Kerry Night was Fun!

Dear Friends,

I've already got some e-mails from you saying you had a good time last night listening to the tunes and playing the polkas and slides! I'm so pleased. I'm really enjoying getting a chance to sit and listen to some of the music that we wouldn't normally put on the CD player. If you're like me, you're probably so focused on learning that kickin' new tune that you don't want to be bothered with putting someone else's CD in to give it a listen. I have tunes going in my head all day so, as I tell Trusty all the time, the last thing I want to do is hear more tunes!

Really, though, this stuff is all about listening. That's why we're doing this new little piece. I can't take credit for it. It wasn't my idea. I learned it a long, long time ago when I took my very first arts week fiddle class from Willie Kelly, a mad brilliant fiddle player from the Jersey 'burbs (he learned from one esteemed Martin Mulvihill, and has this grand old sweetly ornamented style of playing). I think it must have been a beginner/intermediate class. It was a small group, anyway. Toward the end of the week, Willie took each one of us outside the class to have us play for him. I played my little tune for him, we talked about where it came from, who else liked to play that tune, etc., and then he said something I'll never forget. He just kind of cocked his head at me and said, "You just have to listen to the music. That's what it's all about."

So, I know you come to session to play. That's why we have those lists of sets to practice! But you also come to learn, so we have the music and the group experience. And now, I'd like you to come to the session to listen. I have some ideas about how that will grow, but for right now, I think we'll keep the structure as it is: a bit of listening and learning about a county or a style, a bit of learning tunes from that area or those people, a bit of our regular session tunes, and maybe finish up with some spontaneous sets of tunes.

Remember, next month is Sligo month! Wednesday, November 12, 2008 at 7:30 PM! Some folks have approached me about moving the time earlier (maybe even as early as 6 or 6:30 PM). I'd have to have some discussions with Old Songs about the time, but I'd like more feedback on whether earlier is better for you guys so we can see what direction to go in with it!

Enjoy the sunshine!

The Trad

p.s. which polka and/or slide from last night are we going to pick to play next month?