Post by ocarolan on Feb 4, 2015 13:28:29 GMT
Glyn (Nuffsed) gave me a very generous birthday present last October, and last night I was able to “cash it in”.
He’d got us tickets for the Transatlantic Sessions concert at the Colston Hall in Bristol. Not only that, but he drove us both there and bought me a luxury tea of pork pie, crisps, Guinness and a Snickers.
The “house band” had all the folk you’d expect – Aly Bain (fiddle), Phil Cunningham (accordion/piano), Gerry Douglas (dobro), John McCusker (fiddle/low whistle), Mike Mc Goldrick (low and high whistles/uillean pipes), Donald Shaw (piano/harmonium), Danny Thompson (double bass), John Doyle (guitar/bouzouki), Russ Barenberg (guitar/mandolin), James MacKintosh (percussion), Tim O’Brien (mandolin/fiddle) and Dirk Powell (5 string open back banjo/accordion) . Guest artistes were John Smith (one of my favourite newish UK singer/songwriters), Sara Watkins (ex Nickel Creek fiddler/vocalist), Patti Griffin (US country folky singer/songwriter), Kathleen MacInnes (singer mostlyof Scottish Gaelic songs) and Rodney Crowell (US country rock singer/songwriter).
It was a simply stunning evening of magnificent music and song. Not a duff moment in the whole evening. Highlights were almost too numerous to mention, but some that leap straight to mind include Molly Mae – a gorgeous Phil Cunningham waltz I’ll have to track down and learn; Aly Bain and John McCusker fiddling in harmony; Rodney Crowell’s singing with great harmonies from Sara Watkin’s wonderful and expansivechest voice; Mike McGoldrick’s sensuous low whistle playing etc etc.
With so many musicians playing at any given time, it did get a bit "wall-of-sound-ish" from time to time, but there was still ample opportunity for each musician to take turns in the spotlight, and there were some very nicely arranged bits of light and shade when instruments dropped in and out.
A first half of 1 1/4 hours, and a second half lasting 1 1/2 hours this was a grand session. Despite a long “wind down” afterwards at home with a relaxing beverage I couldn’t get to sleep for ages as there were too many tunes whirring around in my head.
Thanks Glyn!
Keith
He’d got us tickets for the Transatlantic Sessions concert at the Colston Hall in Bristol. Not only that, but he drove us both there and bought me a luxury tea of pork pie, crisps, Guinness and a Snickers.
The “house band” had all the folk you’d expect – Aly Bain (fiddle), Phil Cunningham (accordion/piano), Gerry Douglas (dobro), John McCusker (fiddle/low whistle), Mike Mc Goldrick (low and high whistles/uillean pipes), Donald Shaw (piano/harmonium), Danny Thompson (double bass), John Doyle (guitar/bouzouki), Russ Barenberg (guitar/mandolin), James MacKintosh (percussion), Tim O’Brien (mandolin/fiddle) and Dirk Powell (5 string open back banjo/accordion) . Guest artistes were John Smith (one of my favourite newish UK singer/songwriters), Sara Watkins (ex Nickel Creek fiddler/vocalist), Patti Griffin (US country folky singer/songwriter), Kathleen MacInnes (singer mostlyof Scottish Gaelic songs) and Rodney Crowell (US country rock singer/songwriter).
It was a simply stunning evening of magnificent music and song. Not a duff moment in the whole evening. Highlights were almost too numerous to mention, but some that leap straight to mind include Molly Mae – a gorgeous Phil Cunningham waltz I’ll have to track down and learn; Aly Bain and John McCusker fiddling in harmony; Rodney Crowell’s singing with great harmonies from Sara Watkin’s wonderful and expansive
With so many musicians playing at any given time, it did get a bit "wall-of-sound-ish" from time to time, but there was still ample opportunity for each musician to take turns in the spotlight, and there were some very nicely arranged bits of light and shade when instruments dropped in and out.
A first half of 1 1/4 hours, and a second half lasting 1 1/2 hours this was a grand session. Despite a long “wind down” afterwards at home with a relaxing beverage I couldn’t get to sleep for ages as there were too many tunes whirring around in my head.
Thanks Glyn!
Keith
Jo whoever he is.
