Do you listen to old time musicians? Who is your favorite you like to listen to? Mine are John Kimmel, Joe Derrane (All Star Ceili Band), Joe Cooley and Bobby Gardiner.
How old is old? I have a 1977 album "Frankie Gavin and Alec Finn." This was DeDannan before it was formed. Still a great twosome album, and I practice bodhran to it constantly. I think they had Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh faintly mixed in. If we are talking about Irish Trad Music standards, they stack up favorably to anything being done today.
I am currently listening and loving James Morrison and Paddy Killoran's Brooklyn to Ballymote, Martin Bennett's album is also on rotation (what a great player he was, with lovely tone and phrasing) along with the Michael Coleman double collection . Another that i have enjoyed is Scott Skinner's cd.
I think it is amazing that there is a record of these players and that they are generally listenable (dodgy piano backing notwithstanding)
Yes. Some of my favourite recordings are of Irish musicians from times past - and yeah, CC, hard as it as for me to admit, the 70s is starting to fall into that category now.
But I do love stuff from the 1st half of the 20th century. Especially Michael Coleman. Another of my favourite CDs is Milestone at the Garden. Brilliant!
There have been several cheap compilations of re-mastered "78 rpm" recordings going around the shops for the past few years or so. 4 CD sets for less than £15.00 if I remember, but unfortunately you get a lot of "stage-Irish" songs as well. Nevertheless there's some great stuff in among all of it. Particular favourite is flute-player Tom Morrison, who I'd like to hear more of.
CeolCairdeas - point of information: the first "De Danann" recording came out in 1975, 2 years before the Gavin/Finn duet LP. I agree - a great recording, but hardly yet "old time" surely.
here in the u.s. old time refers to pre-blugrass music from the southern mountains. i guess that's NOT what this discussion is about! the reissued collections of early 20th century irish music are surely a treasue and should be listened to by all. don
Mary Bergin on Tinwhistle and Johnny McDonagh on Bodhran recorded Feodoga Stain I and II through thd mid 70's. That was not only astonishingly good music that would stack up against anything today, it was pioneering work. The first album is compromised by the recording technology of the early 70's, but the second one is fine.
I'm getting concerned about Johnny after Arcady split up. Anyone know what he is doing these days? Did he retire? I am worried about Johnny and possible shoulder, elbow and wrist joints wearing out from a lifetime of bodhran playing. Someone needs to get an interview on tape so he can talk about things like the 10 Schilling bodhran he started with and all of his experiences. There is more to the old music besides just the music. Most veterans can recount many "larger than life" moments.
I can say the same thing about the Cheiftains, Mary Bergin, Tommy Peoples, and a long list of Irish veterans that can be regarded as "national treasures."
Hey CeolCairdeas, you lookin' for trouble? 1977 - OLD? Sure those boys, Frankie & Alec, are just spring chickens!
My favourite old-er recorded musicians, i.e. those not around any more, would probably be:
Whistle - Tom McHale
Accordion - Joe Cooley
Flute - Paddy Carty
Pipes - Willie Clancy
Hammered Dulcimer - John Rea
Fiddle - Andy McGann
Banjo - Best ones are all still alive - thankfully!
Do the Chieftain's and the Irish Rover's count? I've just started dabbling into the Irish form of celtic music. But so far, I've found it to be very good.
"For fiddle, there's P.J. Hayes, Bobby Casey, Junior Crehan, and Martin Rochford."
You some kind of Clare-o-phile, Will?
Where do you buy a record of Martin, or PJ? I have the All-Ireland Champs thing. I know a guy who was friends with Martin and recorded him but he has a whole closet packed to the brim with tapes so it's hard to entice him much...I just bought a CD of Liam Rowsome, son of the famous Leo, Liam was an excellent fiddler, I've a bit of him on one tape.
Ptarmigan: "Bodhran............... Don't be silly. " Alright, Mr. Amadan, .............. Hey Bliss, you on the same Island as Ptarmigan!!! How 'bout settin' dis boyo straight 'bout Bodhran?!!!
erm, when i said martin bennett earlier in this thread i did of course mean Martin Byrnes, although i love martyn bennett's stuff too, he is hardly old school!
In particular i love his version of Maudabawn Chapel off paddy in the smoke, but his lp also has some, to my ears, fabulous playing
I mean old time musicians who were born before 1940 or so.
I would not regard old time bands the ones featuring bodhran. I have quite few CDs with music from the era 1900 - 1950, but I've never heard any bodhran player on these recordings.
Would be an interesting other thread: Who invented bodhran and when/by whom was it imported into Irish music?
When you say "Old-Time", I think of Hobart Smith, Tommy Jarrell, Fiddlin' John Carson, Roscoe Holcomb, A.P. Carter, Eck Robertson, Uncle Dave Macon, Clarence Ashley, etc...
Peadar Mercier was the first bodhran player with the Cheiftains and due to their exposure he was one of the first to popularize it. Credit needs to be given to Planxty, Christy Moore. I hear they have a DVD out with Christy and another Planxty vet (Donal Lunny?) playing bodhrans together. If anyone has the DVD, I'd like to hear about it, as it isn't being sold in the states. Then I heard of Seamus Tansey playing a hand drummy thangie back in the 50's. Since I don't want a nasty letter, I'll not comment on the quality of his playing or this recording. But then Tommy Hayes talks about the old style of playing outdoors for parades in his workshops. That was one of the main reasons for a crossbar, so they could dance and play at the same time. They had contests. I think he is talking about Limerick area culture. I don't know of any recordings of these contests or old parade style bodhran. Bodhran type sod carriers and war drums are said to have been common in Bronze Age Ireland and Scotland. However, no archaeologist has dug up an ancient fellar with one in hand with a tipper. They may have used hand style or head banging style.
Packie Dolan and His Melody Boys featured a tambourine on some of their recordings in the 20s, also John Reynolds partnered flute player Tom Morrison on 78s, so it could be done. Mike Rafferty's father "Barrel" was another drummer.
Bodhran is like uilleann, suitably Celtic sounding but on these old recordings they certainly didn't call it that, and old people often just called it tambourine or drum.
Old time musicians respected
Old time musicians respected
Do you listen to old time musicians? Who is your favorite you like to listen to? Mine are John Kimmel, Joe Derrane (All Star Ceili Band), Joe Cooley and Bobby Gardiner.
# Posted on November 6th 2005 by nemethmik
Re: Old time musicians respected
There's only one Joe Cooley!!
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by Bannerman
Re: Old time musicians respected
Real pity! Joe might still have been with us today - if he hadn't smoked!
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: Old time musicians respected
How old is old? I have a 1977 album "Frankie Gavin and Alec Finn." This was DeDannan before it was formed. Still a great twosome album, and I practice bodhran to it constantly. I think they had Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh faintly mixed in. If we are talking about Irish Trad Music standards, they stack up favorably to anything being done today.
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by CeolCairdeas
Re: Old time musicians respected
I like the "Skillet Lickers" -- are they "old time" enough?
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by Eliot
Re: Old time musicians respected
I am currently listening and loving James Morrison and Paddy Killoran's Brooklyn to Ballymote, Martin Bennett's album is also on rotation (what a great player he was, with lovely tone and phrasing) along with the Michael Coleman double collection . Another that i have enjoyed is Scott Skinner's cd.
I think it is amazing that there is a record of these players and that they are generally listenable (dodgy piano backing notwithstanding)
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by nick b
Re: Old time musicians respected
Yes. Some of my favourite recordings are of Irish musicians from times past - and yeah, CC, hard as it as for me to admit, the 70s is starting to fall into that category now.
But I do love stuff from the 1st half of the 20th century. Especially Michael Coleman. Another of my favourite CDs is Milestone at the Garden. Brilliant!
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by kris
Re: Old time musicians respected
There have been several cheap compilations of re-mastered "78 rpm" recordings going around the shops for the past few years or so. 4 CD sets for less than £15.00 if I remember, but unfortunately you get a lot of "stage-Irish" songs as well. Nevertheless there's some great stuff in among all of it. Particular favourite is flute-player Tom Morrison, who I'd like to hear more of.
CeolCairdeas - point of information: the first "De Danann" recording came out in 1975, 2 years before the Gavin/Finn duet LP. I agree - a great recording, but hardly yet "old time" surely.
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by Kenny
Re: Old time musicians respected
here in the u.s. old time refers to pre-blugrass music from the southern mountains. i guess that's NOT what this discussion is about! the reissued collections of early 20th century irish music are surely a treasue and should be listened to by all. don
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by Dont
Re: Old time musicians respected
Mary Bergin on Tinwhistle and Johnny McDonagh on Bodhran recorded Feodoga Stain I and II through thd mid 70's. That was not only astonishingly good music that would stack up against anything today, it was pioneering work. The first album is compromised by the recording technology of the early 70's, but the second one is fine.
I'm getting concerned about Johnny after Arcady split up. Anyone know what he is doing these days? Did he retire? I am worried about Johnny and possible shoulder, elbow and wrist joints wearing out from a lifetime of bodhran playing. Someone needs to get an interview on tape so he can talk about things like the 10 Schilling bodhran he started with and all of his experiences. There is more to the old music besides just the music. Most veterans can recount many "larger than life" moments.
I can say the same thing about the Cheiftains, Mary Bergin, Tommy Peoples, and a long list of Irish veterans that can be regarded as "national treasures."
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by CeolCairdeas
Re: Old time musicians respected
Hey CeolCairdeas, you lookin' for trouble? 1977 - OLD? Sure those boys, Frankie & Alec, are just spring chickens!
My favourite old-er recorded musicians, i.e. those not around any more, would probably be:
Whistle - Tom McHale
Accordion - Joe Cooley
Flute - Paddy Carty
Pipes - Willie Clancy
Hammered Dulcimer - John Rea
Fiddle - Andy McGann
Banjo - Best ones are all still alive - thankfully!
Harp - Pint please
Bodhran - ..............don't be silly
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: Old time musicians respected
I second the vote for Joe Derrane--great player, fortunately with a great bunch of recordings available, and a heck of a nice guy to boot.
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by AlBrown
Re: Old time musicians respected
Feadoga Stain 1 - recorded 1979.
Feadoga Stain 2 - recorded 1992.
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by Kenny
Re: Old time musicians respected
I'd say I listen to more of the older musicians than anything else..
Seamus Ennis, Willie Clancy, Johnny Doran, Leo Rowsome, Joe Cooley, Patrick Kelly, Elizabeth Crotty, Julia Clifford, and Denis Murphy.
Cheers,
Armand
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by fiddlinviolinin
Re: Old time musicians respected
For fiddle, there's P.J. Hayes, Bobby Casey, Junior Crehan, and Martin Rochford.
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by Will CPT
Re: Old time musicians respected
Do the Chieftain's and the Irish Rover's count? I've just started dabbling into the Irish form of celtic music. But so far, I've found it to be very good.
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by alpha_girl
Re: Old time musicians respected
"For fiddle, there's P.J. Hayes, Bobby Casey, Junior Crehan, and Martin Rochford."
You some kind of Clare-o-phile, Will?
Where do you buy a record of Martin, or PJ? I have the All-Ireland Champs thing. I know a guy who was friends with Martin and recorded him but he has a whole closet packed to the brim with tapes so it's hard to entice him much...I just bought a CD of Liam Rowsome, son of the famous Leo, Liam was an excellent fiddler, I've a bit of him on one tape.
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by Kevin Rietmann
Re: Old time musicians respected
Ptarmigan: "Bodhran............... Don't be silly. " Alright, Mr. Amadan, .............. Hey Bliss, you on the same Island as Ptarmigan!!! How 'bout settin' dis boyo straight 'bout Bodhran?!!!
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by CeolCairdeas
Re: Old time musicians respected
You're not having much luck in this thread CC. Bliss and Ptarmigan do not live on the same island, unless BB's moved back to Belfast.
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by Kenny
Re: Old time musicians respected
Hey CC, be honest - how many brilliant Bodhran players can you name from the era of 78 recordings?
Or even from the 50s or 60s?
I suspect all the 'brilliant' players have only surfaced since the 70s & thankfully they are all still with us - Ringo, Colm etc
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: Old time musicians respected
Hey Kenny, I think Belfast has actually seen enough of BB's:
http://www.bbguns.co.uk/
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: Old time musicians respected
erm, when i said martin bennett earlier in this thread i did of course mean Martin Byrnes, although i love martyn bennett's stuff too, he is hardly old school!
In particular i love his version of Maudabawn Chapel off paddy in the smoke, but his lp also has some, to my ears, fabulous playing
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by nick b
Re: Old time musicians respected
I mean old time musicians who were born before 1940 or so.
I would not regard old time bands the ones featuring bodhran. I have quite few CDs with music from the era 1900 - 1950, but I've never heard any bodhran player on these recordings.
Would be an interesting other thread: Who invented bodhran and when/by whom was it imported into Irish music?
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by nemethmik
Re: Old time musicians respected
some stories here:
http://homepages.iol.ie/~ronolan/bodhran.html
as a distant listener, I had no awareness of the thing until I heard the Chieftains in the 1970s and saw Christy Moore with one in a picture.
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by Bren
Re: Old time musicians respected
When you say "Old-Time", I think of Hobart Smith, Tommy Jarrell, Fiddlin' John Carson, Roscoe Holcomb, A.P. Carter, Eck Robertson, Uncle Dave Macon, Clarence Ashley, etc...
http://www.oldtimemusic.com/otdef.html
http://www.oldtimemusic.com/index.html
God, I love that stuff...
Schy
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by Schy
Re: Old time musicians respected
Peadar Mercier was the first bodhran player with the Cheiftains and due to their exposure he was one of the first to popularize it. Credit needs to be given to Planxty, Christy Moore. I hear they have a DVD out with Christy and another Planxty vet (Donal Lunny?) playing bodhrans together. If anyone has the DVD, I'd like to hear about it, as it isn't being sold in the states. Then I heard of Seamus Tansey playing a hand drummy thangie back in the 50's. Since I don't want a nasty letter, I'll not comment on the quality of his playing or this recording. But then Tommy Hayes talks about the old style of playing outdoors for parades in his workshops. That was one of the main reasons for a crossbar, so they could dance and play at the same time. They had contests. I think he is talking about Limerick area culture. I don't know of any recordings of these contests or old parade style bodhran. Bodhran type sod carriers and war drums are said to have been common in Bronze Age Ireland and Scotland. However, no archaeologist has dug up an ancient fellar with one in hand with a tipper. They may have used hand style or head banging style.
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by CeolCairdeas
Re: Old time musicians respected
Packie Dolan and His Melody Boys featured a tambourine on some of their recordings in the 20s, also John Reynolds partnered flute player Tom Morrison on 78s, so it could be done. Mike Rafferty's father "Barrel" was another drummer.
Bodhran is like uilleann, suitably Celtic sounding but on these old recordings they certainly didn't call it that, and old people often just called it tambourine or drum.
# Posted on November 8th 2005 by Kevin Rietmann