Forty years ago if the talk was about Banjo players, Barney McKenna was the only name that most people could think of. As a non banjo player I have often wondered just how high do Banjo Players rate him and how does he compare with say..Gerry O Connor, Mick Moloney, Cathal Hayden and the many great players around today. I once played with a Banjo player who had no time for anybody but McKenna. Annoying really !
Barney popularised the banjo in Ireland, and was a great player. Unfortunately he feel foul of the purists because he was making money, much like the Chieftains and others.
As someone said above, Barney's style identified banjo playing for many. Hence I personally do not like Gerry O'Connor, great musician but too "blue grassy" for me.
And I have played in groups with Sully and Micky Maguire so know a bit about banjo playing.
i dont hear the fire or spirit in other banjo players the way hear it in the old dubliners recordings.
Barney was the reason i started getting sucked into this type of music.
maybe its the pristine production values nowadays, but contemporary banjo recordings dont do it for me really.
I've been inclined to spend more time listening to Brian McGrath and Angelina Carberry than to Barney. (or to Gerry O'Connor or John Carty, for that matter.)
As always, really a matter of taste rather than ratings.
I've heard Barney live, and recordings don't fuly impart the fire & spirit to which DubChieftain refers. At his best, he was electric. I do think, however, he sacrificed subtelty to speed in some measure.
I've got to agree with Bodhran Bliss re Gerry O'Connor - Just because things CAN be done (and, OK, Gerry does impossible things) doesn't mean that they should be done. I'd have a similar comment re Enda Scahill.
The gold standard is of course the divine Angelina - I particularly like the way she paces for rhythm & the subtlety of the way that she & Martin Quinn interplay variations.
Barney was the hook for me - the sound that captivated me and made me want to play banjo. Never mind his take on the obvious jigs, reels, and hornpipes; his accompaniment to Luke Kelly's voice and banjo strumming was wonderful. Granted, now-a-days my tastes are more after Kevin Griffin and Cathal Hayden's style - but back in the day Barney set the bar for all future players.
Barney McKenna is just the 'father of all banjoplayers' as Kieran Hanrahan once said, well - his style is more 'simple' the many of the younger banjoplayers, wich I love to listen too, but he was the one who kicked me, to start playing this instrument, because I think that it's the way (more or less) Irish banjo should be played. You can play in many different ways, but I think if You are putting too many 'fancy' ornaments and stuff in, it really don't sound Irish (in my humble opinion).
May Barney McKenna live forever..............Cheers
Although not the greatest of all time, he is the probably the most important of all time. Anyone under the foolish notion that his playing was simplistic, remember the playing he did with Tony MacMahon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VazIQ4-nG4I
The high regard that Paragons are held in is primarily due to him, and the adoption of fiddle tuning and technique to the tenor banjo all finds it's origins with Barney. Many people, such as Mick O'Connor and Carty, have developed the technique and in many ways improved on it, but it is undeniable that it all falls back to Barney. Just a shame the banjo's such a crap instrument
I've had the good fortune of playing with him a few times.
His technique is strange, he changes rythm saometimes mid tune, he shouts and hollers when he's playing, he jumps into chordal accompaniment, but there is so much energy there, its unreal.
When he is playing in the pub, he doesn't do his big sets, just deadly tunes, with great swing and lift. He is a wonderful man and a great musician.
-Grego- I always found Mcgrath and Cartys playing quite similar. I like them both alot. Why do you listen to Mcgrath over Carty?
Seankeegan made some excellent points there as to the important role Barney played for others who have taken his example as regards tuning and technique. Barney is a great character and has a certain charm. even even heard him once play an impression of Tommy Potts on the fiddle. He made a decent job of that too.
Hugo, I'm really only comparing two specific recordings, and maybe being unfair to John as a result. Dreaming up the Tunes (with Johnny Og Connoly) makes tastier listening to my ear than Cat that ate the Candle, which is certainly technically brilliant.
It could be that I enjoy the banjo's contribution to ensemble playing more than solo virtuosity. Kieran Hanrahan's solo banjo album is wonderful stuff, but I find him more enjoyable to listen to on the early Stockton's Wing albums... On the other hand, Angelina's solos on her albums are riveting.
Thank you Seankeegan for your wonderful contribution that the banjo is a crap instrument. When you are not playing with yourself, what instrument do you play?
I'd agree with grego "I enjoy the banjo's contribution to ensemble playing more than solo virtuosity" and that's where Barney is great, regardless of his "historical importance" which after all, is not going to change the mind of any doubter
Sure having a laugh is what it's all about. Seankeegan is probably a musical genius that can play a multitude of instruments, I hate that. Gives me all I can do to play the kazoo.My take on the banjo is if it doesn't add to the music, don't play it.
Sean Keegan if its the same Sean Keegan that i know is an excellent banjo player and is actually fanatical about the instrument which qualifies his humorous remark that its a crap instrument. Reminds me of Tony McMahon rubbishing the accordion as an instrument but continuing to play it and listen to other accordion players.
Grego - thanks.
I agree, that the Dreaming up the tunes album is a more slick recording. I'm really sick of that though. I'm beginning to loath studio albums*. Must be all those old 78's I've buried my self under again. .
But I really feel those two players have a similar style. Lots of variation.
I think Cat in The Cradle is wayyyy better than Dreaming up the tunes tho. Opinion, opinion....My favorite tunes out of those two albums, are the Two Barndances on Dreaming up the tunes. They are so full of swing.
*I better qualify that: I'm beginning to hate the wjhole slick sounding, tightly arranged sets. Give me a warts an all session set of tunes anyday.
How do you rate Barney McKenna.
How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Forty years ago if the talk was about Banjo players, Barney McKenna was the only name that most people could think of. As a non banjo player I have often wondered just how high do Banjo Players rate him and how does he compare with say..Gerry O Connor, Mick Moloney, Cathal Hayden and the many great players around today. I once played with a Banjo player who had no time for anybody but McKenna. Annoying really !
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by Free Reed
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
I like him. I've always liked his playing. I like it in context too, not just by itself. I'm not much of a one for soloists.
I play banjo but don't see myself fit to judge . Nevertheless - I like the others but Barney's way is how I think of Irish banjo,.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by Bren
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
I know he wasn't the first but in terms of influence , he created Irish banjo almost like Bill Monroe created bluegrass mandolin
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by Bren
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Mick O'Connor rates him.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Barney popularised the banjo in Ireland, and was a great player. Unfortunately he feel foul of the purists because he was making money, much like the Chieftains and others.
As someone said above, Barney's style identified banjo playing for many. Hence I personally do not like Gerry O'Connor, great musician but too "blue grassy" for me.
And I have played in groups with Sully and Micky Maguire so know a bit about banjo playing.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by bodhran bliss
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
i dont hear the fire or spirit in other banjo players the way hear it in the old dubliners recordings.
Barney was the reason i started getting sucked into this type of music.
maybe its the pristine production values nowadays, but contemporary banjo recordings dont do it for me really.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by DubChieftain
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Dangerous territory here, altogether.
I've been inclined to spend more time listening to Brian McGrath and Angelina Carberry than to Barney. (or to Gerry O'Connor or John Carty, for that matter.)
As always, really a matter of taste rather than ratings.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by grego
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
I've heard Barney live, and recordings don't fuly impart the fire & spirit to which DubChieftain refers. At his best, he was electric. I do think, however, he sacrificed subtelty to speed in some measure.
I've got to agree with Bodhran Bliss re Gerry O'Connor - Just because things CAN be done (and, OK, Gerry does impossible things) doesn't mean that they should be done. I'd have a similar comment re Enda Scahill.
The gold standard is of course the divine Angelina - I particularly like the way she paces for rhythm & the subtlety of the way that she & Martin Quinn interplay variations.
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by Sean Lead Liath
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Barney's brilliant.. IMHO. So is the great Kieran Hanrahan
# Posted on April 22nd 2008 by camwebby
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Barney was the hook for me - the sound that captivated me and made me want to play banjo. Never mind his take on the obvious jigs, reels, and hornpipes; his accompaniment to Luke Kelly's voice and banjo strumming was wonderful. Granted, now-a-days my tastes are more after Kevin Griffin and Cathal Hayden's style - but back in the day Barney set the bar for all future players.
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Barney McKenna is just the 'father of all banjoplayers' as Kieran Hanrahan once said, well - his style is more 'simple' the many of the younger banjoplayers, wich I love to listen too, but he was the one who kicked me, to start playing this instrument, because I think that it's the way (more or less) Irish banjo should be played. You can play in many different ways, but I think if You are putting too many 'fancy' ornaments and stuff in, it really don't sound Irish (in my humble opinion).
May Barney McKenna live forever..............Cheers
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by ceili
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Barney is the top man,
God bless the man, his music,and his humour.
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by gooseinthenettles
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Although not the greatest of all time, he is the probably the most important of all time. Anyone under the foolish notion that his playing was simplistic, remember the playing he did with Tony MacMahon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VazIQ4-nG4I
The high regard that Paragons are held in is primarily due to him, and the adoption of fiddle tuning and technique to the tenor banjo all finds it's origins with Barney. Many people, such as Mick O'Connor and Carty, have developed the technique and in many ways improved on it, but it is undeniable that it all falls back to Barney. Just a shame the banjo's such a crap instrument
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by seankeegan
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
I've had the good fortune of playing with him a few times.
His technique is strange, he changes rythm saometimes mid tune, he shouts and hollers when he's playing, he jumps into chordal accompaniment, but there is so much energy there, its unreal.
When he is playing in the pub, he doesn't do his big sets, just deadly tunes, with great swing and lift. He is a wonderful man and a great musician.
-Grego- I always found Mcgrath and Cartys playing quite similar. I like them both alot. Why do you listen to Mcgrath over Carty?
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by Hugo Chavez
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Seankeegan made some excellent points there as to the important role Barney played for others who have taken his example as regards tuning and technique. Barney is a great character and has a certain charm. even even heard him once play an impression of Tommy Potts on the fiddle. He made a decent job of that too.
# Posted on April 23rd 2008 by richard white
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Hugo, I'm really only comparing two specific recordings, and maybe being unfair to John as a result. Dreaming up the Tunes (with Johnny Og Connoly) makes tastier listening to my ear than Cat that ate the Candle, which is certainly technically brilliant.
It could be that I enjoy the banjo's contribution to ensemble playing more than solo virtuosity. Kieran Hanrahan's solo banjo album is wonderful stuff, but I find him more enjoyable to listen to on the early Stockton's Wing albums... On the other hand, Angelina's solos on her albums are riveting.
# Posted on April 24th 2008 by grego
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Thank you Seankeegan for your wonderful contribution that the banjo is a crap instrument. When you are not playing with yourself, what instrument do you play?
# Posted on April 24th 2008 by bordglas
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Made me laugh, and I play banjo!
I'd agree with grego "I enjoy the banjo's contribution to ensemble playing more than solo virtuosity" and that's where Barney is great, regardless of his "historical importance" which after all, is not going to change the mind of any doubter
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by Bren
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Sure having a laugh is what it's all about. Seankeegan is probably a musical genius that can play a multitude of instruments, I hate that. Gives me all I can do to play the kazoo.My take on the banjo is if it doesn't add to the music, don't play it.
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by bordglas
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
In whose estimation? I'm sure the banjo player would decide it was adding to the music.
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by Bren
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Sean Keegan if its the same Sean Keegan that i know is an excellent banjo player and is actually fanatical about the instrument which qualifies his humorous remark that its a crap instrument. Reminds me of Tony McMahon rubbishing the accordion as an instrument but continuing to play it and listen to other accordion players.
# Posted on April 27th 2008 by richard white
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
Grego - thanks.
I agree, that the Dreaming up the tunes album is a more slick recording. I'm really sick of that though. I'm beginning to loath studio albums*. Must be all those old 78's I've buried my self under again. .
But I really feel those two players have a similar style. Lots of variation.
I think Cat in The Cradle is wayyyy better than Dreaming up the tunes tho. Opinion, opinion....My favorite tunes out of those two albums, are the Two Barndances on Dreaming up the tunes. They are so full of swing.
*I better qualify that: I'm beginning to hate the wjhole slick sounding, tightly arranged sets. Give me a warts an all session set of tunes anyday.
# Posted on April 28th 2008 by Hugo Chavez
Re: How do you rate Barney McKenna.
thesnowflakes=?
# Posted on April 28th 2008 by seankeegan