I believe he's also heading out on a tour of Ireland in a week or two along with the great Northern musician, Cathal Hayden. I'll try and get the details to post them here if no one else does this in the meantime.
Thanks for that! Hey wa sjust looking at your profile there I see you used to live round the Bedfordshire area? That's where i'm from. You propley know many of the comhaltas people here in bedford. The branch has been goin for over 25 years now.
The mad Cathal eh? I once pulled him and his group The Molloy Maguires out of a ditch in Donegal.
At the time he was playing the banjo and hadn't migrated onto the fiddle.
Hopefully he has cut down on the Vodka and Coke. The last time he played in Downpatrick he was absolutely pickled and ended up playing so fast you couldn't make out what effing tunes he was playing at all!
That's right Trad Girl; had a lot of craic for many years in the area back in the eighties. The sessions moved to Cotton End just before I left but you could also be sure of visiting musicians from Luton, Northampton and sometimes Cambridge. Cathal certainly was a speed merchant in the early years - seen him at a Comhaltas concert in Luton (was around '82) where he was in full flight! Age obviously has a mellowing effect as a couple of weeks ago he was playing down at the RDS along with Gerry O'Connor at quite a sober speed, but the music was top-notch.
Forgot to ask Trad Girl, are they still running music classes in the church (St Phillip & James) on Monday nights? With your CV (congratulations on your Fleadh achievements) I'd be very surprised if John and the committee haven't tried to recruit you as muinteoir!
Moving Cloud will never be the same again!! Normally it wouldn't have been my favourite reel but Gerry used it to demonstrate both his own genius and how an average tune can become something really magic!
He turned the Moving Cloud into a circus act , if you think this is traditional music its not! this reel was composed by Neilie Boyd of Donegal ... He nust be spinning in his grave ... Jaysus !!... all O Connor needs is spangled tights and make up ..the lowest common denominator
I have seen two videos of Gerry playing the moving cloud....one of these was made by a Scottish friend who recorded the track from a TV programme called Shetland Sessions. This was done 12 years ago. An Irish friend also recorded Gerry playing this on a Late Late Show around 9 years ago which featured Stockton's Wing, Altan etc. Unfortunately I do not have the videos of these anymore but I still have audio tapes I made straight from the TV on to a simple tape machine many years ago. It was fascinating to see how his technique had developed and how the arrangements of this tune had undergone serious transformations. Some of you may recall that this tune was also recorded on Battling Banjos from the eighties and then again on Time to Time in the early nineties. All are quite different and yet in my opinion are as unmistakeably moving cloud as Sean Maguire's mason's apron recordings were that tune. (BTW how is Sean? Anyone know?)
There stil going alright Bannerman bit low on the ground though not much call for banjo and mandolin. Cotton End is stil the place. We were there last night, and just got back from the south luton session now hehe. Leagrave next week!
I like the anonyminity of this site (and maybe the freedom of expression that goes with it - sometimes it gets a bit controversial and theres' one or two strong characters out there who you'd prefer didn't know where you lived - only joking!!). However if you let John and Pat know that it's someone who spent a fair bit of time down at St Phillip & James, St John Rigby before that, not to mention Barker's Lane Community Centre and sessions back in the Scout Hall, they'll know who you're talking about. If that doesn't work you can say I was the Bogman in John's first Scoraiocht which got us to the Regional finals in Princethorpe. We were pipped at the post (that's what I like to think anyway) by Leeds who went on to represent Britain at the Fleadh Nua in Ennis.
Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
Two treats for banjo players (and the rest of us), Gerry will be appearing as follows:-
1) Tomorrow night (Friday) - Late Late show with Pat Kenny
2) All next week (from Monday onwards) - Comhaltaslive at http://www.comhaltaslive.ie
I believe he's also heading out on a tour of Ireland in a week or two along with the great Northern musician, Cathal Hayden. I'll try and get the details to post them here if no one else does this in the meantime.
# Posted on February 10th 2005 by Bannerman
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
Thanks for that! Hey wa sjust looking at your profile there I see you used to live round the Bedfordshire area? That's where i'm from. You propley know many of the comhaltas people here in bedford. The branch has been goin for over 25 years now.
# Posted on February 10th 2005 by Trad Girl
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
The mad Cathal eh? I once pulled him and his group The Molloy Maguires out of a ditch in Donegal.
At the time he was playing the banjo and hadn't migrated onto the fiddle.
Hopefully he has cut down on the Vodka and Coke. The last time he played in Downpatrick he was absolutely pickled and ended up playing so fast you couldn't make out what effing tunes he was playing at all!
# Posted on February 10th 2005 by breandan
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
That's right Trad Girl; had a lot of craic for many years in the area back in the eighties. The sessions moved to Cotton End just before I left but you could also be sure of visiting musicians from Luton, Northampton and sometimes Cambridge. Cathal certainly was a speed merchant in the early years - seen him at a Comhaltas concert in Luton (was around '82) where he was in full flight! Age obviously has a mellowing effect as a couple of weeks ago he was playing down at the RDS along with Gerry O'Connor at quite a sober speed, but the music was top-notch.
# Posted on February 11th 2005 by Bannerman
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
Forgot to ask Trad Girl, are they still running music classes in the church (St Phillip & James) on Monday nights? With your CV (congratulations on your Fleadh achievements) I'd be very surprised if John and the committee haven't tried to recruit you as muinteoir!
# Posted on February 11th 2005 by Bannerman
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
O'Connor's 'Late Late' performance will be spoiled by the idiot clappers in the audience - directed by the floor manager, no doubt.
# Posted on February 11th 2005 by BowHand
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
Bowhand- maybe Pat will do a jig...
# Posted on February 11th 2005 by Hugo Chavez
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
Briolin, I've just tape the Fleadh and will hopefully add Gerry onto the tape. Your welcome to a copy and skip the tenner!!
# Posted on February 11th 2005 by Paulam
Stefanpaz
Anything's possible after Brigitte Nielsen!
# Posted on February 12th 2005 by BowHand
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
Absolutely brilliant!! Just watched the Late Late Show and Gerry and Friends were superb!!!!!
# Posted on February 12th 2005 by Paulam
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
Moving Cloud will never be the same again!! Normally it wouldn't have been my favourite reel but Gerry used it to demonstrate both his own genius and how an average tune can become something really magic!
# Posted on February 12th 2005 by Bannerman
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
He turned the Moving Cloud into a circus act , if you think this is traditional music its not! this reel was composed by Neilie Boyd of Donegal ... He nust be spinning in his grave ... Jaysus !!... all O Connor needs is spangled tights and make up ..the lowest common denominator
# Posted on February 12th 2005 by Red Robin
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
Don't forget to tune into Comhaltaslive after 12.00 midnight on Sunday (or anytime during the week) to get some more tunes from Gerry.
# Posted on February 12th 2005 by Bannerman
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
Gerry is playing in Dolan's warehouse Limerick this week or the next. 15 euro a ticket
# Posted on February 12th 2005 by banjaxbanjo
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
Each to their own but I just watched it again and its STILL brilliant!! Gerry is a master!!!
# Posted on February 12th 2005 by Paulam
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
I have seen two videos of Gerry playing the moving cloud....one of these was made by a Scottish friend who recorded the track from a TV programme called Shetland Sessions. This was done 12 years ago. An Irish friend also recorded Gerry playing this on a Late Late Show around 9 years ago which featured Stockton's Wing, Altan etc. Unfortunately I do not have the videos of these anymore but I still have audio tapes I made straight from the TV on to a simple tape machine many years ago. It was fascinating to see how his technique had developed and how the arrangements of this tune had undergone serious transformations. Some of you may recall that this tune was also recorded on Battling Banjos from the eighties and then again on Time to Time in the early nineties. All are quite different and yet in my opinion are as unmistakeably moving cloud as Sean Maguire's mason's apron recordings were that tune. (BTW how is Sean? Anyone know?)
# Posted on February 13th 2005 by r&c
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
There stil going alright Bannerman bit low on the ground though not much call for banjo and mandolin. Cotton End is stil the place. We were there last night, and just got back from the south luton session now hehe. Leagrave next week!
# Posted on February 13th 2005 by Trad Girl
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
Hey whats your name Bannerman, if you dont mind me askin, i'l mention you to John and Pat.
# Posted on February 13th 2005 by Trad Girl
Re: Gerry "Banjo" O'Connor
I like the anonyminity of this site (and maybe the freedom of expression that goes with it - sometimes it gets a bit controversial and theres' one or two strong characters out there who you'd prefer didn't know where you lived - only joking!!). However if you let John and Pat know that it's someone who spent a fair bit of time down at St Phillip & James, St John Rigby before that, not to mention Barker's Lane Community Centre and sessions back in the Scout Hall, they'll know who you're talking about. If that doesn't work you can say I was the Bogman in John's first Scoraiocht which got us to the Regional finals in Princethorpe. We were pipped at the post (that's what I like to think anyway) by Leeds who went on to represent Britain at the Fleadh Nua in Ennis.
# Posted on February 16th 2005 by Bannerman