What Kind of Music Do You Play?

[nigelgatherer]

In my welcome to Ray (Which Mandolin do you play?), I asked him what kind of music he plays with his fine collection of mandolins. I realised this is another thread in itself, so here we are!

My first love is Scottish music, a field which I'm fortunate to work in. I also like Irish music, but I don't get as much chance to play Irish stuff these days. Another great love is American Old Time music. I used to run a monthly old time jam session in an Edinburgh pub, at which we welcomed occasional visiting American musicians. At that time I also played in an Edinburgh-based old-time band, Clutching at Straws:



When I moved away from Edinburgh, that all fizzled out, unfortunately. Other than that, I can be heard playing in a band doing various stuff - Steve Earl, Mark Knopfler, Lucinda Williams, Gram Parsons, and so on, and in a duet playing Bluegrass, ragtime, Scottish, self-penned stuff.

I guess just I love to play!

[Calum Galleitch]

My real instrument, if you can call it that, is the bagpipe, and some of the music we play on it these days defies easy classification. Here's us at the Cowal Championships last year:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=b7B-z3z8LwI

And this is the Toronto Police, who caused a bit of a stir with this piece last year:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qoFmNBF3YTo

[JAJ]

Scottish, Irish, and Scandinavian music mostly but I've tried various other things too. Unfortunately, I'm not as focused as I should be which is probably why I don't settle in any session for too long.

I hadn't realised you played with John, Nigel?

[nigelgatherer]

Yes, JAJ, John Greig (pictured above playing banjo) and I played for a couple of years in the late 1990s, but with various upheavals in our lives it came to an end, and unfortunately I haven't seen John for years now.

[Ptarmigan]

Well, I must be honest & say that, despite being an Edinburger, my first love is Irish Music, but growing up with Scottish Music, I am very fond of that too. So naturally I am very interested in the links between the two, hence my
Dalriada MySpace.
my
North Antrim Culture & Heritage Forum
& my
Scad the Beggars MySpace


North Antrim & in particular the Glens of Antrim where we live, is the home, in Ireland at least, of the Hammered Dulcimer, hence my Dulcimer Player's Forum (Europe)
& it's associated:
Dulcimer Player's Forum MySpace.


An interest in Scottish & Irish Music while living in Ulster quite naturally leads one onto an interest in Old Time Music, hence my
Old Time Music Forum (Europe).
& it's associated:
Old Time Music Forum's MySpace.


I grew up musically in Sandy Bells during the 70s & Norman Chalmers was a regular, so not surprisingly I developed a love for the sound of the Concertina, hence my
Concertinas in Scotland Forum
& it's associated
Scottish Concertina MySpace


My wife also plays this music too & of course it is in the nature of traditional musicians to be looking back at past musicians & their music, but we tend too look a little further back than some, hence our interest in the Ancient Music of Scotland & Ireland & my
Mandragora MySpace.


If you haven't already worked it out .... yes, I'm a full time musician which means I am fortunate enough to have time
{ but sadly little money! } to pursue all my musical interests.

Well, we're only here once & for a very short time so why waste it?
After all, what's the alternative?
When I was at school, we were told that a Good Job to go for was working in a Bank! ....... Hmmmmmmmm

Of course like yourself Nigel, when I'm not playing music I'm teaching it to local youngsters & adults whenever possible, giving back a little.


Sorry Nigel, I could have given you the SHORT answer I suppose, but hey, it's Sunday!

Cheers
Dick

[Anne R]

Was just having a nice soak in the bath when I thought I heard a pipe band playing stirring music somewhere. Actually got out of the water all dripping wet (No lewd comments please!) to open the window further, only to discover it was my other half next door investigating your YouTube links Calum!

Have now had a proper listen myself and WOW - that piece played by the Toronto Police Pipe Band is amazing. How on earth do they remember such a complex piece? Fantastic! Your lot sound superb as well.

PS My dad, now in his 80s, is ex Lothian and Borders Police. He wasn't in the band though. There's a chap who sometimes comes to the Nitten Thursday night singarounds who's L & B polis. Alec(?) Nichol I think he said?

[Eric Renshaw]

Thanks for all these fascinating and interesting posts and web links Dick. Do you ever run any events over in Antrim that might be attractive to Forum members, e.g. workshops, jam sessions for mixed abilities, etc.? If so, perhaps the entire forum membership should pop over en masse and have an Irish 'Gathering' session!

[Ptarmigan]

(01-03-2009 07:12 PM)Eric Renshaw Wrote:  .... perhaps the entire forum membership should pop over en masse and have an Irish 'Gathering' session!

.
.
.
WHAT? ............................

---

But seriously Eric, if any Forum members ever find themselves heading this way, please get in touch. There are a number of weekly sessions in this area & anyway, it'd be a pleasure to organise a mixed abilities session or two while you were in the area.

However, having said that, I should point out that we do our best to make passing musicians, of whatever ability, very welcome at our sessions & encourage them all to join in.

We even had four visitors last Friday night, who weren't even musicians but for some reason they had three Shakey Eggs in their pockets & the other had a pair of Spoons. If we can put up with that sort of nonsense, you can see that genuine enthusiasts are always very welcome.

When I was running my evening classes in the local town, Ballycastle, I also ran a beginners session for about 8 years & had great fun watching learners gain in confidence.

Cheers
Dick

[Eric Renshaw]

This has the be the best 'Best Smiley' of all time! Thanks for this - cheered me up immensely.

Seriously though, many thanks indeed for your extremely warm response. It's certainly something to keep in mind when we are planning holidays. Mind you, if you knew the level of my mandy playing you might think twice - I must be the only guy in Scotland to have an electronic metronome that's marked in beats per hour!

Happy twanging, Eric.

[Ptarmigan]

.
You mean THIS isn't you Eric?


....... yet!