Shannon Heaton’s show about trad music and dance, and the bigger stories behind Irish, Scottish, and other Celtic traditions.
Welcome to Irish Music Stories, I’m your host, Shannon Heaton. I have travelled around the globe, performing and teaching Irish flute. And I LOVE Irish music and dance, and related Celtic traditions. This LISTENER SUPPORTED PODCAST is my way of sharing the rich inspiration that the global trad community has given to me.
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The latest IMS episode explores how the tenor banjo has risen in popularity for Irish musicians, and what it’s like to play trad tunes on instruments that are LESS common at Celtic music festivals and sessions. Listen to Episode 43-From the Fringe to the Fore… read show and music notes HERE. For more episodes, scroll down through the player!
The role of instruments in Celtic traditions can be fickle: newer voices (like the tenor banjo) are increasingly popular on festival stages; while ancient ones (like the harp) still hang on the outskirts when it comes to modern group projects. Find out how the banjo came into common acceptance in Irish circles from Daniel Neely, Enda Scahill, and Martin Howley… and learn about joys and challenges of outsider status from harpist Maeve Gilchrist, cellist Natalie Haas, and saxophone players Susan Lindsay and Isaac Alderson.
There’s also plenty of music in this episode. Full playlist below.
And for Japanese speakers who want to get started with Irish Music Stories, the first episode has been translated fully (transcript) by Ryoko Murakami (with Tomoaki Hatekeyama) HERE
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Thanks to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters: Pat Wilcox, Soomee Han, Ken Doyle, Stephanie Reeve, Finn Agenbroad, Mark Haynes, David Vaughan, Gerry Corr, Susan Walsh, Rick Rubin, Randy Krajniak, Jon Duvik, and Suezen Brown.
Please CLICK HERE if you can kick in to support this podcast!
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Music Heard on IMS Episode 43
Tunes: “The Big Reel Of Ballynacally/The High Hill/Flash Away The Pressing Gang,” from Sunny Spells And Scattered ShowersArtist: Solas
Tune: Professor Cherry, from Ports of CallArtists: Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas
Tune: “D Chimes,” from Irish Music Stories Production musicArtist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “Taste of Gaelic,” from The Cabin SessionsArtists: Mairi Rankin & Eric Wright
Tune: “February Bright,” from 20 Chandler StreetArtist: Maeve Gilchrist
Tune: “Zayante,” from Home RecordingArtist: Alfredo Rolando Ortiz
Tune: “G Meditation,” from Irish Music Stories Production musicArtist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “Harp Glissando demonstration,” from How to play Glissandos on the Harp Artist: Christy-Lin
Tune: “Waimea Rising,” from Vignette Artists: Maeve Gilchrist & Viktor Krauss
Tune: “The Castlebay Scrap/Stuarts Rant,” from Play On LightArtist: Síleas
Tune: “The Blue Dress,” from The Blue DressArtists: Shannon Heaton & Maeve Gilchrist
Tune: “Tom Maguire’s Fancy, The Flogging Reel,” from Traditional Music On Fiddle, Banjo & HarpArtists: Oisin Mac Diarmada, Brian Fitzgerald, Micheal O’Ruanaigh
Tune: “Following the North Star,” from Freedom HighwayArtist: Rhiannon Giddens
Tune: “The Miller Of Drone/Pauline Conneely’s/Finbar Dwyer’s,” from An Traidisiún BeoArtist: Angelina Carberry
Tune: “Medley,” from live footage from 1928 (presented by Vitaphone) Artist: Fabulous Ingenues
Tune: “Seamus Connolly’s/Brid Harpur’s,” from Traditional Music From Doolin Co. ClareArtist: Kevin Griffin
Tune: “The Rookery,” from Music class at 2014 Milwaukee Irishfest Summer SchoolArtist: Martin Howley
Tune: “The New Irish Barn Dance,” from 1929 recording Artists: The Flanagan Brothers
Tune: “Sailor on the Rock,” from Fleá Ceoil (1964 recording from Gael Linn)Artist: Barney McKenna
Tune: “Bill Cheatum / Kitchen Girl,” from Live in GalwayArtist: We Banjo 3
Tune: Martin Wynnes #2 / Martin Wynnes #1 / The Coalminer,” from Roots of the Banjo TreeArtist: We Banjo 3
Tune: “Splendid Isolation,” from At the RacketArtist: At the Rocket
Tune: “Mutey Big Build,” from Irish Music Stories Production musicArtist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “Siege of Ennis No. 3,” from B Side of Copley Record #9-178 Artist: Johnny Powell and his Irish band
Tune: “Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria,” from Bach: Goldberg Variations (For Saxophone Quartet)Artist: Danish Saxophone Quartet, Christian Hougaard, Torben Snekkestad, Jørgen Ole Bove & Per Egholm
Tune: “Rhythm Is Our Business,” from 1935 Hits (Remastered)Artist: Jimmy Lunceford and His Orchestra & Willie Smith
Tune: “Abbey Reel Meditation,” from Irish Music Stories Production musicArtist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “Heartstrings Theme,” from Irish Music Stories Production musicArtist: Matt Heaton
Song: “Sixteen Jolly Ravers,” from From the Green to the BlueArtist: The Lindsays
Tune: “Sabai Sabai,” from Irish Music Stories Production musicArtist: Matt Heaton
Tune: “Aunt Jane’s Trip to Norway,” from The Blue DressArtists: Shannon Heaton & Maeve Gilchrist
Tune: “Jane’s Reel,” from Simon Chrisman & Wes CorbettArtists: Simon Chrisman & Wes Corbett
Tune: “Stah Wahs,” from banjo outtakeArtist: Matt Heaton
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PodbeanTestimonials:
“Irish musician Shannon Heaton knows that a good story told well can entertain, illuminate, even educate.” (Boston Irish Reporter)
“Heaton does an excellent job of keeping the subject interesting to aficionados while at the same time engaging and accessible to non-initiates.” (Irish Echo)
“One of the single best repositories of insight into Irish music, the scene surrounding it, and the people who populate it.” -Tim Britton
“Shannon’s podcast will help you understand the life behind Irish music… your heart is drawn in, your thoughts and imagination are captivated.” -Brian Benscoter
“A lovely, accessible window into the richness of the tradition.” – Steve Marantz
“Shannon’s podcast makes me crave family reunions (with real open fires) where we’d all find something really appealing in these stories of music, stories that carry us across emigration paths and emotional landscapes.” -Deirdre Cronin