Random...

I don't want you to think I forgot about you! Trusty and I have been working on a demo, and the experience has made us very much aware of our human frailties -- we make the same mistake over and over, even if we've practiced the corrections over and over; I get the intonation wrong on a passage...over and over; we fail to use all the variations or ornaments we'd planned on because that microphone staring us in the face is more terrifying than we'd counted on. Sure, you waltz in the first night thinking "How hard can this possibly be? We'll sit down, get tuned up, and blast through all 15 tracks in one night."

Yeh. Right.

So, it's been a slow go, but a great learning experience. If anything, I've left each session feeling more confident, and having a stronger sense of musicial direction. In fact, it's been easier to practice lately. I don't feel so daunted by the enormous amount of tunes there are to learn or to listen to. I've spent a few afternoons recently in front of the computer just letting my iTunes play while I play along. I have lots of CDs loaded on my computer, and I alphabetize the tracks, and just go. There's this great randomness to it.

It's been a challenge to keep up with the likes of Jimmy Noonan and the Kane sisters. It's been fun playing those groovy swoopy tracks from Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill's recording. And playing the old style with Breda or Claire Keville or Pat O'Connor or Kitty Hayes. So cool.

I bought Trusty a nifty little mp3 player for Christmas, and we've been downloading the podcasts for all the Trad shows from Clare FM (http://www.clarefm.ie/) and listening to them as we tool around town. I highly recommend this for a couple of reasons: 1. it's random (my theme o' the day), 2. you're unlikely to have every single recording on their play list (unless you're Gary Martin or Bob Gaesser), and 3. it brings tunes to mind that you didn't know you wanted to learn. One broadcast can send you off in a completely different direction than you thought you were going. And it gives you all kinds of ideas for linking sets of tunes together. Very good for getting ready for slow session!

Don't forget, slow session is two weeks from tomorrow. I think Karen will be with us, and George will be back from some sunny clime (he missed January because he was in the Caribbean), but I don't know that Colleen will be joining us as she's been under the weather, but everyone send good wishes in her direction that she'll be healing quickly and feeling better soon. We miss you, Colleen!

I'm hoping to see Sean and Jeff back, and Jennifer and Fritz!, and I know Pete will be there, if I can just remember to send him the darn lists I promised to mail out. I'm hoping that a couple of Nickelharpe players will join us (Peter and Debbie), and they're mad for Irish waltzes (JEFF, ARE YOU LISTENING?)....also, looking forward to having Leanne and Jim back, as well as Caroline (so nice to see you earlier this month!) and Elaine (grand, as always!). We had a new gent visit in January, but I feel so terrible, I don't remember his name. If you're reading this, please pipe up and remind me!

Well, all, I hope you're enjoying the cold weather, and the opportunity to practice! Don't be afraid of it. Just pick something you really like to play and play it! Get that instrument in your hands as often as possible. Hey, they've figured out that exercising for even as little as five minutes at a time can benefit you. Why can't you treat practicing that way? Just pick it up, play two tunes, put it away and go cook some dinner. Don't stress on it! You love this stuff!!!! Remember?

Catch you soon, and I hope I catch you playing...

The Trad

What Time Is It?

Yesterday Trusty Companion and I played a contra dance. It was more of a trainwreck than a dance, but it was fun anyway! The best part? When we anticipated a change in the dance, and switched tunes at the perfect time! I've always been impressed by the great players, like Fennig's All-Stars, where their tune choices are superb and their timing is impeccable. Yesterday, we had a little taste of how that works.

It was so cool!

We hope you're having a great weekend, and that you've given some thought to my previous diatribe on community. If there's someone at the session you want to get together with and play some tunes to practice, ask them! Get their phone number or e-mail and make a date. That's how the rest of us started out. If we couldn't find a session, we'd make one at our house! You CAN do that. You share tunes you're working on, learn some that they've got, play together, and generally have fun. Our session usually involved chili and beer, but that part is up to you...

Don't forget, the list of sets for next time is up already (look to your right!). I will have copies of the big giant practice tune list for folks at February's session. Remember, it's Wednesday, February 13, right before The Dance Flurry in Saratoga Springs, NY (Feb. 15-17, 2008 at the City Center).

Phenomonal young fiddler Cedar Stanistreet and friends (probably John Cromie, a superb whistle player, among others) will be leading the Irish Jam on Sunday morning. So stay up all night and show up in the atrium of the hotel for that shindig. Should be fun! There's always a pile of fabulous players that come, including some kids from Boston who kick #$%!

In the meantime, enjoy the weather and the rest of your weekend, and don't forget to practice!

All the best,

The Trad

Great December Session!

As the Trad is just learning how to be a blog of any interest to anyone at all, we've been trolling around, reading any blogs we can get to come up on our screen. This one brought us to tears: http://www.drbobcares.com/blog/. Please read and weep. Dr. Bob is an amazing man with a mission that should inspire anyone to greater generosity in their own life. He and his team inspire me to be more connected to the folks around me, and to be grateful for what I do have.

Speaking of grateful, I am grateful for the folks who come to the session, because there is just nothing that beats looking around the table at faces young and old, concentrating hard on picking up a bit of tune. Or to see the smiles when we get it, and we're chugging along through a reel: playing off of each other, listening to each other, having fun! Let's keep this nice energy going through May.

We'll be putting the links to some tunes up, as well as the tune list from this month. Please, please practice the tunes between now and January 10! The whole idea isn't just to learn the tunes, but to come back to them over and over until they come to your mind and your fingers easily. We're building a repertoire here, so please send us any suggestions for tunes you want to work on. We want you to walk away from slow session in May with a pile of tunes, and have a load of fun playing tunes at all the summer festivals!

Our session scribe Karen White is thinking of writing a review of the "Irish Christmas in America" concert held at the Egg on Tuesday. Keep your eyes on the blog, and feel free to send us your writing submissions to be posted, as well!

Warmest Wishes for a Happy Christmas and an Abundant New Year!

The Trad