I suppose I should qualify that by saying why I like him. I just think that even when he plays real slow he holds your attention and really makes the notes emote, and then when he picks the tempo (which he does very occasionally) he never loses the exquisite rhythm and phrasing. Also when you listen to a lot of the stuff that sounds sooo slow, you realise that there is actually a shed-load going on in it that you need patience and time to unravel.
Most fast finger flying fiddlers, dazzle briefly and then go a bit stale, but Martin's playing seems to be the only one which to my ears continues to grow on me after every listen. That said I would love it if he played a bit more of his uptempo stuff.
I dunno, I like fiddle music that makes me want to dance, and Martin Hayes' playing doesn't do it for me. Restricting myself to Irish, I'd have to say Liz Carroll... dazzling technique, but used for expression, not for show. I can listen for Lost in the Loop forever...
Well Rog, I would have to agree with you that she is a damn fine player, but then there are some on this list that might question whether she is trad enough - not me mind you, I think Liz rocks, particularly on the opening track on lost in the loop - top choon!
I tink you just opened a can of worms der my gud man!!! but any way, i dnt tink dat anyone could actually say who the best trad fiddler is because theres such a vast variety of them out there from the afore mentioned Martin Hayes to the likes of Ben Lennon. It really depends on wat style of playin you like. I myself am doing to put the fiddle playing of Liz Dotherty into the frame h
Hey, I didn't post that last one! You're just going to have to believe me. I'll do a proper post when I get rid of this joker beside me. See what happens when you go take a leak!!
For me its either Hayes or Burke. You are right - every time you listen to Hayes you hear a little bit more but sometimes when I listen to Burke playing solo I swear that I can hear a back-up player. His rhythm is Soooo cool!
What's this obsession people have with best. There isn't any best. There's good and there's not so good and there's pure mighty, but ... best? Despite what CCE might have us believe, the music isn't a tawdry contest. I wish we wouldn't fall into this trap!
but its fun to argue about who you think is the best. Martin Hayes and Kevin burke aren't. Anyway lets not limit this to irish, scottish and american as well. So i'm going to say who the best are now i guess. Winifred Horan and Paul Anderson, no contest really - Winifred Horan/Martin Hayes - shes audibly better no??
I never have had absolute favourites and it depends a lot on my mood on the day which Cds I listen too and even the concerts I'll attend or enjoy. Moreover, even the best musicians aren't always consistent. I'm not saying they're bad on a particular day but sometimes I'm more impressed than others.
Having said that, there's not many Scottish fiddlers who come close to Alasdair Fraser. I like Liz Carroll, of course, along with many others on both the Irish and quasi Irish scene. A particular favourite from Denmark is Harald Haugaard who is doing wonders with Danish traditional music at the moment.
A fine young Scottish fiddler to watch out for is Adam Sutherland. He is quite unique with some really clever ideas.
hehe, hes very good, hes 12 though. i know adam aswell played with him a few times, a fellow highlander. he used to go to all the fiddle comps around as well. croft no. 5 rule!
An impossible question to answer. It's a bit like asking who is the best writer of thrillers, or the best stage actor, or the best classical composer, or the best landscape painter. It depends on what you looking for at the time.
But I'll give one or two answers of those whom I like and are among the best - I'll not be more specific than that. Older generation - Brendan McGlinchey, Ben and Charlie Lennon. Younger generation - Oisin MacDiarmid.
Trevor
An impossible question to answer. It's a bit like asking who is the best writer of thrillers, or the best stage actor, or the best classical composer, or the best landscape painter. It depends on what you looking for at the time.
But I'll give one or two answers of those whom I like and are among the best - I'll not be more specific than that. Older generation - Brendan McGlinchey, Ben Lennon. Younger generation - Oisin MacDiarmid.
Trevor
Siobhan peoples, Tola Custy, Oisin MacDirmada and Tommy Peoples. So many good players so little time. Anyhow just cause someone is good technically means nothing, Frankie and Liz dont do it for me at all.
Zoe Conway is very good..as is Paddy Glackin...Martin Hayes has to be the most original but I couldn't single out any fiddle player as being ''the best''..all different and brilliant in different ways....
There´s no such thing as "the best". You can only say what your favourite is. My preference for fiddle players is shared equally between Kevin Burke and Mick Conneely, closely followed by a relatively unknown Mossie Martin from Roscommon. Mossie is heading off to Oz at the end of March. Mark my words. He´ll make waves!
Mike
I'm really enjoying Liz and Yvonne Kane right now. Paddy Canny, a new discovery of mine, is also in the top rotation in my cd player.
There's no way to say whose best. Those are just my favorites of the moment!
Dunno about Croft No. 5, Mike; I saw 'em 18 months ago on Skye, and thought, "nothing special, just a funk band that happens to have a fiddle in it". Changed my mind about Adam Sutherland after a great house session in Edinburgh the other day... I just wish he'd put more of that trad stuff into Croft No. 5, the same way that the Shoogles manage to.
BTW, fave fiddler ever is probably Rodney Miller, just for the joy he puts into his playing.
My favourite Fiddle player of all time has got to be Roisín Mackay Cruise. She also plays the piano. She is twelve years old and can play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Jingle Bells.
Dunno really, Bowhand. He´s a young guy, early 20s, no attachments. First stop is Sydney, I think he´s got friends there. I think he´s just going to see what it´s like out there.
I think adam felt the same way as you rog because he left the croft sometime last year. working on other projects now like session A9 and salsa celtica
Much as I appreciate Hayes, Gavin, and Burke, Paddy Canny is the fiddler I always come back to. His tone can be a bit rough at times, but such impeccable rhythm! He also is a master of that crooked modal quality found in many Irish tunes, for example when there are particular notes which are played sharp in one section of a tune and natural in others.
Hm... Dezi Donnelly is really impressive. I wish I could pull off some of his tricks, for sure. (All in good time...) Ciaran Tourish is one of my personal heroes, along with Sean Keane, Tommy Peoples, Paddy Glackin, and Kevin Burke... One of the things I love about this music is that I've actually spent time with my heroes, playing, drinking, chatting. Can't see doing that with, say, Metallica...
If I can add my thoughts from Brisvegas, Australia, I'm loving John Carty's playing at the moment, I love the way he varies bits of the tune. In particular, I like his version of Martin Wynne's #1 where he goes up in the A part, and it suits the flute beautifully. very considerate bloke!
Best Irish Traditional Fiddlers. Well that would be SEan Ward from Carrick on Shannon - now who has ever heard of him? He's never made a CD, busks for a living and sells fiddles and plays for the love of the music.
d
Does this include personality/conduct or merely their ability to play? No names mentioned, but I can think of a few genius players that have a truly horrific persona off the fiddle.
Lol Jim, chancey as this may be, I'd hazard a guess that you've never truly experienced the true extent of those horrific personas; that is to say the sinking feeling a teenage girl (or any other female for that matter) feels when she discovers she's landed a seat next to the most perverse male musician ever known to man.... and at a local session too :ol
Well, Ms Ntav (if I may call you that! sounds cool to me!), no I've never experienced that kind of stuff as you might guess. I was thinking more of the unpleasant persona of of the player who thinks he's God's gift, is surly, dismissive, unpleasant, big-headed etc.
Jim
PS careful, next time you might accidently poke him in the eyes with your bow...as if I might be putting bad ideas your way....
Hi Long Note,
Sean is still playing away around Longford, Leitrim, Sligo. He is really a wonderful musician, he was telling me that he prefers busking to playing in gigs as he can just play what he likes and really enjoy the tunes without having to put with a lot of nonense that goes on in sessions. He jokes about making a CD like everyone else but unless someone went out and did it for him it will probably never happen . Pity but we all love playing with him anyway.
d
In my mind, there are three big characteristics of a great fiddler--speed, tone, and stage presence. As many people have said, speed is not everything. They’re right. If you can play extremely fast and have lousy intonation, it’s worth nothing. Tone quality isn’t worth everything, either (thankfully for most tradition fiddlers), and neither is stage presence (luckily for the classical musicians). When one excels in all three of these, they’re awesome. Taking these into account, I would have to say the best fiddler in the world is Donnell Leahy. Speed—we’re talking a genetically enhanced cheetah on a jetpack being chased by a nuclear powered robot with 4 P-90’s firing at once here (metaphorically, of course). Tone—absolutely beautiful intonation that rivals the best classical violinist and that he can keep at both slow and extremely fast tempos. Stage presence—I guess it’s a mix of classical and rock. He DEFINITELY doesn’t just sit there like a classical musician, but doesn’t go smashing his fiddle into things either (it would be a shame to lose such a fine instrument). There energy emanating from him on stage is on par with all the world’s nuclear reactors fused together.
So there’s my 3 and a half cents on the subject. (In my heart though, I know it’s actually me
Dezi Donnelly is defently without a doubht the best musician ever!! Then if we are looking in the direction of the older generation i`d have to say Vincent Griffen who by the way thought many of the musicians people have mentioned like Martin Hayes!! He teaches me also!!
Fiddlers Bid
Fiddlers Bid
Who, in your opinion, is the best Trad fiddler?
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Mike.Vass
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Now that is a really controversial thread opener, light the blue touch paper and stand well back.....
Well I am going to be totally unoriginal and say MARTIN HAYES
ducks quickly behind a metaphorical wall.
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by nick b
Re: Fiddlers Bid
I suppose I should qualify that by saying why I like him. I just think that even when he plays real slow he holds your attention and really makes the notes emote, and then when he picks the tempo (which he does very occasionally) he never loses the exquisite rhythm and phrasing. Also when you listen to a lot of the stuff that sounds sooo slow, you realise that there is actually a shed-load going on in it that you need patience and time to unravel.
Most fast finger flying fiddlers, dazzle briefly and then go a bit stale, but Martin's playing seems to be the only one which to my ears continues to grow on me after every listen. That said I would love it if he played a bit more of his uptempo stuff.
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by nick b
Re: Fiddlers Bid
I dunno, I like fiddle music that makes me want to dance, and Martin Hayes' playing doesn't do it for me. Restricting myself to Irish, I'd have to say Liz Carroll... dazzling technique, but used for expression, not for show. I can listen for Lost in the Loop forever...
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by rog
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Well Rog, I would have to agree with you that she is a damn fine player, but then there are some on this list that might question whether she is trad enough - not me mind you, I think Liz rocks, particularly on the opening track on lost in the loop - top choon!
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by nick b
Re: Fiddlers Bid
I tink you just opened a can of worms der my gud man!!! but any way, i dnt tink dat anyone could actually say who the best trad fiddler is because theres such a vast variety of them out there from the afore mentioned Martin Hayes to the likes of Ben Lennon. It really depends on wat style of playin you like. I myself am doing to put the fiddle playing of Liz Dotherty into the frame h
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by shiv1
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Me.
Jim
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Worldfiddler
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Hey, I didn't post that last one! You're just going to have to believe me. I'll do a proper post when I get rid of this joker beside me. See what happens when you go take a leak!!
Jim
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Worldfiddler
Re: Fiddlers Bid
For me its either Hayes or Burke. You are right - every time you listen to Hayes you hear a little bit more but sometimes when I listen to Burke playing solo I swear that I can hear a back-up player. His rhythm is Soooo cool!
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by geoffmc
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Sean Keane of course.
Johnathan
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Harper_Lad
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Cathall Hayden - funkeeeeé
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by DADdyGADdy
Re: Fiddlers Bid
What's this obsession people have with best. There isn't any best. There's good and there's not so good and there's pure mighty, but ... best? Despite what CCE might have us believe, the music isn't a tawdry contest. I wish we wouldn't fall into this trap!
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Aidan Crossey
Re: Fiddlers Bid
I wish some would...
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by BowHand
Re: Fiddlers Bid
but its fun to argue about who you think is the best. Martin Hayes and Kevin burke aren't. Anyway lets not limit this to irish, scottish and american as well. So i'm going to say who the best are now i guess. Winifred Horan and Paul Anderson, no contest really - Winifred Horan/Martin Hayes - shes audibly better no??
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Mike.Vass
Re: Fiddlers Bid
No. Just different.
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: Fiddlers Bid
At his peak, no one could touch Seán Maguire. Nobody has surpassed the quality of his "tone" either.
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by BowHand
Re: Fiddlers Bid
P.S. Dezi Donnelly is the B-E-S-T of the new generation.
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by BowHand
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Nathalie MacMaster has the most languishing..I have no words!
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by fiel
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Natalie_Winnie_Liz... La femmes
Brendan_Martin_Burke_Kelly_Cunningham_Bain
McGuire is awesome, but I can't say I like his music.
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by windybaer
Re: Fiddlers Bid
I never have had absolute favourites and it depends a lot on my mood on the day which Cds I listen too and even the concerts I'll attend or enjoy. Moreover, even the best musicians aren't always consistent. I'm not saying they're bad on a particular day but sometimes I'm more impressed than others.
Having said that, there's not many Scottish fiddlers who come close to Alasdair Fraser. I like Liz Carroll, of course, along with many others on both the Irish and quasi Irish scene. A particular favourite from Denmark is Harald Haugaard who is doing wonders with Danish traditional music at the moment.
A fine young Scottish fiddler to watch out for is Adam Sutherland. He is quite unique with some really clever ideas.
John
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Johannes J
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Oh, you'll have heard Graham McKenzie as well, Mike. He's still only ten years old. I can't imagine how good he'll become in a few years.
John
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Johannes J
Re: Fiddlers Bid
hehe, hes very good, hes 12 though. i know adam aswell played with him a few times, a fellow highlander. he used to go to all the fiddle comps around as well. croft no. 5 rule!
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Mike.Vass
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Right enuff. He was about ten when I first heard him but that 's a year and a half ago now. Time flies.
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Johannes J
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Without any shadow of a doubt, Frankie Gavin and Cathal Hayden!
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Murrough
Re: Fiddlers Bid
An impossible question to answer. It's a bit like asking who is the best writer of thrillers, or the best stage actor, or the best classical composer, or the best landscape painter. It depends on what you looking for at the time.
But I'll give one or two answers of those whom I like and are among the best - I'll not be more specific than that. Older generation - Brendan McGlinchey, Ben and Charlie Lennon. Younger generation - Oisin MacDiarmid.
Trevor
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by lazyhound
Re: Fiddlers Bid
An impossible question to answer. It's a bit like asking who is the best writer of thrillers, or the best stage actor, or the best classical composer, or the best landscape painter. It depends on what you looking for at the time.
But I'll give one or two answers of those whom I like and are among the best - I'll not be more specific than that. Older generation - Brendan McGlinchey, Ben Lennon. Younger generation - Oisin MacDiarmid.
Trevor
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by lazyhound
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Ah, if we're going this far, my bid's for Donnell leahy.
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Dust Lad
Re: Fiddlers Bid
My bid's for Paddy Canny.. Martin Rochford if we're discussing fiddlers dead and living.
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Eldarion
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Siobhan peoples, Tola Custy, Oisin MacDirmada and Tommy Peoples. So many good players so little time. Anyhow just cause someone is good technically means nothing, Frankie and Liz dont do it for me at all.
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by bb
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Zoe Conway is very good..as is Paddy Glackin...Martin Hayes has to be the most original but I couldn't single out any fiddle player as being ''the best''..all different and brilliant in different ways....
# Posted on February 16th 2004 by Paula
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Liz Carroll...she's trad when she wants to be, gobshites.
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by Aiki
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Best??? I won't go there. Under-rated and over-looked? How about Mick Conneely.
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by Tusong200
Re: Fiddlers Bid
I'm with Trevor, ie McGlinchey, & Zina turned me on to James Kelly, but seriously, my fave fiddler has got to be Will Harmon.
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by emily_bmore
Re: Fiddlers Bid
There´s no such thing as "the best". You can only say what your favourite is. My preference for fiddle players is shared equally between Kevin Burke and Mick Conneely, closely followed by a relatively unknown Mossie Martin from Roscommon. Mossie is heading off to Oz at the end of March. Mark my words. He´ll make waves!
Mike
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by murfbox
Re: Fiddlers Bid
I'm really enjoying Liz and Yvonne Kane right now. Paddy Canny, a new discovery of mine, is also in the top rotation in my cd player.
There's no way to say whose best. Those are just my favorites of the moment!
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by suky
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Dunno about Croft No. 5, Mike; I saw 'em 18 months ago on Skye, and thought, "nothing special, just a funk band that happens to have a fiddle in it". Changed my mind about Adam Sutherland after a great house session in Edinburgh the other day... I just wish he'd put more of that trad stuff into Croft No. 5, the same way that the Shoogles manage to.
BTW, fave fiddler ever is probably Rodney Miller, just for the joy he puts into his playing.
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by rog
Re: Fiddlers Bid
My favourite Fiddle player of all time has got to be Roisín Mackay Cruise. She also plays the piano. She is twelve years old and can play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Jingle Bells.
She is also, of course, my lovely daughter.
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Is that the Sligo or the Clare version of Jingle Bells, Danny?
)
Un beso para Roisín.
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by murfbox
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Murfbox, why is Mossie headin' to Oz?
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by BowHand
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Dunno really, Bowhand. He´s a young guy, early 20s, no attachments. First stop is Sydney, I think he´s got friends there. I think he´s just going to see what it´s like out there.
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by murfbox
Re: Fiddlers Bid
I think adam felt the same way as you rog because he left the croft sometime last year. working on other projects now like session A9 and salsa celtica
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by Mike.Vass
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Much as I appreciate Hayes, Gavin, and Burke, Paddy Canny is the fiddler I always come back to. His tone can be a bit rough at times, but such impeccable rhythm! He also is a master of that crooked modal quality found in many Irish tunes, for example when there are particular notes which are played sharp in one section of a tune and natural in others.
And then there is Tommy Potts....
Larry
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by Layers
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Hm... Dezi Donnelly is really impressive. I wish I could pull off some of his tricks, for sure. (All in good time...) Ciaran Tourish is one of my personal heroes, along with Sean Keane, Tommy Peoples, Paddy Glackin, and Kevin Burke... One of the things I love about this music is that I've actually spent time with my heroes, playing, drinking, chatting. Can't see doing that with, say, Metallica...
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by HighlandSun
Re: Fiddlers Bid
If I can add my thoughts from Brisvegas, Australia, I'm loving John Carty's playing at the moment, I love the way he varies bits of the tune. In particular, I like his version of Martin Wynne's #1 where he goes up in the A part, and it suits the flute beautifully. very considerate bloke!
# Posted on February 17th 2004 by b2jay
Re: Fiddlers Bid
There are far too many out there, so many with their own stylistic bent - look at thread called
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/1989
for some more opinions.
Jim
# Posted on February 18th 2004 by Worldfiddler
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Best Irish Traditional Fiddlers. Well that would be SEan Ward from Carrick on Shannon - now who has ever heard of him? He's never made a CD, busks for a living and sells fiddles and plays for the love of the music.
d
# Posted on February 19th 2004 by MollyB
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Does this include personality/conduct or merely their ability to play? No names mentioned, but I can think of a few genius players that have a truly horrific persona off the fiddle.
# Posted on February 19th 2004 by never-trust-a-violinist
Btw
A certain Messer Hayes must be revelling in all the free publicity he's been getting recently ;)
# Posted on February 19th 2004 by never-trust-a-violinist
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Your dead right about the horrific persona thing, never-trust-violinist.
Trust me. I'm a violinist.
Jim
# Posted on February 19th 2004 by Worldfiddler
Sean Ward
Just like to let Leitrim Lady know that I have heard of Sean Ward and even played with him several times a few years ago.
# Posted on February 19th 2004 by LongNote
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Lol Jim, chancey as this may be, I'd hazard a guess that you've never truly experienced the true extent of those horrific personas; that is to say the sinking feeling a teenage girl (or any other female for that matter) feels when she discovers she's landed a seat next to the most perverse male musician ever known to man.... and at a local session too :ol
# Posted on February 19th 2004 by never-trust-a-violinist
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Well, Ms Ntav (if I may call you that! sounds cool to me!), no I've never experienced that kind of stuff as you might guess. I was thinking more of the unpleasant persona of of the player who thinks he's God's gift, is surly, dismissive, unpleasant, big-headed etc.
Jim
PS careful, next time you might accidently poke him in the eyes with your bow...as if I might be putting bad ideas your way....
# Posted on February 19th 2004 by Worldfiddler
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Hi Long Note,
Sean is still playing away around Longford, Leitrim, Sligo. He is really a wonderful musician, he was telling me that he prefers busking to playing in gigs as he can just play what he likes and really enjoy the tunes without having to put with a lot of nonense that goes on in sessions. He jokes about making a CD like everyone else but unless someone went out and did it for him it will probably never happen . Pity but we all love playing with him anyway.
d
# Posted on February 21st 2004 by MollyB
Re: Fiddlers Bid
In my mind, there are three big characteristics of a great fiddler--speed, tone, and stage presence. As many people have said, speed is not everything. They’re right. If you can play extremely fast and have lousy intonation, it’s worth nothing. Tone quality isn’t worth everything, either (thankfully for most tradition fiddlers), and neither is stage presence (luckily for the classical musicians). When one excels in all three of these, they’re awesome. Taking these into account, I would have to say the best fiddler in the world is Donnell Leahy. Speed—we’re talking a genetically enhanced cheetah on a jetpack being chased by a nuclear powered robot with 4 P-90’s firing at once here (metaphorically, of course). Tone—absolutely beautiful intonation that rivals the best classical violinist and that he can keep at both slow and extremely fast tempos. Stage presence—I guess it’s a mix of classical and rock. He DEFINITELY doesn’t just sit there like a classical musician, but doesn’t go smashing his fiddle into things either (it would be a shame to lose such a fine instrument). There energy emanating from him on stage is on par with all the world’s nuclear reactors fused together.
So there’s my 3 and a half cents on the subject. (In my heart though, I know it’s actually me
# Posted on March 23rd 2006 by Ben314
Re: Fiddlers Bid
Dezi Donnelly is defently without a doubht the best musician ever!! Then if we are looking in the direction of the older generation i`d have to say Vincent Griffen who by the way thought many of the musicians people have mentioned like Martin Hayes!! He teaches me also!!
# Posted on November 15th 2006 by xxfiddler01xx