I would recommend trying stuff that encompasses a wide range of ITM just to see what you like.
How about some planxty (Black album). One of my favourite CDs at the mo is Lord of the Dance soundtrack (Don't all attack at once!!). Dervish (Spirit) are high up my playlist as well. Personally i'm into plenty of folkie trad so the dubliners feature on it a bit as well. If it is pure drop you're after just try out any of the older artists such as Joe Burke, Seamus Tansey etc. Although if you don't mnd it modern and funky you could do worse than Gerry O' Connor or Beoga. As i say it is a wide range and i'm absolutely certain i'll get crucified for some of my choices.
Hope it helps.
Catherine McEvoy w/ Felix Dolan
Catherine & John McEvoy w/ Felix Dolan
Mike & Mary Rafferty - "The Old Fireside Music"
Gary Hughes - "Uncovered"
Mike McHale - "Schoolmaster's House" (some tasty guitar accompaniment on this, by Mary Coogan I think)
If you're really new to this kind of music, I think it's nice to start with the recordings of well-known bands: you'll get to know the names of many famous musicians at once. As mentioned, Dervish is quite good, but their earlier recordings are better. "Altan: the First Ten Years" is nice to review the music of the band from the north. And you can't miss American band Solas's first three albums.
Listen to the first Patrick Street album (Patrick Street). Arty McGlynn is the guitarist. He plays in Dropped D tuning.
If you really like Arty, he's the accompaniest on many, many albums. Check the Tara Records web site for a listing, but be sure to get Lead the Knave, a great album from the early 80's recorded with his wife, Nollaig Casey, a wonderful fiddle player.
Listen to the CD Matt Malloy, Paul Brady, Tommy Peoples. It's a good 20 years old now, but still one of my favorites. Brady is the guitarist. I think he played in a variety of tunings.
Listen to Portland, by Kevin Burke and Mícheál Ó
Domhnaill. Mícheál is the guitarist. He plays in DADGAD tuning.
Listen to any Martin Hayes CD with Dennis Cahill on guitar. I think he plays in standard tuning.
John Williams is a button accordion player. A few years ago he put out a solo album called Steam. It's one of the most beautiful Irish albums I've heard. He plays with a variety of really good guitarists, including John Doyle and Dean McGraw.
Recently I've been listening to Live From the Katherine CornellTheatre: Traditional Irish Music. There are a lot of musicians on this, and some great guitar accompaniment.
This is my opinion so folks on their high horses - go away.
I think songs are good, they break things up.
BothyBand - any
Planxty - first few
matt molloy, paul brady, tommy peoples
Paddy Keenan, with johnny keenan, Tommy Keenan, and Paddy Glaxkin
Noel Hill & Tony Linane
Mary Bergin - Feadoige stain
There is a good range of instruments here on these albums.
ohhhh ur a guitarist...
Well the Arty Mcglynn stuff is cool - but then again the strings are great in all the albums listed above, except linane & Hill...
Some are not guitar strings - but good for rythm
Yeah, I was really stupid not to mention Molloy/ Brady/ Peoples. See this discussion thread about the recording: http://thesession.org/discussions/display.php/5032 You'll be convinced to get it. Someone says it's a desert island disc.
If your aim is to play in sessions, I'd suggest the Bothy Band and learn all the tunes you can. Their stuff always turns up sooner or later at sessions, or if you start one, everyone will know it. My $.02
For guitar, don't forget about Daithi Sproule, currently playing with Altan. I think both Trian recordings with Liz Carroll and Billy McComiskey are brilliant. And as good as Steam is, I think John William's first CD was even better. Another Chicagoan Larry Nugent has a great recording called "Two for Two".
But more importantly Joel, you hang in Chicago and NY!! Go see the bands live. Most of the bands listed above that are still touring are MUCH better in concert than they are on recordings (depending on the house sound).
Simple. Start with The Bothy Band and Planxty and work from there. Follow all the different directions of the individual members and their influences eg Matt Malloy into The Chieftains, Andy Irvine and Kevin Burke into Patrick Street and so on.
De Dannan is also worth checking out but I think Bothy Band and Planxty were more important.
Also check out Arty's early solo album - McGlynn's Fancy, 1979. He was one of the first to make the guitar respectable as a melody instrument in ITM, but seems to be far better known as an accompanist.
From around the same time, there's the De Dannan album, Selected Jigs, Reels and Songs (I think). Still one of my favorites. Alec Finn's bouzouki accompaniment is wonderful.
I second John J. Or make it even simpler: stick with the Bothy Band and follow each of the members through their cd careers. Or just follow Donal Lunny! Listen to everybody in his Coolfin era (circa 1999) to bring you fairly up to date. Soon you'll have hundreds of CDs. As Kevin Burke likes to remark, "Some people believe that Donal Lunny is responsible for every tune to come out of Ireland for the last 500 years." Or words to that effect.
Lord of the Dance was a wind up. The Bothy Band got close to a session sound, as do Altan. There is also bugger wrong with the Chieftains, it's not in to say this, although there is no guitar, but maybe that's the best way to learn. Very good for the bodhran however, which I see you bought. For the bodhran, any old ceilidh band record, the timing is perfect for dancers, and it is maybe best to learn this before graduating to session timing, which is usually faster. The molloy, Peoples, Brady is good. De Danaan, many other groups, and countless brilliant solo albums. Planxty were a good folk group, Moving Hearts made it livlier, early Clannad for a "jazz" type arrangement, and Horslips Irish stuff if you want rock traditional which was sensational. My first introduction was an EP, I'll explain that later, called "The Dubliners...Mainly Instrumental". At the time there was nothing like it. Luke Kelly for songs, McGlynn for the guitar, and last but not least, anything by my mate GRY.
Radio, both over the air and on the web, is an excellent way to hear a broad variety of ITM (and other TMs) without using up much cash. There's good suggestions in the links section here. Also seek out the dedicated shows in the public/college end of the FM band.
I will research from here to get it down to 5 and hit Tower Records this weekend. Knowing me, I will eventually get all your suggestions over the coming year so thanks again to everyone!!
Shanachie Records put out two discs in the 1990s. I forget the exact titles, but they were something like "Fingerpicking For Irish Guitar" and "Irish Jigs, Reels And Hornpipes." They featured songs like "Pretty Maid Milking A Cow" and such. They originally came with tablature, as well. I believe they're still in print.
There's a really good 2 cd set album of live trad music from the Boston College Irish Music Festival, it's a few years old. There was another good series of cds, can't remember who put them out, but they had beautiful cover paintings of session musicians. They were divided up into categories, I think one was called 'Fiddlesticks' and was all Donegal style.
Brendan Mulvihill, Dolores Keane, Micho Russell, James Keane, Seamus Egan, Liz Carroll etc etc etc....seek them out!
Also, if there is an indie record store near you, some of them have far better selections than Tower, and better prices, too.
Another great pair of CDs with a real session feel (if sessions were all filled with top flight players who played completely as one) is the Na Connery's. Great sets of classic tunes immpecably played IMO. I never tire of 'em. Can be hard to find.
Doesn't anyone listen to Michael Coleman or Seamus Ennis?? Not to be pedantic, it would seem that you need to listen to the music that came before to understand where the music is and is going. Listen to Felix Doran and you hear Paddy Keenan; listen to Liz Carroll and you hear Joe Shannon, Denis Murphy/Julia Clifford, etc...
Yes, I_Fel, but Joey )the original poster) mostly plays guitar, which isn't heard on most older recordings.
Still, a grounding in the tunes themselves as played by past masters doesn't hurt, eh?
Casey in the Cowhouse (Bobby Casey, fiddle)
Ceol an Clair (Bobby Casey, Junior Crehan, Joe Ryan, John Kelly, Patrick Kelly)
And for guitar work, I recommend anything with Donal Clancy--you'll find him on most of Mike and Mary Rafferty's recordings and elsewhere. Understated, beautiful backing.
John Doyle- heard him play with Liz Caroll in L.A. in November. Amazing guitarist. I wished my R&R friends could hear him play. I get on a horse about listening to the past masters; like not listening to Bill Monroe or Robert Johnson (or my personal favorite), John Hurt or even knowing who they are....
The Iron Man - Tommy Peoples with Daithi Sproule
In Knocknagree - Noel Hill/Tony McMahon
Island Angel- Altan
The Brass Fiddle-Donegal Fiddle Music feat J Doherty,C Cassidy et al
Jackie Daly -Music of Sliabh Luachra
By the way if your tryin the Beatles using drop D,have a go at Norwegian Wood.Sounds,well.....fab.
The headline title is "Music of Ireland." Not hard to remember when ya go shopping.
"Irish Jigs, Reels . . . Hornpipes" and Marches Arranged for Fingerpicking Guitar. I guess that's why they needed a headline title.
The fact that it features Davey Graham is worth the price of admission alone and John Renbourn doesn't hurt. Also Duck Baker, Martin Simpson and Stephan Grossman.
Nice little disk if you aren't hung up on the "session sound." Just think of the guitar as a chromatic harp.
1. The Star Above The Garter (Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford)
2. Kitty Lie Over (Mick O'Brien and Caoihimin O Raghallaigh)
3. Ar An Bhfidil (Oisin Mac Diarmada)
4. Time on Our Hands (Siobhan Peoples and Murty Ryan)
5. anything Tommy Peoples
why not exercise Jeremy's programming wizardry and see if he can do something that allows each member here to register their five (and only five) best albums in the recordings data base. Should generate some good discusisons about what comes out on top, whinging about the lowest common denominator and all that. What do you reckon Jeremy?
(you could even weight the voting against the strummer's and bodhran basher's poor choices)
Just a PS to geoffwright's recommendation of Mary MacNamara and Kitty Hayes for playing along with. Lots of their tunes are in non-standard keys. Kitty's favorite concertina is in C and F. (She has a D/G, but finds the action too stiff.) I don't recall the details of Mary Mac's instruments, but probably half of the tunes on her recordings aren't in D or G (or the related modes).
I guess it's ok for Geoff on piano accordion and English concertina, but when we had a little session a couple of weeks ago with Kitty, the fiddles tuned down a step and I struggled to transpose the tunes I knew best into C or F on the B/C accordion (a good exercise, as it's like learning to play C#/D in the usual keys).
Thanks scott.r for the internet radio remark. It was something obvious I hadn't thought of. (I'm another person trying to become more familiar with ITM discography.)
jcoyle, as one way to sample CDs before buying, you can go to the Green Linnet website & can hear many of their CDs (in their entireties) online for free (a great service!) using the Real Player media player (available gratis at real.com). Obviously this limits you to trying out Green Linnet recording artists, but it's a great way of finding things you like before buying, and that may save you the disappointment of finding you don't really like a purchase--though of course you can always give it away to someone who does & that's some comfort. You can also hear 30-second samples of the tracks of many trad CDs at amazon.com, in case you want to get a feel for some of the suggestions given above before buying.
Anyone been using Tradtunes.com? I'm loving it. Rather than waiting three weeks for a CD I've ordered to arrive - AND pay ruddy postage - the tracks arrive in seconds. Good for me. Wallet? Not so much.
Dervish is at the top of my list. I would start with their VHS tape / new DVD of a jam session at the Sibin Pub in County Sligo. I would rank Decade, Live in Palma and Midsummer's Night as their top three albums. The Cheiftains did a nice DVD called Water from the Well. They return to their roots and have numerous jam sessions throughout Ireland. The first three albums of Solas are great. The first two albums of Lunasa are great. The first three albums of Danu are great. Best wishes.
Live in Palma: the sound levels are all so wrong. Midsummer Night was when they started getting sh*te and got all up their own arses with the backing and spoilt it all completely. The video is useful if you want to learn playing techniques, but the arrangements are contrived and they simply don't work in the pub session they were trying to create. If you want to hear Dervish at their best go for anything after Boys Of Sligo but before Midsummer Night, i.e. Harmony Hill, Playing With Fire or At The End Of The Day. That's bloody good stuff.
Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
I already know this can't be truely answered, so please don't attack.
But as someone new to ITM it is really tough to know where to start. I would like to go out and buy 5 CD's and start listening, but I am clueless.
Please help.
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by jcoyle
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
I would recommend trying stuff that encompasses a wide range of ITM just to see what you like.
How about some planxty (Black album). One of my favourite CDs at the mo is Lord of the Dance soundtrack (Don't all attack at once!!). Dervish (Spirit) are high up my playlist as well. Personally i'm into plenty of folkie trad so the dubliners feature on it a bit as well. If it is pure drop you're after just try out any of the older artists such as Joe Burke, Seamus Tansey etc. Although if you don't mnd it modern and funky you could do worse than Gerry O' Connor or Beoga. As i say it is a wide range and i'm absolutely certain i'll get crucified for some of my choices.
Hope it helps.
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by jfiddlerh
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
What I've been listening to most lately:
Catherine McEvoy w/ Felix Dolan
Catherine & John McEvoy w/ Felix Dolan
Mike & Mary Rafferty - "The Old Fireside Music"
Gary Hughes - "Uncovered"
Mike McHale - "Schoolmaster's House" (some tasty guitar accompaniment on this, by Mary Coogan I think)
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by browndog
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Get some Danu or Lunasa doesn't matter what album because they are all great.
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by Unseen122
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
If you're really new to this kind of music, I think it's nice to start with the recordings of well-known bands: you'll get to know the names of many famous musicians at once. As mentioned, Dervish is quite good, but their earlier recordings are better. "Altan: the First Ten Years" is nice to review the music of the band from the north. And you can't miss American band Solas's first three albums.
There are too many great solo, duet, and trio recordings to recommend, but have a look at this page: http://slainte.web.infoseek.co.jp/cdi_en.html
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by slainte
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Since you are a guitarist,,,
Listen to the first Patrick Street album (Patrick Street). Arty McGlynn is the guitarist. He plays in Dropped D tuning.
If you really like Arty, he's the accompaniest on many, many albums. Check the Tara Records web site for a listing, but be sure to get Lead the Knave, a great album from the early 80's recorded with his wife, Nollaig Casey, a wonderful fiddle player.
Listen to the CD Matt Malloy, Paul Brady, Tommy Peoples. It's a good 20 years old now, but still one of my favorites. Brady is the guitarist. I think he played in a variety of tunings.
Listen to Portland, by Kevin Burke and Mícheál Ó
Domhnaill. Mícheál is the guitarist. He plays in DADGAD tuning.
Listen to any Martin Hayes CD with Dennis Cahill on guitar. I think he plays in standard tuning.
John Williams is a button accordion player. A few years ago he put out a solo album called Steam. It's one of the most beautiful Irish albums I've heard. He plays with a variety of really good guitarists, including John Doyle and Dean McGraw.
Recently I've been listening to Live From the Katherine CornellTheatre: Traditional Irish Music. There are a lot of musicians on this, and some great guitar accompaniment.
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by IC Keith
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
I second "Steam"
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by Unseen122
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
This is my opinion so folks on their high horses - go away.
I think songs are good, they break things up.
BothyBand - any
Planxty - first few
matt molloy, paul brady, tommy peoples
Paddy Keenan, with johnny keenan, Tommy Keenan, and Paddy Glaxkin
Noel Hill & Tony Linane
Mary Bergin - Feadoige stain
There is a good range of instruments here on these albums.
Enjoy!
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by Hugo Chavez
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
ohhhh ur a guitarist...
Well the Arty Mcglynn stuff is cool - but then again the strings are great in all the albums listed above, except linane & Hill...
Some are not guitar strings - but good for rythm
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by Hugo Chavez
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Yeah, I was really stupid not to mention Molloy/ Brady/ Peoples. See this discussion thread about the recording: http://thesession.org/discussions/display.php/5032 You'll be convinced to get it. Someone says it's a desert island disc.
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by slainte
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Dervish: Live in Palma
Lunasa: the Merry Sisters of Fate
Bothy Band: Out of the Wind and Into the Sun
Mary Bergin: Feadoga Stain
Matt Molloy: Heathery Breeze...
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by bestcraic
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
If your aim is to play in sessions, I'd suggest the Bothy Band and learn all the tunes you can. Their stuff always turns up sooner or later at sessions, or if you start one, everyone will know it. My $.02
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by Plunkett.mi
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
For guitar, don't forget about Daithi Sproule, currently playing with Altan. I think both Trian recordings with Liz Carroll and Billy McComiskey are brilliant. And as good as Steam is, I think John William's first CD was even better. Another Chicagoan Larry Nugent has a great recording called "Two for Two".
But more importantly Joel, you hang in Chicago and NY!! Go see the bands live. Most of the bands listed above that are still touring are MUCH better in concert than they are on recordings (depending on the house sound).
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by Jode
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Simple. Start with The Bothy Band and Planxty and work from there. Follow all the different directions of the individual members and their influences eg Matt Malloy into The Chieftains, Andy Irvine and Kevin Burke into Patrick Street and so on.
De Dannan is also worth checking out but I think Bothy Band and Planxty were more important.
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by Johannes J
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
> Since you are a guitarist... ...Arty McGlynn
Also check out Arty's early solo album - McGlynn's Fancy, 1979. He was one of the first to make the guitar respectable as a melody instrument in ITM, but seems to be far better known as an accompanist.
From around the same time, there's the De Dannan album, Selected Jigs, Reels and Songs (I think). Still one of my favorites. Alec Finn's bouzouki accompaniment is wonderful.
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by Bob himself
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
I second John J. Or make it even simpler: stick with the Bothy Band and follow each of the members through their cd careers. Or just follow Donal Lunny! Listen to everybody in his Coolfin era (circa 1999) to bring you fairly up to date. Soon you'll have hundreds of CDs. As Kevin Burke likes to remark, "Some people believe that Donal Lunny is responsible for every tune to come out of Ireland for the last 500 years." Or words to that effect.
# Posted on January 26th 2005 by snertzy
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
John Williams 1st CD
Keving Burke - either Fiddle tunes from Country Sligo or his solo in concert CD. (I prefer the County Sligo CD)
Johnny O'Leary - Johnny O'Leary of Shliabh Luachra or The Trooper
Josephine Marsh - 1st CD (1996)
Temple House Ceili Band - Music for the Set Volume 2
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by lgslgs
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Lord of the Dance was a wind up. The Bothy Band got close to a session sound, as do Altan. There is also bugger wrong with the Chieftains, it's not in to say this, although there is no guitar, but maybe that's the best way to learn. Very good for the bodhran however, which I see you bought. For the bodhran, any old ceilidh band record, the timing is perfect for dancers, and it is maybe best to learn this before graduating to session timing, which is usually faster. The molloy, Peoples, Brady is good. De Danaan, many other groups, and countless brilliant solo albums. Planxty were a good folk group, Moving Hearts made it livlier, early Clannad for a "jazz" type arrangement, and Horslips Irish stuff if you want rock traditional which was sensational. My first introduction was an EP, I'll explain that later, called "The Dubliners...Mainly Instrumental". At the time there was nothing like it. Luke Kelly for songs, McGlynn for the guitar, and last but not least, anything by my mate GRY.
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by bodhran bliss
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Radio, both over the air and on the web, is an excellent way to hear a broad variety of ITM (and other TMs) without using up much cash. There's good suggestions in the links section here. Also seek out the dedicated shows in the public/college end of the FM band.
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by scott.r
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Wow!!!!!!!!!! Thanks everybody!!
I will research from here to get it down to 5 and hit Tower Records this weekend. Knowing me, I will eventually get all your suggestions over the coming year so thanks again to everyone!!
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by jcoyle
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Shanachie Records put out two discs in the 1990s. I forget the exact titles, but they were something like "Fingerpicking For Irish Guitar" and "Irish Jigs, Reels And Hornpipes." They featured songs like "Pretty Maid Milking A Cow" and such. They originally came with tablature, as well. I believe they're still in print.
Mike
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by MTH
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
you can't miss with all the bands/musicians already mentioned but don't forget about some of the older bands like the tulla.
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by armaghfan
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
There's a really good 2 cd set album of live trad music from the Boston College Irish Music Festival, it's a few years old. There was another good series of cds, can't remember who put them out, but they had beautiful cover paintings of session musicians. They were divided up into categories, I think one was called 'Fiddlesticks' and was all Donegal style.
Brendan Mulvihill, Dolores Keane, Micho Russell, James Keane, Seamus Egan, Liz Carroll etc etc etc....seek them out!
Also, if there is an indie record store near you, some of them have far better selections than Tower, and better prices, too.
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by swearbox
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Another great pair of CDs with a real session feel (if sessions were all filled with top flight players who played completely as one) is the Na Connery's. Great sets of classic tunes immpecably played IMO. I never tire of 'em. Can be hard to find.
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by Plunkett.mi
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Doesn't anyone listen to Michael Coleman or Seamus Ennis?? Not to be pedantic, it would seem that you need to listen to the music that came before to understand where the music is and is going. Listen to Felix Doran and you hear Paddy Keenan; listen to Liz Carroll and you hear Joe Shannon, Denis Murphy/Julia Clifford, etc...
And On....
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by I_Fel
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Yes, I_Fel, but Joey )the original poster) mostly plays guitar, which isn't heard on most older recordings.
Still, a grounding in the tunes themselves as played by past masters doesn't hurt, eh?
Casey in the Cowhouse (Bobby Casey, fiddle)
Ceol an Clair (Bobby Casey, Junior Crehan, Joe Ryan, John Kelly, Patrick Kelly)
And for guitar work, I recommend anything with Donal Clancy--you'll find him on most of Mike and Mary Rafferty's recordings and elsewhere. Understated, beautiful backing.
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by Will CPT
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
John Doyle- heard him play with Liz Caroll in L.A. in November. Amazing guitarist. I wished my R&R friends could hear him play. I get on a horse about listening to the past masters; like not listening to Bill Monroe or Robert Johnson (or my personal favorite), John Hurt or even knowing who they are....
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by I_Fel
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
My favourites :
The Iron Man - Tommy Peoples with Daithi Sproule
In Knocknagree - Noel Hill/Tony McMahon
Island Angel- Altan
The Brass Fiddle-Donegal Fiddle Music feat J Doherty,C Cassidy et al
Jackie Daly -Music of Sliabh Luachra
By the way if your tryin the Beatles using drop D,have a go at Norwegian Wood.Sounds,well.....fab.
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by cunnla
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
"I forget the exact titles. . "
The headline title is "Music of Ireland." Not hard to remember when ya go shopping.
"Irish Jigs, Reels . . . Hornpipes" and Marches Arranged for Fingerpicking Guitar. I guess that's why they needed a headline title.
The fact that it features Davey Graham is worth the price of admission alone and John Renbourn doesn't hurt. Also Duck Baker, Martin Simpson and Stephan Grossman.
Nice little disk if you aren't hung up on the "session sound." Just think of the guitar as a chromatic harp.
KFG
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by KFG
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Best listening - any Chieftains
Best for box learners to play along - any Mary MacNamara + Kitty Hayes
Best arrangements - any Bothy Band
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by geoffwright
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Best cinematographer - Sven Nykvist
Oops, wrong discussion!
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by Bob himself
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Best Newsreader - Dermot Murnaghan
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by cunnla
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
in no particular order:
1. The Star Above The Garter (Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford)
2. Kitty Lie Over (Mick O'Brien and Caoihimin O Raghallaigh)
3. Ar An Bhfidil (Oisin Mac Diarmada)
4. Time on Our Hands (Siobhan Peoples and Murty Ryan)
5. anything Tommy Peoples
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by fiercefiddler
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
why not exercise Jeremy's programming wizardry and see if he can do something that allows each member here to register their five (and only five) best albums in the recordings data base. Should generate some good discusisons about what comes out on top, whinging about the lowest common denominator and all that. What do you reckon Jeremy?
(you could even weight the voting against the strummer's and bodhran basher's poor choices)
# Posted on January 27th 2005 by llig leahcim
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
I hope you can play the "viola" as well as McGlynn can "strum" or I can play the bodhran.
# Posted on January 28th 2005 by bodhran bliss
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Sorry, Mr Gill, that should have been bash the bodhran.
# Posted on January 28th 2005 by bodhran bliss
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
this is why the vote should be interesting. Lets see what everybody thinks, not just me or you. I think Arty's rubbish. So what.
# Posted on January 28th 2005 by llig leahcim
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
So do I, although I'm still going to see him next week.
# Posted on January 28th 2005 by bodhran bliss
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Ha ha. SplendedP
# Posted on January 28th 2005 by llig leahcim
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Mick O'Brien - May Morning Dew
x 5
# Posted on January 28th 2005 by Ottery
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Ottery and fiercefiddler- two Mick O'Brien's and a Caoihimin O Raghallaigh in one post and I didn't even incite anyone!! Two points
Very good CDs indeed
# Posted on January 28th 2005 by I_Fel
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Yeah, May Morning Dew rocks. Mick O'Brien's brilliant.
# Posted on January 28th 2005 by Q
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Just a PS to geoffwright's recommendation of Mary MacNamara and Kitty Hayes for playing along with. Lots of their tunes are in non-standard keys. Kitty's favorite concertina is in C and F. (She has a D/G, but finds the action too stiff.) I don't recall the details of Mary Mac's instruments, but probably half of the tunes on her recordings aren't in D or G (or the related modes).
I guess it's ok for Geoff on piano accordion and English concertina, but when we had a little session a couple of weeks ago with Kitty, the fiddles tuned down a step and I struggled to transpose the tunes I knew best into C or F on the B/C accordion (a good exercise, as it's like learning to play C#/D in the usual keys).
# Posted on January 28th 2005 by GaryAMartin
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Thanks scott.r for the internet radio remark. It was something obvious I hadn't thought of. (I'm another person trying to become more familiar with ITM discography.)
# Posted on January 28th 2005 by 2ndFiddle
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
jcoyle, as one way to sample CDs before buying, you can go to the Green Linnet website & can hear many of their CDs (in their entireties) online for free (a great service!) using the Real Player media player (available gratis at real.com). Obviously this limits you to trying out Green Linnet recording artists, but it's a great way of finding things you like before buying, and that may save you the disappointment of finding you don't really like a purchase--though of course you can always give it away to someone who does & that's some comfort. You can also hear 30-second samples of the tracks of many trad CDs at amazon.com, in case you want to get a feel for some of the suggestions given above before buying.
# Posted on January 28th 2005 by 2ndFiddle
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Anyone been using Tradtunes.com? I'm loving it. Rather than waiting three weeks for a CD I've ordered to arrive - AND pay ruddy postage - the tracks arrive in seconds. Good for me. Wallet? Not so much.
# Posted on January 28th 2005 by Q
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Dervish is at the top of my list. I would start with their VHS tape / new DVD of a jam session at the Sibin Pub in County Sligo. I would rank Decade, Live in Palma and Midsummer's Night as their top three albums. The Cheiftains did a nice DVD called Water from the Well. They return to their roots and have numerous jam sessions throughout Ireland. The first three albums of Solas are great. The first two albums of Lunasa are great. The first three albums of Danu are great. Best wishes.
# Posted on January 30th 2005 by CeolCairdeas
Re: Top 5 Recommended ITM CD's
Live in Palma: the sound levels are all so wrong. Midsummer Night was when they started getting sh*te and got all up their own arses with the backing and spoilt it all completely. The video is useful if you want to learn playing techniques, but the arrangements are contrived and they simply don't work in the pub session they were trying to create. If you want to hear Dervish at their best go for anything after Boys Of Sligo but before Midsummer Night, i.e. Harmony Hill, Playing With Fire or At The End Of The Day. That's bloody good stuff.
# Posted on January 30th 2005 by Dow