Is it me or is the ITM music scene in England especially Manchester and London bloody brilliant. Iv taken a few trips to Manchester now and the scene there is excellent. One session in particular was one a few weeks ago in Manchester.
Michael McGoldrick was there and after travelling a good bit around the ITM scene all over Ireland and hearing all the 'celebrity' musicians he has to be the best flute player I have heard and he seems like a really nice and genuine guy. He had a lot of time for the younger musicians at the session and some of the tunes he was playing I have never heard before, he has to be one of the best. Its amazing how he is from outside of Ireland and can have such an impact on the world of ITMI hear a lot of young people in Ireland are big followers of his music!
Also down in London there seems to be a great scene with many good musicians I am not too sure what Birmingham is like but I would like to check it out. But Manchester is a must see for the Irish music.
oh yes indeed ...I grew up in the North of England and played sessions up until 1988 with Mike Goldrick, Dezi, Eddie Sheehan, Dave limm and all ...they were the best ever ..as I said in Marco's previous post ..some of the best sessions I've had have been outside of Ireland ...maybe it's the because the music has been distilled and only the strongest survives ...Manc is incredible as is London, Birmingham has calmed down since losing the likes of Kevin Crawford (yes dispite his current accent he is from the midlands!) and visitors such as Mick Coneely ...Brighton is also very very lively.
where did you hear Mike playing? I believe he and the rest of Toss the Feathers had a reunion over xmas.
I heard him at a session in a pub called jig something. I was at the Toss the Feathers gig and yes your right there were some amazing young musicians doing support. In particular young girls who were about 18 on the concertina, fiddle, flute and accordion. Dezi was playing too sounds as good as ever. Id like to meet them someday and chat to them it was inconvenient at toss the feathers
And then there are all the Yanks, born or newly arrived from the old sod.
Is it too much of a leap to say ITM in the last 100 years has been as much of an international phenomenon as it as been a national one? It's difficult to imagine the contemporary scene anywhere without Michael Coleman fiddling while he stepdanced on the stages of New York, Chicago and Boston back in the first part of the 20th century.
Do these centers of ITM in England have styles peculiar to their region? Is there a Manchester style, or a Birmingham style? What's the scene like in Newcastle?
yes ..it was amazing growing up in that community. it was as if a huge chunk of East Mayo and Donegal had been replanted in the north of england. My grandad and Mike's came from the same area of East Mayo ..near to Kilmovee and we had as much, if not more trad music at home than was happening in mayo ...there was loads of it everywhere up north when I was young and always loads of visiting musos from everywhere. My grandma was an incredible Donegal fiddler, I didnt realise how incredible she was until after she died and met loads of famous fiddlers in Donegal who had tales about her.
yes Manchester still nurtures the trad scene as it always did ..and you are spot on about how much time the musicians have for younger players.
there is a very good piper doing the rounds; Ben Walker I think he is called ...again ..very nice bloke.
John you are so right ...where would the music be today without the people who emmigrated. If you read any ethnomusicology studies of ITM they always metion how important the diaspora was and is to sustaining the life of the music.
DeffG - I wasn't aware there was much happening in Birmingham. I go up there regularly because of the in-laws (or outlaws as I call them) and only played in one thing, which was up on stage, with the Molloy brothers Enda and Joe, and that was only because Johnny Gaughan, down here in London, put me in touch with them. I think there might have been some beginner stuff in the Irish Centre in Digbeth at one time though. Do you know of any sessions in Brum, particularly at weekends? Or does anyone for that matter?
Also, when Kevin Crawford lived in Birmingham, didn't he do all his playing in Luton because he played with Mick Coneelly there?
I never new about Kevin Crawfod coming from Birmingham I heard through the grapevine he married a girl from Manchester. It was the dodgy ennis accent that put me off from thinking he could be actual English. I also heard a fiddle player called Colin Farrell 9no not the film star) whilst I was in Manchester and he has a great talent as well. But I think McGoldrick has to be the best!
my ex is from cannock and knows all the sessions ...I'll find them out and post them. ...Joe Molloy ? I came across a Pat Molloy ..which always used to confuse visitors to sessions, when somebody would say "Pat Molloy will be here soon" ...if they had heard it wrong they were always very dissapointed when a fiddler in his 80's turned up. Also a good friend of mine from a band I used to play with has moved up there and is always at sessions ..he is a very good fiddler; Bernard KilBride from "The KilBride Brothers" (...an original name they came up with !!!)...
There are sessions in Brum and environs ...I'll post them when I get the details.
Mick used to come up to play with their band ..Longacre..?? ...still thats no excuse for dropping such an endearing accent !!!!!
..and from that page Danny a very good quote from Kevin Crawford;
"When you're born and living in England, you sometimes feel your music may be a bit inferior to what's coming out of Ireland, and you may not think you're as good as the musicians there. But, funny enough, one of the reasons the music is so strong in England and in the U.S. is that you work twice as hard at it because you feel you have to."
...my sentiments exactly ...having proved myself in England, Wales, France, Italy and Portugal I still have a battle here in Ireland and keep my mouth shut when I turn up to a session (so that no-one hears my 'coronation street' accent) until I've played for a while ...unless it's in a gaeltacht then when I speak in gaelic, ..even though it's very basic, no-one seems to care which lump of earth you are born on !!!
Funnily enough, often when I 've been over there at sessions, fleadhs (-anna), people have asked "what part of the country are you from?" - thinking I'm from the North - I assume they haven't heard many Scots accents, especially playing flute.
But thanks in advance of posting the Brummy sessions.
Musicmad, I'm really glad you posted this b/c I have a burning question wrt to the German affinity for the music. It's my (probably flawed perception) that there are more sessions in Germany than in any other single country on the Continent, is this true? I met several Germans at FKWS, & somebody, can't remember who, told me Germans were so infatuated b/c they lost a huge chunk of their own traditional music & feel a close kinship with the jigs & reels. Is this true, or just a tall tale they tell at sessions to naive yanks? Germans out there, Irish Trad Head, etc, what say you? Thanks!
Danny,
A bit off topic, but I have a hard time distinguishing between the Scottish and the Northern Irish accent, and I think this is true for most southerners, easterners, and westerners.
mairtin
Emily, you're right about Irish music being quite popular over here and the reason for it. But it's more of a group /band thing. The session scene seems to be concentrated in only a few places. I suspect the Netherlands or Belgium have more sessions in relation.
One of the better musicians in the Irish trad scene here in Washington DC is a German woman who plays flute. She's been living in America for maybe 10 years now and didn't start playing ITM until after she came here. It was kind of funny actually a few years ago when she went over to the Frankie Kennedy school and came back complaining (mildly) about all the Germans who were there! But she has told me that there's no real German folk music tradition beyond the stereotypical oom-pah bands, which may explain why Germans need to find another folk tradition to latch on to. I mean would you want to have to don lederhosen to get the same kind of buzz we get going to a session?
It's not just the Irish trad music that Germans and other continental Europeans are latching on to, though. It's Ireland itself. There are German, Dutch, etc, "blow-ins" all over the west of Ireland, and have been for years. First it was just the granola crowd, but now with the EU it's becoming even more mainstream. Ireland, at the west end of Europe, has a lot in common actually with California, Oregon, etc, at the west end of the US, with about a fifty year time lag. If the pattern holds, in the mid 21st century the Irish may even recall the Taoiseach and replace him with an Austrian bodybuilder/movie star...
How I wish I had been born in Germany myself, so I could blow in and live in the west of Ireland, playing tunes all day and hitting all the festivals. It's actually much easier for a German to do that than for an American of Irish descent like me. (I'm kidding about the wishing I'd been born in Germany part. I think...)
manchester does have a good ITM scene. really unfortunate that Liverpool doesn't. it has a huge Irish Community but the city is still reeling from the closure of the Irish Centre so there are very few places for musicians to gather and play. my local session has just been shut down for not observing licencing laws. cultural wasteland.
Hi Nick,
I have many relatives in and around the Pool, so I visit. I used to go to the Irish Centre too, but the relatives (not quite as enamoured of ITM as myself) have been unable to direct me to a session/location where I might find ITM. Do I take it there is none in the city? Slan.
mairtin
As John Dally said, "And then there are all the Yanks, born or newly arrived from the old sod." It's a big place, so they are far between, but far from few. The fiddlers alone include the likes of:
Liz Carroll
Martin Hayes
Kevin Burke
Tommy Peoples
Andy McGann
Paddy Reynolds
Eileen Ivers
Brian Conway
Brendan Bulger
Randal Bays
Patrick Orceau
Brendan Mulvihill
Liz Knowles
Winifred Horan
Tommy McCarthy Jr.
etc.
John,
It's not easy for natives either who left the West when times were bad and money was scarce. When I was a youngster, we saw the odd returned yank with enough money in his wallet to buy up half the town. Nowadays, prices are sky high over there and it is impossible to buy into the hot market overrun by Continentals and Americans. Slan.
mairtin
Mairtin,
Of course I realize that what you're saying is right, all too well. And as high as prices may be for the rich Continentals who want to buy in, with the Euro at around $1.30 they're even higher for the rich American. And I'm not even close to being a rich American myself. Another way that Ireland is like California - I couldn't afford to live in California either!
Emily ..you are right to mention the Germans ...they were all incredibly enthusiastic and such nice people at the Frankie Week ..and no airs or graces ..just wanted to play and have fun ...these are a few of their websites http://www.dereelium.de/http://www.steampacket.de/ and my newest bodhr
John Kerr , you seem to bee a little displeased that people from mainland europe have 'latched on' to "folk music" from beyond their countries of birth. I think it is the thing that has allowed ITM to flourish and naturally progress, I think it's wonderful that people from all over the world 'latch on' to a music associated with a tiny island on the west of europe. I imagine many thousands of pub landlords, restaraunters, hoteliers, b&b owners, the irish revenue commission, the thousands of people who are employed within and periphery to the tourist trade etc etc think it's wonderful too.
Kevin's band was Longacre.
The last time I played with Paddy and Enda (Molloy)was at The Antelope Pub in Brum, and also there was a cracking flute player with whom I played in my early days, still belting them out, Frank Jordan!
Strange, tho' I've only zipped through these letters, Glasgow is a great place for a session! Get in touch with Brendan McHugh. You'll always get a welcome there!
David A ...I do know a Gavin who (i think had just moved to Bristol as I was leaving Cardiff) plays fiddle in Bristol ...he sometimes goes to the Cornubia ? I did go to the Cornubia a couple of times after the Kingsdown finished, but always found it a bit odd, didnt really have the get up and go that once prevailed in Bristol. ....Can't place a David or a Kate sorry ...what do you and Kate play?
It's OK in Tassie, had a really nice time at the Georgetown Festival, playing and teaching, some good sessions too.
Longacre where playing still in the late 80s, 86/87 definitely! I cannot recall the line up Dave!
Glasgow's main session is at Sharkey's, Monday night, that's the one Jimmy McHugh started off, and is still going strong, with Benny at the helm. I phoned the other week to wish them well for Jimmy's memorial concert which is held each January.
Liverpool contacts/sessions....I recommend you get in touch with Sean MacNamara from the original L'pool Ceili Band. He was doing fine when I spoke to him just before Christmas.
The old Irish Centre Session is now at the church club of St. Michael's, which is West Derby, if I'm not mistaken.
There are sessions about, the other guy to contact is Terry Coyne, whose late father, Eamonn was a fiddler with Sean. Terry is a magnificent flute player, and he'll also always make you welcome.
If you need any more info' just ask. I'm still in touch with most of my friends back home,
It is great to see how much all of you stimulate and develop the themes on this site, keep it up.
Brianx
Advice please, how do I go about numbers etc.? I can't just post them on the site can I? Bx
Brian - maybe best if someone is interested, to get in touch with you by email via this site - then you could email them back whatever number they're after. To email someone here just click on their name to take you to their bio. Jeremy has provided the facility to email them.
Red Crow, I don't see where you get the idea that I am displeased that people not born in Ireland have latched onto the music. How could I be, as I fit that description myself? Displeased? No. Jealous of people born in Europe who do so, because they have easier access to Ireland than I do as an American? Okay, yes I'll admit to that.
Yes, the Germans get everywhere and they hate nothing more than meeting other Germans there... Compare that to an Irishman's reaction to meeting a fellow countryman abroad.
It's probably because there are so many of us (80 mio.).
Germany provided the bread and butter to many English, Scottish and Irish trad. musicians from the seventies onwards. It probably started with the Dubliners. A lot of people who heard the stuff wanted to play it themselves. Doolin became something like the informal capital of ITM because Micho Russell took part in the influential Irish Folk Festival on tour.
So much for now. I'll be back and answer you later, Em.
For Emily and everybody who wants to know: This is my personal view of how trad. music was lost in my country.
100 years ago the situation of trad. music in (northern) Germany was much the same as in England where the upper class didn
So Jeremy, I'm not actually invoking the Nazi principle, I'm discussing them historically, so basically what you're saying is that traditional German *anything* sort of became tied up with the Nazis, so in post WWii, traditional German stuff got chucked out with the Nazi stuff?
Wow. I need to think about that one for a little bit. But thank you kuec, that is extremely, extremely interesting.
Just re-read some of the letters, and saw mention of Gavin, and also Kilbride.
Gavin is indeed in the Bristol area, playing button accordeon, also fiddle. You can get him through
www.hiberniacentre.freeserve.co.uk
and post a letter there. Someone will put you in touch.
The Kilbrides. Now that's a fun family! Based in Cardiff, Bernie, Gerard and Danny. If you get the chance look them up, it's fun playing with them!
Danny, thanks for your message, will write to you soon.
I've just spent a week in Berlin, and managed to get in two sessions whilst I was there. I found out about them through a fine guitarist, who I met last summer in Drumshanbo, Leitrim. There's a small but keen traditional scene in Berlin.
The first session, well, it would be arrogant of me to say it was a *great* session, since at the beginning, I was the only tune player there (on mandolin and occasional whistle), accompanied by Walter, the guitarist mentioned above, and Moritz, a very sensitive bodhran player - but let's say, it was very enjoyable. (The
(The rest of the 'keen' Berlin musicians were exhausted and hung over, having been 'over-keen' the previous night). A fiddler and a whistle player, whom neither Walter nor Moritz had seen before, came in halfway through. They were apparently more part of the pub gig than session scene, their repertoire of tunes being limited to a few crowd pleasers - but how often does one get the opportunity to play The Irish Washerwoman in a session these days?
The second session was an altogether different affair. I was fortunate enough to be staying in the same street as two other musicians, I was saved an otherwise complicated journey across town. There were a few quite strong players there, including a flute player (my chauffeur), a banjo player originating from Cork (a fellow passenger) and a mandolin player from Switzerland (a member of The Session) - with a nice selection of tunes between them.
As it seems to be of interest to Emily at least I shall continue. So here comes trad music in Germany part 2.
Tradition means that something considered valuable is passed on from one generation to the next. From this point of view it is obvious that the thread of continuity was broken in 1945. This does not mean that people
the different trad scenes around the world are generally hit or miss.London had such a good scene with likes of Brendan Mulkere,john Blake,mick connelly, the cartys,karen Ryan,the Rowlands,seanie mcdonagh.some of these great musicians have now moved away which is a shame.People talk about a good trad scene in manchester well they obviously dont know what good sessions are because most are so terrible that its painful to listen to them.dont get me wrong there are some great musicians that have come out of manchester but most are away gigging all the time and dont play in the city any more.Mick mcgoldrick and dessie donnelly are at the top of their game closely followed by andy dinan john joe kelly sean Regan and grace kelly.The gigging scene is ruining the sessions all over world because even crap players now think they can play gigs whereas back in the 1960 and 70s people were happy to just have the craic and play tunes.capitalism has spoiled trad music
Musicians outside of Ireland
Musicians outside of Ireland
Is it me or is the ITM music scene in England especially Manchester and London bloody brilliant. Iv taken a few trips to Manchester now and the scene there is excellent. One session in particular was one a few weeks ago in Manchester.
Michael McGoldrick was there and after travelling a good bit around the ITM scene all over Ireland and hearing all the 'celebrity' musicians he has to be the best flute player I have heard and he seems like a really nice and genuine guy. He had a lot of time for the younger musicians at the session and some of the tunes he was playing I have never heard before, he has to be one of the best. Its amazing how he is from outside of Ireland and can have such an impact on the world of ITMI hear a lot of young people in Ireland are big followers of his music!
Also down in London there seems to be a great scene with many good musicians I am not too sure what Birmingham is like but I would like to check it out. But Manchester is a must see for the Irish music.
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by whysthat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
oh yes indeed ...I grew up in the North of England and played sessions up until 1988 with Mike Goldrick, Dezi, Eddie Sheehan, Dave limm and all ...they were the best ever ..as I said in Marco's previous post ..some of the best sessions I've had have been outside of Ireland ...maybe it's the because the music has been distilled and only the strongest survives ...Manc is incredible as is London, Birmingham has calmed down since losing the likes of Kevin Crawford (yes dispite his current accent he is from the midlands!) and visitors such as Mick Coneely ...Brighton is also very very lively.
where did you hear Mike playing? I believe he and the rest of Toss the Feathers had a reunion over xmas.
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by DeffGoat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Mind you ....who won TG4 award for best traditional musician this year ...John Carty an Englishman ..and check out all the 1st & 2nd generation emigr
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by DeffGoat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
I heard him at a session in a pub called jig something. I was at the Toss the Feathers gig and yes your right there were some amazing young musicians doing support. In particular young girls who were about 18 on the concertina, fiddle, flute and accordion. Dezi was playing too sounds as good as ever. Id like to meet them someday and chat to them it was inconvenient at toss the feathers
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by whysthat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
And then there are all the Yanks, born or newly arrived from the old sod.
Is it too much of a leap to say ITM in the last 100 years has been as much of an international phenomenon as it as been a national one? It's difficult to imagine the contemporary scene anywhere without Michael Coleman fiddling while he stepdanced on the stages of New York, Chicago and Boston back in the first part of the 20th century.
Do these centers of ITM in England have styles peculiar to their region? Is there a Manchester style, or a Birmingham style? What's the scene like in Newcastle?
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by bellows boy
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
yes ..it was amazing growing up in that community. it was as if a huge chunk of East Mayo and Donegal had been replanted in the north of england. My grandad and Mike's came from the same area of East Mayo ..near to Kilmovee and we had as much, if not more trad music at home than was happening in mayo ...there was loads of it everywhere up north when I was young and always loads of visiting musos from everywhere. My grandma was an incredible Donegal fiddler, I didnt realise how incredible she was until after she died and met loads of famous fiddlers in Donegal who had tales about her.
yes Manchester still nurtures the trad scene as it always did ..and you are spot on about how much time the musicians have for younger players.
there is a very good piper doing the rounds; Ben Walker I think he is called ...again ..very nice bloke.
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by DeffGoat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
John you are so right ...where would the music be today without the people who emmigrated. If you read any ethnomusicology studies of ITM they always metion how important the diaspora was and is to sustaining the life of the music.
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by DeffGoat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
DeffG - I wasn't aware there was much happening in Birmingham. I go up there regularly because of the in-laws (or outlaws as I call them) and only played in one thing, which was up on stage, with the Molloy brothers Enda and Joe, and that was only because Johnny Gaughan, down here in London, put me in touch with them. I think there might have been some beginner stuff in the Irish Centre in Digbeth at one time though. Do you know of any sessions in Brum, particularly at weekends? Or does anyone for that matter?
Also, when Kevin Crawford lived in Birmingham, didn't he do all his playing in Luton because he played with Mick Coneelly there?
Danny.
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
I never new about Kevin Crawfod coming from Birmingham I heard through the grapevine he married a girl from Manchester. It was the dodgy ennis accent that put me off from thinking he could be actual English. I also heard a fiddle player called Colin Farrell 9no not the film star) whilst I was in Manchester and he has a great talent as well. But I think McGoldrick has to be the best!
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by whysthat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
that was ment to read knew and Crawford should have been not as well
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by whysthat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Danny,
my ex is from cannock and knows all the sessions ...I'll find them out and post them. ...Joe Molloy ? I came across a Pat Molloy ..which always used to confuse visitors to sessions, when somebody would say "Pat Molloy will be here soon" ...if they had heard it wrong they were always very dissapointed when a fiddler in his 80's turned up. Also a good friend of mine from a band I used to play with has moved up there and is always at sessions ..he is a very good fiddler; Bernard KilBride from "The KilBride Brothers" (...an original name they came up with !!!)...
There are sessions in Brum and environs ...I'll post them when I get the details.
Mick used to come up to play with their band ..Longacre..?? ...still thats no excuse for dropping such an endearing accent !!!!!
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by DeffGoat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Pat Molloy is their Da.
There's a bit about the whole lot of that gang on the Green Linnet ("get thee behind me, Satan")site:
http://www.greenlinnet.com/artists/kcrawfordbio.htm
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
..and from that page Danny a very good quote from Kevin Crawford;
"When you're born and living in England, you sometimes feel your music may be a bit inferior to what's coming out of Ireland, and you may not think you're as good as the musicians there. But, funny enough, one of the reasons the music is so strong in England and in the U.S. is that you work twice as hard at it because you feel you have to."
...my sentiments exactly ...having proved myself in England, Wales, France, Italy and Portugal I still have a battle here in Ireland and keep my mouth shut when I turn up to a session (so that no-one hears my 'coronation street' accent) until I've played for a while ...unless it's in a gaeltacht then when I speak in gaelic, ..even though it's very basic, no-one seems to care which lump of earth you are born on !!!
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by DeffGoat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Funnily enough, often when I 've been over there at sessions, fleadhs (-anna), people have asked "what part of the country are you from?" - thinking I'm from the North - I assume they haven't heard many Scots accents, especially playing flute.
But thanks in advance of posting the Brummy sessions.
Danny.
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Are all these great Manchester sessions listed here at thesession.org? Because I can only see three there...
If you've got info on more, do share the wealth! I'm moving to Manchester next month... :-\
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by ReubenH
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Musicmad, I'm really glad you posted this b/c I have a burning question wrt to the German affinity for the music. It's my (probably flawed perception) that there are more sessions in Germany than in any other single country on the Continent, is this true? I met several Germans at FKWS, & somebody, can't remember who, told me Germans were so infatuated b/c they lost a huge chunk of their own traditional music & feel a close kinship with the jigs & reels. Is this true, or just a tall tale they tell at sessions to naive yanks? Germans out there, Irish Trad Head, etc, what say you? Thanks!
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by emily_bmore
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Danny,
A bit off topic, but I have a hard time distinguishing between the Scottish and the Northern Irish accent, and I think this is true for most southerners, easterners, and westerners.
mairtin
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by frozenstiff
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Emily, you're right about Irish music being quite popular over here and the reason for it. But it's more of a group /band thing. The session scene seems to be concentrated in only a few places. I suspect the Netherlands or Belgium have more sessions in relation.
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by kuec
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Kuec, how did you lose your traditional music? Was this a 20th century phenomenon? Was it a gradual thing, or something more acute?
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by emily_bmore
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
One of the better musicians in the Irish trad scene here in Washington DC is a German woman who plays flute. She's been living in America for maybe 10 years now and didn't start playing ITM until after she came here. It was kind of funny actually a few years ago when she went over to the Frankie Kennedy school and came back complaining (mildly) about all the Germans who were there! But she has told me that there's no real German folk music tradition beyond the stereotypical oom-pah bands, which may explain why Germans need to find another folk tradition to latch on to. I mean would you want to have to don lederhosen to get the same kind of buzz we get going to a session?
It's not just the Irish trad music that Germans and other continental Europeans are latching on to, though. It's Ireland itself. There are German, Dutch, etc, "blow-ins" all over the west of Ireland, and have been for years. First it was just the granola crowd, but now with the EU it's becoming even more mainstream. Ireland, at the west end of Europe, has a lot in common actually with California, Oregon, etc, at the west end of the US, with about a fifty year time lag. If the pattern holds, in the mid 21st century the Irish may even recall the Taoiseach and replace him with an Austrian bodybuilder/movie star...
How I wish I had been born in Germany myself, so I could blow in and live in the west of Ireland, playing tunes all day and hitting all the festivals. It's actually much easier for a German to do that than for an American of Irish descent like me. (I'm kidding about the wishing I'd been born in Germany part. I think...)
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by johnkerr
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
manchester does have a good ITM scene. really unfortunate that Liverpool doesn't. it has a huge Irish Community but the city is still reeling from the closure of the Irish Centre so there are very few places for musicians to gather and play. my local session has just been shut down for not observing licencing laws. cultural wasteland.
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by NickPhelan
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Hi Nick,
I have many relatives in and around the Pool, so I visit. I used to go to the Irish Centre too, but the relatives (not quite as enamoured of ITM as myself) have been unable to direct me to a session/location where I might find ITM. Do I take it there is none in the city? Slan.
mairtin
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by frozenstiff
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
As John Dally said, "And then there are all the Yanks, born or newly arrived from the old sod." It's a big place, so they are far between, but far from few. The fiddlers alone include the likes of:
Liz Carroll
Martin Hayes
Kevin Burke
Tommy Peoples
Andy McGann
Paddy Reynolds
Eileen Ivers
Brian Conway
Brendan Bulger
Randal Bays
Patrick Orceau
Brendan Mulvihill
Liz Knowles
Winifred Horan
Tommy McCarthy Jr.
etc.
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by GaryAMartin
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
John,
It's not easy for natives either who left the West when times were bad and money was scarce. When I was a youngster, we saw the odd returned yank with enough money in his wallet to buy up half the town. Nowadays, prices are sky high over there and it is impossible to buy into the hot market overrun by Continentals and Americans. Slan.
mairtin
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by frozenstiff
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Mairtin,
Of course I realize that what you're saying is right, all too well. And as high as prices may be for the rich Continentals who want to buy in, with the Euro at around $1.30 they're even higher for the rich American. And I'm not even close to being a rich American myself. Another way that Ireland is like California - I couldn't afford to live in California either!
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by johnkerr
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Emily ..you are right to mention the Germans ...they were all incredibly enthusiastic and such nice people at the Frankie Week ..and no airs or graces ..just wanted to play and have fun ...these are a few of their websites http://www.dereelium.de/ http://www.steampacket.de/ and my newest bodhr
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by DeffGoat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
John Kerr , you seem to bee a little displeased that people from mainland europe have 'latched on' to "folk music" from beyond their countries of birth. I think it is the thing that has allowed ITM to flourish and naturally progress, I think it's wonderful that people from all over the world 'latch on' to a music associated with a tiny island on the west of europe. I imagine many thousands of pub landlords, restaraunters, hoteliers, b&b owners, the irish revenue commission, the thousands of people who are employed within and periphery to the tourist trade etc etc think it's wonderful too.
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by Red Crow
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Kevin's band was Longacre.
The last time I played with Paddy and Enda (Molloy)was at The Antelope Pub in Brum, and also there was a cracking flute player with whom I played in my early days, still belting them out, Frank Jordan!
Strange, tho' I've only zipped through these letters, Glasgow is a great place for a session! Get in touch with Brendan McHugh. You'll always get a welcome there!
Brianx
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by briantheflute
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Brian - Benny McHugh! Yep, he's some fiddle player right enough.
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
David A ...I do know a Gavin who (i think had just moved to Bristol as I was leaving Cardiff) plays fiddle in Bristol ...he sometimes goes to the Cornubia ? I did go to the Cornubia a couple of times after the Kingsdown finished, but always found it a bit odd, didnt really have the get up and go that once prevailed in Bristol. ....Can't place a David or a Kate sorry ...what do you and Kate play?
..and I most definitley dont thump my Bodhr
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by DeffGoat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
yes, i would prefer .."caress and tease as if I was making ............" in the immortal words of Swiss Tony (fast show)
...my Bodhr
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by DeffGoat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
sorry I'll take that back ....Swiss Tony and Goats !!!
ugh hideous image !!
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by DeffGoat
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Thanks for the Hellos and greetings!
It's OK in Tassie, had a really nice time at the Georgetown Festival, playing and teaching, some good sessions too.
Longacre where playing still in the late 80s, 86/87 definitely! I cannot recall the line up Dave!
Glasgow's main session is at Sharkey's, Monday night, that's the one Jimmy McHugh started off, and is still going strong, with Benny at the helm. I phoned the other week to wish them well for Jimmy's memorial concert which is held each January.
Liverpool contacts/sessions....I recommend you get in touch with Sean MacNamara from the original L'pool Ceili Band. He was doing fine when I spoke to him just before Christmas.
The old Irish Centre Session is now at the church club of St. Michael's, which is West Derby, if I'm not mistaken.
There are sessions about, the other guy to contact is Terry Coyne, whose late father, Eamonn was a fiddler with Sean. Terry is a magnificent flute player, and he'll also always make you welcome.
If you need any more info' just ask. I'm still in touch with most of my friends back home,
It is great to see how much all of you stimulate and develop the themes on this site, keep it up.
Brianx
Advice please, how do I go about numbers etc.? I can't just post them on the site can I? Bx
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by briantheflute
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Brian - maybe best if someone is interested, to get in touch with you by email via this site - then you could email them back whatever number they're after. To email someone here just click on their name to take you to their bio. Jeremy has provided the facility to email them.
Wait & I'll show you!
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Red Crow, I don't see where you get the idea that I am displeased that people not born in Ireland have latched onto the music. How could I be, as I fit that description myself? Displeased? No. Jealous of people born in Europe who do so, because they have easier access to Ireland than I do as an American? Okay, yes I'll admit to that.
# Posted on January 21st 2004 by johnkerr
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Yes, the Germans get everywhere and they hate nothing more than meeting other Germans there... Compare that to an Irishman's reaction to meeting a fellow countryman abroad.
It's probably because there are so many of us (80 mio.).
Germany provided the bread and butter to many English, Scottish and Irish trad. musicians from the seventies onwards. It probably started with the Dubliners. A lot of people who heard the stuff wanted to play it themselves. Doolin became something like the informal capital of ITM because Micho Russell took part in the influential Irish Folk Festival on tour.
So much for now. I'll be back and answer you later, Em.
# Posted on January 22nd 2004 by kuec
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
John Kerr ..very sorry must have read something incorrectly. nothing wrong with jealousy, very healthy.
# Posted on January 22nd 2004 by Red Crow
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
For Emily and everybody who wants to know: This is my personal view of how trad. music was lost in my country.
100 years ago the situation of trad. music in (northern) Germany was much the same as in England where the upper class didn
# Posted on January 22nd 2004 by kuec
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Wow Kuec, totally fascinating!
So Jeremy, I'm not actually invoking the Nazi principle, I'm discussing them historically, so basically what you're saying is that traditional German *anything* sort of became tied up with the Nazis, so in post WWii, traditional German stuff got chucked out with the Nazi stuff?
Wow. I need to think about that one for a little bit. But thank you kuec, that is extremely, extremely interesting.
# Posted on January 22nd 2004 by emily_bmore
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Just re-read some of the letters, and saw mention of Gavin, and also Kilbride.
Gavin is indeed in the Bristol area, playing button accordeon, also fiddle. You can get him through
www.hiberniacentre.freeserve.co.uk
and post a letter there. Someone will put you in touch.
The Kilbrides. Now that's a fun family! Based in Cardiff, Bernie, Gerard and Danny. If you get the chance look them up, it's fun playing with them!
Danny, thanks for your message, will write to you soon.
Brianx
# Posted on January 22nd 2004 by briantheflute
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
I've just spent a week in Berlin, and managed to get in two sessions whilst I was there. I found out about them through a fine guitarist, who I met last summer in Drumshanbo, Leitrim. There's a small but keen traditional scene in Berlin.
The first session, well, it would be arrogant of me to say it was a *great* session, since at the beginning, I was the only tune player there (on mandolin and occasional whistle), accompanied by Walter, the guitarist mentioned above, and Moritz, a very sensitive bodhran player - but let's say, it was very enjoyable. (The
# Posted on January 23rd 2004 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Sorry - I pressed 'post' by mistake. To continue:
(The rest of the 'keen' Berlin musicians were exhausted and hung over, having been 'over-keen' the previous night). A fiddler and a whistle player, whom neither Walter nor Moritz had seen before, came in halfway through. They were apparently more part of the pub gig than session scene, their repertoire of tunes being limited to a few crowd pleasers - but how often does one get the opportunity to play The Irish Washerwoman in a session these days?
The second session was an altogether different affair. I was fortunate enough to be staying in the same street as two other musicians, I was saved an otherwise complicated journey across town. There were a few quite strong players there, including a flute player (my chauffeur), a banjo player originating from Cork (a fellow passenger) and a mandolin player from Switzerland (a member of The Session) - with a nice selection of tunes between them.
# Posted on January 23rd 2004 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
As it seems to be of interest to Emily at least I shall continue. So here comes trad music in Germany part 2.
Tradition means that something considered valuable is passed on from one generation to the next. From this point of view it is obvious that the thread of continuity was broken in 1945. This does not mean that people
# Posted on January 24th 2004 by kuec
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Deffgoat - thanks for posting those links..I'm well impressed. Top class and brilliant tunes as well!
# Posted on January 25th 2004 by bb
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
the different trad scenes around the world are generally hit or miss.London had such a good scene with likes of Brendan Mulkere,john Blake,mick connelly, the cartys,karen Ryan,the Rowlands,seanie mcdonagh.some of these great musicians have now moved away which is a shame.People talk about a good trad scene in manchester well they obviously dont know what good sessions are because most are so terrible that its painful to listen to them.dont get me wrong there are some great musicians that have come out of manchester but most are away gigging all the time and dont play in the city any more.Mick mcgoldrick and dessie donnelly are at the top of their game closely followed by andy dinan john joe kelly sean Regan and grace kelly.The gigging scene is ruining the sessions all over world because even crap players now think they can play gigs whereas back in the 1960 and 70s people were happy to just have the craic and play tunes.capitalism has spoiled trad music
# Posted on May 9th 2005 by whytalkshit
Re: Musicians outside of Ireland
Why do germans like ITM so much?
# Posted on December 27th 2005 by sushi