Filip Demortier started a lovely new blog for all players of GDAE-Tuning. Lots of information, tunes and songs to be found there. I think, even players of GDAD tuning like me will profit from this blog. So have a look at http://gdaebouzouki.blogspot.com/
Benji is one of four children spawned by John Kirkpatrick and Sue Harris, who played together as a duo throughout the 70’s and 80’s and with countless classic line ups – Albion Country Band, Steeleye Span, Richard Thompson, Brass Monkey etc, etc.
He plays bouzouki and guitar and played with Oysterband and Bellowhead etc. and recorded several solo albums. More info: http://www.benjikirkpatrick.com/
Just discovered this man on youtube. He has posted more than 200 videos up to now. Many of them him playing one of his irish bouzoukis. He must have several of them.
Fear a Bhata played on a Beard Zouk
Only our rivers run free on a Joe Foley special made zouk
The Gael on a Beard Zouk
If you're interested in more look at his channel, lots of tunes to discover. He plays Guitar, Banjo and Mandolin too.
My friend Peter Hankiewicz gave me the hint to this fine video by Zouk Player Beth Patterson. Here she plays a cover of Iron Maiden's "Wasted Years". You can find some more videos of her on this blog.
Never heard of them, but they're great. Saltfishforty are Douglas Montgomery (fiddle/viola) and Brian Cromarty (guitar/mandola/vocals) from Orkney. More information on their website at: http://www.saltfishforty.co.uk/ or at myspace http://www.myspace.com/saltfishforty
Here's a way of introducing the bouzouki into world jazz. An improvisation which starts a bit oriental and ends in a sort of Hawkwind style or something like that.
Andrbayr posted these videos of live performances of the three at a Gig at the World Bodhran Championships-2010 (Milltown, Co.Kerry). Love The Accordeon on the songs.
Just found this old video by Téada. Two fine tunes, I don't know the names, maybe someone can help? The bouzouki is a bit in the background but nevertheless a great live band.
Andy, Donal and Paul playing an English Traditional called the Blind Harper live at the Embankment in 1976. By the way, just a little reminder - Andy's birthday is on June 14th. Maybe we should all write our congratulations in an e-mail to him and by the way remind him on his plans in writing a book on the bouzouki (or better a DVD).
Lyrics
Have you heard of the blind harper How he lived in Hogmaven town He went down to fair England To steal King Henry's wanton brown
First he went unto his wife With all the haste as go could he "This work", he said, "will never go well, without the help of our good grey mare"
Said she, "You take the good grey mare She'll run o'er hills both low and high. Go take the halter in your hose And leave the foal at home with me"
He's up and went to England gone He went as fast as go could he And when he got to Carlisle gates Who should there be, but King Henry
"Come in, come in, you blind harper And of your music, let me hear" But up and said the blind harper "I'd rather have a stable for my mare"
The king looked over his left shoulder And he said unto his stable groom "Go take the poor blind harper's mare" And put her beside my wanton brown"
Then he's harped and then he sang 'Till he played them all so sound asleep And quietly he took off his shoes And down the stairs he did creep
Straight to the stable door he's gone With a thread so light as light could be When he opened and went in He found thirty steeds and three
He took the halter from his hose And from his purse he did not fail He slipped it over the wanton's nose And tied it to the grey mare's tail
Then he let her loose at the castle gates She didn't fail to find her way She went back to her own colt foal Three long hours before the day
Then in the morning, at fair daylight When they had ended all their cheer Behold, the wanton brown had gone So had the poor blind harper's mare
"Oh, alas", said the blind harper "Ever alas that I came here. In Scotland, I've got a little colt foal. In England, they stole my good grey mare"
"Hold you tongue", said King Henry "And all your mournings, let them be. You shall get a far better mare And well paid shall your colt foal be"
Again he harped and again he sang The sweetest music he let them hear He was paid for a foal that he never had lost And three times worth them good grey mare
He was paid for a foal that he never had lost And three times worth them good grey mare
My friend Peter from Frankfurt/Germany posted this video in which he is playing a song by Peter Hoben from Castlebar Co. Mayo. His bouzouki is made in Serbia, it's the first of its kind built there. The sound is superb, as far as I can hear from the video.
By the way: Peter is singer of the band "Blue Blistering Barnacles". For further information visit: www.barnacles.de
