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Hey, isn't it such a treat, when a great musician arrives out of the blue at your local session.

 

At our session last night a Kerry Concertina player joined us & I must say, he's the finest Concertina player I've ever been fortunate enough to play with.

 

Barry is living in Dublin now & just popped in on his way up to Donegal & I'm delighted he did. He has a cracking top drawer Jeffries & a lovely driving style. When asked to play a selection, he launched straight into Dr Gilbert, not an easy tune, although he made it sound simple.

I thought that, coming from Kerry too, he may have had a head full of Kerry Slides & Polkas but no, he concentrates on Clare music. I was on the Fiddle last night & boy was it fun playing tunes with Barry sat on my right hand side! B)

 

Anyway, I'm certainly keeping my fingers crossed that he has to travel up to Donegal again, in the not too distant future.

 

It just shows the strength of Concertina playing in Ireland today, when a player with such obvious skill & talent can appear out of nowhere.

 

Cheers

Dick

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When asked to play a selection, he launched straight into Dr Gilbert, not an easy tune, although he made it sound simple.

I thought that, coming from Kerry too, he may have had a head full of Kerry Slides & Polkas but no, he concentrates on Clare music.

 

He might concentrate on Clare music, but that's a great South Sligo tune he played for his solo - one of my favourites! :D

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He might concentrate on Clare music, but that's a great South Sligo tune he played for his solo - one of my favourites! :D

 

Indeed Stephen. B)

 

By the way, this guy Barry said his parents actually bought his lovely Jeffries for him in Miltown, some years ago, from the one & only Tom Cussen, so no doubt you know Barry yourself. ;)

 

I didn't catch his surname, but hopefully he joins my wee Irish Concertina site, cause I certainly wouldn't mind hearing him again.

 

Cheers

Dick

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It looks like our visitor was one Barry McGee from Ballybunion Co. Kerry.

 

You can check out his tasty playing & that great Jeffries sound he gets, on Clips 3, 6, 10 & 11 of Tim O'Shea's CD ~

 

Lake of Learning B)

 

Cheers

Dick

Edited by Ptarmigan
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At our session last night a Kerry Concertina player joined us & I must say, he's the finest Concertina player I've ever been fortunate enough to play with.

 

Ah it's a small world indeed, I heard of Barry before. A friend of mine, guitar player, spent a few months in Dublin and met him a few times and he told me many times about this 'amazing concertina player' in Dublin. I just asked my friend and he confirmed it's the same guy, Barry. My friend describes him as 'quiet, tall, wears glasses, knows millions of tunes, works in IT'. Must be him? :-)

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Ah it's a small world indeed, I heard of Barry before. A friend of mine, guitar player, spent a few months in Dublin and met him a few times and he told me many times about this 'amazing concertina player' in Dublin. I just asked my friend and he confirmed it's the same guy, Barry. My friend describes him as 'quiet, tall, wears glasses, knows millions of tunes, works in IT'. Must be him? :-)

 

Yeah, that's him alright! B)

 

We spent a while discussing just how fantastic the Internet was & how valuable sites like C.net really are.

 

With his talent, I reckon he really should be thinking of bringing out a CD, so that more folks can enjoy his great music.

 

Cheers

Dick

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Ah it's a small world indeed, I heard of Barry before. A friend of mine, guitar player, spent a few months in Dublin and met him a few times and he told me many times about this 'amazing concertina player' in Dublin. I just asked my friend and he confirmed it's the same guy, Barry. My friend describes him as 'quiet, tall, wears glasses, knows millions of tunes, works in IT'. Must be him? :-)

 

Yeah, that's him alright! B)

 

We spent a while discussing just how fantastic the Internet was & how valuable sites like C.net really are.

 

With his talent, I reckon he really should be thinking of bringing out a CD, so that more folks can enjoy his great music.

 

Cheers

Dick

 

Yeah to be honnest when my friend first told me about an 'amazing concertina player' in Dublin I dismissed his enthousiasm as just being easy to impress... but after hearing his playing on the sample clips, he's definitely a top level player and is up there with the likes of Tim Collins and Edel Fox! I'd try to get lessons from him if I were visiting Dublin.

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Thanks Dick. I just ordered it from CD Baby on the strength of the clips. I like his phrasing and individual style. Love that sound. Not just rushing full tilt but a flyuid style.:)

 

Me too Michael.

Mind you, I like Tim's voice too, so I know I'll enjoy the whole CD. :)

 

Cheers

Dick

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  • 2 weeks later...

I thought you might like to know that Barry just posted a comment on a discussion, over on the Irish Concertina, which included these sentences:

 

I really enjoyed tunes at session and very nice welcoming atmosphere.

Musicians were very welcoming and it was lovely to hear tunes i would be not so familiar with.

It was a really nice and enjoyable session.

 

This is music to my ears, as this is surely what an open session is all about! B)

 

Cheers

Dick

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Thanks Dick. I just ordered it from CD Baby on the strength of the clips. I like his phrasing and individual style. Love that sound. Not just rushing full tilt but a flyuid style.:)

 

Hi Michael, just to let you know that Lake of Learning dropped through my letterbox this morning. As you will know, I'm absolutely delighted with the Concertina tracks.

 

Mind you, from Kerry, via CD Baby in Portland, Oregon to Ballycastle in Co Antrim has to be ... the scenic route! ;)

 

Is that track Mr Connor excellent ...... or what! B)

 

Cheers

Dick

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It just arrived today great CD. I opted for the no plastic option , they always get broken anyway!

 

Good link Dick.thanks l

Apparently the title tune is about a lake where the priests lived on an Ireland hence the lake of the learned.

Edited by michael sam wild
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