If traditional acts like Brittany’s Kornog and Ireland’s Riverdance hadn’t hit U.S. stages, where would traditional music and dance be today? Still around? More obscure? Less diluted? Here’s an exploration of what happens when what’s being sold is… tradition:
For this episode, I’ll travel back to 1983, when Kornog recorded their debut album, with the psychedelic cover and the hilariously robotic and memorable intro, “Please Welcome Kornog.”
I’ll talk with flute players Matthew Olwell, Steph Geremia, and Kevin Crawford– and Kornog’s flute player Jean-Michel Veillon about recording that album. I’ll talk to Herschel Freeman who was Kornog’s manager at the time. And I’ll chat with Eileen Ivers about walking out on the wireless during the early Riverdance Days. And Mick Moloney, Brian O’Donovan, and Rory Makem will also join the exploration of what happens when we take tunes from the kitchen to the concert stage.
I hope you’ll join me as I travel from Boston to Brittany… and back in time to that 1983, when Kornog recorded “Première” after a wild day of travel mishaps.
And speaking of travel, Jean-Michel Veillon has kept his music going strong, since the Kornog days. Here he is, playing with his longtime guitarist collaborator Yvon Riou…. and with flute player Tomoaki Hatakeyama and harpist Nami (whom I’ll get to meet when I travel to Japan this Spring!):
If you haven’t heard every episode, I hope you’ll listen to gems you missed:
– Episode 01-Trip to Sligo
– Episode 00-Introducing Irish Music Stories
– Episode 02-Cuppa Tea with Karan Casey
– Episode 03-Every Tuesday at Nine
– Episode 04 – Cuppa Tea with McKinneys and McCarthy
– Episode 05 – Handed Down
– Episode 06 – The Backer
– Episode 07 – The Piper
– Episode 08 – Miss McCleod’s Reel at 113
– Episode 09 – Want of Wit
– Episode 10 – Cuppa Tea with Daithi Sproule
– Episode 11 – Return to Sligo
– Episode 12 – Season Two Preview
– Episode 13 – The C-Word
– Episode 14 – Dance Hall Days
– Episode 15 – Heartbeat of Irish Music
– Episode 16 – Pushing all the Right Buttons
– Episode 17 – Why Willie and Mary Matter
– Episode 18 – Wax Cylinders to the World Wide Web
– Episode 19 – Fiddle in the Windy City
– Episode 20 – Trad Music Summer Camp
– Episode 21 – Fifty Shades of Gender Equality
– Episode 22 – Jigs in the Key of P
– Episode 23 – IMS Playlist
– Episode 24 – Joe Cooley Meets Clark Kent
– Episode 25 – Season Three Overture
Music Heard on IMS Episode 26
all music traditional, unless otherwise indicated
Tune: “My Love is in America,” from dearga
Artists: Matt & Shannon Heaton
Tune: “Dans Loudieg,” from Première
Artist: Kornog
Tune: “Celtic Grooves,” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “Grupai Memories” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “Ton DÈrobÈe,” from Première
Artist: Jean-Michel Veillon with Kornog
Tune: “D Big Build,” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “Scottish (Live),” from Live au Cornouaille
Artist: Bagad Kemper
Song: “Tri Martolod (Live),” from Alan Stivell
Artist: Alan Stivell
Tune: “Hometown Lullaby,” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “G Meditation,” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “Flute Duet,” from Christmas Celtic Sojourn, 2007
Artist: Louise Mulcahey and Shannon Heaton
Tune: “The Cameronian,” from fiddler comp
Artist: Michael Coleman
Song: “Mountain Dew,” from Irish Drinking Songs
Artist: The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem
Tune: “Dark Low Jig,” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “Linnane Terrace,” from The Open Road
Artist: Steph Geremia
Tune: “Eanáir,” from Lúnasa
Artist: Lúnasa
Tune: “Dans An Dro,” from Première
Artist: Jamie McMenemy & Soïg Siberil with Kornog
Tune: “Slip Jig Dreams,” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “Riverdance Medley,” from Eurovision Song Contest
Artist: Katie McMahon with Anúna, with musicians who are mostly unattributed online (would have been Bill Whelan on keyboard with, probably, fiddler Máire Breathnach, sax player Kenneth Edge, and others)
Composers: Michael McGlynn, Bill Whelan
Tune: “Pound the Floor,” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “Apples in Winter,” from An Nollaig: An Irish Christmas
Artist: Eileen Ivers
Tune: “Meaning of Life,” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “Trip to Birmingham,” from Cybertrad
Artist: Matthew Olwell
Tune: “Little Bird Lullaby,” from Production Music Made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton
Song: “Jesuitmont,” from Première
Artist: Kornog
Song: “Anarchy In the UK/Silver Spear Mash up,” adapted from Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols
Artist: SP + SH
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What a great episode! Really enjoyed this one (well, all of them!).
I appreciate the educational aspect of the podcast, Shannon. In some ways, I’m a wee bit of a latecomer to Irish music. About 15 years ago or so, one of my sons discovered a CD by Altan. The rest is history and we all got hooked. Much to my dear wife’s chagrin, I have a couple of hundred Trad CD’s now! I learn a lot by listening to the podcast. It helps me to understand and appreciate the history of Trad and all that goes with it. Thank you!
Here’s an idea and it may be nutty. Have you ever considered examining Native American music (specifically the Native American Flute) and it’s relationship to Irish music? I have no idea if there is any connection or correlation, but when I listen to R. Carlos Nakai, Travis Terry, Mary Youngblood, Robert “Tree” Cody, and others, the sounds are so similar to the Irish flute and tin whistle.
OK, I’ve rambled! Bottom line is thanks for the great podcast! Have a great day!
Mark Haynes from rainy Ganado on the Navajo Nation!
Thanks for listening to the show, Mark! And for sharing your idea. Exploring Native American and Irish music connections is a cool idea. Or the wood flute voice through different traditions. I’ll put the idea in the hopper for Season Four.
Wishing you all the very best in Navajo Nation. (That’s where I had more early exposure to wood flute and traditional music, when my family would go to Window Rock.)