Music for the Set

 

 

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This ain't a studio production, no mass of slides (other than the musical form) and knobs pushing and pulling and twiddlin' them. There's no big band, no flash backing, no bodhran thumpin' it to death or synthesization of the keyboard persuasion. It's just beautifully raw, not over done or OTT. No, it ain't going to meet everyone's fancy, but if you need the Broadway glitz and rhinestones, bleached blondes and tight wispy fairy like gossamer gowns you'll need to go elsewhere, and you're sure to be able to pick up one of those "Celtic Women" CDs or DVDs for a steal, less than a fiver. This is something else, an old recording, though not 'that' old, though well rooted. It's basic but not plain. It's live and unrehearsed, as it is, as it comes naturally, as natural as it can be when there's someone with a microphone around.

Johnny isn't Broadway, he isn't Celtica. Johnny is Sliabh Luachra soaked to the bone, and a lovely part of the Southwest of Ireland it is, as was Johnny. He was one of the main squeezes when it came to needing someone for a dance, wherever, whenever, but especially as a regular at Dan O'Connell's pub in Knocknagree, County Kerry. Johnny was a wonderful character and gentleman, great craic, one who always raised the spirits of those within ear shot of his music. We miss him and are thankful for recordings like this which carry a little bit of his magic, if never as good as having it live and moving with others through the dance, or sharing tunes with a friend, and Johnny was a friend to all.

As said, it's raw, and you might be among those that aren't fond of the smell of a peat fire and the mess that comes with it, or the hustle and bustle of a country pub, mice in the rafters, the bare bones of a living tradition - free of the fru-fru. For me this is easily worth more than five stars, is priceless, whatever small faults there might be in it.

Here another priceless listen from this fine man and musician, also recommended:

Trooper

And also worth chasing up ~ "Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra: Dance Music from the Cork-Kerry Border"
28 tracks - Craft Recordings - CRCD01, 1995 - There's also the book by the same name:

Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra: Dance Music from the Cork-Kerry Border

This recording, "Music for the Set", is part of a six volume series, "The Music of Sliabh Luachra", and here are the rest of the recordings in that series, and links if available through Amazon:

1.) "Music from Sliabh Luachra Volume 1: Kerry Fiddles"
Padraig O'Keefe with Denis & Julia (Clifford) Murphy
Topic 12T 309 / TSCD309 - Ossian OSSCD10

Kerry Fiddles

2.) "Music from Sliabh Luachra Volume 2: The Star of Munster Trio"
Julia (fiddle), John (piano accordion) & Billy Clifford (flute)
Topic 12TS310 - Ossian 45

3.) "Music from Sliabh Luachra Volume 3: The Humours of Lisheen"
John (piano accordion) & Julia Clifford (fiddle)
Topic 12TS311 - Ossian OSS 14

4.) "Music from Sliabh Luachra Volume 4: Irish Traditional Flute Solos and Band Music from Kerry and Tipperary"
Billy Clifford (flute), et. al.
Topic 12TS312 - Ossian OSS 11

5.) "Music from Sliabh Luachra Volume 5: Johnny O'Leary - Music for the Set"
Recordings made 1976-77 - 18 tracks - Topic /Ossian OSSCD 25

6.) "Music from Sliabh Luachra Volume 6: Jackie Daly - Traditional Accordion and Concertina Music from Sliabh Luachra"
Topic 12TS358 - and released on CD by Ossian: OSSCD 30 & Green Linnet: GLCD3065
This is another highly recommended musician, Jackie Daly, and this, in my mind and ears, is the best recording he has done to date:

Music from Sliabh Luachra

& a great compilation of extracts from these six ~

Rushy Mountain

& also worth a listen and recommended, featuring the fiddling of Denis Murphy & Julia Clifford:

The Star Above the Garter

in my opinion it has bad sound quality no depth..i certainly don't think you'll be dancin 2 it

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