One Track at a Time, Day Three

The lad and I are very glad to be back in action tonight, after a couple of weeks off. If you are in the Boston area, come on out to Four Green Fields tonight for our new session, from 6pm-9pm.

Track 10: An tAthair Jack Walsh/The Shaskeen/Brendan Tonra's
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I am pressed for time, so I will let these jigs speak for themselves.

One Track at a Time, Day Two

Ceann Gaelach inniu.

Track 6: Deoraí Thír an Fhia/The Silver Spear

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The region of Conamara known as Ceantar na nOileán has produced a great many songs about emigration, from songs in the sean-nós tradition like Amhrán na Trá Báine, to English language ballads, to the "modern" music of Conamara, the ceol tíre of John Beag and those who have come after him. This song, from the perspective of a local man who left for London long ago, is part of that newest tradition. You can read the lyrics, my translation, and the CD liner notes on my website. The last verse is my favorite --

My curse on pubs and clubs and women.

They emptied my pockets and turned my head grey,

From Camden Town to Hammersmith and all around Edgeware Road,

They have left me sitting by the walls, with no soles on my shoes.

I lilt the Silver Spear afterward, for a bit of fun. That is Seán on the fiddle of course, and Martin Bulter on the bodhrán.

Looking forward to our first session at the new Four Green Fields tomorrow!

One Track at a Time, Day One

Meself and Seáinín start our new sessions at Four Green Fields this week, so to celebrate I will be giving away tracks from my album, Far From Home, which was released in 2010. Each track will be available only on the day of the post, so if you check back every day you can get the whole album for free!

Track 2: The Shaskeen/Lady Anne Montgomery/Maud Millar

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This live recording was made at Club Passim, a legendary folk club in Cambridge. Seán and I had been playing sessions together for a little over a year at that point, and this was our first concert gig. I learned the tunes from Dan Cummins and Beverly Buchanan, who together make up Liam's Fancy a band named in honor of their friend Billy McComiskey, who is the source of much of their music. I was fortunate to meet Dan and Bev when they had first started playing music together, in the late 1990s. I played quite a few of their early gigs with them before I moved to the New York area in 1999, and learned a lot. They didn't suffer too much when I left-they soon replaced me with John Skelton. ;-)

Not long after I came to Boston, Seán's dad John was visiting our session at the Banshee in Dorchester, and played Maud Millar out of Lady Anne Montgomery, just as I had first learned them. What a wonder this music is! From Co. Mayo to Boston to Philadelphia to Kentucky, some tunes just go together.

Tommy Doyle's, Spring/Summer 2011

I haven't posted very much here since my own recorder gave up the ghost last year, so I thought I would share a few things that Rosanne Santucci recorded since then.

The Knotted Cord/The Swallow's Nest/Maguire's/Dwyer's/The Ravelled Hank of Yarn

A great set here, which includes some tunes from the oft-mentioned Bev-Billy pipeline. I wouldn't mind if someone other than David would learn that last tune.

Junior Crehan's/Rakish Paddy/The Virginia/The Earl's Chair/The Musical Priest

Some of my favorite tunes, led off with a lovely slow reel from Eric Cox.

Two Good Men

All you people ought to be like me (and Cisco) and sing about Sacco and Vanzetti.

A Couple of New Songs

Here are some of the fruits of my recent songwriting labors. They were both recorded at the Tommy Doyle's session, in the waning days of the old year.

Before He Turned Nineteen

Christmas in Rehab

Something New

Been neglecting this place forever -- here is some video from Tommy Doyle's. Many thanks to Ryan Abernathey for shooting and editing this video! If you click through to YouTube, you can watch in HD.

Tommy Doyle's 05/14/09

Heya folks -- a couple of songs here from my humble self, and some wicked banjo from Brian. It seems we were all in a Canadian state of mind that night.

Mary Ann

I learned this Nova Scotia song when I was in high school. Actual Canadians never seem to have heard of it.

Frosty Morning/Brenda Stubbert's

An old time tune paired with a Cape Breton reel.

The Field Behind the Plough

I hope Stan was smiling down at us from Canadian heaven.