The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
OK, I've decided to treat myself to an ITM album off iTunes and was wondering what to buy. I was tempted by the Micho Russell album, but then got to thinking: If you could have one album that sums up ITM for you then what would it be?
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
There is, of course, no single album that sums up ITM for me. But one of my top recommendations for an "all round" album is The Chieftains' Water from the Well. It has so much - many different tune types; various instruments and combinations; studio recording and live recording; songs; and last but not least, lots of fun.
A micho Russel album is tempting alright, but that's a whole different class of albums.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Definitely a tape I made with many of my favourite ITM tracks from various other cassettes and sent to a friend in Greece in the late eighties. I wonder how many people have heard it since.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Someone beat me to it: "Old Hag You Have Killed Me" by the Bothy Band. That's the album that started it for me. When I got "Kid On The Mountain" down on flute, I thought I'd arrived.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
What got me started was a compilation album titled Musical Travel Ireland and another one titled Fiddlesticks. I wouldn't say they are the greatest ever but they certainly are on my own great list.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Dear old erins isle. i think its on nimbus records?
get it,
you wont.
regret it,
you will ne'r
forget it.
so just
get it.
Apart from that, try 'the clare set' but thats 6cds. Hunt down 'the breeze from Erin,' short but got some clasic stuff.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Ok, should a read your post first........ you mean you are hesitating to buy Micho's album! dont, go for it.
There is so much stuff available but on Itunes, i dont know. they do trad eh?
How can you sum up trad! hah! A comp is your best bet, do they have D.O.E isle? if so, get it!
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
sixholes has it, I think, there's no one single album. But...
A friend lent me Kathleen Collins’ “Traditional Music of Ireland” and I was SO tempted to rip a copy. But the artist is still alive and the album is still in print, so I bought it. I can’t stop listening. The playing is just wonderful, I mean it, so lovely and inventive, not super flashy, just really really good. It exhilarates and at the same time fills me with despair. Do I practice harder or just burn my fiddle?
Other CDs I got this Christmas (long overdue additions to the collection!):
Paddy In the Smoke (Various Artists)
The Star Above the Garter – Denis Murphy, Julia Clifford
The Liffy Banks – Tommy Potts
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
This is a no brainer and all my mates agree with me:
Heathery breeze, Matt Molloy.
It really is the greatest, in that sense of the word. Not only is it the best flute playing, it's the best piping and the best fiddle playing. All you could ever want to know about playing this music on the fiddle or any instrument you can learn from Matt Molloy. The man simply encapsulates the whole of it. Sure there's top stuff on his other records, but this one is the best. I love the way there is not much on the D flute, the Eb and the Bb are brilliant extremes.
I remember hearing it as a young fella and all those notes just flew past comprehension, but right from the start I could hear the rhythm and the drive and the whole percussive brilliance of the music. Then the after a while the record began to teach me the inner workings of the fluidity of it, and I appreciated it even more. And after that it taught me the basics of what notes actually make up the music and then it taught me again the inner workings of the fluidity of it and I could appreciate even more the drive and the whole percussive brilliance of it.
Micho Russell is a great maverick. The Bothy Band are the best band. But Matt Molloy is the best musician in the tradition and anyone who could possibly argue against that simply doesn't know what they are talking about.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
More so than Tony MacMahon,llig? It could be a close thing, but, in the tradition, Tony is hard to beat. By the way, I do humbly believe that I know what I'm talking about.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Tony MacMahon & Noel Hill agree with Strayaway! Am big fan of Liz Caroll's Lost in the Loop eventhough it's not 100% trad I suppose. This is my first post by the way so hi everyone!
v!
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
"Out of the wind, Into the Sun" by the Bothy Band, or try "Harvest Storm" by Altan. Those two albums cover most things, including a few songs.
Obviously people can only mention their favourites. "Parcel of Batteries" or something like that from De Daneen I like, and an early one from a group called "Na Fili" in the early 1970s.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
i guess mine would be the canny/hayes/o'loughlin/lafferty recording, sometimes titled "an historic recording of traditional irish music from clare and east galway"
ha, i see that my close second and third choicees are named repeatedly above, "paddy in the smoke," and macmahon & hill, "in knocknagree".....
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
It is just not possible, that one album, or one group, could be a fitting answer or solution to your question. You need to be a more informed interviewer. I love you no less, for all that.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Excellent suggestions - thanks.
I've got McMahon and Hill's I gCnoc Na Grai and it's possibly my favourite all time ITM album. I got hold of a copy of Kerry Fiddles featuring Padraig O'Keefe, Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford which is brilliant too. Got most of the Planxty stuff and some of the Bothy Bands - I particularly like their live album.
The Mary Bergin album is excellent and I'm learning the whistle so the Micho Russell album is still top of the list . . . er, perhaps.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
The original question was about "one album that sums up ITM", not about great individual players.
To qualify, the album would have to represent as many of the traditional instruments and tune idioms as possible.
This would disqualify solo albums and albums consisting only of jigs and reels, no matter how great the playing or how great the tunes.
Let's face it, The Chieftans (on their old albums especially) are pretty much the only group to play the entire range of Irish traditional instrumental music, namely jigs, reels, hornpipes, mazurkas, polkas, marches, airs, etc all on a single album. Some have vocals as well. And, on their old albums when Michael Tubridy was in the band, they had instruments to represent every category, string, woodwind, percussion, and free-reed (as Tubs played concertina as well as flute).
So do any other albums approach this broadness of tune types and instrument types?
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
You've certainly narrowed the field there, Richard. I suppose we will have to discount In Knocknagree (not enough instruments), The Heathery Breeze (features synthesizer), Kerry Fiddles (needs synthesizer!!), jeeezus, me ITM collection is beginning to look rather miserable, still, I've got The Chieftains to fall back on - The Long Black Veil, Tears Of Stone and Another Country, ITM at its best, ha, ha, happy new year.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Hold on, the original post asked "one album that sums up ITM for you" - as in personally and certainly the idea is not to narrow the field or exclude solo albums.
To qualify, it can be any album regardless, ensemble or solo, the only real requirement is for it to be predominantly tunes.
So, please ignore Richard D Cook and carry on as before (no offence Richard, but that's not what I had in mind).
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
I interpreted the question in the way that Richard did. If solo albums are included, the Paddy Canny's solo album is my all time favourite.
To conjure up the magic of ITM, I adore the Raineys, because it's like a snapshot of the creature in it's natural environment, so to speak, not processed or polished. Same goes for Beauty an Oileain, Music from the Blasket Islands, the sense of glimpsing something ancient and wonderful, not contaminated by pretension.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
To be honest I don't think the Chieftains sum anything up about Traditional music for me. My initial choice does. I can go with the Star above the garter one as well but to a slightly lesser extend maybe.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Especially the hornpipes . . .
Here is something interesting for the whole Chieftain/solo debate;
http:www.thechieftains.com/discography/otheralbums.asp
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Incidentally, just for Mr llig's benefit, many players and experts believe Mr Molloy to be the Second best flute player in Westport, avowing that the local Vicar is a better player.
I am not sure if they know what they are talking about.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
For Mr. Gill's benefit. There is every reason in the world to listen to Matt Molloy play anytime one has the opportunity.
No offense bodhran bliss but what is the obsession with superlatives?
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
2 albums I bought of iTunes:
Foinn Seisun 1
and Foinn Seisun 2
made by Comhaltas.
These albums have well played tunes, a great variety, but they are to be burned with no space between tracks. Every tune is an individual track so you can find it easily but when burnt the tunes run in to sets.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
I have to disagree with Llig here....I think people who may argue about what is the best may still know what they're talking about - nevertheless I admire his (llig;s) emotion on this one)....as it happens Heathery Breeze is my favourite - but I definitly don't claim to know what I'm talking about !!!
I'm also a big fan of Burke's If The Cap Fits - loads going on in that....any Bothy Band album - most of the Planxty stuff too.
ps. anyone got good recommendations for pipe albums - want to start listening to some more (other than my miniscuke collection of the usual S.Ennis, W.Clancy and Paddy Keenan stuff)
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Top of Coom. Conol O'Grada.
Thanks strayaway GV98041, will get it.
I remember years ago going into the Living Tradition in Cork and asking what the best album they had was, answer, Dear old Erins Isle. Funny that ,because I allready had it. Hard to beat.
Impossible Question of course but fun hearing all the recomendations.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
It would be Gary Hastings, and the locals rate him. Could be sour grapes, or based on musical opinion. Ulster people usually outdo their southern neighbours.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Yes I interpreted the question in a very narrow way, that "what album sums up ITM" as meaning "what album best represents the totality of ITM."
As far as an album that evokes another time, that embodies something magical about the tradition, that would be an old LP called something like "From The Homes Of Ireland". I think that it's basically session recordings from Sligo, as I recall. The music on that album sounds truly primitive (in the best sense of the word, meaning non-Western or non-slick). To me it evokes something no other albums do, except for playing of Micho Russell.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Gary Hastings also appears on a very short-lived CD called 'They Love Music Mightily', issued jointly by ITMA and the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in 2000. It's long OOP, but worth tracking down for his version of 'Bessy the Beauty of Rossinore Hill'.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Well, this turned into a great thread and thanks for all the suggestions. As it happens, I think I'll probably stick with Micho Russell as I'm learning the whistle at the moment so it seems appropriate.
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Cant go wrong there! I would suggest that you get 'the Clare set at some stage'. lots of solo concertina, which is actually in some ways easier to learn whistle stuff from by ear..This is because when the tones are the same, 2whistles, they can get mixed up. while if the instruments are different the distinction is clear.
These albums are pure drop, 70's recordings of great Clare musicians. including 1 cd of the Russel family. Absolutely brilliant collection. Not cheap but worth 10 times the price. 'The button box 'has them, you can also buy them as seperates so.....
Enjoy
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
well ive got a number of favourite classic albums, for the purposes of this thread we'll probably have to ignore anything by the past masters like morrison, coleman becasue really album making was totally different then.
anyway, there many truly great albums, my favourite would be frankie gavin and alec finn,
after the break by planxty,
star spangled molly by de danann,
matt mollys - black album,
tansey king of the concert flute,
bothy band - that well known one that i cannot for the life of me remember,
noel hills first,
star above the garter
sean keane gustys frolics,
contentment is wealth- molly and keane,
and lots of others.
my favourite album ever tho' has to be mary bergin and feadoga stain, simply because she does so much on such a simple instrument. The backing is brilliant, all the tunes are great, the album is paced perfectly. for me it has the best opening track to an album anyway and the blackbery blossom track with the four tunes all in G is on of the best modern recordings of reels on any album. Thats my favourite anyway.
The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
OK, I've decided to treat myself to an ITM album off iTunes and was wondering what to buy. I was tempted by the Micho Russell album, but then got to thinking: If you could have one album that sums up ITM for you then what would it be?
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by Sugarfoot Jack
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
It's the one I'm in the mood to listen to at the particular moment. It's not always available at iTunes, but it's usually on my iPod.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by GaryAMartin
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
There is, of course, no single album that sums up ITM for me. But one of my top recommendations for an "all round" album is The Chieftains' Water from the Well. It has so much - many different tune types; various instruments and combinations; studio recording and live recording; songs; and last but not least, lots of fun.
A micho Russel album is tempting alright, but that's a whole different class of albums.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by sixholes
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Shaskeen: Collection of Jigs and Reels period.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by rorywillie
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Paddy in The Smoke is available on iTunes. Not only a great ITM album but it's also a superb Session album. The real thing.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by pennhorse
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Old hag you have killed, Bothy Band. Absolutely my favourite
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by Pól
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Definitely a tape I made with many of my favourite ITM tracks from various other cassettes and sent to a friend in Greece in the late eighties. I wonder how many people have heard it since.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by nicholas
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Canny/O'Loughlin/Hayes seems to outlast most
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by kilfarboy
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
i recently bought Mary Bergins: Feadoga Stain
hugely enjoyable.
not much variation in terms of instrumentation.
but cracking none the less.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by DubChieftain
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
In Knocknagree by Tony MacMahon & Noel Hill. Of course, the best ever Irish album is Heartworm by Whipping Boy but you already knew that.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by strayaway
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Someone beat me to it: "Old Hag You Have Killed Me" by the Bothy Band. That's the album that started it for me. When I got "Kid On The Mountain" down on flute, I thought I'd arrived.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by Ailin
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
I second the nomination of Paddy in the Smoke. Many legendary players, in their element. My desert island disc, for sure.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by mickray
The Greatest ITM Opinions . . .
Come on now get the Micho Russell!
I have been listening to a lot of Liam O'Flynn.
Check out 'The Well Below the Valley' or any of these;
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/index/search?name=planxty
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by Random_notes
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
For me it's "Out of the wind into the sun" or Old Hag......." both by The Bothy Band.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by Backer
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Star Above the Garter for me. Don't think there's one Greatest, though.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by John Culhane
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
What got me started was a compilation album titled Musical Travel Ireland and another one titled Fiddlesticks. I wouldn't say they are the greatest ever but they certainly are on my own great list.
# Posted on December 28th 2007 by sbhikes
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Dear old erins isle. i think its on nimbus records?
get it,
you wont.
regret it,
you will ne'r
forget it.
so just
get it.
Apart from that, try 'the clare set' but thats 6cds. Hunt down 'the breeze from Erin,' short but got some clasic stuff.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by jig
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Ok, should a read your post first........ you mean you are hesitating to buy Micho's album! dont, go for it.
There is so much stuff available but on Itunes, i dont know. they do trad eh?
How can you sum up trad! hah! A comp is your best bet, do they have D.O.E isle? if so, get it!
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by jig
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Nimbus NI 5350, jig. Try Mysterious Ireland as well, Green Velvet GV98041. Both fantastic compilations.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by strayaway
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
sixholes has it, I think, there's no one single album. But...
A friend lent me Kathleen Collins’ “Traditional Music of Ireland” and I was SO tempted to rip a copy. But the artist is still alive and the album is still in print, so I bought it. I can’t stop listening. The playing is just wonderful, I mean it, so lovely and inventive, not super flashy, just really really good. It exhilarates and at the same time fills me with despair. Do I practice harder or just burn my fiddle?
Other CDs I got this Christmas (long overdue additions to the collection!):
Paddy In the Smoke (Various Artists)
The Star Above the Garter – Denis Murphy, Julia Clifford
The Liffy Banks – Tommy Potts
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by fidkid
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
This is a no brainer and all my mates agree with me:
Heathery breeze, Matt Molloy.
It really is the greatest, in that sense of the word. Not only is it the best flute playing, it's the best piping and the best fiddle playing. All you could ever want to know about playing this music on the fiddle or any instrument you can learn from Matt Molloy. The man simply encapsulates the whole of it. Sure there's top stuff on his other records, but this one is the best. I love the way there is not much on the D flute, the Eb and the Bb are brilliant extremes.
I remember hearing it as a young fella and all those notes just flew past comprehension, but right from the start I could hear the rhythm and the drive and the whole percussive brilliance of the music. Then the after a while the record began to teach me the inner workings of the fluidity of it, and I appreciated it even more. And after that it taught me the basics of what notes actually make up the music and then it taught me again the inner workings of the fluidity of it and I could appreciate even more the drive and the whole percussive brilliance of it.
Micho Russell is a great maverick. The Bothy Band are the best band. But Matt Molloy is the best musician in the tradition and anyone who could possibly argue against that simply doesn't know what they are talking about.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by llig leahcim
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Thanks for setting the record straight.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Random_notes
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Strange, Michael, my mates never agree with me about anything. Or with each other
I never get sick of Take the Bull by the Horns by Tom Doherty.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Bren
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
More so than Tony MacMahon,llig? It could be a close thing, but, in the tradition, Tony is hard to beat. By the way, I do humbly believe that I know what I'm talking about.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by strayaway
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Tony MacMahon & Noel Hill agree with Strayaway! Am big fan of Liz Caroll's Lost in the Loop eventhough it's not 100% trad I suppose. This is my first post by the way so hi everyone!
v!
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by violynne
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
"Out of the wind, Into the Sun" by the Bothy Band, or try "Harvest Storm" by Altan. Those two albums cover most things, including a few songs.
Obviously people can only mention their favourites. "Parcel of Batteries" or something like that from De Daneen I like, and an early one from a group called "Na Fili" in the early 1970s.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
"A jacket of Batteries" by De Dannan. (it's getting late, and I am getting old)
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Star Above the Garter, Denis and Julia all the way. No matter what you play, you can learn from them. They rock. Period.
--DtM
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Dan the Man
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
i guess mine would be the canny/hayes/o'loughlin/lafferty recording, sometimes titled "an historic recording of traditional irish music from clare and east galway"
ha, i see that my close second and third choicees are named repeatedly above, "paddy in the smoke," and macmahon & hill, "in knocknagree".....
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by ceemonster
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
It is just not possible, that one album, or one group, could be a fitting answer or solution to your question. You need to be a more informed interviewer. I love you no less, for all that.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by windybaer
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
1The Banks of the Shannon
Paddy o Brien Seamus Connolly Charlie Lennon
2Tribute to Coleman
Joe Burke Andy Mcann Felix Dolan
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by gooseinthenettles
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Excellent suggestions - thanks.
I've got McMahon and Hill's I gCnoc Na Grai and it's possibly my favourite all time ITM album. I got hold of a copy of Kerry Fiddles featuring Padraig O'Keefe, Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford which is brilliant too. Got most of the Planxty stuff and some of the Bothy Bands - I particularly like their live album.
The Mary Bergin album is excellent and I'm learning the whistle so the Micho Russell album is still top of the list . . . er, perhaps.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Sugarfoot Jack
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
The original question was about "one album that sums up ITM", not about great individual players.
To qualify, the album would have to represent as many of the traditional instruments and tune idioms as possible.
This would disqualify solo albums and albums consisting only of jigs and reels, no matter how great the playing or how great the tunes.
Let's face it, The Chieftans (on their old albums especially) are pretty much the only group to play the entire range of Irish traditional instrumental music, namely jigs, reels, hornpipes, mazurkas, polkas, marches, airs, etc all on a single album. Some have vocals as well. And, on their old albums when Michael Tubridy was in the band, they had instruments to represent every category, string, woodwind, percussion, and free-reed (as Tubs played concertina as well as flute).
So do any other albums approach this broadness of tune types and instrument types?
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Richard D Cook
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
You've certainly narrowed the field there, Richard. I suppose we will have to discount In Knocknagree (not enough instruments), The Heathery Breeze (features synthesizer), Kerry Fiddles (needs synthesizer!!), jeeezus, me ITM collection is beginning to look rather miserable, still, I've got The Chieftains to fall back on - The Long Black Veil, Tears Of Stone and Another Country, ITM at its best, ha, ha, happy new year.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by strayaway
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Hold on, the original post asked "one album that sums up ITM for you" - as in personally and certainly the idea is not to narrow the field or exclude solo albums.
To qualify, it can be any album regardless, ensemble or solo, the only real requirement is for it to be predominantly tunes.
So, please ignore Richard D Cook and carry on as before (no offence Richard, but that's not what I had in mind).
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Sugarfoot Jack
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
I interpreted the question in the way that Richard did. If solo albums are included, the Paddy Canny's solo album is my all time favourite.
To conjure up the magic of ITM, I adore the Raineys, because it's like a snapshot of the creature in it's natural environment, so to speak, not processed or polished. Same goes for Beauty an Oileain, Music from the Blasket Islands, the sense of glimpsing something ancient and wonderful, not contaminated by pretension.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by wolfbird
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
To be honest I don't think the Chieftains sum anything up about Traditional music for me. My initial choice does. I can go with the Star above the garter one as well but to a slightly lesser extend maybe.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by kilfarboy
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Another vote for Shaskeen's "A collection of traditional irish jigs and reels". period.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Larshansen
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Flair, excitement, agility, sensitivity, technical wizardry, sheer soulfulness - for me nothing beats John Doherty's 'The Floating Bow'.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Floss the Tethers
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
'To be honest I don't think the Chieftains sum anything up about Traditional music for me.'
Kilfar and I just became instant best friends : P
--DtM
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Dan the Man
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/378
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Kenny
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Especially the hornpipes . . .
Here is something interesting for the whole Chieftain/solo debate;
http:www.thechieftains.com/discography/otheralbums.asp
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Random_notes
Http://www.thechieftains.com/discography/otheralbums.asp
;)
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Random_notes
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Incidentally, just for Mr llig's benefit, many players and experts believe Mr Molloy to be the Second best flute player in Westport, avowing that the local Vicar is a better player.
I am not sure if they know what they are talking about.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
http://www.thechieftains.com/discography/otheralbums.asp
Sorry Sugarfoot. I am really bored.
Get the Micho Russell.
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Random_notes
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
For Mr. Gill's benefit. There is every reason in the world to listen to Matt Molloy play anytime one has the opportunity.
No offense bodhran bliss but what is the obsession with superlatives?
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by Random_notes
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
No offence taken.
What is a superlative?
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
What about Seamus Quinn, Bod? We're living in peaceful times now, no favouring one side over the other, just ask the chuckle brothers!
# Posted on December 29th 2007 by strayaway
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
2 albums I bought of iTunes:
Foinn Seisun 1
and Foinn Seisun 2
made by Comhaltas.
These albums have well played tunes, a great variety, but they are to be burned with no space between tracks. Every tune is an individual track so you can find it easily but when burnt the tunes run in to sets.
# Posted on December 30th 2007 by camwebby
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
I have to disagree with Llig here....I think people who may argue about what is the best may still know what they're talking about - nevertheless I admire his (llig;s) emotion on this one)....as it happens Heathery Breeze is my favourite - but I definitly don't claim to know what I'm talking about !!!
I'm also a big fan of Burke's If The Cap Fits - loads going on in that....any Bothy Band album - most of the Planxty stuff too.
ps. anyone got good recommendations for pipe albums - want to start listening to some more (other than my miniscuke collection of the usual S.Ennis, W.Clancy and Paddy Keenan stuff)
# Posted on December 30th 2007 by BegF
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
"miniscule"
# Posted on December 30th 2007 by BegF
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Top of Coom. Conol O'Grada.
Thanks strayaway GV98041, will get it.
I remember years ago going into the Living Tradition in Cork and asking what the best album they had was, answer, Dear old Erins Isle. Funny that ,because I allready had it. Hard to beat.
Impossible Question of course but fun hearing all the recomendations.
# Posted on December 30th 2007 by jig
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
And you can buy it here for £2.99, jig. Bargain of the year.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MYSTERIOUS-IRELAND-NEW-CD-DALY-GAVIN-CREAGH_W0QQitemZ320201547361QQihZ011QQcategoryZ1049QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
# Posted on December 30th 2007 by strayaway
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Got it! I await with bated breath.
BB, would that be Gary Hastings?But no recordings from him ,Im sorry to say.
# Posted on December 30th 2007 by jig
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Better put that to rights then -- Slán le Loch Eirne
# Posted on December 30th 2007 by strayaway
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
It would be Gary Hastings, and the locals rate him. Could be sour grapes, or based on musical opinion. Ulster people usually outdo their southern neighbours.
# Posted on December 30th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Yes I interpreted the question in a very narrow way, that "what album sums up ITM" as meaning "what album best represents the totality of ITM."
As far as an album that evokes another time, that embodies something magical about the tradition, that would be an old LP called something like "From The Homes Of Ireland". I think that it's basically session recordings from Sligo, as I recall. The music on that album sounds truly primitive (in the best sense of the word, meaning non-Western or non-slick). To me it evokes something no other albums do, except for playing of Micho Russell.
# Posted on December 30th 2007 by Richard D Cook
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
This is great, just got my self richards recomendation, and the shaskeen jigs and reels! any more ? hunting down paddy in the smoke right now. ......
# Posted on December 30th 2007 by jig
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Gary Hastings also appears on a very short-lived CD called 'They Love Music Mightily', issued jointly by ITMA and the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in 2000. It's long OOP, but worth tracking down for his version of 'Bessy the Beauty of Rossinore Hill'.
'From the Homes of Ireland' was one of CCÉ's North American tour albums, issued in 1973 and never re-released in CD format (if otherwise, please do let me know). There's a view of its cover here - http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/aia/exhibits/0012_spin/when_album13.htm. The same site also features this monstrosity (sensitive souls should look away now) - http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/aia/exhibits/0012_spin/too_album21.htm.
As for BegF's request re. piping albums:
Leo Rowsome's 'King of the Pipers' (Claddagh) or 'Classics of Irish Piping' (Topic) ;
both volumes of 'The Drones and the Chanters' (Claddagh);
any of Ronan Browne's recordings, but, most especially, those with Peadar O'Loughlin;
anything by Néillidh Mulligan, Brian McNamara, and Gay McKeon or his sons;
all of the albums issued by NPU (http://www.pipers.ie), but especially the reissued/remastered albums of the music of Patsy Touhey and Johnny Doran;
Davy Spillane's 'Atlantic Bridge';
anything by Liam O'Flynn;
Mick O'Brien's album with Caomhín Ó Raghallaigh;
and, lastly, the complete works of Paddy Keenan, especially his self-titled debut.
If you need any further information, check the discography section at http://www.irishmusicreview.com or send me a PM.
# Posted on December 30th 2007 by Floss the Tethers
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Damn, that was 20pence wasted! just bought 'At home in Ireland'. Duh!
, Oh well, got paddy in the smoke so Im happy.
# Posted on December 31st 2007 by jig
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Old Hag---Bothy Band gets my vote.
# Posted on January 1st 2008 by hauke
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Well, this turned into a great thread and thanks for all the suggestions. As it happens, I think I'll probably stick with Micho Russell as I'm learning the whistle at the moment so it seems appropriate.
Happy New Year to all!
# Posted on January 2nd 2008 by Sugarfoot Jack
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Cant go wrong there! I would suggest that you get 'the Clare set at some stage'. lots of solo concertina, which is actually in some ways easier to learn whistle stuff from by ear..This is because when the tones are the same, 2whistles, they can get mixed up. while if the instruments are different the distinction is clear.
These albums are pure drop, 70's recordings of great Clare musicians. including 1 cd of the Russel family. Absolutely brilliant collection. Not cheap but worth 10 times the price. 'The button box 'has them, you can also buy them as seperates so.....
Enjoy
# Posted on January 2nd 2008 by jig
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Cheers MacCruiskeen
# Posted on January 3rd 2008 by BegF
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
Thanks for the recommedation Jig - I've just found it on Amazon so will save my pennies and get that too.
# Posted on January 3rd 2008 by Sugarfoot Jack
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
For me its got to be "Doublin" with Paddys' Glackin and Keenan.
# Posted on January 5th 2008 by hakanozel
Re: The Greatest ITM album ever! Opinions sought . . .
well ive got a number of favourite classic albums, for the purposes of this thread we'll probably have to ignore anything by the past masters like morrison, coleman becasue really album making was totally different then.
anyway, there many truly great albums, my favourite would be frankie gavin and alec finn,
after the break by planxty,
star spangled molly by de danann,
matt mollys - black album,
tansey king of the concert flute,
bothy band - that well known one that i cannot for the life of me remember,
noel hills first,
star above the garter
sean keane gustys frolics,
contentment is wealth- molly and keane,
and lots of others.
my favourite album ever tho' has to be mary bergin and feadoga stain, simply because she does so much on such a simple instrument. The backing is brilliant, all the tunes are great, the album is paced perfectly. for me it has the best opening track to an album anyway and the blackbery blossom track with the four tunes all in G is on of the best modern recordings of reels on any album. Thats my favourite anyway.
# Posted on May 21st 2008 by fiddleruairi