I'm interested to see if any of you fellow tunesters agree with something thats been on my mind for the last few years. I travel the world over each year due to my business and I make an effort to drop into a few Irish pubs if I have the time. What I've been noticing is that the standard of say, American, English, Australian or even Japanese players has greatly increased while at the same time some of the tunesters on show around Ireland and in Dublin in particular seem to be resting on laurels that have long since withered. There is an acceptance of substandard playing in many pubs around the country....The foreign lads and lassies appear to immerse themselves in the study and technique of complex trad music while the natives are still playing the "same 'oul" thing, night after night, pint after pint. It reminds me of the short kid on the basketball team - He'll practice his jumping for hours longer than the taller guys and one day he gets the winning slamdunk.
Hmmm... well, if you look at the list of all Ireland Fleadh champions, they are still overwhelmingly Irish. But that's a thin slice of the whole thing. However, you can't breed or train champions in a vacuum, there needs to be a support network, for want of a better term.
That said we had a jumping session last night. There were a whole crowd of Irish people in the crowd of listeners and at least two people said to me you won't get a session like that back home any more.
So I don't know. You obviously have travelled more so may have a bigger picture. I somehow don't think it's as straight forward as you say though. Maybe, as there are more sessions in Ireland anyway, you are exposed to a wider spectrum from beginner all the way up.
"The foreign lads and lassies appear to immerse themselves in the study and technique of complex trad music while the natives are still playing the "same 'oul" thing, night after night, pint after pint."
The music (in sessions) isn't about studying and practising in order to become a virtuoso. It's about playing with a few friends for enjoyment or, at least , that's what it should be.
Yes, you'll always get really good players in sessions but I don't think striving to to be "the best session player" is a desirable end in itself.
>"I don't think striving to to be "the best session player" is a desirable end in itself".......probly that's what the non-Irish ones he's observed are doing.
As we've discussed before, there are all types and levels of sessions.
However, I believe that a session should be basically a group of players/friends just getting together for a tune. They might all be brilliant players or just a bunch of "oul guys" getting together with a pint.
Well I don't know; a few years ago I had the opportunity of going to two major festivals back-to-back: the Willie Clancy Week and the Catskills festival. On the whole, I still think there are more fantastic young players coming through the ranks in Ireland than anywhere else. That said, I was amazed at the standard of some of our overseas cousins.
I think your'e mistaken, Planxtyman. The playing of music at performance level may have improved outside Ireland, but the whole session thing is not about performance. Countless times on this forum we discuss technical issues, (which is all very fine in the classroom), but it's not the same thing to play note perfect as to play from the heart. Outside of Scotland, there is no place on the planet where music of these islands is played as well as it is in ireland.
You need to spend more time at home, methinks.
technical virtuosity never did it for me - backer is right: note perfection, technical perfection, just isn't what it is all about. Not for me at any rate. On my travels I've encountered loads of technically amazing players but the most inspiring, the most incredible, the most brilliant, were the people who had shocking technique but possessed something else you couldn't quite put your finger on and I dare say could never emulate. Some of the best players I've known also had quite a small repertoire - not minuscule, but small enough. I don't like it when it gets into the stamp-collecting mentality anyway, but that's just my taste.
I think Backer put it well, you can hit the right notes at the right time and still not sound as good as the person who plays from the heart.
I still believe a great musician was one who never plays the same tune the same way twice.
The music should come from the heart and not just a regurgitated memorised 'performance'
From my point of view you need to have enough technique to make the music from the heart shine out as it should. If you haven't technique then all that heart music will stay right there - in the heart, with no vehicle to display it - just my 2p (since we've now changed topic. )
Or could this be the proliferation of "performances" masquerading as sessions?
I can't speak from travelling, as I have never been to Ireland, but I would imagine that there is some demand for "session-like" hired gigs, especially around the big cities, to keep the tourists happy.
I have noticed this in the Boston, Massachusetts area, a lot of events that look like sessions, but are really paid gigs. Some are quite good, but many lack that enthusiastic passion of the amateur event, where folks are playing for the sheer love of it, (and perhaps an occasional pint of liquid reward).
think i was staying on it planxtyman reckons that people outside ireland have vast repertoires of 'complex' trad music, in which they are immersed and that this steals the rush on the characters back home who play the same old same old. Moreorless?
Of course you're right Manic, you do need a technique, but 'a' rather than 'the' technique ... maybe?
It's also a bit contentious to start saying what is and isn't 'from the heart' - it's a matter of personal preference. I wouldn't much like to be the one who went to japan, heard a set of pyrotechnic reels and said they weren't coming from the heart. My personal tastes take me away from things that sound too refined, too processed, too gentrified - I don't like that much. Others do. But as for what's better or worse, or what's genuine and what's not, then you're stuck. You end up having to make weird distinctions based on all sorts of rubbish.
Really, I'm just trying to say that it seems slightly unimportant what's happening in Japan or wherever in a better or worse relation to anywhere else. You like it or you don't?
Myself, I love enthusiasm. I've often played in a session where a person who may not be very good shows the enthusiasm of a hungry kitten suckling its mother.
You can have your session where everyone is pitch perfect and the music is played through a well oiled machine of perfect precision and timing, give me the craic first though
I would suspect that some of the Dublin pub musicians seen in pubs by visitors are paid performers just going through their list, week in week out, as someone above suggests. I think I encountered a "session" like that when I last went over in 1984. I asked a small group of players in a crowded Dublin pub if I could sit in with them on whistle. They assented, but while not hostile they were pretty taciturn. I think I was gate-crashing on a paid session. No, I didn't ask them for a cut.
As a Dubliner living in Japan,
I guess I know a little of what you are talking about.
Over here they have this desperate yearning to learn more tunes and to identify exactly what for example Sliabh Luachra is and who plays it right, and then they go after it and replicate it. It seems Lunasa are fierce popular altogether.
At a lot of my sessions here, after a couple of tunes there is a painfull silence between musicians, and that bit of craic has been totally missing. I almost forget "banter"..... having said that, no one is talking of mortgages......
I went home 2 weeks ago, and played in my old gig, and had the same old good times, with better tunes. It came to a time recently, where this unfortunately was the place I'd come to try and dig out some wit. I was delighted to go home and not hear how a tune should be played, how not to post ABC's and how not to do this that and the other, Just a few friends playing tunes.
I guess it depends where you have been in Dublin. I know where I like to play and I don't notice anyone resting on their laurels. Look around mate, you'll find good sessions up to your standard.
Well, is true that those who got near to this music from other country (as me) payed more attention to technical or "metamusical" questions, because it was the only way to familiarized with the music. Most of us didn't have teachers or sessions every week (even every month). Only recordings, books and internet. At the oposite to the first post, it is really a handicap refering to the style. You can develope a perfect technique in the instrument after study it throughoutly... but this music is not only about technique. In fact, listening a classical musician trying to play Irish music may sound horrible for a traditional musician.
But where do you get the "swing" of the music? The only way is playing with other musicians. An additional way, but slower, is listening religiously recordings, play with them and analyse them. Indeed, many well known old Irish musicians did it with Coleman's or Morrison's recordings (Martin Wynes, for instance).
Listening recordings is becoming the universal way to learn music in every countries, which is removing all differences in the way we aproximate to the Irish music.
I said this months ago, "Is ITM wasted on the Irish"? The standard I encountered in Manchester for years was better than most of what I encountered here.
Kevin Crawford comments: "When you're born and living in England, you sometimes feel your music may be a bit inferior to what's coming out of Ireland, and you may not think you're as good as the musicians there. But, funny enough, one of the reasons the music is so strong in England and in the U.S. is that you work twice as hard at it because you feel you have to."
Lots of sense being talked here folks and of course there are 2 sides to every Coyne. Our sessions here in Skerries are very laid back and are different every time depending on who's there and who wants to try something new. Not paid gigs. No expectations of perfect performance, no show-offs, free pints and plenty of banter. Lots of invitations to those around the table to lead or try something. Expecting a good turn-out in 3 hours time and who knows what'll happen tonight. We enjoy it every time and we learn from each other.
K.
i'm not sure how informative sessions might be as to the standard of playing in ireland versus elsewhere....partly because a "session" can be so many different things as noted above.
but also, because in ireland, many if not most of the very fine players are not playing at open "sessions" that one is likely to walk into, save for at festivals, fleadhs, or gigs. i just watched a slew of those "comhaltas live" videos, and while i found there to be something of a generic, cookie-cutter quality expression-wise to the style of some of the younger players, the technical level of virtuosity was mind-bogglingly high.
perhaps some of the allegedly better-quality playing you are seeing outside of ireland is due to the fact that open-session players in other countries are tending to be the fanatical-devotee crowd, while in ireland, many of the really good players are staying away from the open sessions.....the younger players i've seen going at it during festivals are, again, often not to my taste aesthetics wise, but unbelievably accomplished technique-wise....
i remember a fascinating observation from someone on a prior thread to the effect that, in ireland, young players do not come up and get good by going to open sessions per the fantasy that seems to prevail outside of ireland as to how it is done. rather, they are taught from a young age by teachers almost like classical players, and don't start playing out publicly until they have reached a level or virtuosity that would make the open-to-all-session scene a drag for them.....
Very good point made by Kevin OK, especially the bit about thinking that ALL Irish players must be wonderful.
Now I have played with some fantastic players at sessions, mainly Belfast and Co Mayo, but at many of those, especially in Mayo, many of the participants were English, such as that young female fiddle player who features on a YouTube clip along with McGoldrick, which someone submitted recently. Turned out she was a cracking whistle player as well. It is the diaspora "thing", people emigrate for work (or used to) and then bring up the family to be more "Irish than the Irish".
And Ceemonster, good players, really good players, don't play at Fleadhs. That's like a serious "popular" musician turning up on Top Of The Pops, with a "hit" record.
I know we're all falling for this, ie Planxtyman's false divisions, ie Ireland or non-Ireland players (in sessions). But just to remember that does 'non-Ireland players' include Irish players (in sessions)?
I've, in the past, been to sessions in London (or hung around the periphery of, maybe getting the odd tune in) where almost all the players were either Irish living permanently in UK, Irish living temporarily in UK, London Irish, or Irish over visiting. So where does that put his classification? Those sessions, were BTW, arguably the best you could possibly witness.
So, just to clarify that, the sessions mentioned above were like a pub, full of people and players, transported over from Ireland, only on London (Harlesden and Kilburn) soil.
Just back from this week's session ... very enjoyable and what a surprise ... 10 people tonight where we've had 3 to 5 for the last few weeks and who turned up only John Hughes from Antrim who played flute and C# Coyne pipes with us. Magic.
Every week brings a new surprise !!
Bliss, is that Emma Sweeney? If so, I don't understand why you call her English.
Ceemonster, there are many fine Irish musicians playing regularly at sessions in Ireland. Some members of Dervish and Teada does in Sligo town. And I had a cracking session with Christy Barry some weeks ago, who used to play with Terry Bingham once a week throughout the year.
Let me give you a non-musical example. When we went cycling as youngsters we just got the old bike out of the shed and rode it in our normal clothes. It was part of our daily life. It would not have occured to me that I should be a trained racing-biker before I could show myself in the street.
In the US I found that you dressed up in your special gear and got onto your racing bike for the exercise - not to get from A to B. It's become like that over here now.
For the benefit of the public it's better to have a lot of people using their bikes (instead of cars) even if they only ride short distances.
"In the US I found that you dressed up in your special gear and got onto your racing bike for the exercise - not to get from A to B."
You left out "put the bike in the car, drive to cycling spot, *then* get onto your racing bike .. etc"
But I understand your analogy kuec, very well put.
bliss, all i can tell you as that some fleadh kiddies were in the master box class one year at clancy week, and their technical chops were very impressive.....
An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Hi y'all,
I'm interested to see if any of you fellow tunesters agree with something thats been on my mind for the last few years. I travel the world over each year due to my business and I make an effort to drop into a few Irish pubs if I have the time. What I've been noticing is that the standard of say, American, English, Australian or even Japanese players has greatly increased while at the same time some of the tunesters on show around Ireland and in Dublin in particular seem to be resting on laurels that have long since withered. There is an acceptance of substandard playing in many pubs around the country....The foreign lads and lassies appear to immerse themselves in the study and technique of complex trad music while the natives are still playing the "same 'oul" thing, night after night, pint after pint. It reminds me of the short kid on the basketball team - He'll practice his jumping for hours longer than the taller guys and one day he gets the winning slamdunk.
Your views please...
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Planxtyman
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Hmmm... well, if you look at the list of all Ireland Fleadh champions, they are still overwhelmingly Irish. But that's a thin slice of the whole thing. However, you can't breed or train champions in a vacuum, there needs to be a support network, for want of a better term.
That said we had a jumping session last night. There were a whole crowd of Irish people in the crowd of listeners and at least two people said to me you won't get a session like that back home any more.
So I don't know. You obviously have travelled more so may have a bigger picture. I somehow don't think it's as straight forward as you say though. Maybe, as there are more sessions in Ireland anyway, you are exposed to a wider spectrum from beginner all the way up.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Rudall the time
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
"The foreign lads and lassies appear to immerse themselves in the study and technique of complex trad music while the natives are still playing the "same 'oul" thing, night after night, pint after pint."
The music (in sessions) isn't about studying and practising in order to become a virtuoso. It's about playing with a few friends for enjoyment or, at least , that's what it should be.
Yes, you'll always get really good players in sessions but I don't think striving to to be "the best session player" is a desirable end in itself.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Johnny Jay
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
>"I don't think striving to to be "the best session player" is a desirable end in itself".......probly that's what the non-Irish ones he's observed are doing.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Rudall the time
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Yes, I'd agree with you there.
As we've discussed before, there are all types and levels of sessions.
However, I believe that a session should be basically a group of players/friends just getting together for a tune. They might all be brilliant players or just a bunch of "oul guys" getting together with a pint.
It's really just up to them.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Johnny Jay
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Yep, but also to be inclusive and welcoming to outside players who can fit in and/or make a valid contribution.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Rudall the time
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Well I don't know; a few years ago I had the opportunity of going to two major festivals back-to-back: the Willie Clancy Week and the Catskills festival. On the whole, I still think there are more fantastic young players coming through the ranks in Ireland than anywhere else. That said, I was amazed at the standard of some of our overseas cousins.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Conán McDonnell
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
I agree with John(ny)
I don't think it's limited to non-Irish - I've noticed this tendency among some young Irish too.
Maybe it's the inevitable gentrification/geekification of a simple pastime. Look at what bluegrass has become
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Bren
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
I think your'e mistaken, Planxtyman. The playing of music at performance level may have improved outside Ireland, but the whole session thing is not about performance. Countless times on this forum we discuss technical issues, (which is all very fine in the classroom), but it's not the same thing to play note perfect as to play from the heart. Outside of Scotland, there is no place on the planet where music of these islands is played as well as it is in ireland.
You need to spend more time at home, methinks.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Backer
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
technical virtuosity never did it for me - backer is right: note perfection, technical perfection, just isn't what it is all about. Not for me at any rate. On my travels I've encountered loads of technically amazing players but the most inspiring, the most incredible, the most brilliant, were the people who had shocking technique but possessed something else you couldn't quite put your finger on and I dare say could never emulate. Some of the best players I've known also had quite a small repertoire - not minuscule, but small enough. I don't like it when it gets into the stamp-collecting mentality anyway, but that's just my taste.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by pavlf
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
I think Backer put it well, you can hit the right notes at the right time and still not sound as good as the person who plays from the heart.
I still believe a great musician was one who never plays the same tune the same way twice.
The music should come from the heart and not just a regurgitated memorised 'performance'
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by session savage
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
From my point of view you need to have enough technique to make the music from the heart shine out as it should. If you haven't technique then all that heart music will stay right there - in the heart, with no vehicle to display it - just my 2p (since we've now changed topic.
)
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Rudall the time
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Or could this be the proliferation of "performances" masquerading as sessions?
I can't speak from travelling, as I have never been to Ireland, but I would imagine that there is some demand for "session-like" hired gigs, especially around the big cities, to keep the tourists happy.
I have noticed this in the Boston, Massachusetts area, a lot of events that look like sessions, but are really paid gigs. Some are quite good, but many lack that enthusiastic passion of the amateur event, where folks are playing for the sheer love of it, (and perhaps an occasional pint of liquid reward).
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by AlBrown
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
think i was staying on it
planxtyman reckons that people outside ireland have vast repertoires of 'complex' trad music, in which they are immersed and that this steals the rush on the characters back home who play the same old same old. Moreorless?
Of course you're right Manic, you do need a technique, but 'a' rather than 'the' technique ... maybe?
It's also a bit contentious to start saying what is and isn't 'from the heart' - it's a matter of personal preference. I wouldn't much like to be the one who went to japan, heard a set of pyrotechnic reels and said they weren't coming from the heart. My personal tastes take me away from things that sound too refined, too processed, too gentrified - I don't like that much. Others do. But as for what's better or worse, or what's genuine and what's not, then you're stuck. You end up having to make weird distinctions based on all sorts of rubbish.
Really, I'm just trying to say that it seems slightly unimportant what's happening in Japan or wherever in a better or worse relation to anywhere else. You like it or you don't?
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by pavlf
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Myself, I love enthusiasm. I've often played in a session where a person who may not be very good shows the enthusiasm of a hungry kitten suckling its mother.
You can have your session where everyone is pitch perfect and the music is played through a well oiled machine of perfect precision and timing, give me the craic first though
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by session savage
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
I would suspect that some of the Dublin pub musicians seen in pubs by visitors are paid performers just going through their list, week in week out, as someone above suggests. I think I encountered a "session" like that when I last went over in 1984. I asked a small group of players in a crowded Dublin pub if I could sit in with them on whistle. They assented, but while not hostile they were pretty taciturn. I think I was gate-crashing on a paid session. No, I didn't ask them for a cut.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by nicholas
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
As a Dubliner living in Japan,
I guess I know a little of what you are talking about.
Over here they have this desperate yearning to learn more tunes and to identify exactly what for example Sliabh Luachra is and who plays it right, and then they go after it and replicate it. It seems Lunasa are fierce popular altogether.
At a lot of my sessions here, after a couple of tunes there is a painfull silence between musicians, and that bit of craic has been totally missing. I almost forget "banter"..... having said that, no one is talking of mortgages......
I went home 2 weeks ago, and played in my old gig, and had the same old good times, with better tunes. It came to a time recently, where this unfortunately was the place I'd come to try and dig out some wit. I was delighted to go home and not hear how a tune should be played, how not to post ABC's and how not to do this that and the other, Just a few friends playing tunes.
I guess it depends where you have been in Dublin. I know where I like to play and I don't notice anyone resting on their laurels. Look around mate, you'll find good sessions up to your standard.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Hugo Chavez
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Well, is true that those who got near to this music from other country (as me) payed more attention to technical or "metamusical" questions, because it was the only way to familiarized with the music. Most of us didn't have teachers or sessions every week (even every month). Only recordings, books and internet. At the oposite to the first post, it is really a handicap refering to the style. You can develope a perfect technique in the instrument after study it throughoutly... but this music is not only about technique. In fact, listening a classical musician trying to play Irish music may sound horrible for a traditional musician.
But where do you get the "swing" of the music? The only way is playing with other musicians. An additional way, but slower, is listening religiously recordings, play with them and analyse them. Indeed, many well known old Irish musicians did it with Coleman's or Morrison's recordings (Martin Wynes, for instance).
Listening recordings is becoming the universal way to learn music in every countries, which is removing all differences in the way we aproximate to the Irish music.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Miguel L.
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
I said this months ago, "Is ITM wasted on the Irish"? The standard I encountered in Manchester for years was better than most of what I encountered here.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Kevin Crawford comments: "When you're born and living in England, you sometimes feel your music may be a bit inferior to what's coming out of Ireland, and you may not think you're as good as the musicians there. But, funny enough, one of the reasons the music is so strong in England and in the U.S. is that you work twice as hard at it because you feel you have to."
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by slainte
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Lots of sense being talked here folks and of course there are 2 sides to every Coyne. Our sessions here in Skerries are very laid back and are different every time depending on who's there and who wants to try something new. Not paid gigs. No expectations of perfect performance, no show-offs, free pints and plenty of banter. Lots of invitations to those around the table to lead or try something. Expecting a good turn-out in 3 hours time and who knows what'll happen tonight. We enjoy it every time and we learn from each other.
K.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by KevinOK
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
i'm not sure how informative sessions might be as to the standard of playing in ireland versus elsewhere....partly because a "session" can be so many different things as noted above.
but also, because in ireland, many if not most of the very fine players are not playing at open "sessions" that one is likely to walk into, save for at festivals, fleadhs, or gigs. i just watched a slew of those "comhaltas live" videos, and while i found there to be something of a generic, cookie-cutter quality expression-wise to the style of some of the younger players, the technical level of virtuosity was mind-bogglingly high.
perhaps some of the allegedly better-quality playing you are seeing outside of ireland is due to the fact that open-session players in other countries are tending to be the fanatical-devotee crowd, while in ireland, many of the really good players are staying away from the open sessions.....the younger players i've seen going at it during festivals are, again, often not to my taste aesthetics wise, but unbelievably accomplished technique-wise....
i remember a fascinating observation from someone on a prior thread to the effect that, in ireland, young players do not come up and get good by going to open sessions per the fantasy that seems to prevail outside of ireland as to how it is done. rather, they are taught from a young age by teachers almost like classical players, and don't start playing out publicly until they have reached a level or virtuosity that would make the open-to-all-session scene a drag for them.....
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by ceemonster
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Very good point made by Kevin OK, especially the bit about thinking that ALL Irish players must be wonderful.
Now I have played with some fantastic players at sessions, mainly Belfast and Co Mayo, but at many of those, especially in Mayo, many of the participants were English, such as that young female fiddle player who features on a YouTube clip along with McGoldrick, which someone submitted recently. Turned out she was a cracking whistle player as well. It is the diaspora "thing", people emigrate for work (or used to) and then bring up the family to be more "Irish than the Irish".
And Ceemonster, good players, really good players, don't play at Fleadhs. That's like a serious "popular" musician turning up on Top Of The Pops, with a "hit" record.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
I know we're all falling for this, ie Planxtyman's false divisions, ie Ireland or non-Ireland players (in sessions). But just to remember that does 'non-Ireland players' include Irish players (in sessions)?
I've, in the past, been to sessions in London (or hung around the periphery of, maybe getting the odd tune in) where almost all the players were either Irish living permanently in UK, Irish living temporarily in UK, London Irish, or Irish over visiting. So where does that put his classification? Those sessions, were BTW, arguably the best you could possibly witness.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Rudall the time
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
So, just to clarify that, the sessions mentioned above were like a pub, full of people and players, transported over from Ireland, only on London (Harlesden and Kilburn) soil.
# Posted on June 22nd 2007 by Rudall the time
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF3fW4Nox9U
Above is an exception to the rule. I don't have the IT skills to do this as a link.
# Posted on June 23rd 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Maybe I do.
# Posted on June 23rd 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Just back from this week's session ... very enjoyable and what a surprise ... 10 people tonight where we've had 3 to 5 for the last few weeks and who turned up only John Hughes from Antrim who played flute and C# Coyne pipes with us. Magic.
Every week brings a new surprise !!
# Posted on June 23rd 2007 by KevinOK
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Bliss, is that Emma Sweeney? If so, I don't understand why you call her English.
Ceemonster, there are many fine Irish musicians playing regularly at sessions in Ireland. Some members of Dervish and Teada does in Sligo town. And I had a cracking session with Christy Barry some weeks ago, who used to play with Terry Bingham once a week throughout the year.
# Posted on June 23rd 2007 by slainte
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Let me give you a non-musical example. When we went cycling as youngsters we just got the old bike out of the shed and rode it in our normal clothes. It was part of our daily life. It would not have occured to me that I should be a trained racing-biker before I could show myself in the street.
In the US I found that you dressed up in your special gear and got onto your racing bike for the exercise - not to get from A to B. It's become like that over here now.
For the benefit of the public it's better to have a lot of people using their bikes (instead of cars) even if they only ride short distances.
# Posted on June 23rd 2007 by kuec
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
"In the US I found that you dressed up in your special gear and got onto your racing bike for the exercise - not to get from A to B."
You left out "put the bike in the car, drive to cycling spot, *then* get onto your racing bike .. etc"
But I understand your analogy kuec, very well put.
# Posted on June 23rd 2007 by Bren
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
bliss, all i can tell you as that some fleadh kiddies were in the master box class one year at clancy week, and their technical chops were very impressive.....
# Posted on June 25th 2007 by ceemonster
Re: An international eclipse? Irish Vs The rest
Que?
# Posted on June 25th 2007 by bodhran bliss