BOHOLA 4 has been getting no break from my CD player since I picked it up a week ago. Kat Eggleston is a wonderful addition to the group.
They play a lot of long sets. The tension keeps building in an exciting way, which is difficult to do over ten minutes.
I've played in sessions where the tunes keep coming one after another for fifteen minutes, but staying within the same rhythmic form and the same key. It's a whole different feeling.
And I've heard Cape Breton fiddlers finish off fifteen minutes of strathspeys with a two part reel. That's a bit of tease, but very pleasant.
On a CD this is very inventive and classy, but I also like two or three tune tracks.
Is the long set a new development, or have folks been doing this for decades in the smokey corners of pubs in Ireland?
Kevin Burke does a smacker on If The Cap Fits, and says in the liner notes that he did it to give people an idea of what sessions used to be like in the old days.
Sara
You'd have to have a pretty organized session, or all be psychic mind readers to make all the changes that smoothly, but Kevin was just trying to give you an idea of what a session is like I guess.
Even today if you're in the right session in London (Kevin Burke's home town after all) you can hear some pretty long sets, but it does seem to depend on how well the musicians know each other and/or have played together, as Jack implies.
Wednesday's session, after a long set of reels, I looked over at John to see if he had another, and he made a huge face at me. After we stopped, he said, "what, don't look at me for another tune after all that, are you trying to kill me or something?!"
The transitions weren't particularly pretty, as we were basically all just playing along and then somebody would decide that *this* reel would sound great following the last one, and start it up just as everyone else was ready to stop...but great crack.
Sounds like it's not a likely thing unless the group knows the a lot of the same music AND is prepared to go with the changes. It is a lot of fun when the tension keeps building. It does require experienced musicians.
Ashley MacIsaac does a nice long set on FIDDLE MUSIC 101.
Wendy MacIsaac does several great long sets on her two albums, THAT'S WHAT YOU GET, and TIMELINE. I'll check to see if these are in the database, and if not I'll add them. TIMELINE is VERY good.
So how does one go about stringing together tunes for a long set *without* a train wreck? Is it about having the same members of a session long enough? Or maybe pre-set hand signals for what's next?
Harder if you're a fluter or whistle player. Generally we just yell during the last part until you're sure enough people have the next tune. Even then you generally get people stopping to let whoever can get the transition get it before they jump back in.
Thanks, Zina...I *am* a flute player, so yelling wasn't the first thing that came to mind. (Lord knows it's hard enough to breathe, much less to say anything...)
The longest set I have in a recording is on Howie MacDonald & Ashley MacIsaac's CD "Cape Breton Fiddle Music Not Calm". It's 18 minutes and 10 seconds and it didn't end there--they ran out of tape so the track just ends in the middle of a bow stroke!
But getting back to Bohola--I don't know how they do it, but they manage to keep building up for what seems like 7 or 8 minutes and by that time they haven't really started! After about 10 minutes little beads of sweat start to form on Keane's brow--then he closes his eyes and really gets going. By the time they finish the whole audience is exhausted. Not to take away anything from the rest of the great musicians in Bohola but Jimmy Keane and that huge piano accordion are something to see and hear.
The Long Set Bohola style
The Long Set Bohola style
BOHOLA 4 has been getting no break from my CD player since I picked it up a week ago. Kat Eggleston is a wonderful addition to the group.
They play a lot of long sets. The tension keeps building in an exciting way, which is difficult to do over ten minutes.
I've played in sessions where the tunes keep coming one after another for fifteen minutes, but staying within the same rhythmic form and the same key. It's a whole different feeling.
And I've heard Cape Breton fiddlers finish off fifteen minutes of strathspeys with a two part reel. That's a bit of tease, but very pleasant.
On a CD this is very inventive and classy, but I also like two or three tune tracks.
Is the long set a new development, or have folks been doing this for decades in the smokey corners of pubs in Ireland?
# Posted on April 2nd 2004 by bellows boy
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
..... non smokey corners ...
# Posted on April 2nd 2004 by showaddydadito
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
I have heard sets in Clare as long as an Indian raga.
# Posted on April 2nd 2004 by Joe Quinn
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
If you want to hear long sets, go see Martin Hayes.
-Max
# Posted on April 2nd 2004 by Max Becher
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
Kevin Burke does a smacker on If The Cap Fits, and says in the liner notes that he did it to give people an idea of what sessions used to be like in the old days.
Sara
# Posted on April 2nd 2004 by sara g
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
You'd have to have a pretty organized session, or all be psychic mind readers to make all the changes that smoothly, but Kevin was just trying to give you an idea of what a session is like I guess.
# Posted on April 2nd 2004 by Phantom Button
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
Even today if you're in the right session in London (Kevin Burke's home town after all) you can hear some pretty long sets, but it does seem to depend on how well the musicians know each other and/or have played together, as Jack implies.
# Posted on April 2nd 2004 by Just a person
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
Wednesday's session, after a long set of reels, I looked over at John to see if he had another, and he made a huge face at me. After we stopped, he said, "what, don't look at me for another tune after all that, are you trying to kill me or something?!"
The transitions weren't particularly pretty, as we were basically all just playing along and then somebody would decide that *this* reel would sound great following the last one, and start it up just as everyone else was ready to stop...but great crack.
# Posted on April 2nd 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
Sorry it's off-topic, but Orson Carte is a brilliant name!
Jim
# Posted on April 2nd 2004 by Worldfiddler
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
Sounds like it's not a likely thing unless the group knows the a lot of the same music AND is prepared to go with the changes. It is a lot of fun when the tension keeps building. It does require experienced musicians.
Ashley MacIsaac does a nice long set on FIDDLE MUSIC 101.
Wendy MacIsaac does several great long sets on her two albums, THAT'S WHAT YOU GET, and TIMELINE. I'll check to see if these are in the database, and if not I'll add them. TIMELINE is VERY good.
# Posted on April 2nd 2004 by bellows boy
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
The long set is alive and well and lives in Doncaster. I am told 10 or 15 tunes are an average set once I start going. I only stop when I am thirsty.
# Posted on April 3rd 2004 by geoffwright
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
So how does one go about stringing together tunes for a long set *without* a train wreck? Is it about having the same members of a session long enough? Or maybe pre-set hand signals for what's next?
# Posted on April 5th 2004 by knockwool
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
Harder if you're a fluter or whistle player. Generally we just yell during the last part until you're sure enough people have the next tune. Even then you generally get people stopping to let whoever can get the transition get it before they jump back in.
# Posted on April 5th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
Thanks, Zina...I *am* a flute player, so yelling wasn't the first thing that came to mind. (Lord knows it's hard enough to breathe, much less to say anything...)
# Posted on April 5th 2004 by knockwool
Re: The Long Set Bohola style
The longest set I have in a recording is on Howie MacDonald & Ashley MacIsaac's CD "Cape Breton Fiddle Music Not Calm". It's 18 minutes and 10 seconds and it didn't end there--they ran out of tape so the track just ends in the middle of a bow stroke!
But getting back to Bohola--I don't know how they do it, but they manage to keep building up for what seems like 7 or 8 minutes and by that time they haven't really started! After about 10 minutes little beads of sweat start to form on Keane's brow--then he closes his eyes and really gets going. By the time they finish the whole audience is exhausted. Not to take away anything from the rest of the great musicians in Bohola but Jimmy Keane and that huge piano accordion are something to see and hear.
# Posted on July 16th 2004 by Jim Stetson