Wednesday 24 November 2010

2 Duos

My friend Peter recently posted a nice video by 2 Duos, a german/scottish folk band. Gudrun Walter and Jürgen Treyz from Germany who also play in the bands Cara and Deitsch and Aaron Jones and Claire Mann from Scotland. Aaron plays bass and cittern in the band Old Blind Dogs and they both play as a Duo, too.

This video was recorded live at the "Thalhaus" Wiesbaden on 21.11.2010



The band itself has posted some videos worth looking too:

Der Markgrafensohn:


Die Rheinbraut


Midlothian Mining Song


Beyond the glen


Saints and sinners


Tubestation


Spike Island Lasses

Wednesday 17 November 2010

Monday 8 November 2010

Andy Irvine at The Black Horse, Amberley Tuesday 19th October 2010

Here's a little survey of the concert Andy did at the Black Horse, Amberley. I saw him last week and the setlist was a bit different, but that's normal, Andy usually plays some wishes every night.

Robert Tincher - Lakes of Ponchartrain

Some time ago I added a video by Robert playing "Paddy's green Shamrock Shore". Here's another song played by him "The Lakes of Ponchartrain", another folk classic.

New Link which works now:

more information on him:
http://irish-bouzouki.blogspot.com/2010/03/paddys-green-shamrock-shore.html

Friday 29 October 2010

The Dulcister, a new instrument from Folkfriends

Folkfriends have got many interesting instruments for folk musicians. Their latest introduction is a mixture between a cittern and a dulcimer. Watch this video and try to judge for yourself. Might be really interesting for beginners or just for having fun.

Wednesday 27 October 2010

Andy Irvine - New Videos

Andy on tour, as always. Here are some new videos found at youtube.

Willie Of Winsbury


The next ones are only short snippets:

Johnny McEldoo


Plains of Kildare
#

The Close Shave

Sunday 26 September 2010

Tim Browne

I already posted some videos of Tim Browne. Here are some more I found on youtube. Many thanks to Tim for sharing them.

Siuil a Ruin



The Tennessee Waltz


Mrs. McGrath
Tim hasn't allowed to embed this video, so please watch it on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=4y-FYVot_sU#!

Thursday 9 September 2010

Andy Irvine - New Album out





















Andy's new album called Abocurragh is out now.

Some of the tracks on the album were long awaited to be released as they are part of his live repertiore for many years now, like "The close shave" or "The spirit of Mother Jones". But there are also lots of new songs and a newly recorded "Willy of Winsbury" (Remember Sweeney's Men?).

You can listen to 30 sec samples on his website. I tried to order it for two weeks or so but didn't get an answer from Andy (He was on tour, as nearly always, wasn't he?). But today I got a mail from him. He now has changed his website, so it is possible to order the new album directly from him. I think it would be a nice gesture, to order directly from him so he gets all the benefits for his work.

http://www.andyirvine.com/albums/abocurragh.html

Tuesday 7 September 2010

Dervish with Moya Brennan, Andy Irvine and Steve Knightly

A live video from Shrewsbury Folk Festival 2010, a tune-set called John Blessings.

More information about the Festival and a video to have a look at:
http://www.shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk/videos/2010-part1.shtml
They say more videos to come!

Andy Irvine at Kilkenny Arts Festival 2010 - Drin Go Bragh

On Thu, 12th Aug 2010 Andy performed at the Kilkenny Arts Festival. Here's a video from that show, a song called Erin Go Bragh.
More information about the festival: http://www.kilkennyarts.ie/events/

Monday 30 August 2010

New Videos of Julie Fowlis

There are some new videos of Julie Fowlis at youtube. I hope I'll have a chance to see her live again in the near future, she's getting better and better.
Hùg air Bhonnaid Mhore and Puirt a buil


Biodh an Deoch and the Thatcher Set

Beth Patterson plays Wasted Years

Beth Patterson plays a lovely song called Wasted Years. Filmed in the French Quarter of New Orleans at Yo Mama's.

Interview with Andy Irvine

An interview made by Paul Brett outside St. Canice's Cathedral on August 12th 2010.

Review of a cittern made by Nigel Forster

Markkunkel reviews a 10-String Cittern made by Nigel Forster. This cittern was originally made for Aaron Jones of Old Blind Dogs but he didn't use it. So finally the instrument found it's way to Markkunkel.

Barnacles plays "Mountain in Navare"

Barnacles posted a new video, a lovely song called Mountain in Navare. No more information available.

Saturday 28 August 2010

New Blog for Bouzouki GDAE-Tuning









Filip Demortier started a lovely new blog for all players of GDAE-Tuning. Lots of information, tunes and songs to be found there. I think, even players of GDAD tuning like me will profit from this blog. So have a look at
http://gdaebouzouki.blogspot.com/

Saturday 24 July 2010

Maranna McCloskey

I just found a live recording of Maranna with a bouzouki and a flute player. I don't know who they are, so if you can help it would be great.



Caledonia


Our Last Embrace


Lonely Irish Maid


Going To Mass Last Sunday


Frazer Island


At Last

Monday 19 July 2010

Cittern Brad

My friend Tom gave me this link. A cittern virtuoso, indeed

Benji Kirkpatrick

Benji is one of four children spawned by John Kirkpatrick and Sue Harris, who played together as a duo throughout the 70’s and 80’s and with countless classic line ups – Albion Country Band, Steeleye Span, Richard Thompson, Brass Monkey etc, etc.

He plays bouzouki and guitar and played with Oysterband and Bellowhead etc. and recorded several solo albums. More info: http://www.benjikirkpatrick.com/

Here are some of his videos







Sunday 4 July 2010

claughaun1 irish bouzouki player

Just discovered this man on youtube. He has posted more than 200 videos up to now. Many of them him playing one of his irish bouzoukis. He must have several of them.

Fear a Bhata played on a Beard Zouk


Only our rivers run free on a Joe Foley special made zouk


The Gael on a Beard Zouk


If you're interested in more look at his channel, lots of tunes to discover. He plays Guitar, Banjo and Mandolin too.

Saturday 3 July 2010

Beth Patterson covers Iron Maiden

My friend Peter Hankiewicz gave me the hint to this fine video by Zouk Player Beth Patterson. Here she plays a cover of Iron Maiden's "Wasted Years". You can find some more videos of her on this blog.

Beth Patterson - Wasted Years from Milo Pinkerton on Vimeo.

Friday 25 June 2010

Andy Irvine live at Don Quixote's in Felton CA on 20. June 2010

Zahller and Graeck gave us some videos of a live show of Andy in Felton California. Nothing more to be said, just enjoy.

The Blacksmith


Never Tire Ot The Road



The Ballad of Tom Joad


The Ballad of Tom Joad (For comparism uploaded by Graeck


Reynardine uploaded by Graeck


My Heart's Tonight In Ireland uploaded by Graeck

Friday 18 June 2010

Saltfishforty

Never heard of them, but they're great. Saltfishforty are Douglas Montgomery (fiddle/viola) and Brian Cromarty (guitar/mandola/vocals) from Orkney. More information on their website at:
http://www.saltfishforty.co.uk/
or at myspace
http://www.myspace.com/saltfishforty

Here are two videos with a zouk on it:



Octave Mandolin

Octave mandolin playing in the open fields or so. The tune is called Fű-dal - Grass-song and is fantastic!



Here's another video of this extraordinary player called Lábnyom - Footprint

Improvisation Modal is playing Mumbai

Here's a way of introducing the bouzouki into world jazz. An improvisation which starts a bit oriental and ends in a sort of Hawkwind style or something like that.

Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Mairtin O'Connor

Andrbayr posted these videos of live performances of the three at a Gig at the World Bodhran Championships-2010 (Milltown, Co.Kerry). Love The Accordeon on the songs.

My Heart's Tonight in Ireland



Set of Jigs And Reels



Never Tire Of The Road



Set of Reels

Téada

Just found this old video by Téada. Two fine tunes, I don't know the names, maybe someone can help? The bouzouki is a bit in the background but nevertheless a great live band.

Wednesday 9 June 2010

Andy Irvine - Baneasas Green Glade

2 More videos from Andy, Donal and Paul. First Baneasa's Green Glades from the Album Cold Blow And Rainy Night, a musical gem.


Pat Reilly



Some Tunes


The Blind Harper and The Plains Of Kildare


As I Roved Out

Andy Irvine - The Blind Harper

Andy, Donal and Paul playing an English Traditional called the Blind Harper live at the Embankment in 1976. By the way, just a little reminder - Andy's birthday is on June 14th. Maybe we should all write our congratulations in an e-mail to him and by the way remind him on his plans in writing a book on the bouzouki (or better a DVD).



Lyrics

Have you heard of the blind harper
How he lived in Hogmaven town
He went down to fair England
To steal King Henry's wanton brown

First he went unto his wife
With all the haste as go could he
"This work", he said, "will never go well,
without the help of our good grey mare"

Said she, "You take the good grey mare
She'll run o'er hills both low and high.
Go take the halter in your hose
And leave the foal at home with me"

He's up and went to England gone
He went as fast as go could he
And when he got to Carlisle gates
Who should there be, but King Henry

"Come in, come in, you blind harper
And of your music, let me hear"
But up and said the blind harper
"I'd rather have a stable for my mare"

The king looked over his left shoulder
And he said unto his stable groom
"Go take the poor blind harper's mare"
And put her beside my wanton brown"

Then he's harped and then he sang
'Till he played them all so sound asleep
And quietly he took off his shoes
And down the stairs he did creep

Straight to the stable door he's gone
With a thread so light as light could be
When he opened and went in
He found thirty steeds and three

He took the halter from his hose
And from his purse he did not fail
He slipped it over the wanton's nose
And tied it to the grey mare's tail

Then he let her loose at the castle gates
She didn't fail to find her way
She went back to her own colt foal
Three long hours before the day

Then in the morning, at fair daylight
When they had ended all their cheer
Behold, the wanton brown had gone
So had the poor blind harper's mare

"Oh, alas", said the blind harper
"Ever alas that I came here.
In Scotland, I've got a little colt foal.
In England, they stole my good grey mare"

"Hold you tongue", said King Henry
"And all your mournings, let them be.
You shall get a far better mare
And well paid shall your colt foal be"

Again he harped and again he sang
The sweetest music he let them hear
He was paid for a foal that he never had lost
And three times worth them good grey mare

He was paid for a foal that he never had lost
And three times worth them good grey mare

Thursday 15 April 2010

Buskin in Sligo played by Peter Hankiewicz

My friend Peter from Frankfurt/Germany posted this video in which he is playing a song by Peter Hoben from Castlebar Co. Mayo. His bouzouki is made in Serbia, it's the first of its kind built there. The sound is superb, as far as I can hear from the video.

By the way: Peter is singer of the band "Blue Blistering Barnacles". For further information visit:
www.barnacles.de

2Duos

2Duos is a Scottish/German project and consists of Aaron Jones, Claire Mann and Gudrun Walters and Jürgen Treyz. They mix German and Scottish songs and tunes in a fresh and lively way. My friend Peter saw them live in Bad Homburg, Germany on 08.04.2010 and posted some videos on youtube. Many thanks to Peter for sharing.





Friday 12 March 2010

Lorg Lunny - Donal Lunny TV Series


Donal Lunny has produced an eight part series for TG4 in Ireland. He travelled all around Ireland to find young talented musicians to put a new band together. You can see what happened when all the musicians met for the first time, when they had to chose a singer etc. Each episode consists of two parts. You can view it at:

http://live.tg4.ie/main.aspx?cmd=search&search=lorg%20lunny

Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore

Robert Tincher plays a nice version of this well known emigration song. Filmed on Sept. 27,2009 at the Lousville Irish Fest at Bellarmine University.
For more information look at:
http://www.myspace.com/roberttincher

There are a few more songs on which he plays the bouzouki.

This is what is written about him on his Profile:

Robert Tincher has been singing the ballads of Scotland and Northern Ireland since 1973 and has played with several well-known Celtic music groups in Kentucky and southern Ohio. The first, Mad Catherine and the Moondog Pirates, gave many fans their first taste of the music back in the early 1980's.
More recently, Robert was part of Pale, Stout and Amber, who Lexington Herald-Leader music writer Walter Tunis once called "the top local pick for Irish and Celtic music." Although they never widely toured, their 2004 Pale, Stout & Amber CD received international radio airplay and favorable reviews in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
In June, 2007, Atlanta's Southern Arts Federation selected Pale, Stout and Amber as one of two Spotlight Artists of the Month from a registry of 752 performers, writers, and visual and media artists from the southeastern United States who have been recognized for the outstanding quality of their work.
When Pale, Stout and Amber dissolved in September, 2008, Robert relaunched himself as a solo performer. In July, 2009, he was selected for artistic excellence to participate in the Peforming Arts Directory, a program of the Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, which is supported by state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Thursday 4 March 2010

Eamonn Coyne, Clare Mann, Aaron Jones

Some videos from a TG4 programme. There is no information, when this session was recorded.

First Dennis Ryan's and The Cock and Hen


Roscommon reel, Toss the feathers and Cregg's pipes


And finally here's Jarlath Henderson (Uillean Pipes), Ross Ainsley (smallpipes) & Aaron Jones (cittern) at the Gordon Duncan Memorial Concert in Celtic Connections 2007 with thanks to my friend Tom

Saturday 20 February 2010

Donal Lunny at Custiys Music Shop

Donal Lunny playing Bouzouki and Mary Custy playing fiddle with two fine jigs here. I can't understand what the name of the first jig is, the second one is the battering ram.

The Blacksmith

A really good version of the blacksmith by Kyle. He's got a real powerful playing on this one. A tribute to Andy Irvine and his well known version of this song.



And another video:Two tunes from the album Dual by Eamon Doorley, Julie Fowlis, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and Ross Martin calledTha 'm buntata mor / An Bairille. The second tune is also known as The rocky road to Dublin.

Tuesday 16 February 2010

Ralf P. Wacker's Irish Bouzouki Book will be translated soon


Ralf, the writer of the German book for the Irish Bouzouki just informed me, that his book is currently translated into English.

The Uilleann piper of his band is studying in Limerick, where she is working on a translation. Let's hope it will not take too long before we can announce a new book for the world market. And I can promise you it will be of great interest for all players of the Irish Bouzouki.

Ralf's websites for more information:
www.ralf-wackers.de
www.currach.de

Wednesday 27 January 2010

Beth Patterson with Iona

Beth Patterson together with Iona. Fine live performance from November 22,2009.

First a new song by Beth called Click(?)


This one's by Iona with Beth, Can Wassel

42 Minutes Best of Festivals 2009

SIMMO7TS posted a 42 min survey of some festival shots. First there is Patrick Street with some songs and tunes. After that there's Chumbawamba and Dougie McLean. If you've got some time watch it all, otherless you might enjoy Patrick Street.



And here's some more 38 min, this time just Andy Irvine. Most of the videos have been posted before seperately.

Andy Irvine playing Andylinn by Paul Doyle

Andy Irvine visited Paul Doyle to have some pickups installed. After work he played around with some new Andylinns.

Plains of Kildare:


The Blacksmith


More Blacksmith


Playing around

Andy Irvine on Balcony TV

Recently Andy Irvine was guest on Balcony TV. He played one of his signature songs, Never tire of the road.

Balcony TV was founded in June 2006. It is a leading daily online viral music show, which features band, musicians and other acts on lots of balconies around the world. You can find more information at: www.balconytvc.om.

Ben's Bouzouki Theme

Ben Williamson from Yellow Springs, Ohio is a Bouzouki player who not only plays Irish music but also Bulgarian, Arabic and New Age music. Here's a video of him playing an original tune.

You can find more information on his myspace site.

Here's the site of his band Orion on facebook.

Tunepal














You've heard a tune, but don't know its name? Here's a little helper. Just go to
http://tunepal.org.
Java must be enabled and you need a microphone plugged into the computer. A player opens and you can play the tune. If you play it good enough tunepal recognizes the tune and here you go! Well, I think this is a great helper. Try it and comment, please!

Sunday 3 January 2010

Guitar accompaniment -also for bouzouki players

Here's a little text I found which deals with Guitar accompaniment on Irish tunes I think it is written by Alan Campbell. Lots of tips for players, which might be useful for players of the bouzouki too.

If you are interested in more information: Here you can watch some videos:
http://www.celticguitartalk.com/assets/guitars/recording/video.shtml


And here is the tutorial:
http://www.celticguitartalk.com/assets/misc/sharing/Accompaniment%20Workshop.pdf