
And, if you haven’t heard Mr. Eliot Grasso play, you owe it to yourself to buy his ‘Standing Room Only’ album - unbelievably inspiring to hear such ownership of the repertoire…listen to it and then ask yourself, “What was I doing when I was 18?”
Well, guys, the Seamus Ennis double CD ‘The Best of Irish Piping’ arrived a couple of days ago. This is the one that features ‘The Pure Drop’ & ‘The Fox Chase’ albums. I’ve had chance to hear it through several times now.
Inspiring stuff really, if maybe a little academic - I mean I’ll carry on listening to it to learn from a master rather than for pure listening pleasure. I’m really glad I bought it but I knew I was pushing it, playing it while my wife was with me in the car!
He’s very skillful on the regs, I can tell, avoiding what I term the ‘car horns in a traffic jam’ sound that I’m not at all keen on! Instead he puts me in mind of a box player backing him, very rhythmical and melodious at the same time. I’ve never tried, of course, but I expect it’s bloody difficult? I’m still having enough trouble pumping and playing.
I was interested to note that (to my conventionally attuned, almost perfect pitch ears) he’s gloriously ‘out of tune’ at times. I’ve been warned of this phenomena in trad music and I guess this might be a prime example. It certainly goes to show I need to lighten up in my own playing and be more forgiving of what I consider to be ‘out of tune’ notes in the scale.
So, to sum up, I’m really glad I got this one. Good recommendation, Joseph, thanks mate. Can’t wait for the next one to arrive… where’s that postman got to?..
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