The Littlest Bar, February 26, 2011

I was happy to make it down to the Littlest again last night. The session was in the very capable hands of the talented and affable Mike Reynolds, and also featured his lady friend, Diane (Diane knows every word to every song, and obviously loves the music), another box player named Kevin, a couple of my session-mates from Tommy's, Levi and Chris; and I was especially happy to see old friends from our Paddy Barry days (and oh, what days they were), Arnie and his daughter Emily. All in all, it was a great night, a privilege and an honor to have been in such fine company.

I'm still struggling with the darkness of these venues, and still working out the best format in which to save the files. My favorite of these is the last one, of Arnie and Emily - very precious to hear father and daughter making music together (and if you know me, you'll know why). Emily is seventeen and has been playing since she was seven.

I Love a House-session

Ryan and Chiara hosted a fab house-session on Sunday afternoon. Really, is there any better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than with a group of friends, playing music?

Here's a slide-show I had fun putting together, combining some of the stills I shot with one of the audio files from the afternoon. This was my first attempt at this kind of thing, something I've always been interested in trying. It was tricky timing everything - fitting the photos with the music, and I look forward to getting better at this.




This slide-show features Augusto, Brad, Cormac, Eric, Emerald, Liam, Mike, Ryan, Roisin, and Sean, with music by the company.

I'm adding a few random favorite still shots - to enjoy at a slower pace than the slide show offers. As always, I'm happy to share the low-res version of these shots (for FB, Match.com; J-Date :-)...whatever), which you will find here (or if you click on these photos you'll be redirected to the original gallery). For higher-rez, there's a buy option - for convenience rather than big bucks  (via Bay Photo, which does a great job) - and I can usually be talked into printing something up if there's a shot you love (8 1/2" wide, max, for now, until I get my new printer). I've also got a few videos that I'll be adding over the next few days. Please do share the video(s).

Eric (Rosanne in b.g.)


Brad


Ryan


Liam


Cormac


Augusto and Cormac


Augusto


Liam


Mike


Sean, Eric, and Rosanne.


Sean and Eric.


Emerald and Sean


Emerald, Sean, Eric




Roisin




Cormac




Rosanne

Here's more footage from Sunday. I'm totally new to video and video editing, so I'm still finding my way. I hope I've given everyone proper credit, and if anyone is inclined to add the names of these tunes, so much the better.And thanks, everyone, for putting up with me and my cameras! 

 

The Littlest Bar, Saturday Night

I love a Saturday night out downtown. It's always so festive, a mood that hits me the minute I step onto the C-Line train, with young people in abundance, either traveling in groups - laughing, the way they do - or couples, forced up close to each other, which is handy for flirting and smooching; everyone all dressed up (how do girls these days walk in those shoes!) and out for a night of fun and frivolity. I think the median age on the train last night must have been twenty-five.

There's something so free-wheeling about walking out my door, fiddle in hand, and simply hopping onto the T. I don't even have to take my back-pack off to swipe my card - since it's in the outer-most pocket all I have to do is lean my back onto the sensor, and I'm in. And since I decided to travel light tonight - no bouzouki - there was an extra spring in my step. When I think about my years with all those kids, cats, dogs, and parakeets - ha! I love this!

And I do love that walk from Park Street to the bar. While it's not exactly unsafe, there is something a bit edgy about it. And on some level, while walking through the dark canyons of downtown Boston with my fiddle, I am thinking about my father, walking the streets of Manhattan all those years ago with his violin. Some things, we just can't escape (and why would we want to)?

The Littlest Bar, down on Broad Street, within sight of Rowe's Wharf and around the corner from the old Customs House, is a delight. Typically, the little corner inside where the session is held is jam-packed with players, but last night there were only four of us (as close to my previously described childhood kitchen table as I've seen): Brendan Bulger - an amazing fiddler of some reknown, whose session this is - a guitarist from Davis Square by the name of Jeremy, a flute player (and fire-fighter from Norwood) named Joe, and Yours Truly. It was an honor and a privilege to be among this fine ensemble. Brendan was most polite and accommodating - without being condescending - and even bought a round in honor of my new grandson. I've said it before - I love the rollicking, full-throttle session, but the opportunity to be a part of this foursome in a non-pressurized setting, with time to get to know each other a bit - it was all delightful. And to think that I am now able to pretty much hold my own on a fair number of tunes and am able, some of the time, anyway, to play along with such high caliber musicians as these; well, all I can say is, there is a precise moment - and it happens at every session - when I am sailing along into my first tune of the evening, settling in to the heart of the music - it's a moment that can only be compared - I would imagine - to the way a drug addict feels the instant he feels the effects of the drug in his vein, as in,"ahhh...yes...everything...is...now...okay..."

A funny part of the evening was when Brendan got up to greet a drop-dead gorgeous woman who had walked over from the bar, seeking him out. It crossed my mind, "I wonder if Brendan's wife minds his being pestered by beautiful women in the bar..." and then I found out it was his wife. Lovely.

Another great moment was Brendan's borrowing - and loving - my bow. I'll never wash my hands again.

As usual, the video is a rather dark offering, which I don't mind - I even kind of like the style, and especially appreciate its being a tool for learning the music. But I really look forward to that 5DMKII that is looming closer and closer.

It figures that they would play something I know - the second tune, The Kesh Jig - while I was strapped to the camera.

Tommy Doyle's - Thursday Night, February 10, 2011

Great sessions Wednesday and Thursday nights this week. Wednesday night served as a transition from having been on the island for a few days, and was most welcome; a small-ish turnout, the intimacy of which I always enjoy. Thursday night brought out a few more of the gang and was quite rollicking. Without really planning to - Ryan got me fired up, I guess - I randomly picked up my G12 and caught the last set of the evening, a long one - or, more like a few sets on top of each other. I ran out of memory at 15:22, and it went on for a full three more tunes. Man, that place is so dark, though - it's hard to see anything on the screen.

I ended up having to break this up into four parts, largely due to the upload limits at my web-site (1GB). This was my first time editing video - I was psyched to find settings for brightening the image (though I think it affects quality, somewhat), also the BW option, my being the BW junkie that I am.

I'm thinking that Rosanne will come through with the names of these tunes.