I went along with my Head Keeper Sam Holt, who played the Spoons & Bobby Donavan, our best shot on the day of a Fox Drive, who played Fiddle.
I remember feeling that there was a warm, friendly, wonderful atmosphere at it, but it was a couple of years after that, before I got the notion to start playing myself, perhaps because I also remember thinking that it sounded like they were playing the same tune ALL NIGHT!
Do I remember my first session? Unfortunately, yes (he said jokingly)
The first session I ever attended was in October 1995 at a local seafood restaurant. I had never heard of an Irish Session and didn't have the slightest idea what it was. I already had a few years worth of experience playing music at other types of music sessions when I went to this Irish Session.
I heard about the Irish Session when I stopped by a local music store to visit and do some browsing. Someone had posted an announcement on the music store's bulletin board about the Irish Session and I was intrigued enough to go. At the session, I sat there quietly all evening and listened. When the session was over and the musicians announced that there would be another session in two weeks, I asked if I might join them in two weeks and play music with them. I was asked what instruments did I play and when I told them, I was asked to bring my electronic keyboard and play it as a piano.
Ever since then, I have been playing music more or less irregularly at the local Irish Sessions.
Inspired by my grandma's ceili band 78's and and stack of Dubliner's recordings; armed with two hornpipes, two jigs, and the A section of one reel - I set out to take the local session scene by storm back in 1994. Within minutes, I made nearly every social gaff possible at my first session. Embarrassed and humbled, I nearly crawled out by the 3rd set. Fortunately, a skilled Scots fiddler took pity on me and took me under his wing. For that I am forever grateful to John Taylor of San Francisco CA.
On spring holiday in County Meath (oh, so briefly away from Swiss boarding school—Helvetica High, hail to thee!), I slipped away from mother and father one evening, down the ladder of our rented, haphazardly "restored" stone tower for a quick smoke.
A wee man, wee enough to maybe be considered wee even among the wee folk, leaped over a pretty girl who was milking a cow, and sauntered over to bum a light off of me. "So do you play then?" he asked.
Coolly eyeballing the little feller, I took a long drag off my Marlboro—Robert Mitchum being my role model at the time—and answered, "Trad, right? I mean, obviously we aren't talking jazz."
He angrily flicked his wee cigarette at my knee and sputtered, "Jazz is indeed what I mean, ye dallarán!"
Long story short, I didn't start dabbling in the whole ITM thing until years later.
Oh my goodness do I ever remember my first session. I was trying to learn the bodhran and was told about a thing called a session at the Cafe Bohemia in Brisbane. So the person who told me and I went along the next Sunday night. Oh my goodness...I was gobsmacked. How long had this been happening and I didn't know?? All these people playing every instrument imaginable. I'd never been closer to someone playing an instrument than sitting in a concert.. I just sat there in total amazement watching and listening for a few months. I'd practice at home alone where I could make a fool of myself and no one would know. Then I finally started playing along and the rest is a foregone conclusion. I was hooked from the first minute. I went from drum to whistle to flute and sessions are a source of total joy for me to this day.
Well, it might have been the White Horse in Fulham after a Boys of the Lough gig, or the Favourite in Holloway, with Reg Hall driving the piano, and Peta Webb singing the odd ballad, on a Sunday lunchtime.
Really don't remember - '69 or '70 probably.
I think my first session was in 2006. I'd been taking Old Time (OT) fiddle lessons for a few years and knew the Swallow Tail jig and a few other Irish tunes (I thought!). I was used to the OT ways of playing the tune so many times you could learn it by time they quit. When I heard them played in sets that first night, with tunes just played twice (or maybe three times), I never thought I'd catch on.
Three years later and I can hold my own. Some great folks that I play with here in St Louis, Missouri.
My Mum and dad had always listened to what I called "diddley diddely music" on the radio, but growing up in Dublin I had no real interest or opportunity to learn the music. (In school I remember my only brush with learning music was a recorder for a couple of weeks - from an unenthusiastic teacher).
Then one evening when I was 18 I was in the Dame Tavern, Dame Lane ( a tiny, narrow, very old street that runs parallel with Dame Street). Don't know if it is still there. The bar had only one room and in the corner beside the window there was a group of happy people playing great music. Tin whistle, flute, guitar and fiddle I think.
The very next day I bought a tin whistle, then after a few more sessions I decided I really liked the fiddle.
It took me a long time after that to actually play in a session though!
September 1976 - the night the Inter Cert (state exam) results came out. We went to celebrate... to a local school where the local comhaltas branch had a weekly session. There was a group of adults playing with teenagers, college students all playing away. There were also a number of sean nós singers, and a few sets during the evening. A very pleasant and welcoming experience. I became a regular visitor. (listener/dancer)
20 years later I took up the tin whistle and later still the concertina (and play in sessions regularly).
You are too modest, Mr. Tucker. I would say only some of the time.
My first session was in the mid seventies in Sligo. I wandered in to a pub (Hannigan's maybe?) and somehow got right behind Maurice Lennon. (Of course I didn't know who it was then, but figured it out later). First time I had ever heard Irish music. It was amazing to me. Don't think I closed my mouth the entire evening because I was in such awe - couldn't even have a drink. That inspired me to pick up my violin when I came home and start to learn how to play this music. Still learning.
The first ones I remember were about age four, very scottish they were, fiddles everywhere. One piano accordion on a big night.
I sat on me grandfathers knee and got bounced up and down in time with the music while he played the tobacco tin or the matchbox or a handfull of pennies or spoons. Often he would be asked to lilt..........that would have been about sixty years ago.
As to anything that happened last week? ????/
Hi Dick - it was in the snug bar of Ma's (Ma Cameron's Inn) in Aberdeen (late 1980s) - a hostelry with which you're well acquainted.. I'm sure Kenny was there, along with Jean Graham, Niall McKinnon, Janice Clark and possibly Tom Napper and Karin Paterson. I'm sure there were others present from the "Thistle and Shamrock" ceilidh band too. There used to be some great sessions in Aberdeen back then. That wee bar used to be hellish for the smoke, though the beer was good.
The snug and bar c/w hatch at Ma's are pretty much unchanged Dick, although the pub has grown extensions around it. There's even a smoking terrace on the roof!
The snug is still a venue for impromptu afternoon sessions, you can walk along little Belmont and peer in the window and see if there's anyone in there
Takes me back.... However, I also remember that a pint on the house was virtually unheard of for the musicians, though do remember getting one once from the daughter of the owner. I think this was after it had been some time since we'd been in there due to the grumpy taxi driver who who used to drink there having an altercation with a punter who had been wanting to listen to the music. This man had very politely asked said taxi driver if he could be just a wee bit quieter - however, yer taxi man took exception and the upshot of it was that the polite customer was thrown out by the bar staff and the taxi driver stayed! Kenny and I were quite aghast at this. So thereafter, it was black-listed in our books...
However, good to hear that there still might be the odd tune there though, Bren.
Well, it's not a "session pub" these days so you'd be invading "their" space and definitely out of order to ask punters to quieten, no matter how politely, even if they were taxi drivers
However, the snug is usually empty of an afternoon and not a problem to have a session in there - any free pints will come from appreciative punters
My first session was terrifying. I had played and even performed for several years, but had some major issues with performance anxiety.
I was the only fiddle that showed up that day at the Acoustic Coffeehouse in Johnson City, TN. The session was led by Joseph Sobol, who is extraordinary, and I was so nervous, feeling conspicuous, that I couldn't get through any of the tunes completely-- even the easy ones that I had been playing for years. My mind felt completely wiped clean.
I've come such a long way since then-- it's good to remember
my first session wasnt that long ago.... i only started a year nd a bit ago..... we didnt know where the pub that we were goin to b playin at nd we ended bein an hour early......... if dat wasnt a waste of time enough i wasnt able to play at all... i didnt realise dey played soooo fast............
what a waste....... but i did end up learning new tunes sooo it wasnt so bad.... da first session was the worst for me.....
dat was only a few months ago nd now i go to all da sessions...... its brill craic nd a good excuse to get out of da house!!!!!!!
Do you remember your first Session?
Do you remember your first Session?
Free Reed's fascinating post in the thread next door { http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/21812 } made me think of the first session I ever attended.
If I remember correctly, the first session I ever went to, was back in 1970 in Brogan's Bar, in Trim, Co Meath,
{ photos 5 & 6: http://www.trimtown.com/trimpubs.htm
&
http://www.thesession.org/sessions/display/1396 }
I went along with my Head Keeper Sam Holt, who played the Spoons & Bobby Donavan, our best shot on the day of a Fox Drive, who played Fiddle.
I remember feeling that there was a warm, friendly, wonderful atmosphere at it, but it was a couple of years after that, before I got the notion to start playing myself, perhaps because I also remember thinking that it sounded like they were playing the same tune ALL NIGHT!
Inspiration to start playing myself though, came after:
A ~ seeing the Dubliners live in Concert in Clonmel, the following year, 1971
{ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUMDcoU7FbE }
&
B ~ visiting Sandy Bells, back home in Edinburgh, in 1973
{ http://www.thesession.org/sessions/display/59
&
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgQrZlcNOSs&feature=related }
&
C ~ meeting up with the Fife musicians, who would later form the band 'Heritage', at the Dunfermline Folk Club.
{ http://www.musicinscotland.com/acatalog/Heritage_CDs.html }
&
D ~ Seeing the Corries live in Concert.
{ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm5_jma2GMQ }
So do you remember your first ever session & what inspired you to start playing Irish Music?
Cheers
Dick
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by Ptarmigan
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
We were in one room in a pub, watching television. there was all this noise from the other room.....my first session.
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by minijackpot
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
When?
Where?
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by Ptarmigan
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Her name was Joan O B.... it was in rosslare harbour ... I was fourteen
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by Red Robin
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Do I remember my first session? Unfortunately, yes (he said jokingly)
The first session I ever attended was in October 1995 at a local seafood restaurant. I had never heard of an Irish Session and didn't have the slightest idea what it was. I already had a few years worth of experience playing music at other types of music sessions when I went to this Irish Session.
I heard about the Irish Session when I stopped by a local music store to visit and do some browsing. Someone had posted an announcement on the music store's bulletin board about the Irish Session and I was intrigued enough to go. At the session, I sat there quietly all evening and listened. When the session was over and the musicians announced that there would be another session in two weeks, I asked if I might join them in two weeks and play music with them. I was asked what instruments did I play and when I told them, I was asked to bring my electronic keyboard and play it as a piano.
Ever since then, I have been playing music more or less irregularly at the local Irish Sessions.
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by fauxcelt
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Probably 1984/5 I was young and foolish then.
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by minijackpot
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Yes, The phsycitrist was very nice and helpful.........you did mean that type of session right?
Mary
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by Antikhntr
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Inspired by my grandma's ceili band 78's and and stack of Dubliner's recordings; armed with two hornpipes, two jigs, and the A section of one reel - I set out to take the local session scene by storm back in 1994. Within minutes, I made nearly every social gaff possible at my first session. Embarrassed and humbled, I nearly crawled out by the 3rd set. Fortunately, a skilled Scots fiddler took pity on me and took me under his wing. For that I am forever grateful to John Taylor of San Francisco CA.
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
On spring holiday in County Meath (oh, so briefly away from Swiss boarding school—Helvetica High, hail to thee!), I slipped away from mother and father one evening, down the ladder of our rented, haphazardly "restored" stone tower for a quick smoke.
A wee man, wee enough to maybe be considered wee even among the wee folk, leaped over a pretty girl who was milking a cow, and sauntered over to bum a light off of me. "So do you play then?" he asked.
Coolly eyeballing the little feller, I took a long drag off my Marlboro—Robert Mitchum being my role model at the time—and answered, "Trad, right? I mean, obviously we aren't talking jazz."
He angrily flicked his wee cigarette at my knee and sputtered, "Jazz is indeed what I mean, ye dallarán!"
Long story short, I didn't start dabbling in the whole ITM thing until years later.
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by NEW Pure Drop® Ear Canal Oil
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Oh my goodness do I ever remember my first session. I was trying to learn the bodhran and was told about a thing called a session at the Cafe Bohemia in Brisbane. So the person who told me and I went along the next Sunday night. Oh my goodness...I was gobsmacked. How long had this been happening and I didn't know?? All these people playing every instrument imaginable. I'd never been closer to someone playing an instrument than sitting in a concert.. I just sat there in total amazement watching and listening for a few months. I'd practice at home alone where I could make a fool of myself and no one would know. Then I finally started playing along and the rest is a foregone conclusion. I was hooked from the first minute. I went from drum to whistle to flute and sessions are a source of total joy for me to this day.
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by keyedup
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
When? in the late 1990's
Where? Cafe Bohemia, Brisbane
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by keyedup
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Well, it might have been the White Horse in Fulham after a Boys of the Lough gig, or the Favourite in Holloway, with Reg Hall driving the piano, and Peta Webb singing the odd ballad, on a Sunday lunchtime.
Really don't remember - '69 or '70 probably.
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
I think my first session was in 2006. I'd been taking Old Time (OT) fiddle lessons for a few years and knew the Swallow Tail jig and a few other Irish tunes (I thought!). I was used to the OT ways of playing the tune so many times you could learn it by time they quit. When I heard them played in sets that first night, with tunes just played twice (or maybe three times), I never thought I'd catch on.
Three years later and I can hold my own. Some great folks that I play with here in St Louis, Missouri.
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by nofrets
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Yes I do.
My Mum and dad had always listened to what I called "diddley diddely music" on the radio, but growing up in Dublin I had no real interest or opportunity to learn the music. (In school I remember my only brush with learning music was a recorder for a couple of weeks - from an unenthusiastic teacher).
Then one evening when I was 18 I was in the Dame Tavern, Dame Lane ( a tiny, narrow, very old street that runs parallel with Dame Street). Don't know if it is still there. The bar had only one room and in the corner beside the window there was a group of happy people playing great music. Tin whistle, flute, guitar and fiddle I think.
The very next day I bought a tin whistle, then after a few more sessions I decided I really liked the fiddle.
It took me a long time after that to actually play in a session though!
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by richrua
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Oh and the year was 1993 I believe.
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by richrua
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
September 1976 - the night the Inter Cert (state exam) results came out. We went to celebrate... to a local school where the local comhaltas branch had a weekly session. There was a group of adults playing with teenagers, college students all playing away. There were also a number of sean nós singers, and a few sets during the evening. A very pleasant and welcoming experience. I became a regular visitor. (listener/dancer)
20 years later I took up the tin whistle and later still the concertina (and play in sessions regularly).
# Posted on June 12th 2009 by southsider
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Mulligan's, Amsterdam, 1999. I was clueless, and knew it, so I went to a whole 'nother continent to avoid embarrassing myself in my home town.
Futile effort, really. I embarrass myself all the time, now, in my own country.
# Posted on June 13th 2009 by John Galt
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
You are too modest, Mr. Tucker. I would say only some of the time.
My first session was in the mid seventies in Sligo. I wandered in to a pub (Hannigan's maybe?) and somehow got right behind Maurice Lennon. (Of course I didn't know who it was then, but figured it out later). First time I had ever heard Irish music. It was amazing to me. Don't think I closed my mouth the entire evening because I was in such awe - couldn't even have a drink. That inspired me to pick up my violin when I came home and start to learn how to play this music. Still learning.
# Posted on June 13th 2009 by John Culhane
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
ooops. Forgot the
after the second sentence.
# Posted on June 13th 2009 by John Culhane
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Ah, we agree then. I meant "all the time" as in "frequently."
)
(Couldn't drink that night? Glad to see you got over that....
# Posted on June 13th 2009 by John Galt
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
The first ones I remember were about age four, very scottish they were, fiddles everywhere. One piano accordion on a big night.
I sat on me grandfathers knee and got bounced up and down in time with the music while he played the tobacco tin or the matchbox or a handfull of pennies or spoons. Often he would be asked to lilt..........that would have been about sixty years ago.
As to anything that happened last week? ????/
# Posted on June 13th 2009 by mcknowall
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Thankfully, no. I can't remember my first session.
Come to think of it, I can't remember my last one either, except that it was last week.
# Posted on June 13th 2009 by leoj
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Hi Dick - it was in the snug bar of Ma's (Ma Cameron's Inn) in Aberdeen (late 1980s) - a hostelry with which you're well acquainted.. I'm sure Kenny was there, along with Jean Graham, Niall McKinnon, Janice Clark and possibly Tom Napper and Karin Paterson. I'm sure there were others present from the "Thistle and Shamrock" ceilidh band too. There used to be some great sessions in Aberdeen back then. That wee bar used to be hellish for the smoke, though the beer was good.
# Posted on June 13th 2009 by On Sabbatical
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
I do indeed Ron, many's the grand wee tune I had in there.
I remember that the Gaelic scholars used to often come in on the Session night too.
I wonder is the Snug still there, wi' yon wee hatch through to the Bar?
# Posted on June 13th 2009 by Ptarmigan
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
The snug and bar c/w hatch at Ma's are pretty much unchanged Dick, although the pub has grown extensions around it. There's even a smoking terrace on the roof!
The snug is still a venue for impromptu afternoon sessions, you can walk along little Belmont and peer in the window and see if there's anyone in there
# Posted on June 13th 2009 by Bren
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Takes me back.... However, I also remember that a pint on the house was virtually unheard of for the musicians, though do remember getting one once from the daughter of the owner. I think this was after it had been some time since we'd been in there due to the grumpy taxi driver who who used to drink there having an altercation with a punter who had been wanting to listen to the music. This man had very politely asked said taxi driver if he could be just a wee bit quieter - however, yer taxi man took exception and the upshot of it was that the polite customer was thrown out by the bar staff and the taxi driver stayed! Kenny and I were quite aghast at this. So thereafter, it was black-listed in our books...
However, good to hear that there still might be the odd tune there though, Bren.
# Posted on June 13th 2009 by On Sabbatical
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Well, it's not a "session pub" these days so you'd be invading "their" space and definitely out of order to ask punters to quieten, no matter how politely, even if they were taxi drivers
However, the snug is usually empty of an afternoon and not a problem to have a session in there - any free pints will come from appreciative punters
# Posted on June 13th 2009 by Bren
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
Munk's Park Pub, Park Avenue South, NYC, 1974
# Posted on June 15th 2009 by drinharp
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
My first session was terrifying. I had played and even performed for several years, but had some major issues with performance anxiety.
I was the only fiddle that showed up that day at the Acoustic Coffeehouse in Johnson City, TN. The session was led by Joseph Sobol, who is extraordinary, and I was so nervous, feeling conspicuous, that I couldn't get through any of the tunes completely-- even the easy ones that I had been playing for years. My mind felt completely wiped clean.
I've come such a long way since then-- it's good to remember
# Posted on June 17th 2009 by Marcianne
Re: Do you remember your first Session?
my first session wasnt that long ago.... i only started a year nd a bit ago..... we didnt know where the pub that we were goin to b playin at nd we ended bein an hour early......... if dat wasnt a waste of time enough i wasnt able to play at all... i didnt realise dey played soooo fast............
what a waste....... but i did end up learning new tunes sooo it wasnt so bad.... da first session was the worst for me.....
dat was only a few months ago nd now i go to all da sessions...... its brill craic nd a good excuse to get out of da house!!!!!!!
# Posted on June 22nd 2009 by gemma m.g.:)