This a Rafferty-approved book of the first 300 tunes I had from Mike, transcribed note for note from my study tapes after I'd already learned the tunes by ear in lessons. Some of the tunes on his cds are included.
if anyone is interested, please email for details at leslharker at hotmail (dot com, that is). Ossian usa is also taking orders. - Lesl
That's a very timely post LH - we were only discussing Mike on the site a week or two ago - http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/9078. I'd guess there are some nice East Galway tunes included in the book!
I just got my copy from Ossian. It's a terrific book. It gives real insight into Mike Rafferty's wonderful style. I also enjoy the inventive and unusual settings of well-known, well-worn tunes--it's giving me some fresh ideas!
By the way, Lesl, Mike Rafferty plays a keyed flute, I think, but does he use the keys much?
Mr. Rafferty is a great musician and nice guy, and I bet this will be a valuable resource. I will be interested in a copy myself, and have a friend that has picked up a lot of tunes from him in East Durham over the years, and who will probably snap up a copy as well.
as re: Mr Rafferty's flute - I know he bought one of Patrick Olwell's first flutes (or *forced* Olwell to sell it to him, should I say - see interview at www.firescribble.net) but I don't know if it's keyed or not. That said, I've seen an awful lot of photos of yer man playing an unkeyed flute, which gladdened my keyless heart immensely.
I really appreciate Mike's talent of *renaming* tunes. I usually prefer calling tunes by their most common names, but I probably won't stop introducing "Garret Barry's Reel" as "Mister McLeod's Reel," which is actually the title he invented for tune.
One can see a bit of the flute here: http://www.raffertymusic.com/bios.html
It's the same flute pictured on the album Speed 78 (a marvelous recording, by the way!).
I have a number of friends who play those non-Boehm keyed flutes, and unless they are playing F naturals, G sharps, or in Bflat or some key that requires them, the keys usually just sit idle--they play them the same way you keyless folks play them.
By the way Lesl (LH) is a student of Mike, so yes this is completely legit. if anyone was wondering. I was going to wait to see if Lesl makes it to the next IAANJ session and buy one in person.
I wouldn't characterize the Olwell flute that Mike Rafferty plays as "one of Patrick Olwell's first flutes." Mike got the flute at the Washington DC Irish Festival at Glen Echo Park (which I used to help organize) sometime in the late 1980s. By that time Patrick Olwell had probably made and sold a couple hundred flutes. The reason it was a "demonstration" flute (as Mike says in the interview) is that it's actually an Eb flute. Mike pulls out the slide to bring it down to concert pitch, as you'll notice in the photo. (I actually never realized this until I took a workshop with Mike at the Comhaltas convention in Boston a couple of years ago.) Anyway, he does a great job on it and I'm sure he uses the keys whenever the tune calls for it, as all keyed flute players do.
BTW, I just got my copy of Lesl's Rafferty tune book the other day. All I can say is that it's a great resource that every Irish flute player should have. Kudos to her for putting it together!
Great job Lesl!! I can't read a lick of music but I may get one anyway down the line in case I ever learn, and just because YOU did it!!
If anyone is near NJ, I might like to add that Mike will be guest hosting our IAANJ session in Rockaway NJ on 3/24. We hope along with daughter Mary... but that depends on how little Liadian Clancy is feeling that day!! Mary hopes to make it. It will be a super session! Lesl... make sure you bring the books to that one!
Thanks to all for the enthusiastic responses. I am trying to keep up with the orders. To answer some of the queries:
There are no tunes needing keys in the book, though a few of the tunes are sometimes played by others with Natural F's in places.
Mike also has another body for his flute from Patrick, a D body with no keys.
Sorry to have missed the last Rockaway session (we were picking up the 2nd printing). I do plan to bring some books for the 24th March one.
Not that it matters a whole lot, but John-- Mike Rafferty doesn't play a keyed flute, so I don't know what you mean "...he uses the keys whenever the tune calls for it..."
Mike plays a flute sort of cobbled together from different parts that Olwell had lying around. It isn't a flute that Mike ordered and then waited for. It's a keyless D but the sections don't quite match. Nice flute, like all Olwells.
Rockaway as in Far Rockaway, Lesl? I was born 'dere.
Just an update here, though I'm not sure whether it's visible -
The Mike Rafferty tune book now has its own web page thanks to Brad Hurley: http://www.firescribble.net/rafferty/index.html
Here you can look at the cover, a sample inside page, and the table of contents. This site also contains ordering information, frequently asked questions, detailed background on many of the tunes, testimonials from people who've bought the book, and a list of errata.
cocusflute - no, not Far Rockaway, but Rockaway New Jersey, which is also rather Far from myself!
Rafferty tune book
Rafferty tune book
"300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty" -
This a Rafferty-approved book of the first 300 tunes I had from Mike, transcribed note for note from my study tapes after I'd already learned the tunes by ear in lessons. Some of the tunes on his cds are included.
if anyone is interested, please email for details at leslharker at hotmail (dot com, that is). Ossian usa is also taking orders. - Lesl
# Posted on February 8th 2006 by LH
Re: Rafferty tune book
That's a very timely post LH - we were only discussing Mike on the site a week or two ago - http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/9078. I'd guess there are some nice East Galway tunes included in the book!
# Posted on February 8th 2006 by Bannerman
Re: Rafferty tune book
I just got my copy from Ossian. It's a terrific book. It gives real insight into Mike Rafferty's wonderful style. I also enjoy the inventive and unusual settings of well-known, well-worn tunes--it's giving me some fresh ideas!
By the way, Lesl, Mike Rafferty plays a keyed flute, I think, but does he use the keys much?
# Posted on February 8th 2006 by Tintin
Re: Rafferty tune book
Mr. Rafferty is a great musician and nice guy, and I bet this will be a valuable resource. I will be interested in a copy myself, and have a friend that has picked up a lot of tunes from him in East Durham over the years, and who will probably snap up a copy as well.
# Posted on February 8th 2006 by AlBrown
Re: Rafferty tune book
Aaaahhh... must have this immediately!
as re: Mr Rafferty's flute - I know he bought one of Patrick Olwell's first flutes (or *forced* Olwell to sell it to him, should I say - see interview at www.firescribble.net) but I don't know if it's keyed or not. That said, I've seen an awful lot of photos of yer man playing an unkeyed flute, which gladdened my keyless heart immensely.
# Posted on February 8th 2006 by Q
Re: Rafferty tune book
Yeah, I also thought he plays keyless flutes.
I really appreciate Mike's talent of *renaming* tunes. I usually prefer calling tunes by their most common names, but I probably won't stop introducing "Garret Barry's Reel" as "Mister McLeod's Reel," which is actually the title he invented for tune.
# Posted on February 8th 2006 by slainte
Re: Rafferty tune book
One can see a bit of the flute here:
http://www.raffertymusic.com/bios.html
It's the same flute pictured on the album Speed 78 (a marvelous recording, by the way!).
# Posted on February 8th 2006 by Tintin
Re: Rafferty tune book
I have a number of friends who play those non-Boehm keyed flutes, and unless they are playing F naturals, G sharps, or in Bflat or some key that requires them, the keys usually just sit idle--they play them the same way you keyless folks play them.
# Posted on February 8th 2006 by AlBrown
Re: Rafferty tune book
A keyed flute is just an accidental waiting to happen.
# Posted on February 8th 2006 by Q
Re: Rafferty tune book
Good one Q.
By the way Lesl (LH) is a student of Mike, so yes this is completely legit. if anyone was wondering. I was going to wait to see if Lesl makes it to the next IAANJ session and buy one in person.
# Posted on February 8th 2006 by Unseen122
Re: Rafferty tune book
I wouldn't characterize the Olwell flute that Mike Rafferty plays as "one of Patrick Olwell's first flutes." Mike got the flute at the Washington DC Irish Festival at Glen Echo Park (which I used to help organize) sometime in the late 1980s. By that time Patrick Olwell had probably made and sold a couple hundred flutes. The reason it was a "demonstration" flute (as Mike says in the interview) is that it's actually an Eb flute. Mike pulls out the slide to bring it down to concert pitch, as you'll notice in the photo. (I actually never realized this until I took a workshop with Mike at the Comhaltas convention in Boston a couple of years ago.) Anyway, he does a great job on it and I'm sure he uses the keys whenever the tune calls for it, as all keyed flute players do.
BTW, I just got my copy of Lesl's Rafferty tune book the other day. All I can say is that it's a great resource that every Irish flute player should have. Kudos to her for putting it together!
# Posted on February 9th 2006 by johnkerr
Re: Rafferty tune book
Oops... thanks for clearing that up, John!
# Posted on February 9th 2006 by Q
Re: Rafferty tune book
Great job Lesl!! I can't read a lick of music but I may get one anyway down the line in case I ever learn, and just because YOU did it!!
If anyone is near NJ, I might like to add that Mike will be guest hosting our IAANJ session in Rockaway NJ on 3/24. We hope along with daughter Mary... but that depends on how little Liadian Clancy is feeling that day!! Mary hopes to make it. It will be a super session! Lesl... make sure you bring the books to that one!
# Posted on February 10th 2006 by irisnevins
Re: Rafferty tune book
Thanks to all for the enthusiastic responses. I am trying to keep up with the orders. To answer some of the queries:
There are no tunes needing keys in the book, though a few of the tunes are sometimes played by others with Natural F's in places.
Mike also has another body for his flute from Patrick, a D body with no keys.
Sorry to have missed the last Rockaway session (we were picking up the 2nd printing). I do plan to bring some books for the 24th March one.
# Posted on February 12th 2006 by LH
Re: Rafferty flute
Not that it matters a whole lot, but John-- Mike Rafferty doesn't play a keyed flute, so I don't know what you mean "...he uses the keys whenever the tune calls for it..."
Mike plays a flute sort of cobbled together from different parts that Olwell had lying around. It isn't a flute that Mike ordered and then waited for. It's a keyless D but the sections don't quite match. Nice flute, like all Olwells.
Rockaway as in Far Rockaway, Lesl? I was born 'dere.
# Posted on May 15th 2006 by cocus
Re: Rafferty tune book
Just an update here, though I'm not sure whether it's visible -
The Mike Rafferty tune book now has its own web page thanks to Brad Hurley:
http://www.firescribble.net/rafferty/index.html
Here you can look at the cover, a sample inside page, and the table of contents. This site also contains ordering information, frequently asked questions, detailed background on many of the tunes, testimonials from people who've bought the book, and a list of errata.
cocusflute - no, not Far Rockaway, but Rockaway New Jersey, which is also rather Far from myself!
Lesl
# Posted on August 14th 2006 by LH
Re: Rafferty tune book
Just an update to note that Custy's in Ennis is now carrying the book also. Here's the tinyurl link to the page.
http://tinyurl.com/2bx2ct
# Posted on March 18th 2007 by LH