Upcoming Cd: 'they'll Be Good Yet'

[Guest Peter Laban]

The last few loose ends are being tied up at the moment but I am happy to let you all know a CD will be launched in West Clare this side of Christmas.

 

 

 

Kitty Hayes (concertina) and Peter Laban (pipes, in C): 'They'll be good yet'

 

Taking it's title from a comment Jackie Daly regularly made when we played a regular spot in Gleeson's of Coore on the sundaynights the CD was recorded late september by Martin O' Malley of Malbaystudios in Kitty Hayes' kitchen. We sat down by the kitchentable and over cups of tea played the tunes that came to mind, the recording is in a sense (slightly) rough and ready, warts and all. It has a strong 'live' feel to it and is a product of the kitchen rather than of the studio. I hope we caught the atmosphere of the music as we play it, the music that brightens the bleak winter's days and lifts us through good times and bad times alike.

 

 

Kitty is a concertinaplayer living in Shanaway West, Miltown Malbay. Born in Faha between Miltown and Ennistymon, in the early part of the last century she grew up hearing her father play in the kitchen with their neighbour Gilbert Clancy. She remembers many tunes from those days. Learning the concertina from her father during the 1930s she was influenced by the music of fluteplayers Jimmy Hogan and Pappy Looney who played at the housedances she used to frequent as a teenager. By the late 1940s she married a musician , fluteplayer Josie Hayes (Packie Russell came to play at the wedding) who had a lifelong musical partnership with Junior Crehan. Josie and Junior's music was another big influence on her. While raising the family Kitty was forced to give up the concertina but she was never far from the music: during the 1950s Josie's brother in law fiddle player Paddy Killoran stayed long periods in their house while visiting from the states. One day I played Seamus Ennis' version of 'The Master's return', which Ennis named in honour of Killoran, for her to see if I could jog her memory. She immediately knew it was a Killoran tune and she told me the story of how Ennis came to the house several nights during the late 50s to play with Killoran 'and he learned that tune right on the spot you're sitting now', and then went on to air her annoyance at how the racket the pipes made kept the children awake.

During the late 1990s Kitty picked up the concertina with a vengeance and relearned on her own while retaining the basic 'on the row' style of the 'German' two row concertinaplayers of her youth. She plays a strong local style very reminiscent of the recordings of Mary Haren who lived in fact in the next townland from where Kitty was born.

 

I take great pleasure from playing music with Kitty. We've been playing regualrly for the past six or seven years. We always regretted there was no room for the pipes on Kitty's 2001 recording 'A Touch of Clare' and we've always thought we should make up for that. And so we did eventually.

 

The CD will be on general release within a few weeks, a website with more details will go up before the official launch.

 

Tom Munnelly, in his introduction to the CD wrote:

 

This CD catches the musical understanding that Kitty and Peter share with one another. The music is stately and relaxed at the same time. It eschews flashiness totally and gets under the skin of the tunes, a conversation between friends, never an argument or a race. If you wish to hear Clare music as it should be played, you will be hard-pressed to find a better example.

 

 

Tracklist:

 

1. The Newport Lass, Mist on the Meadow, The Legacy (jigs)

2. The Concert Reel, The Hare’s Paw, Garret Barry’s Reel (reels)

3. The Humours of Tulla, Tear The Callico (reels)

4. The Girl that broke my Heart, The Sligo Maid [concertina solo](reels)

5. The Wandering Minstrel, Fasten the Leg in her (jigs)

6. Hills of Coore, The Stack of Oats (hornpipes)

7. The Pigeon on the Gate, The Drunken Landlady, Sporting Nell (reels)

8. Winnie Hayes’, The Rose in the Heather (jigs)

9. Corney is coming, An Bhean Tincéara, The Collier’s Reel [pipes solo](reels)

10. Na Ceannabháin Bhána, Hardiman the Fiddler (slip jigs)

11. 'Ar Éirinn Ni 'Neosfainn Ce Hi [concertina solo] (Slow Air)

12. John Egan’s 1 and John Egan’s 2 (jigs)

13. The Porthole of the Kelp, The Maids of Mitchellstown (reels

14. Lost and Found, The Haunted House, The Luthradán (jigs)

15. The Mountain Top, Tom Ward’s Downfall, The Honeymoon Reel (reels)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A big thank you to Paul and Ken for allowing me to post this.

Edited December 2, 2005 by Peter Laban

[Boney]

I'll be ordering one or two. I love both pipes and concertina, and relaxed intimate playing among friends.

 

This CD catches the musical understanding that Kitty and Peter share with one another.

Not only that, judging by the photo, they share the same haircut too.

[Azalin]

Hey good luck Peter. Is there any CD release concert/session? I wish I could have been there for it.

[Animaterra]

That sounds just lovely! Will it be available in the US?

[Guest Peter Laban]

That sounds just lovely! Will it be available in the US?

 

 

It will be available through the website (in a week or two hopefully) and the usual outlets (like Custys) but OssianUSA will carry it as well.

Edited December 4, 2005 by Peter Laban

[wes williams]

That sounds just lovely! ..

I heard a few rough cuts of Peter and Kitty playing together a good while ago. They certainly did 'sound just lovely', so I think this CD will be a little bit more West Clare musical magic set loose. I'll pick the "Hills of Coore/ The Stack of Oats", two of Junior Crehan's tunes, as the ones I'm most looking forward to hearing. And remember, with Christmas coming, that Peter also sells superb photos ....

[Guest Peter Laban]

There were some slight delays so we missed our intended launch date (by about a week) but copies are now available at Custy's. Due to the christmas: strain on the postal system, buisinesses closing for the christmas period etc, the CD will only reach distributors until after the christmas. Claddagh will have them available by early January. Further distribution to be confirmed later.

 

The website www.theyllbegoodyet.com will go up shortly with more information, soundsamples and on-line purchase options. Purchasing through the website is the recommended option.

 

Edit to insert image and to say the CD is available from OssianUSA and from Custy's

 

Edited December 30, 2005 by Peter Laban

[Guest Peter Laban]

 

Just a final announcement:

 

The official Launch of the CD will be at The Crosses of Annagh, saturday january 7th.

If you can, come and help make it a great night, a large number of musicians are expected t oturn out for this.

 

The website has gone 'live' at www.theyllbegoodyet.com

Edited January 2, 2006 by Peter Laban

[Tom Lawrence]

I have just received my copy from Custy's music...

 

I can tell already from the first listen that this is going to become one of my favorite recordings. It has no accompaniment, played at a relaxed pace... This is the "old music", played by one of the last remaining examples of the old style players (Kitty Hayes), and how did Peter Laban manage to pick up so well on the old style -- he looks so young in the pictures!

 

From a concertina technique style, this CD is very interesting. If you have "A Touch of Clare", the previous recording featuring Kitty Hayes, you'll know that she plays a standard C/G concertina, yet many of her tunes are in the keys of C and F (and related modes). This is, apparently, a very old style of playing, based on old melodian fingering along the C row. (You'll find Mary MacNamara doing it too, but hardly anyone else.) On this recording "They'll be good yet" Peter Laban plays Uilleann Pipes in C accompanying Kitty's natural C/F playing style. This is really good stuff. Of course, the music is unaccompanied by guitar/bouzouki, etc, (my own personal pet peeves), so I am extra-pleased to listen to this.

 

Thanks Peter for making this possible!

[JimLucas]

Of course, the music is unaccompanied by guitar/bouzouki, etc, (my own personal pet peeves), so I am extra-pleased to listen to this.

Indeed! To "accompany" means to "travel with", yet too many "accompanists" sound as if they feel they're just along for the ride, or -- worse -- in the driver's seat, with the melody instrument as something incidental. I like to hear the delicacy of the melody, its variations and ornaments, which is painfully difficult when they're buried in a slough of strumming strings.

[Lars]

Well, Ok...so I love the guitar in ITM (not fond of piano though). Regardless, I ordered a copy from Custy's too and can't wait to listen to it! I really like pipes and concertina together... Hey Tom, did they send yours via registered mail? I just got a notice from the post office...

 

Lars

[JimLucas]

Well, Ok...so I love the guitar in ITM (not fond of piano though).

I didn't say I dislike all guitar, though I generally dislike all guitar. Or bouzouki, piano, etc.. There are a few -- too few, IMO -- really great accompanists, who work with the "lead" player, and who vary their style to match/enhance the tune and the style of the lead.

[red]

Well, Ok...so I love the guitar in ITM (not fond of piano though).

I didn't say I dislike all guitar, though I generally dislike all guitar. Or bouzouki, piano, etc.. There are a few -- too few, IMO -- really great accompanists, who work with the "lead" player, and who vary their style to match/enhance the tune and the style of the lead.

 

I agree with all that, there are indeed very few who can accompany with feeling let alone tact. At a session I go to, there occasionally turns up a most wonderful singer - Helen Roche - every aspect of her singing is perfection, but we have a guitar raider - who, tuning head to the fore, barges through the throng to swamp her perfection in his plucking and strumming. It is truley outrageous and I find it an act of supreme will to stop the red mist rising.

Edited January 18, 2006 by red

[Guest Peter Laban]

Thanks very much, I am glad the CD is getting a good reception.

 

Purchasing the CD directly from the website is the recommended option.

[JimLucas]

At a session I go to, there occasionally turns up a most wonderful singer - Helen Roche - every aspect of her singing is perfection, but we have a guitar raider - who, tuning head to the fore, barges through the throng to swamp her perfection in his plucking and strumming. It is truley outrageous and I find it an act of supreme will to stop the red mist rising.

Maybe you should consider taking a pair of scissors with you next time?

 

But what is Helen's reaction? If someone does that to me, I stop them.

 

Not that I don't allow guitar at all, but a guitarist (or anyone else) who seriously distorts "my" song -- or tune, for that matter -- will be told in no uncertain terms to stop. And for the record, if I am trying to play or sing along with someone else and they indicate they want me to stop (I don't wait for words; I watch their face), I do so immediately.

[Gerry]

Not that I don't allow guitar at all, but a guitarist (or anyone else) who seriously distorts "my" song -- or tune, for that matter -- will be told in no uncertain terms to stop. And for the record, if I am trying to play or sing along with someone else and they indicate they want me to stop (I don't wait for words; I watch their face), I do so immediately.

Its an awfull situation when another player needs words. We had a fiddle player come to our sessions a few months back, and while he could play his own tunes well, he had no empathy at all for others. Any recognised tune was played full blast at his own pace, gaps and quite passages in others filled in with his own improvisations. We tried subtle hints and polite words. Finally, another player told him quite bluntly to shutup.

 

Thankfully, all the regulars have more empathy, I like to play along and have others play along with me, as long as the player who starts is allowed to lead it through. That makes for the best and most enjoyable of sessions.

[richard]

Hello

 

Back to "They'll be Good Yet".

 

I just got my copy and I think it is wonderful, charming and full of feeling. I reccomend it to everyone.

 

Richard