Ralf, the writer of the German book for the Irish Bouzouki just informed me, that his book is currently translated into English.
The Uilleann piper of his band is studying in Limerick, where she is working on a translation. Let's hope it will not take too long before we can announce a new book for the world market. And I can promise you it will be of great interest for all players of the Irish Bouzouki.
SIMMO7TS posted a 42 min survey of some festival shots. First there is Patrick Street with some songs and tunes. After that there's Chumbawamba and Dougie McLean. If you've got some time watch it all, otherless you might enjoy Patrick Street.
And here's some more 38 min, this time just Andy Irvine. Most of the videos have been posted before seperately.
Recently Andy Irvine was guest on Balcony TV. He played one of his signature songs, Never tire of the road.
Balcony TV was founded in June 2006. It is a leading daily online viral music show, which features band, musicians and other acts on lots of balconies around the world. You can find more information at: www.balconytvc.om.
Ben Williamson from Yellow Springs, Ohio is a Bouzouki player who not only plays Irish music but also Bulgarian, Arabic and New Age music. Here's a video of him playing an original tune.
You can find more information on his myspace site.
You've heard a tune, but don't know its name? Here's a little helper. Just go to http://tunepal.org. Java must be enabled and you need a microphone plugged into the computer. A player opens and you can play the tune. If you play it good enough tunepal recognizes the tune and here you go! Well, I think this is a great helper. Try it and comment, please!
Here's a little text I found which deals with Guitar accompaniment on Irish tunes I think it is written by Alan Campbell. Lots of tips for players, which might be useful for players of the bouzouki too.
The Doggy Few is an Irish Folk Band based in the Netherlands. They have a nice website at: www.doggyfew.com. I'm not really good in reading and understanding the language of the Netherlands. But they have a really good tunebook on the website:
Paul provides some more tunebooks (a set tunebook, a basic tunebook, a annex tunebook with tunes which will appear in a later version of his tunebook etc.) on his site, look at: http://www.pghardy.net/concertina/tunebooks/
Pennknivsmördaren (Penknife Killer" is a traditional Swedish tune. Kruzifinger learded it from Ken P, a member of "Mandolin Cafe", who learned it from Swedish group Vasen. Kruzifinger plays it on his Zouk tuned GDAD, Capo 2.
I haven't posted anything for more than a month. How time flies, but I did not find anything, that I thought is so interesting to post. But now my friend Tom gave me the hint to a new video of Andy Irvine.
First there's a video from January 24, 1999 in New Zealand, Christchurch. Live at Maddison's . Andy plays his solo version of the classic "The Blacksmith". Not the best quality but really worth watching.
Another fine song by Tim Browne, one of my favourite Bouzouki players. This is what he writes about the song:
This is a version of the great Cork song written over 100 years ago by Johnny Tom Gleeson. I recorded this version on Mutiny in the County a solo album I made in 2003. The lyrics were published in the 1993 edition of the wonderful Seanchas Duthalla Magazine in an article written by one James Chisman.
It is a mighty song and many versions of it, even one in the Irish language, are known. I particularily like this version because of its Land League component and Chisman mentioned in his article that this version is thought to be the nearest lyrically to the original version. The song has undergone many changes and additions since the original believed to have been written in the 1880's and first published around the early 1920's.
It is a much favoured drinking song possibly due to the references to drinking black porter as fast as you'll fill etc., Some extra lines have been added to this version so perhaps in one hundred years time or so Thade Quill will have become an internationally recognised academic, and maybe even an assissinated President of America................!!!
