Slow Session on FOURTH Wednesday in September

Hi, Friends,

Our monthly slow session will be held on the fourth Wednesday of September due to conflicts in my schedule.

I'm particularly excited to share Roscommon flute player Mike McHale's versions of Imelda Roland's and Cregg's Pipes - while you can find those tunes in the Comhaltas 4 book, the versions are different. Kinnegad Slashers is a fun three part jig - you can find it on TheSession.org, but I have a version with chords that I'll be sending out this week. Maguire and Paterson's is a very simple, but beautiful, waltz that I first heard played by the late Kitty Hayes and the very much alive Eoin O'Neill (of Clare FM fame). Kitty was fine old style concertina player. I was lucky to have heard her in person before she passed away. She has a legacy of some great music and two fine albums. One was recorded by Eoin O'Neill and Quentin Cooper in her kitchen, I believe. The other features herself and the outstanding piper and photographer Peter Laban ("They'll be Good Yet").

As to the other tunes, Maloney's Wife is from players in Boston. Carraroe is a Tulla Ceili Band tune. The version of Butcher's March can be found in Comhaltas 1, but we have the ABC from fiddler Willie Kelly. The Rambling Pitchfork can also be found in Comhaltas 1, and definitely in the Mally's books, and on theSession.org. It is a great standard jig that you probably all already know. Lord Inchiquin is an O'Carolan, and we have a very straight version. I'll give you some additional ornamental notes as well.

So look here in a day or two for links to the music I keep promising. I'm really good at procrastinating because I have versions of tunes that require some transcribing...

Anyway, here's a straightforward view of the learning tune list for Fall 2016:

REMINDER: Tunes for Fall 2016 are: Special Tune: Kinnegad Slashers (jig) Reels: Imelda Roland's/Cregg's Pipes Jigs: Butcher's March/Moloney's Wife, Carraroe/Rambling Pitchfork Slow Tune: Lord Inchiquin Waltz: Maguire and Paterson's

Slow Session Resumes in Fall

Dear Friends,

The highlight of my summer so far has been a trip to the southeastern U.S. that included lovely tunes and friends in the D.C. area, a great visit in the countryside around Chapel Hill, N.C. and to the mountains of western North Carolina where we met friends and made new ones from all over the south. The music was brilliant, and the craic was grand!

The Old Songs Festival was one of the best ever in my opinion. OK, maybe because I actually heard some music this time... I'm trying to remember to "stop and smell the roses" these days.

Anyway, now to the important news: Slow Session will resume in the Fall. I was hoping I'd be able to make time to get together with you all this summer, but honestly, I have some things in my schedule that are absolutely non-negotiable and they fall in the evenings.

So, as mentioned in an email (and corrected once I revisited the blog!), the Tunes for Summer Learning will be:
Reels: Imelda Roland's/Cregg's Pipes
Jigs: Butcher's March/Moloney's Wife, Carraroe/Rambling Pitchfork
special bonus jig: Kinnegad Slashers
Slow Tune: Lord Inchiquin
Waltz: Maguire and Patterson's

I'm working on that music as we speak. Feel free to find versions to get yourself started, and I'll get you my versions/ABCs/Sound Files asap.

Enjoy Your Summer,

Hilary

Summer Tune List Selected

There's lots to report after tonight's Slow Session.

As you know, I am not an accompanist, and I am generally reluctant to put  chords on the music. Also, I've been giving out spots and not ABC for the most part. We found out tonight that Nancy has been gathering chords for the music, not just for our session but for a wide range of genres that she plays. It turns out that Paul has been taking her information and creating ABC files and turning them into PDFs.

This is great news for those who don't learn by reading music or who want to work on accompaniment but aren't sure what the chords are. A huge thanks goes to Nancy and Paul for gathering the materials. Also to Gary, Nancy and Paul for seemingly always having sheet music to everything.

Here's what we worked on: Miller of Droghan, Joe Bane's Schottische (or Barndance as we have it), Anne Walshe's Reel, our Jig set (Hole in the Hedge/Seamus Cooley's/Kerfunten), Gentle Maiden waltz, the polkas from last year (Egan's-Kerry Polka/Maids of Ardagh/Knocknaboul #2 - 3 part), and a new/old set of reels (Silver Spear/Merry Blacksmith/Sally Garden).

There was a lot of discussion tonight, which is always enjoyable. Folks talking about chords, approaches to accompaniment, discussion different tunes, etc. After we played our sets, we discussed the tunes that we are going to learn/work on for this summer. We also discussed meeting at John's house during the summer. The schedule has to be finalized, so we will release dates and information shortly.

We also got feedback that a second monthly slow session at John's would be welcome. John is checking to see if the scheduling works. Perhaps it will be on a different day of the week? That will be determined and the second monthly session date will begin in the fall.

OK, now for the fun part...TUNES! Here's what we've picked for our summer learning list:

Jigs: Carraroe (also called The Portrowe by Martin Mulvihill) followed by Rambling Pitchfork
also Butcher's March and Moloney's Wife
Reels: Imelda Roland's/Gregg's Pipes
Slow Tune: Lord Inchiquin

Tune sheets, ABCs and sound files to go up soon.

By the way, if folks are interested in gathering somewhere for a slow session down in East Durham, the Wednesday would be a great day to do it - Pauline Conneely is holding a CD launch party down there somewhere on the Wednesday evening, and I'm hoping to get to it. Perhaps Colleen O'Sullivan would be interested in co-hosting a slow session that evening at The Rose Motel and we could do a potluck or something and all go the concert together.

Thanks very much for a lovely evening, everybody! I'm looking forward to next month already.

Cheers,

Hilary

NOTE: June Slow Session in East Greenbush

Pat O'Connor and Eoghan O'Sullivan live in Amherst, MA

I just got back from being out on the road with my friends and musical spirit guides Pat and Eoghan.The lads played all up and down the east coast, and were blown away by the talent they met and the beautiful music they heard in sessions. They were especially impressed with how nice a session there was after their concert at John and Michelle's house.

I hope you can join our Slow Session at John Conway's house tomorrow night, Wed., June 15 from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. to dive deep into our great learning tunes together. FREE. 5 Honey B Lane, East Greenbush,NY. (Using a mapping or navigation app on your phone? Make sure you type in "Honey B" and not Honey "Bee".) Questions? 518-424-8701.

We will take July and August off, just like Comhaltas. Speaking of the Albany CCE, on Sunday, June 19 a traditional Irish music session will be held at the Capital District Irish American Association, 375 Ontario St., Albany, NY 12208 (near corner of Ontario and Mercer Streets, parking lot entrance is on Mercer) -- Learning session at 2:30 pm followed by regular session at 3:30 pm.  Sessions occur every 3rd Sunday of the month except in July & August. Admission is Free.

All the Best,

Hilary