As a beginner I'm looking for good banjo players to listen to; the same way the learning artists/painters gain from seeing and painting the old masters; to have a sound in your head where you are trying to get to with the tunes. I've listened to Gerry O'conner and Angelina Jolie sorry Carberry although she may play for all I know, and Barney McKenna but need more. Would welcome suggestions of masters to learn from.
definitely gerry o'connor. stay away from barney mckenna. he gives the banjo a bad name. enda scahill is quite cool. martin howley and mark conyard would be a good place to start. have a listen to cathal hayden playing the banjo too. he's amazing
One banjo player I really enjoy listening to is Seamus Egan of the band Solas. Not being a banjo player myself, I can't really speak for his style, but I really have an appreciation for his playing. Another great player I became recently acquainted with is Enda Scahill. He has amazing technical prowess coupled with a really enjoyable style.
Agree with the above, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that Barney M. gives the banjo a bad name. Like his style or not, he was an inspiration to many of today's finer players. Listen to Barney's older recordings with the Dubliners from the 60s and 70s.
Barney's a legend. A very influential musician and, in a lot of ways, an innovator in his day. More than anyone he popularised the tenor banjo through the 60's and 70's if only by his association with The Dubliners. His technique was and is faultless really.
Mick Moloney, Mick O'Connor, Eddie Whelan,Colin Greene,Jody Moran,Joe "Banjo" Burke',Willie Kavanagh , Tom Cussen(Shaskeen),Brian Fitzgerald, Liam Farrell,Kevin Griffin.
And you probably could'nt include him in this genre but I have a photo of a 12 year old Django pre accident playing a 6 string banjo.
Fast Eddie - "Stay away from Barney McKenna he gives the banjo a bad name" I love it....I'm going to print that out and show it to a friend of mine. I've been trying to think up something nasty to do to him for years, and that quote might just be the thing to send him over the edge.....I also found Cathal Hayden an amazing banjo player....I like 'em all..
Mick Moloney credits Barney with the popularity of the banjo in modern times, he certainly was the one who inspired me to play, when The Dubliners rose to fame in the early sixties there simply was no other well known player around.
Why do some people begrudge someone else's popularity, WHY does Barney give the banjo a bad name fast eddie ? are you a better player ?
Barney McKenna may have popularised the banjo, doesn't mean he played it well though. Many people appreciated what he tried to do on it, and the sound the instrument itself produced, that was the inspiration. He was by no mean a good technician.
Thanks for that, FastEddie. I'm fairly new and I found Sully's lessons so easy to follow. I tried Gerry O'Connor's as well. They were also very good but Sully's just had the edge. I just seemd to be more confident with the way he approached things. I've now sent for his next lessons. I hope they are as good.
now listen to any other banjo player mentioned here, and they put him to absolute shame. fair play to him for brining the banjo to music, but he really isnt a technician
i havnt seen his lessons myself. but they apparently are great. he's really steady. a good player to learn from. much easier to learn from sully then most other players
haha, a lot better then in flooded carrick. any sessions going over there at the moment??? im over soon. wouldnt mind finding a few good sessions. never really find much when im over
Your showing your age there Floss, Fast Eddie was sacked from Motorhead over 20 years ago. (I'll always remember him saying after he got the boot, "and I always fawt I woz quite tasteful").
Barney M. did have his flaws -- in my view, mostly timing, rather than technique per se. He'd speed up, slow down, and flub a note or two (but who doesn't from time to time?) His recordings were "honest" and when he messed up, he had the guts to leave it that way. Most of us wouldn't do the same today, and with the modern recording techniques we have now, we wouldn't have to. As tenor player myself, I think it's good to listen to as many people as you can, good or bad...and learn from their good points and mistakes.
A lot of Barney's recordings with the Dubliners are "live" and I bet even the studio ones weren't fussed over too much. Still sounds great to me. Technique is only a means to an end, and only other musicians are going to stand round judging a trad player's "technique", and only anal ones at that.
However, I defy anyone except hardcore banjo-haters to listen to Kevin Griffin ripping through Belles of Tipperary with the Ceili Bandits and not be inspired
I think any banjo player would acknowledge the influence of Barney McKenna on their playing he has been a major influence. The players I like are Gerry O'Connor,Enda Scahill,Dessie Kelliher and Gary Peterson.
And yes, Pat, I was definitely showing my age! I have horrible memories of a Motorhead gig somewhere in North London in the 1970s (the Finsbury Park Tavern?) which left my ears ringing (and most other parts of my body numbed) for the rest of the week.
How respectless can one be to say McKenna gives the banjo a bad name. At least he gave it a name for irish music. Although I`m listening mainly to the young players I find his playing is an inspiration and it hast always been for serveral generations of banjo players...
Personally I love Gerry O'Connor's playing, when I listen to his recordings I hear all sorts of fusion elements bubbling away, newgrass, bluegrass, South Asian, Irish, etc, etc. Wonderful exciting stuff. When I hear Barney McKenna recordings I'm compelled to think of one thing only and that's Irish Traditional Music. Wonderful exciting stuff.
lets not forget the sheer energy of heads of the live band cicuirt, who inspired so many on many different levels, noteably Tommy MacMananon (who left us a couple of years ago) R I P
and a younger London demi-god coming through (though he dosn't know it) is Brian Kelly, unbelievable trad musicallity travels directly to your head via his banjo machine, it's unrepeatable, it's unforgiving, a 21st century magnet . . . effortless . . . i've failed in trying to explain it
i was wondering when someone would include the redoubtable BK.
a flaming whopper, no less, although some might say an acquired taste.
would you like apple pie with that?
Saw both Tommy MMnmn and Brian Ky together in the Popes when Shane MacGowan played Aberdeen around 2003 or 4 - not that either of them were required to play anything much but at least they'd have made a few bob off the tour
I'd never say anything derogatory about a banjo player who fishes or a fisherman who plays the banjo. Barney McKenna is definitely one of my heroes. Even when he isn't playing banjo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHzC_QPeSQk
RE: "stay away from barney mckenna. he gives the banjo a bad name"
My advice, first & foremost, would be to stay well, well away from any Banjo players who clearly have no respect for their elders .......... or 'The Tradition', ..... e.g. like the poster of such an inane comment as the one above!
Playing Traditional Music is about oh so much more than just flashy, fancy finger work & those musicians who are just too immature to recognise this, are sadly, completely missing the point!
All those wonderful Banjo players who joined Barney on stage here, you'll notice, were quite happy to just take a back seat behind the great man! It says a lot for them.
When it comes to Irish Music & the Tenor Banjo, you just cannot ignore Barney McKenna's huge influence & massive legacy. Barney is The Man.
The sort of fools who do a disservice to Barney's amazing contribution to the tradition, are probably the kind of people who would put their Granny out with the trash, when she grew too old to cook or wash up for them!
If you respect the tradition then who knows, maybe one day, you just might deserve to become part of it.
If you just pi$$ on the tradition though ... then please, just pi$$ off!
When it comes to Irish Banjo playing, anyone who has an ounce of sense, listens to Barney McKenna .... FIRST!
Banjo inspiration
Banjo inspiration
As a beginner I'm looking for good banjo players to listen to; the same way the learning artists/painters gain from seeing and painting the old masters; to have a sound in your head where you are trying to get to with the tunes. I've listened to Gerry O'conner and Angelina Jolie sorry Carberry although she may play for all I know, and Barney McKenna but need more. Would welcome suggestions of masters to learn from.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Eòsaph
Re: Banjo inspiration
Keiran Hanrahan
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Earl Cameron
Re: Banjo inspiration
: )
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Eòsaph
Re: Banjo inspiration
definitely gerry o'connor. stay away from barney mckenna. he gives the banjo a bad name. enda scahill is quite cool. martin howley and mark conyard would be a good place to start. have a listen to cathal hayden playing the banjo too. he's amazing
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by FastEddie
Re: Banjo inspiration
John Carty
Brian McGrath
Marcus Moloney
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by triplet upstairs
Re: Banjo inspiration
damien o'kanes pretty handy too actually
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by FastEddie
Re: Banjo inspiration
and dessie donnelly is pretty handy too
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by FastEddie
Re: Banjo inspiration
i would second mark conyard.
someone i know rates dolly parton, but i havent heard him myself.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by rumpole
Re: Banjo inspiration
someone tells me fasteddie is pretty good too.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by rumpole
Re: Banjo inspiration
If you go to Banjohangout.com there was a recent thread(maybe a wish list?) that had a lot o names and CD titles...
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by steve...r
Re: Banjo inspiration
One banjo player I really enjoy listening to is Seamus Egan of the band Solas. Not being a banjo player myself, I can't really speak for his style, but I really have an appreciation for his playing. Another great player I became recently acquainted with is Enda Scahill. He has amazing technical prowess coupled with a really enjoyable style.
Just my $0.02.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by The David Dude
Re: Banjo inspiration
BTW, you might like to check out a similar thread about banjo players from earlier on this year: http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/22581/comments
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by The David Dude
Re: Banjo inspiration
Agree with the above, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that Barney M. gives the banjo a bad name. Like his style or not, he was an inspiration to many of today's finer players. Listen to Barney's older recordings with the Dubliners from the 60s and 70s.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Steven Hawson
Re: Banjo inspiration
Barney's a legend. A very influential musician and, in a lot of ways, an innovator in his day. More than anyone he popularised the tenor banjo through the 60's and 70's if only by his association with The Dubliners. His technique was and is faultless really.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Patkiwi
Re: Banjo inspiration
Mick Moloney, Mick O'Connor, Eddie Whelan,Colin Greene,Jody Moran,Joe "Banjo" Burke',Willie Kavanagh , Tom Cussen(Shaskeen),Brian Fitzgerald, Liam Farrell,Kevin Griffin.
And you probably could'nt include him in this genre but I have a photo of a 12 year old Django pre accident playing a 6 string banjo.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Tony O'Rourke
Re: Banjo inspiration
Eamon Coyne
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by bodatcha
Re: Banjo inspiration
Angelina Carberry.
She's got it all
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Dawros Frog
Re: Banjo inspiration
Fast Eddie - "Stay away from Barney McKenna he gives the banjo a bad name" I love it....I'm going to print that out and show it to a friend of mine. I've been trying to think up something nasty to do to him for years, and that quote might just be the thing to send him over the edge.....I also found Cathal Hayden an amazing banjo player....I like 'em all..
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Free Reed
Re: Banjo inspiration
Banjo and inspiration in the same sentence-wow!
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by AlBrown
Re: Banjo inspiration
Mick Moloney credits Barney with the popularity of the banjo in modern times, he certainly was the one who inspired me to play, when The Dubliners rose to fame in the early sixties there simply was no other well known player around.
Why do some people begrudge someone else's popularity, WHY does Barney give the banjo a bad name fast eddie ? are you a better player ?
Dave H
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Dave Hanson
Re: Banjo inspiration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89oXVr917Bo
Dessie Kelliher
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Banjo inspiration
Barney McKenna may have popularised the banjo, doesn't mean he played it well though. Many people appreciated what he tried to do on it, and the sound the instrument itself produced, that was the inspiration. He was by no mean a good technician.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by FastEddie
Re: Banjo inspiration
Strange, but nobody has mentioned my hero, SULLY. I think he's a great inspiration to new players.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by minstrel33
Re: Banjo inspiration
he's ok. good one to listen to as a beginner. he has a very steady style.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by FastEddie
Re: Banjo inspiration
before you throw this soul off the back of the train ~ "Wise Maid"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VazIQ4-nG4I
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Banjo inspiration
Thanks for that, FastEddie. I'm fairly new and I found Sully's lessons so easy to follow. I tried Gerry O'Connor's as well. They were also very good but Sully's just had the edge. I just seemd to be more confident with the way he approached things. I've now sent for his next lessons. I hope they are as good.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by minstrel33
Re: Banjo inspiration
now listen to any other banjo player mentioned here, and they put him to absolute shame. fair play to him for brining the banjo to music, but he really isnt a technician
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by FastEddie
Re: Banjo inspiration
i havnt seen his lessons myself. but they apparently are great. he's really steady. a good player to learn from. much easier to learn from sully then most other players
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by FastEddie
Re: Banjo inspiration
Have you ever heard The Dubliners' 'Instrumental' album, FastEddie? If you had, you'd quickly revise your opinion of Barney McKenna.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by MacCruiskeen
Re: Banjo inspiration
i have, and still i think he makes the banjo sound really muddy and rushed. not a patch on the laid back brilliance of gerry o'connor
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by FastEddie
Re: Banjo inspiration
OK, I won't disagree with you. By the by, how are things in Motorhead?
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by MacCruiskeen
Re: Banjo inspiration
haha, a lot better then in flooded carrick. any sessions going over there at the moment??? im over soon. wouldnt mind finding a few good sessions. never really find much when im over
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by FastEddie
Re: Banjo inspiration
Mark Conyard (Kerry), based in London who also inspires on 4- & 5-string fiddle and mandolin (check out the videos)
# Posted on November 29th 2009 by lisaniska
Re: Banjo inspiration
Your showing your age there Floss, Fast Eddie was sacked from Motorhead over 20 years ago. (I'll always remember him saying after he got the boot, "and I always fawt I woz quite tasteful").
# Posted on November 29th 2009 by Patkiwi
Re: Banjo inspiration
Barney M. did have his flaws -- in my view, mostly timing, rather than technique per se. He'd speed up, slow down, and flub a note or two (but who doesn't from time to time?) His recordings were "honest" and when he messed up, he had the guts to leave it that way. Most of us wouldn't do the same today, and with the modern recording techniques we have now, we wouldn't have to. As tenor player myself, I think it's good to listen to as many people as you can, good or bad...and learn from their good points and mistakes.
# Posted on November 29th 2009 by Steven Hawson
Re: Banjo inspiration
The banjo never did much for me until I heard Mark Conyard of Hungry Grass. Also check out Lena Ullman.
# Posted on November 29th 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Banjo inspiration
A lot of Barney's recordings with the Dubliners are "live" and I bet even the studio ones weren't fussed over too much. Still sounds great to me. Technique is only a means to an end, and only other musicians are going to stand round judging a trad player's "technique", and only anal ones at that.
However, I defy anyone except hardcore banjo-haters to listen to Kevin Griffin ripping through Belles of Tipperary with the Ceili Bandits and not be inspired
# Posted on November 29th 2009 by Bren
Re: Banjo inspiration
Yeah, Barney McKenna is a total slacker. Sorry I started
playing because of him - well maybe my wife is sorry
anyway
The Dubliners - Barney's Mozart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMXKZtCrdxE
The Dubliners - Barney's Banjo Solo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBNOVhWo5Hg
The Dubliners - barney mckenna - banjo medley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiOWd7ArmWQ
Barney MacKenna's Banjo Band Play the High Reel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p8HSw_t-G8
Note a young Gerry O'Connor in the back
And yes, Gerry O'Connor is quite good, probably better, but
he didn't seem to mind hanging out at least briefly with Mr
Stinker (McKenna).
Gerry O'Connor on Irish Banjo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tf7A13_Ex8
# Posted on November 29th 2009 by zoronic
Re: Banjo inspiration
I think any banjo player would acknowledge the influence of Barney McKenna on their playing he has been a major influence. The players I like are Gerry O'Connor,Enda Scahill,Dessie Kelliher and Gary Peterson.
# Posted on November 29th 2009 by tirvaluk
Re: Banjo inspiration
I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Darren Maloney - http://www.darrenmaloney.com or http://www.myspace.com/darrenmaloney.
And yes, Pat, I was definitely showing my age! I have horrible memories of a Motorhead gig somewhere in North London in the 1970s (the Finsbury Park Tavern?) which left my ears ringing (and most other parts of my body numbed) for the rest of the week.
# Posted on November 29th 2009 by MacCruiskeen
Re: Banjo inspiration
I like Ciaran Hanrahan myself, he has a good banjo CD.
# Posted on November 30th 2009 by BanjoBongo
Re: Banjo inspiration
How respectless can one be to say McKenna gives the banjo a bad name. At least he gave it a name for irish music. Although I`m listening mainly to the young players I find his playing is an inspiration and it hast always been for serveral generations of banjo players...
# Posted on November 30th 2009 by banjojan
Re: Banjo inspiration
I noticed David McNevin there also.
Dave H
# Posted on November 30th 2009 by Dave Hanson
Re: Banjo inspiration
Personally I love Gerry O'Connor's playing, when I listen to his recordings I hear all sorts of fusion elements bubbling away, newgrass, bluegrass, South Asian, Irish, etc, etc. Wonderful exciting stuff. When I hear Barney McKenna recordings I'm compelled to think of one thing only and that's Irish Traditional Music. Wonderful exciting stuff.
# Posted on November 30th 2009 by Patkiwi
Re: Banjo inspiration
and to magic
lets not forget the sheer energy of heads of the live band cicuirt, who inspired so many on many different levels, noteably Tommy MacMananon (who left us a couple of years ago) R I P
and a younger London demi-god coming through (though he dosn't know it) is Brian Kelly, unbelievable trad musicallity travels directly to your head via his banjo machine, it's unrepeatable, it's unforgiving, a 21st century magnet . . . effortless . . . i've failed in trying to explain it
# Posted on December 1st 2009 by lisaniska
Re: Banjo inspiration
i was wondering when someone would include the redoubtable BK.
a flaming whopper, no less, although some might say an acquired taste.
would you like apple pie with that?
# Posted on December 1st 2009 by rumpole
Re: Banjo inspiration
Saw both Tommy MMnmn and Brian Ky together in the Popes when Shane MacGowan played Aberdeen around 2003 or 4 - not that either of them were required to play anything much but at least they'd have made a few bob off the tour
# Posted on December 2nd 2009 by Bren
Re: Banjo inspiration
I'd never say anything derogatory about a banjo player who fishes or a fisherman who plays the banjo. Barney McKenna is definitely one of my heroes. Even when he isn't playing banjo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHzC_QPeSQk
# Posted on December 3rd 2009 by Fishmonger
Re: Banjo inspiration
RE: "stay away from barney mckenna. he gives the banjo a bad name"
My advice, first & foremost, would be to stay well, well away from any Banjo players who clearly have no respect for their elders .......... or 'The Tradition', ..... e.g. like the poster of such an inane comment as the one above!
Playing Traditional Music is about oh so much more than just flashy, fancy finger work & those musicians who are just too immature to recognise this, are sadly, completely missing the point!
All those wonderful Banjo players who joined Barney on stage here, you'll notice, were quite happy to just take a back seat behind the great man! It says a lot for them.
http://theirishtenorbanjo.ning.com/video/barney-mckennas-banjo-band
When it comes to Irish Music & the Tenor Banjo, you just cannot ignore Barney McKenna's huge influence & massive legacy. Barney is The Man.
The sort of fools who do a disservice to Barney's amazing contribution to the tradition, are probably the kind of people who would put their Granny out with the trash, when she grew too old to cook or wash up for them!
If you respect the tradition then who knows, maybe one day, you just might deserve to become part of it.
If you just pi$$ on the tradition though ... then please, just pi$$ off!
When it comes to Irish Banjo playing, anyone who has an ounce of sense, listens to Barney McKenna .... FIRST!
# Posted on February 15th 2010 by Ptarmigan
Re:Barney McKenna
Barney McKenna is one of the all time Greats of the Banjo, and a great character as well.
Mike
# Posted on February 18th 2010 by pat rafferty
Re: Banjo inspiration
is there a real name for the "barney's mozart" tune??
i really wanna start playin that tune
# Posted on March 8th 2010 by j.roche