Browse Content (338 total)
Sandy's Reel
The first time that I heard New England contra dance music was in 1972 in St. Louis, Missouri. It was on an LP recording of The Canterbury Country Dance orchestra from New England. Among the members of that band was Bob McQuillen, the prolific…
Will Hardy's Twiggy Jig
My friend Beth Sweeney is the librarian for the Irish Music Archives at the Burns Library of Boston College. When she finds time in her schedule, Beth likes to play music and compose. On this track she plays one of her own tunes, which she describes…
Hetty's
This is another of master composer Bob McQuillen's tunes. It may be found in his seventh book of compositions. It was composed for Miss Hetty Thomae from Vermont. On this track I had the honour of playing it with Bob and his band, Old New England.
McQuillen's March
This tune is not a composition of 'Professor' Bob McQuillen, but of the master fiddle player from New Hampshire, Rodney Miller. Rodney is considered today to be the foremost exponent of the music of New England. He has traveled all over the world…
O'Brien the Blacksmith
Another song from the pen of Robbie McMahon. I first heard him sing it at a County Clare Fleadh Cheoil over fifty years ago, and it has stayed with me down through the years. Robbie sang it again for me the afternoon that I visited his home in 2009,…
Thomas Reilly, Clerk of Fore
Rev. John Quinn from County Leitrim sent me this tune in the 1980s. It was a copy of handwritten music from The Mulvey Manuscript. Stephen Grier wrote it out on the twenty-fifth of May, 1883. Father John has supplied me with many tunes from his part…
Tara and Dáire
Marie Reilly, the fiddle player from New York, played this reel at a Gaelic Roots Festival concert at Boston College, her alma mater. Thanks to Marie for bringing the tune to our attention. I did my utmost to find the tune's composer in order to give…
Old 78 Record, An
Geraldine Cotter liked this tune the first time she heard me playing it. 'Let's try and record it', she said, and as I played the jig a second time she followed right along. This track is the result of our efforts. I do not have a name for this jig,…
Summer's Waltz
A beautiful waltz played by its composer, Eliza Mette, from Cape Elizabeth, Maine, with Kimberley Fraser at the piano. Eliza made up this tune for her friend Summer, another young and talented musician. Eliza generously took the time (from doing her…
Pride of Erin
Sean Nugent and his Pride of Erin Céilí Band from County Fermanagh loved to play this jig. So too did Johnny McGreevy from Chicago, who played it for me in 1972 with piano player Eleanor Kane Neary. Jimmy Noonan on flute and Dan Gurney…
Tom Turkington's in G Major
The young Cape Breton fiddle player Kimberley Fraser gives us an exciting blend of Irish and Cape Breton fiddle styles. She plays another reel from the music of County Tyrone fiddle player Tom Turkington (see 'Tom Turkington's in C Major').
Buddy MacMaster's
Cape Breton fiddle legend Mr. Buddy MacMaster gave this tune to our mutual friend, piano player Barbara MacDonald Magone. Barbara graciously passed it along to me when she recorded it for this collection in Portland, Maine, almost ten years ago.
Dominick McCarthy's Irish Barndance
The name Shand is synonymous with the traditional music of Scotland. The rock-solid rhythm and strict tempo of master accordionist and composer Sir Jimmy Shand are forever embedded in my mind. Joyous memories of Mr. Shand's music have remained with…
In Memory of Leo Rowsome
The name of the legendary piper, pipemaker, composer, and teacher Leo Rowsome (1903-1970) is synonymous with the uilleann pipes. An icon of Irish traditional music, Leo devoted his entire life to the uilleann pipes and has numerous recordings to his…
Galway Jig, The
Accordionist Larry Gavin, a longtime friend, put this tune on tape for me a few years ago at his home in Tulla, County Clare. Larry is a repository of Irish music, and he raised this tune up from his deep well. Apparently the tune was played by…
Thomas Power's Polka
Thomas Power, fiddle player from Doonbeg, County Clare, had a repertoire of unusual old tunes. His son Michael, who lives in upstate New York, sent me a recording of his father playing this and a number of other tunes. Fiddle player Kevin Burke did a…
Connolly's Chair
Multi-instrumentalist Brian Hebert from the Boston area conferred on me special recognition by composing and playing this slip jig. The chair mentioned in the tune's title is my endowed position as Sullivan Artist in Residence at The Center for Irish…
Bobby Gardiner's (Number One)
Master accordionist Bobby Gardiner from Clare composed this reel. I first heard it on an LP he recorded in Ireland, produced by his fellow accordionist Dermot O'Brien: exciting and wonderful music. When I asked Bobby if he would perform it again, for…
Trip to Moultonborough
Meghan Mette was one of the musicians featured on 'A Polka for Matt'. She is the younger sister to Eliza Mette, who can be heard on 'Summer's Waltz'.
Here Meghan plays one of her own compositions and, below, she tells us in her own words how the…
O'Brien's Tower
Paddy O'Brien, the learned and beloved accordionist from County Offaly who now lives in Minneapolis, recorded 'O'Brien's Tower', one of his many compositions, for me while on a visit to the home of Sally K. Sommers Smith Wells and her husband Paul…