Secret No More!

Once you've heard this 1985 cassette, the truth is out of the bag!

01. Planxty Burke / Bumper Squire Jones (4:24)

02. Carrickfergus (3:35)

03. Susie McGuire / Bridget Geary (4:19)

04. Lord Inchiquin (4:07)

05. Carolan's Favorite Jig (3:07)

06. Song of the Water Kelpie / The Sheep Under the Snow (5:34)

07. Planxty Irwin (3:23)

08. The Foggy Dew (3:40)

09. Squire Wood's Lamentation (5:02)

10. Carolan's Concerto (3:40)

11. Eleanor Plunkett (4:05)

12. Dark Woman of the Glen (5:08)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

It's up to you guys to find Volumes I and II.  Let me know!

See you on Thursday for the commencement of this year's APRIL FUN!

  

Woven into 88 Keys

.... that's this ...

01. Morning Has Broken (5:27)

02. Immortal, Invisible (5:08)

03. Ridgecrest (3:21)

04. Be Thou My Vision (4:34)

05. Brother James' Air (4:35)

06. Variations on Ash Grove (5:47)

07. Londonderry Air (Danny Boy) (3:58)

08. Over the Sea to Skye (3:37)

09. Celtic Celebration (3:14)

10. The Salley Gardens (4:40)

11. Scottish Air (3:34)

12. Celtic Tapestry (4:29)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

It’s a fine bunch o’ tunes.  Like many people, Mr Martin impresses most when he is the least trying to be impressive in his playing.

And don't ask me whose name is scrawled across the front!  See you Monday for the big wrap-up of this Celtic month.

  

Milk It, Baby!

But ya gotta catch the darn cow first!

01. Malley Leigh (3:13)

02. Ned of the Hill / Fanny Power / Jumpin' John (2:58)

03. The Shearin's No for You (3:15)

04. Scartaglen / Ballydesmond Polkas (1:39)

05. Feasgair Luain (1:39)

06. Greensleeves / Mairseail Ri Laoise / Brian Boru's March (3:42)

07. Up in the Morning Early (5:21)

08. Skye Boat Song (1:42)

09. Laglan Love (2:05)

10. John Kelly / Above the Garter / Road to Lisdoonvarna (1:52)

11. Feasgair Luain (1st Variation) (0:51)

12. Lay Ye Doon, Love (5:42)

13. Darby's Jig / Off to the Hunt (0:54)

14. The Fair Little Child (1:18)

15. Hewlett (1:30)

16. The Sea (5:00)

17. Feasgair Luain (2nd Variation) (0:31)

18. Lord Inchiquin (1:55)

19. She Moved Through the Fair (5:12)

20. A Lovely Cup of Joan (3:26)

21. Merrily Kiss the Quaker's Wife (1:07)

22. Feasgair Luain (3rd Variation) (0:40)

23. Wild Mountain Thyme (6:12)

24. Boil the Breakfast Early (0:56)

25. Blind Mary / Sally Gardens (2:34)

26. Morning Has Broken (3:04)

27. Feasgair Luain (4th Variation) (0:40)

28. Band O'Shearers (3:59)

29. Jerry's Hornpipe / O'Keefe's Slide (1:30)

30. Old Maids of Galway / Maddie in the Wood (1:44)

31. I'll Tell My Ma (3:11)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

A 2006 release.  It’s an earnest bunch of performances, but not for those who crave excitement.  It’s … nice.

See you on Thursday!

  

Chieftains of Who?

Yup, this 1993 cassette is lookin' for somebody to chief.

01. MacAllistrum's March-Máirseail Alasdroim (3:00)

02. Tribute to Bunting (8:02)

03. The Parting of Friends-Kerry Fling (4:40)

04. Planxty Bunting (4:45)

05. Madame Cole (2:43)

06. The Blackbird (4:27)

07. Táimsa 'im Chodladh (3:48)

08. Sonny Brogan's mazurkas (2:58)

09. The Wild Geese (6:45)

10. The Green Fields of America (6:00)

11. Corolan's Concerto (3:15)

12. The Lament for Limerick (5:24)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

Well, we got bagpipes, whistles, braying male voices, and a full orchestra.  Perhaps the dulcimer-sounding things are Celtic harps?!?!

This is definitely a case of like or leave it.  I’m gonna leave it here in case some of you like it.

See you Monday!

  

Happy Spiritual St Pat's Day!

01. Leaning on the Everlasting Arms (3:00)

02. Morning Has Broken (2:19)

03. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (3:26)

04. St. Patrick's Breastplate (2:46)

05. 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus / Redeemed (4:00)

06. Whiter Than Snow / Come All Ye Christians, Be Committed (3:21)

07. Irish Hymn Medley: St. Columbia, Daniel, Clonmel, St. Sechnall (3:18)

08. What Wondrous Love Is This / Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy (3:00)

09. Jesus Loves Even Me (2:30)

10. Be Thou My Vision (3:55)

11. Jesus Shall Reign / How Firm a Foundation (3:24)

12. Londonderry Aire (4:23)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

I was ready to look down on this as a sentimental, hypocritical milking of the Christian market. Instead I heard a sometimes romping, sometimes meditative conglomeration of tunes, some of which are only debatably Irish. Some are done in a looping fashion, which makes them more interesting than the packaging might suggest.

  

See you on Thursday, friends!

  

Lullaby for Wet Rocks

It's a 1990 cassette.

01. Spancil Hill (3:36)

02. Foggy Dew (4:22)

03. The Halting March / Knocknagow Jig (5:11)

04. Captain O'Kane / Down the Brae (7:25)

05. Killarney Boys of Pleasure / Bag of Spuds / The Sailor's Return (4:14)

06. Galician Waltz (5:20)

07. MacKinnon Brook / The MacDonald's March (4:39)

08. The Black Mare of Fanad / Boil the Breakfast Early (4:04)

09. The Mist-Covered Mountains of Home (6:23)

10. Jezebel Carol / Avenging and Bright (5:20)

11. Down by the Sally Gardens (2:57)

12. Maid at the Spinning Wheel / The Ballykeal Jig (2:48)

13. New Rigged Ship / Shelder Geo / Sleep Soond Ida Moarnin' (3:36)

Judging by Tracks 1-2, the folks who produced this music were sleepwalking.  In the middle of Track 3, somebody wakes up, and we stumble along amiably for the better part of an hour.  This music is definitely background fun, not foreground.  But who needs a world full of drum or guitar solos?

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

  

See you on Monday for a spiritual selection for St Paddy's Day!

  

I Dare Ya!

It's a 1985 cassette.

01. Square Dance Medley: Yellow Rose of Texas / Petronella / Over the Waterfall / Angeline the Baker / Mississippi Sawyer (7:29)

02. Slow Clog: Tennessee Wagoner (4:22)

03. Fast Clog: Cluck Old Hen (2:46)

04. Square Dance Medley: West Fork Gals / Dog Catch a 'Bacca Worm / Ragtime Annie / Golden Slippers (8:09)

05. Reel: Musical Priest (3:38)

06. Set Dance: The Black Nag (3:43)

07. Jigs: Haste to the Wedding / Morrison's Jig (3:26)

08. Waltz: Sheebeg Shemore (4:43)

09. Round Dance: La Bastringue / St. Anne's Reel (5:26)

10. Polka: Jesusito en Chihuahua (3:24)

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

A fun bit o' tunes.  The vocals in a couple of numbers make them less fun.  This was an OKC group, according to the notes.

See you on Thursday, me hearties!

  

Just a Lark

From Scotland, Ireland, and all over the place ...

01. Le Chat Blanc (1:45)

02. High Road to Gareloch / The Nameless Jig (3:53)

03. The Mary Suite: Mary Hamilton / Lady Mary (4:25)

04. Song for Polly (4:04)

05. Scarborough Fair (5:05)

06. Skewbald / Lovely Joan (2:29)

07. Cradle Song / Farewell (5:11)

08. Le Chat Blanc (avec les quatre petits chats) (2:26)

09. Green Rocky Road (2:24)

10. Wondrous Love (5:55)

11. The Back O' Bennachie / The Duck (2:02)

12. Geordie (1:19)

13. The Winding Banks of Erne (2:06)

14. Bank and Braes of Bonnie Doon (1:59)

15. La Belle de Charenton (2:55)

16. Lark in the Twilight (4:53)

17. Deep Like a River (6:18)

A 1998 release.  It’s by turn rousing and comforting.  

Some of the arrangements reminded me of Steeleye Span.

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

See you on Monday!

  

Don't Stray Too Far

Or else you'll miss a lot of fun music this month!

Not every selection this month is strictly "Irish" music, but it's all got that Celtic/Gaelic bump.  To wit:

01. The Dream (2:43)

02. The Strayaway Child (3:04)

03. Martin Wynne's / The Pigeon on the Gate (2:38)

04. Midnight on the Water / Star of the County Down (2:57)

05. The Dancing Dog / The Blarney Pilgrim (3:19)

06. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (3:40)

07. Lord Inchquin (2:43)

08. The Butterfly / Swallowtail Jig (3:39)

09. Castle Kelly (2:37)

10. The Southwind (2:29)

11. Kesh Jig / The Kid on the Mountain (3:37)

12. Somewhere Over the Rainbow / The Dream (4:19)

Charming for those who like tinkles.  The business card was in the cassette, don’t hold ye olde posting entity responsible for wrong turns!

THIS LINK GOOD FOR SEVEN DAYS.

PERMANENT LINK.

Listen to the tinkles and get a little bouncy!  See you Thursday.