Convention
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- ComhaltasLive #250-1: From North America, fiddle player Eugene Bender
- 7 April 2008
Eugene Bender from New York was one of the hundreds of very talented young musicians who attended the 2008 Convention. Eugene played the reels: “Paddy Ryan’s dream” and an Ed Reavy composition: “Never Was Piping So Gay” which is this week’s tutorial. Eugene learned much of his music from Brian Conway.
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- ComhaltasLive #247 - 5: Mike Simpson with an Atlanta Session
- 24 March 2008
From the 2007 Comhaltas Convention in Atlanta, we conclude the programme with another informal session of music led by concert flute player Mike Simpson, who was one of the key organisers who did so much to make Convention 2007 such a great success. They conclude with the reel, “The Foxhunter’s”.
The 2008 North American Comhaltas Convention takes place in Parsippany, New Jersey from 27th to 30th March.
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- ComhaltasLive #247 - 5: Session from Atlanta
- 23 March 2008
From the North American Comhaltas Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, a musical session including John and Margie Reynolds (fiddle and flute), Catherine Joyce (fiddle), John Sweeney (fiddle) and Tom Glynn (concertina). They play “The Silver Spear” reel.
The 2008 North American Comhaltas Convention takes place in Parsippany, New Jersey from 27th to 30th March.
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- ComhaltasLive #243: More from the North American Comhaltas Convention (Full Programme)
- 26 February 2008
In this week’s programme we bring you some more music recorded at previous years of the annual North American Comhaltas Convention.
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- ComhaltasLive #243 - 6: Session with Boston fiddler Larry Reynolds
- 25 February 2008
We conclude the programme with a selection of reels, commencing with “Jackie Coleman’s”, played by Boston fiddle player and Comhaltas stalwart Larry Reynolds. Larry is joined by concert flute player Mike Rafferty and button accordionist Tara Lynch, originally from Corofin, Co. Clare.
The music was recorded at the North American Comhaltas Convention in Parsippany, New Jersey in April 2004.
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- ComhaltasLive #243 - 5: Erin Loughran plays two Ed Reavy tunes on Fiddle
- 24 February 2008
Next, two Ed Reavy reels played by fiddle player Erin Loughran from Pearl River, New York. Erin learned her music from Brian Conway and Rose Conway Flanagan. The reels are: “In memory of Coleman” and “The Wild Swans of Coole”.
The music was recorded at the North American Comhaltas Convention in Parsippany, New Jersey in April 2004.
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- ComhaltasLive #243 - 4: Colleen Shanks playing Slip Jigs on Whistle
- 24 February 2008
From Detroit, Michigan, Colleen Shanks plays three slip jigs on whistle. Colleen learned a lot of her music from Mick Gavin, who emigrated from Co. Clare in the 1960s having played with the Dalcassian Céilí Band. Over the decades fiddle player Mick has taught the music to many young musicians around Detroit. The second tune played by Colleen, called “The Whinny Hills of Leitrim” is unusual in that the first part is played once and the second part twice.
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- ComhaltasLive #243 - 3: Billy McComiskey on Button Accordion With Two Original Tunes
- 23 February 2008
Recorded at the North American Comhaltas Convention in Parsippany, New Jersey in April 2004, Felix Dolan provides piano accompaniment for accordion player Billy McComiskey. Billy plays two tunes of his own composition which he names after his two grandmothers “Nora Sweeney’s” and “Elizabeth Cullen’s”, which is this week’s tutorial.
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- ComhaltasLive #243 - 2: Joannie and Joe Madden Play Some Reels
- 22 February 2008
Recorded at the North American Comhaltas Convention in Parsippany, New Jersey in April 2004, we present Joannie Madden (of Cherish the Ladies fame) on concert flute, her father Joe (native of Co. Galway) on accordion and Felix Dolan, one of the great accompanists, on piano.
They play three reels: “The Caucus” followed by a reel learned from Mike Rafferty, and the third reel which Joe learned from the playing of Johnny Doherty, the Donegal fiddle player, in 1956.
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- ComhaltasLive #243 - 1: John Whelan on Button Accordion
- 21 February 2008
Here we present John Whelan, the 1983 All-Ireland Senior button accordion champion playing three reels: “The Killavil”, “The High Reel” and “The Fermoy Lasses”. Now living in Milford, Connecticut, USA, John comes originally from Luton, England. This music was recorded at the Comhaltas North American Convention in Boston in 2003.
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- ComhaltasLive #242: Music from the 2004 North American Comhaltas Convention (Full Programme)
- 20 February 2008
In this week’s programme we bring you some of the music recorded when the North American Comhaltas Convention was held in Parsippany, New Jersey in April 2004.
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- ComhaltasLive #242 - 6: Joe Madden on Button Accordion
- 19 February 2008
Another outstanding musician who emigrated from East Galway in the late 1950s is button accordion player Joe Madden. Here Joe is joined by his famous daughter Joannie on concert flute while Felix Dolan provides accompaniament on keyboard. Their first reel was composed by the legendary Paddy Kelly from East Galway, the second is “Miss Thornton”, and the third was a very popular reel with the Tulla Céilí Band.
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- ComhaltasLive #242 - 5: Mike Rafferty on Irish Flute
- 17 February 2008
In 1949 Mike Rafferty emigrated from his native Ballinaskill, Co. Galway to the USA. He is still playing his distinctive East Galway music. Mike, now living in New Jersey, is joined by his daughter Mary on button accordion and her husband, Donal Clancy (son of legendary Liam Clancy) on guitar as they play two jigs: “The Lilting Banshee” and a jig which Mike learned nearly sixty years ago from his father.
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- ComhaltasLive #242 - 4: Billy McComiskey plays some Reels on Button Accordion
- 16 February 2008
Now we present a solo by Billy McComiskey, the proud owner of the grey Paolo Soprani accordion formerly played by the late Séan McGlynn. Billy had it specially reconstructed with reeds fitted by Martin Connolly, manufacturer of the very popular “Kincora” accordion. Billy plays two reels: “The Man of the House” and “The Rainy Day.”
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- ComhaltasLive #242 - 3: Maeve Flanagan on Fiddle plays the Knockawinna Jig
- 15 February 2008
Now we have a fiddle solo from Maeve Flanagan, who learned her music from Brian Conway, her uncle, and from her mother Rose Conway Flanagan. The three-part jig which Maeve plays is often called “The Siamsa Jig”, having been popularised by the Siamsa Céilí Band from Dundalk who won three All-Irelands in a row from 1967 to 1969. The jig was actually compoased by Mícheál Ó hÉidhin, who called it “The Knockawinna Jig.”
Incidentally, Mícheál is Stiúrthóir of the SCT Examination System, the Irish traditional music examinations system run by Comhaltas and launched by President Mary McAleese in December 1998.
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- ComhaltasLive #242 - 2: Fiddle Duet with Brian Conway and Maeve Flanagan
- 14 February 2008
Brian Conway is now joined for a fiddle duet by his niece Maeve Flanagan. They play a selection of reels: “Dowd’s” and “Jenny’s Welcome to Charlie.”
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- ComhaltasLive #242 - 1: Brian Conway, Joannie Madden, Felix Dolan and Billy McComiskey
- 14 February 2008
In this week’s programme we bring you some of the music recorded when the Convention was previously held in Parsippany, New Jersey in April 2004. We begin with a selection of reels from one of the many great music sessions at the Convention, featuring Brian Conway on fiddle, Joannie Madden on concert flute, Felix Dolan on piano (all from the Bronx, New York) and Billy McComiskey from Brooklyn on accordion. The first two reels, often called “Crowley’s”, were recorded by Michael Coleman, the third was a great favourite of Andy McGann, and the final reel is “The Humours of Scarriff”.
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- ComhaltasLive #240 - 2: James Keane and “Fingal”
- 20 January 2008
A ComhaltasLive favourite, here is a selection of reels from the band “Fingal”, with James Keane on button accordion, Randal Bays on fiddle and Daithí Sproule on guitar. This music was recorded at the Comhaltas North American Convention in Atlanta, Georgia in April 2007. The reels are: “Land of Sunshine” (composed by Martin Mulhaire), “Capel St.” and “Hughie Travers’ Reel”.
This clip originally appeared in ComhaltasLive Programme #212, highlighting music from the Convention.
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- ComhaltasLive #239 - 4: Joannie Madden (whistle) and Dáithí Sproule (guitar)
- 12 January 2008
Recorded in Atlanta, Georgia USA in April 2007 at the Comhaltas North American Convention, Joannie Madden performs a selection of reels with backing guitar by the mighty Daithí Sproule.
The first tune is “The High Reel” and the last one is a very recent composition by Joannie, called “Shoot When the Ducks Are Flying” in honour of her friend Jim Coogan.
This clip originally appeared in ComhaltasLive #232 - Music from Atlanta, Birr and Tullamore.
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- ComhaltasLive #232: Music from Atlanta, Birr and Tullamore (Full Programme)
- 18 November 2007
This week, we bring you Joannie Madden and Daithí Sproule, some items from the 2007 Comhaltas Concert Tour of Ireland and sessions from Fleadh Cheoil 2007.