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My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Hi guys,
Just wondering if anyone had a favourite session they heard over the week at the Willie Clancy festival?
I'd have to say mine was last night, when I landed into the Crosses of Annagh and heard some truely mighty music. There were a number of noted musicians playing, including Cathal Hayden, but the two that stood out for me were John Blake and Martin Tourish. Even with all the other musicians that were there playing, you could instantly feel a musicial connection between the two. It was something to behold. I've not witnessed such a level of creative sensitivity between two individuals since Torvill and Dean. Regrettably John was on guitar that night - as soon as Tourish turned up to the session my first thought was 'I hope Blake gets his flute out', but alas it did not happen.
Does anyone know if they play together regularly? I certainly hope to see the two of them in action together again, as they seem to work very well together. Truely classy Celtic music.
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I used to see Martin all the time as he just finished his BMus at DIT and I just started mine. I have never known the two to play together, Martin usually plays with a Bouzouki player named Luke Ward. I have never been a fan of his playing though to me it is all technique and no heart, but his technique is great and he is a skilled musician yet his music seems so bland to me. I have nothing against him despite the fact that almost all of the people doing a traditional music degree at DIT talk sh*te about him all the time (including myself) he is a nice guy but just doesn't know when shut up. Seriously though if you thought he was the best at Willie week (I must confess I wasn't there) your standards must be a bit low as I am sure there were better musicians.
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I have to agree with unseen there. i know john well and to say that he regrettably was on the guitar is a bit disrespectful! he is the best guitar player apart from arty around at the moment. i do love his flute playing aswell though. i have to say i also agree with unseen about tourish, he is just a tad annoying!
speaking of great music, for me it was jackie daly, rick epping, sean ryan, sean garvey and alec finn out the back of cleary's. although i heard lots of great music and lots of great sessions.
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Wow - you lads are awesome, imagine...slagging off someone when they are on this site. Well done!!!!
Personally - I love M T's playing, never heard him in person - but have his album, doesnt take a genuis to know that he is on of those up *there*and pretty much everyone else isnt......
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I've met, and chatted with, Martin on several occasions, and he is a lovely fella and a fantastic musician. (He won't remember me, though, I shouldn't think.) Don't get where anyone is coming from, slagging him off. Unless, I suppose, you're a friend of his, and it really is just 'slagging'?
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
To be honest I had no idea he was on here and like I said I have nothing against him he just gets on my nerves at times and his music doesn't do anything for me. And I would tell him to his face I just don't care.
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
slagging means different things to different readers. i think unseen or anyone else has every right to express an opinion of a player's style of music, whether the player is on this site or not. that is one of the things we are doing here. it is the personal remarks, particularly the repetition of school rumors, that i could live without. the current issue of Radar magazine has a fascinating and disturbing article about the phenom of malicious university/college gossip being spread on the internet, focused on a web site called Juicy Campus. see www.radaronline.com. this site is making it possible for millions to read cruel and often untrue personal gossip about people's university classmates online. a new low and a low we haven't reached here.....one hopes.
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Oh and in case anyone misunderstands tulip is not a personal attack heh.It has to do with the lads bio and its a common term for a weed smoker ie tulip head... i do indulge myself now and again so im not preaching,non of my business although you do leave yourself open if its the main theme of your bio.
Anyway with hindsight i think commenting on the post was a mistake,M.T does not need anyone to shout up for him.I totally agree that everyone is free to slate who they want,it just aint my bag.Especially when the musician is twice the player i or most here will ever be,regardless of what you think of his style.
Anyway long drive ahead so I'm gone,but plenty of chunes tonight
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Great report Mr Snowman. Brings back memories of seeing Sharon Shannon and Seamus Tansey together back in the day in Mullagh, with the same telepathic understanding.
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
fair play to continuo, seeing this post for what it is - an obvious p*ss take. I mean, come on people;
"I've not witnessed such a level of creative sensitivity between two individuals since Torvill and Dean"
"I hope Blake gets his flute out"
"Truely classy Celtic music"
"I know nothing about irish music" (direc quote from G S's bio)
Still, despite this, it ended up with people praising John Blake, one of the finest musicians of his generation, and slagging Tourish, an iggnorant, arrogant piano accordion player. Maybe there's hope for this site yet....
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
syncopation sensation, member 48292, is the latest person to join this site. Has he/she joined just to agree with the ignorant tirade of personal abuse from unseen123 ? Are syncopation and unseen, just possibly, ONE AND THE SAME PERSON ?
By the way, I took snowmans comment about John Blake not playing the flute that evening as an even greater compliment to the musician. He could have played the flute as well that evening, and that would have been good to hear.
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I can only assume that all this lot's to do with jealousy. There are very few people with a tenth of Martin's talent. Strangely, the thing that strikes me about his playing, when you experience it close up, is *not* the technical ability, great though that is, but his musicality.
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Like I really would need to make a new name just to agree with myself, I ain't that insecure about my reputation on the fecking internet. Plus I am sure there are many more people who agree with me and synco who have chosen to keep quiet about it as not to get persecuted for their opinion. I really don't care what you guys think of me cause you don't know me and until you meet me in person you have no right to judge. I don't know where you guys get off saying I am slagging Martin if I wanted to slag him I could do much better than that.
ceemonster, whos spreading rumors? Surely not me there is a huge difference between saying one talks sh*te and actually talking sh*te.
de Selby, whos unseen123? I am Unseen122 see the difference.
Will and J.D, yeah I like to poke smot so what? I was not high posting those two comments nor am I now nor has smoking ever clouded my judgment to any degree similar to that of what alcohol has done. Oh and it ain't the main theme of my bio it is mentioned twice once as a "hobby" and once saying I don't read books while doing it.
ben, if I am jealous of Martin it is simply because he grew up in a very musical family that is steeped in a very strong tradition and his cousin is in Altan. I can only imagine how good I would be if I had those opportunities. Instead of having been born in America and not having heard ITM until I was 14. Plus, I am happy with my own playing ability and the person I am. I have experienced his live playing more that you or anyone else posting here and have never noticed any musicality, I have noticed a lot of other things (I feel no need to explain what they are) but that was never one of them.
I remember a time when a person could post their opinion here without some eejdits telling them it is wrong. I think I have said everything I wanted to say and I wasn't even gonna post this but I couldn't resist. So that is the last I will say on the matter. Oh yeah getting back to the topic I wold bet there was a Piper there by the name of Seamus O'Rochain now he is a good musician and any session with him is bound to be one of the better ones at Willie Week..
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
"I have experienced his live playing more that you or anyone else posting here"
Oh my god - you must be an interenet mind reader, thats amazing that you just *know* that, pray tell...how does one just know that??? Oh my god...should you be in sydney right now? You are god....right??? Its world youth day on the 15th and we are missing a mesiah..
Seriously though - how could you not know Martin T wasnt on this site? He posts all the time...all the time.
Fair enough that you dont like someones style - there is lots of stuff I hate, but I draw the line a saying "so and so is Sh*te"...I say more like "nah, so and so isnt really my style"
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Frankly I think it's out of order to make personal comments about people on this board. OK, Martin will never be a Conan McDonnell (although he keeps asking me for lessons and stealing all my riffs). He has a decent enough style but I don't think he plays enough Donegal tunes and he has a penchant for Philomena Begley's used teabags.
Aaaanyway, what I'm trying to say is it shows a distinct lack of class.
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I think Conan McDonnell is completely wrong, both himself and Tourish are as useless as each other and the instrument they play is the devils spawn, it has no place in Irish music and all such instruments and players should be banished to hell.
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Dave, just cause you are the stunt (I think I spelled that right) double for beaker from the Muppet Show and you know my log-in doesn't mean you have to take your bitterness out on us.
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I tell you what, there must b some frighteningly good musicians on this discussion forum. Threads like this are the reason why I only venture here for a laugh.
Oh and unseen, easy to slabber personally about someone when you're hiding your identity on an internet forum isn't it? Says a lot about you that you'd rather hide in the shadows.
My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Hi guys,
Just wondering if anyone had a favourite session they heard over the week at the Willie Clancy festival?
I'd have to say mine was last night, when I landed into the Crosses of Annagh and heard some truely mighty music. There were a number of noted musicians playing, including Cathal Hayden, but the two that stood out for me were John Blake and Martin Tourish. Even with all the other musicians that were there playing, you could instantly feel a musicial connection between the two. It was something to behold. I've not witnessed such a level of creative sensitivity between two individuals since Torvill and Dean. Regrettably John was on guitar that night - as soon as Tourish turned up to the session my first thought was 'I hope Blake gets his flute out', but alas it did not happen.
Does anyone know if they play together regularly? I certainly hope to see the two of them in action together again, as they seem to work very well together. Truely classy Celtic music.
# Posted on July 11th 2008 by The Giant Snowman
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I used to see Martin all the time as he just finished his BMus at DIT and I just started mine. I have never known the two to play together, Martin usually plays with a Bouzouki player named Luke Ward. I have never been a fan of his playing though to me it is all technique and no heart, but his technique is great and he is a skilled musician yet his music seems so bland to me. I have nothing against him despite the fact that almost all of the people doing a traditional music degree at DIT talk sh*te about him all the time (including myself) he is a nice guy but just doesn't know when shut up. Seriously though if you thought he was the best at Willie week (I must confess I wasn't there) your standards must be a bit low as I am sure there were better musicians.
# Posted on July 11th 2008 by Unseen122
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I have to agree with unseen there. i know john well and to say that he regrettably was on the guitar is a bit disrespectful! he is the best guitar player apart from arty around at the moment. i do love his flute playing aswell though. i have to say i also agree with unseen about tourish, he is just a tad annoying!
speaking of great music, for me it was jackie daly, rick epping, sean ryan, sean garvey and alec finn out the back of cleary's. although i heard lots of great music and lots of great sessions.
# Posted on July 11th 2008 by tradmoosic
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
that should be *had lots of great sessions*.
# Posted on July 11th 2008 by tradmoosic
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Wow - you lads are awesome, imagine...slagging off someone when they are on this site. Well done!!!!
Personally - I love M T's playing, never heard him in person - but have his album, doesnt take a genuis to know that he is on of those up *there*and pretty much everyone else isnt......
# Posted on July 12th 2008 by bb
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Haahhhhaaaa - coming from someone who lists Danu as their favourite band......that is hilarious
# Posted on July 12th 2008 by bb
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I'm with you, bb. I would rather be silent than write anything negative about a particular individual, especially someone on this site.
# Posted on July 12th 2008 by slainte
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
A friend of mine toured with Martin in Spain. Martin was very friendly to me when I ran into him in Coili's, Galway.
Snowman, whenever John Blake takes his guitar out of its case, thank God you're alive to hear it.
# Posted on July 12th 2008 by DADGADLad
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
So what if he is a tad yappy better that than stood staring at the floor shuffling his feet.Takes some tulip to slag his music .
# Posted on July 12th 2008 by J.D
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I've met, and chatted with, Martin on several occasions, and he is a lovely fella and a fantastic musician. (He won't remember me, though, I shouldn't think.) Don't get where anyone is coming from, slagging him off. Unless, I suppose, you're a friend of his, and it really is just 'slagging'?
I'm with bb - he's 'up there'.
# Posted on July 12th 2008 by benhall.1
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
To be honest I had no idea he was on here and like I said I have nothing against him he just gets on my nerves at times and his music doesn't do anything for me. And I would tell him to his face I just don't care.
# Posted on July 12th 2008 by Unseen122
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Well, Avery, I have to wonder if "smoking bowls" (per your bio) has clouded your discretion and better judgment.
# Posted on July 12th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
slagging means different things to different readers. i think unseen or anyone else has every right to express an opinion of a player's style of music, whether the player is on this site or not. that is one of the things we are doing here. it is the personal remarks, particularly the repetition of school rumors, that i could live without. the current issue of Radar magazine has a fascinating and disturbing article about the phenom of malicious university/college gossip being spread on the internet, focused on a web site called Juicy Campus. see www.radaronline.com. this site is making it possible for millions to read cruel and often untrue personal gossip about people's university classmates online. a new low and a low we haven't reached here.....one hopes.
# Posted on July 12th 2008 by ceemonster
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
So, we all have every right to express an opinion. I'm very disappointed with some comments on this thread.
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by slainte
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Oh and in case anyone misunderstands tulip is not a personal attack heh.It has to do with the lads bio and its a common term for a weed smoker ie tulip head... i do indulge myself now and again so im not preaching,non of my business although you do leave yourself open if its the main theme of your bio.
Anyway with hindsight i think commenting on the post was a mistake,M.T does not need anyone to shout up for him.I totally agree that everyone is free to slate who they want,it just aint my bag.Especially when the musician is twice the player i or most here will ever be,regardless of what you think of his style.
Anyway long drive ahead so I'm gone,but plenty of chunes tonight
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by J.D
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Great report Mr Snowman. Brings back memories of seeing Sharon Shannon and Seamus Tansey together back in the day in Mullagh, with the same telepathic understanding.
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by continuo
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
fair play to continuo, seeing this post for what it is - an obvious p*ss take. I mean, come on people;
"I've not witnessed such a level of creative sensitivity between two individuals since Torvill and Dean"
"I hope Blake gets his flute out"
"Truely classy Celtic music"
"I know nothing about irish music" (direc quote from G S's bio)
Still, despite this, it ended up with people praising John Blake, one of the finest musicians of his generation, and slagging Tourish, an iggnorant, arrogant piano accordion player. Maybe there's hope for this site yet....
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by syncopation sensation
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
syncopation sensation, member 48292, is the latest person to join this site. Has he/she joined just to agree with the ignorant tirade of personal abuse from unseen123 ? Are syncopation and unseen, just possibly, ONE AND THE SAME PERSON ?
By the way, I took snowmans comment about John Blake not playing the flute that evening as an even greater compliment to the musician. He could have played the flute as well that evening, and that would have been good to hear.
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by de Selby
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
close, but you're way off, chump.
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by syncopation sensation
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Well you're a double chump, synco-unseen
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by de Selby
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
oohh, good one. What a retort.
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by syncopation sensation
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I can only assume that all this lot's to do with jealousy. There are very few people with a tenth of Martin's talent. Strangely, the thing that strikes me about his playing, when you experience it close up, is *not* the technical ability, great though that is, but his musicality.
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by benhall.1
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Like I really would need to make a new name just to agree with myself, I ain't that insecure about my reputation on the fecking internet. Plus I am sure there are many more people who agree with me and synco who have chosen to keep quiet about it as not to get persecuted for their opinion. I really don't care what you guys think of me cause you don't know me and until you meet me in person you have no right to judge. I don't know where you guys get off saying I am slagging Martin if I wanted to slag him I could do much better than that.
ceemonster, whos spreading rumors? Surely not me there is a huge difference between saying one talks sh*te and actually talking sh*te.
de Selby, whos unseen123? I am Unseen122 see the difference.
Will and J.D, yeah I like to poke smot so what? I was not high posting those two comments nor am I now nor has smoking ever clouded my judgment to any degree similar to that of what alcohol has done. Oh and it ain't the main theme of my bio it is mentioned twice once as a "hobby" and once saying I don't read books while doing it.
ben, if I am jealous of Martin it is simply because he grew up in a very musical family that is steeped in a very strong tradition and his cousin is in Altan. I can only imagine how good I would be if I had those opportunities. Instead of having been born in America and not having heard ITM until I was 14. Plus, I am happy with my own playing ability and the person I am. I have experienced his live playing more that you or anyone else posting here and have never noticed any musicality, I have noticed a lot of other things (I feel no need to explain what they are) but that was never one of them.
I remember a time when a person could post their opinion here without some eejdits telling them it is wrong. I think I have said everything I wanted to say and I wasn't even gonna post this but I couldn't resist. So that is the last I will say on the matter. Oh yeah getting back to the topic I wold bet there was a Piper there by the name of Seamus O'Rochain now he is a good musician and any session with him is bound to be one of the better ones at Willie Week..
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by Unseen122
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Was the shaky egg player there? had to Miltown where I first saw a shaky egg player.
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by bodhran bliss
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
"I have experienced his live playing more that you or anyone else posting here"
Oh my god - you must be an interenet mind reader, thats amazing that you just *know* that, pray tell...how does one just know that??? Oh my god...should you be in sydney right now? You are god....right??? Its world youth day on the 15th and we are missing a mesiah..
Seriously though - how could you not know Martin T wasnt on this site? He posts all the time...all the time.
Fair enough that you dont like someones style - there is lots of stuff I hate, but I draw the line a saying "so and so is Sh*te"...I say more like "nah, so and so isnt really my style"
Big difference..
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by bb
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Yes, I am god, how did you know?
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by Unseen122
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
The shaky egg player had to be seen to be believed. Fair play to Finn, Daly and the thousands of great players, but a shaky egg virtuoso?
Only in Miltown.
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by bodhran bliss
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Frankly I think it's out of order to make personal comments about people on this board. OK, Martin will never be a Conan McDonnell (although he keeps asking me for lessons and stealing all my riffs). He has a decent enough style but I don't think he plays enough Donegal tunes and he has a penchant for Philomena Begley's used teabags.
Aaaanyway, what I'm trying to say is it shows a distinct lack of class.
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by Conán McDonnell
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I think Conan McDonnell is completely wrong, both himself and Tourish are as useless as each other and the instrument they play is the devils spawn, it has no place in Irish music and all such instruments and players should be banished to hell.
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by Conán McDonnell
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Dave, just cause you are the stunt (I think I spelled that right) double for beaker from the Muppet Show and you know my log-in doesn't mean you have to take your bitterness out on us.
(the real Conan)
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by Conán McDonnell
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Yes I'm drunk and I'm arguing with myself. I like to call myself Dave sometimes......
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by Conán McDonnell
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Ach Dave, just get back to cooking those burnt sausages. To think I could be eating Danish tonight (bacon).
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by Conán McDonnell
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Stop pretending to be me again you git
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by Conán McDonnell
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I agree with one of the Conans
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by de Selby
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
I tell you what, there must b some frighteningly good musicians on this discussion forum. Threads like this are the reason why I only venture here for a laugh.
Oh and unseen, easy to slabber personally about someone when you're hiding your identity on an internet forum isn't it? Says a lot about you that you'd rather hide in the shadows.
# Posted on July 15th 2008 by ambassadorfish
Re: My favourite session at miltown - John Blake and Martin Tourish
Hmmm ... I agree with you, ambassadordfish ... but ... is that your real name?
# Posted on July 15th 2008 by benhall.1