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This weekend was NPU’s 40th Annual Tionol, the weekend I was to launch the new album at the Club in Dublin.
I took the train from Limerick in the Heuston Station. I stepped off in Dublin and who else did I see, but Mick O’Conor. Mick was there to pick up Peadar O’Loughlin for the album launch and for his performance in Liberty Hall for the Ace and Deuce of Piping Concert.
Mick graciously gave me a lift up to Henrietta Street which put me in at about 5:00 (2 hours ahead of schedule). I was planning on walking, so this was a great treat.
Gay McKeon greeted me as did Gerry Lyons and Terry Moylan. I gazed around the office at mountains of The Dance Music of Séamus Ennis by Pat Mitchell to be launched directly after my album.
I took another stroll around the Club and had a chat with Gay in the basement near the refreshment bar. It was truly inspiring to be in that space and to listen to the man’s ideas for the future of the instrument. By the end of our conversation, I was almost sorry that I didn’t live down the street!
I went up to the second floor to scope out the sound equipment. I introduced myself to Liam O’Flynn who, unbeknownst to me, was invited to play some music for the launch of the new Ennis book.
Around 7:30 and after ample invitees had arrived, the ceremonies commenced. The room was brightly lit and I sat to the right of the NPU podium with Liam directly to my left. CEO McKeon welcomed the crowd and said some very kind things about the new album. He then introduced President Robbie Hannan who continued to expound on McKeon’s remarks about the new recording.
I was invited to say a few words about the new album. I had not written anything down in advance as Gay and Robbie had so I remember precious little about my remarks. The thing I do remember--and perhaps will discuss more at a later date--saying that recording solo is very difficult. It is a journey; it is an introspective process in which you have nothing to analyze but yourself. My playing changed while recording the album and I found out many things about my self and my music that had previously been unknown or at least unarticulated.
Speaking & performing at album launch - Liam O’Flynn on Right
Photographs courtesy of © Jimmy O’Brien-Moran
After I played a few tunes, the Ennis book was launched by Nelligh Mulligan. Following that, Liam played “The Fox Chase” as recorded by Ennis on one of his Tara recordings. I was glad he hadn’t played before me.
The rest of the evening was wonderful. I met many new faces and said hello to some old friends. It was an excellent weekend altogether. I’m very happy with the new recording and I think it is some of my best work to date. I was grateful to have the impetus to make the recording from the club and am thankful for their support and encouragement which has been there from my earliest days.
I spent Saturday hanging around the club. Around 5:00 in the evening, Ronan Browne showed up with a set of Kenna pipes from the late 18th century which Mick O’Brien played wonderfully with ease.
On Saturday night, the evening of the Ace and Deuce Concert, I was fortunate to hear a great many musicians. Among them were Ronan Browne & Peadar O’Loughlin, Robbie Hannan, and Noel Hill. I was off performance duty for that night, but the new album was playing before the concert, during intermission, and afterward.
After a few beverages, Ronan invited me to try out the old Kenna set in the dressing rooms behind the hall. The drones were quite powerful: there were four in ‘D’ and one in ‘A’. The chanter was pitched very close to ‘D’ and the hard bottom ‘D’ off the chanter was awesome. After this, he let me try his Harrington set. The tone give off the chanter was very understated and quite mellow. The regulators were stunning.
Sunday morning, there was a buffet breakfast put on by NPU. Afterward, Gay invited me to open the Piper’s Chair recital with a few more tunes. I sat in the audience while one after another Mick Coyne, Mick O’Brien, and Gay McKeon played some outstanding music.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Up Against the Flatirons album Launch at Na Píobairí Uilleann
