What are you favorite trad music CDs to listen to when relaxing? Normally when I play a trad music CD it’s to either listen to a tune I wish to learn, or to play along with the CV. But sometimes, when reading a book, playing a game of chess, having dinner etc I will put on a CD that I like listening to purely for the enjoyment I get out of the CD. The list changes from time to time, currently what I play include "In Good Company" by Kevin Crawford, "Water from the Well" and "The Celtic Harp" by the Chieftans, Líadan's debut album, “Button and Bows”, “Otherworld” by Lúnasa, anything by Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill, anything by Altan …
what do you like listening to? !
Oddly, I have two collections that are nice. One is the 'Monsters of the Irish Accordion" on something called Celtophile....Picked it up for 6 bucks years ago. Unbelievable players.
The second is also a collection I picked up in bulk buy of some ITM cds at an antique place in Southwest Michigan called Seoda. Have no Idea how it got the name or the provenance of the players but they are very good and the collection provides a very nice range of expression and tunes....and no synthesizers, rock and roll drum kits, fuzz tone, waa waa, singing Irish Priests with high opinionso of themeselves etc.
If I want to relax... I don't usually listen to trad. It has completely the opposite effect on me. It either makes me want to dance... or to learn the tune i'm listening to.
The most effective sanity-restorer available on our not-actually-doomed-as-it-turns-out planet: "Carolan's Receipt," 1970-something, Derek Bell (RIP, dude).
But after it's done playing, that whole sanity thing fades. Gratefully.
(These aren't "traditional" Irish music or anything but...) when I'm doing homework or whatever, I like The High Kings(wah wah wah, American substitute junk as many of you might call it, but I like it.)
Older recordings, field recordings, Bonny Bunch of Roses, primitive thumping on bodhrans. Anything far removed from digital, studio, layered recordings. It takes me away from the shallow commercial world we live in.
I usually don't find any music relaxing - I usually react to it in a distracting
way. If I like it, I focus on it; if I don't like it's annoying. Some rock and jazz
music fits into the middle ground so it works for me.
In theory I like all kinds of jazz, a bit of bluegrass, a wide range of classical, but in practice I listen permanently to traditional Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton etc on the computer in my "shed". When I occasionally do darkroom processing I have to turn off everything with an LED so I put on radio 3. Late Junction is particularly good when doing late night photo printing http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/latejunction/
I identify with what davydd said above- it's impossible for me to relax when listening to music. I'm too involved in it. I'm constantly analysing, the melody, chords, arrangement, production, etc. But I love doing it so maybe it is relaxing!
How about some nice Jon Hassell/Brian Eno recordings from the Eighties? I like those because they have some faster movements here and there. My brain thinks it's listening to Irish music, but then it isn't.
Angelina Carberry's cd "Memories of the Holla" is pretty relaxing if you can handle the slightly out-of-tune pipes.
Luke Daniels - Tarantella,
Paddy Glackin & Jolyon Jackson - Hidden Ground (you either love it or hate it)
and that Cd Oisin MacDiarmada, Brian Fitzgerald and Micheal Rooney did.
It's got to be something without a pronounced repetitive rhythm, which rules out most trad! I often put on Radio 3 for whatever's playing, unless it's playing something particularly harsh or strident. Broadens my general knowledge a bit - I don't know a lot of Classical music to recognise, though I've always had favourite pieces.
Billy Pigg, "The Border Minstrel", is nice background music, IMO. I think he's still the greatest Northumbrian pipes player ever to have been recorded - and his music, to me at any rate, transcends the fact he was more or less arhythmic. Like soldiers walking out of step across a bridge so as not to break it, his music proceeds across my brain more gently for being out of time, evoking silvery light and indefinite undulant spaces, or whatever - it doesn't grab at me insistently. He was a one-off. He and his music had something that can't be secured by tuition alone or indeed by personal ambition: a mystery.
Alisdair Frazer and Tony McManus "Return to Kintail"
This is mostly scottish trad played slowly and relaxed. Absolutely amazing and good both for careful listening and relaxing.
favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
What are you favorite trad music CDs to listen to when relaxing? Normally when I play a trad music CD it’s to either listen to a tune I wish to learn, or to play along with the CV. But sometimes, when reading a book, playing a game of chess, having dinner etc I will put on a CD that I like listening to purely for the enjoyment I get out of the CD. The list changes from time to time, currently what I play include "In Good Company" by Kevin Crawford, "Water from the Well" and "The Celtic Harp" by the Chieftans, Líadan's debut album, “Button and Bows”, “Otherworld” by Lúnasa, anything by Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill, anything by Altan …
what do you like listening to? !
# Posted on February 9th 2009 by BanjoBongo
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
Oddly, I have two collections that are nice. One is the 'Monsters of the Irish Accordion" on something called Celtophile....Picked it up for 6 bucks years ago. Unbelievable players.
The second is also a collection I picked up in bulk buy of some ITM cds at an antique place in Southwest Michigan called Seoda. Have no Idea how it got the name or the provenance of the players but they are very good and the collection provides a very nice range of expression and tunes....and no synthesizers, rock and roll drum kits, fuzz tone, waa waa, singing Irish Priests with high opinionso of themeselves etc.
# Posted on February 9th 2009 by zippydw
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
If I want to relax... I don't usually listen to trad. It has completely the opposite effect on me. It either makes me want to dance... or to learn the tune i'm listening to.
# Posted on February 9th 2009 by davydd
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
That's me too, davydd.
# Posted on February 9th 2009 by Bob himself
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
The most effective sanity-restorer available on our not-actually-doomed-as-it-turns-out planet: "Carolan's Receipt," 1970-something, Derek Bell (RIP, dude).
But after it's done playing, that whole sanity thing fades. Gratefully.
# Posted on February 9th 2009 by NEW Pure Drop® Ear Canal Oil
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
Matt Molloy's "Matt Molloy" uncurls my nerves without lulling me.
# Posted on February 9th 2009 by deFacto
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
CTL "The Girls Wont Leave the Boys Alone."
Mike Rafferty "Speed 78."
I also think Ralph McTell is very relaxing.
# Posted on February 9th 2009 by pipersgrip
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
CDs by Michael Rooney and June McCormack - beautiful harp and flute music!
# Posted on February 9th 2009 by ceoltoirbeth
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
Liam Og O'Flynn's "The Piper's Call"
Dozed off to it many times. Very relaxing iPod music for the plane or on the bus.
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by grego
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
(These aren't "traditional" Irish music or anything but...) when I'm doing homework or whatever, I like The High Kings(wah wah wah, American substitute junk as many of you might call it, but I like it.)
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by Invincible
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
Older recordings, field recordings, Bonny Bunch of Roses, primitive thumping on bodhrans. Anything far removed from digital, studio, layered recordings. It takes me away from the shallow commercial world we live in.
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by shanty
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
I usually don't find any music relaxing - I usually react to it in a distracting
way. If I like it, I focus on it; if I don't like it's annoying. Some rock and jazz
music fits into the middle ground so it works for me.
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by Hup
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
martin o'brien, tunes from tuamgraney, east clare....
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by ceemonster
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
At the moment "Are you the Concertina Player?" Kate McNamara. Sometimes "La Lugh" by La Lugh is great for winding down.
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by snorre
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
In theory I like all kinds of jazz, a bit of bluegrass, a wide range of classical, but in practice I listen permanently to traditional Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton etc on the computer in my "shed". When I occasionally do darkroom processing I have to turn off everything with an LED so I put on radio 3. Late Junction is particularly good when doing late night photo printing http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/latejunction/
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by RichardB
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/1532
Desi's "chill-out" album.
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by Kenny
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
I identify with what davydd said above- it's impossible for me to relax when listening to music. I'm too involved in it. I'm constantly analysing, the melody, chords, arrangement, production, etc. But I love doing it so maybe it is relaxing!
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by SteelPlayer
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
Relaxing - what's that?
How about some nice Jon Hassell/Brian Eno recordings from the Eighties? I like those because they have some faster movements here and there. My brain thinks it's listening to Irish music, but then it isn't.
Angelina Carberry's cd "Memories of the Holla" is pretty relaxing if you can handle the slightly out-of-tune pipes.
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by Gzeg
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
Beal Tuinne
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by banjoian
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
For music of interest on this site, "Celtic Crossing" by William Coulter & friends.
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by mjct
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
Luke Daniels - Tarantella,
Paddy Glackin & Jolyon Jackson - Hidden Ground (you either love it or hate it)
and that Cd Oisin MacDiarmada, Brian Fitzgerald and Micheal Rooney did.
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by Deise
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
It's got to be something without a pronounced repetitive rhythm, which rules out most trad! I often put on Radio 3 for whatever's playing, unless it's playing something particularly harsh or strident. Broadens my general knowledge a bit - I don't know a lot of Classical music to recognise, though I've always had favourite pieces.
Billy Pigg, "The Border Minstrel", is nice background music, IMO. I think he's still the greatest Northumbrian pipes player ever to have been recorded - and his music, to me at any rate, transcends the fact he was more or less arhythmic. Like soldiers walking out of step across a bridge so as not to break it, his music proceeds across my brain more gently for being out of time, evoking silvery light and indefinite undulant spaces, or whatever - it doesn't grab at me insistently. He was a one-off. He and his music had something that can't be secured by tuition alone or indeed by personal ambition: a mystery.
Otherwise, Julie Fowlis is a favourite.
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by nicholas
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
Alisdair Frazer and Tony McManus "Return to Kintail"
This is mostly scottish trad played slowly and relaxed. Absolutely amazing and good both for careful listening and relaxing.
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by lars
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
Seamus McGuire - The Wishing Tree
# Posted on February 10th 2009 by Ptarmigan
Re: favourite CDs to listen to when relaxing?
hands down, Martin Hayes
# Posted on February 24th 2009 by harping niamh