I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Hi,

I need to make some recomendations to a couple players here regarding the state of the art in both Irish and Scottish trad for both of them to listen to... Can anyone help me?

I just play fiddle, and I'd rather have the opinion of those of you who can play these instruments to help guide me with proficiency in the above-mentionned instruments. So,

Who are the best in Accordeon, and
Who are the best in Flute,
And according to you, why?

Thanks much,
L

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by Fanning

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy

andf on accordeon ...
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by llig leahcim

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

He means on flute!

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by nicholas

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

My personal favourites:
Flute:
Michael McGoldrick
Matt Molloy
Sylvain Barou
Barry Kerr
Joanie Madden
Skip Healy
Jean-Michel vellion
Damien Stenson
Kevin Crawford
Niall Keegan

Box:
Sharon shannon
Alan Kelly
Mairtin O'Connor
Dermot Byrne
Tim Edey

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by garyfitz123

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Joe Derrane on the box. He's got 12 fingers, I swear.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjNT4S5yUTI

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by SWFL Fiddler

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

In no particular order:
Box:
Raymond Roland
Martin Mulhaire
John Nolan
Billy McComiskey
Martin Connolly
Peter Griffin
James Keane
John Fitzpatrick
Mike McGrath
PJ Hernon

Flute:
Catherine McEvoy
June McCormick
Linda Hickman
Laura Byrne
Seamus Hynes
John Fitzpatrick
Anthony Quigney
Jimmy Noonan
Mike Rafferty

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by Ceolagusrince

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

No-one has mentioned Jacky Daly, Joe Burke, Bobby Gardiner Finnbar Dwyer, Paddy Hayes, Mairtin O'Connor, Seamus Tansey, Mick Mulvey......

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by Key Maniac Lad

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Six posts and I'm the first to mention Phil Cunningham? That is just shocking...

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by kennedy

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Emer Mayock is an excellent flute player as well.

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by kennedy

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Larry Egan - box player. Amazing.

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by Brown Creeper

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

On the box -- BILLY McCOMISKEY --- no one is better than Billy (I've heard that said around here by very knowledgeable musicians). And Billy's playing is captivating.

I started out as a listener who was not drawn to the button accordian AT ALL. Billy McComiskey changed that for me totally -- and gave me an entirely refreshed point of view on what an accordian even IS!!!! SInce then, I've learned to love the sound of some other accordian players, including Mairtin O'Connor, Sharon Shannon and Jacki Daly. I'm sure I'd like others very much if I heard them -- but I tend to listen to fiddles.

Linda

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by Fid42

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Jaysus Mr llig, if I had only realised. I will get Mr Molloy's autograph for you next time I am playing with him.

Some say he is second best in Westport, after the local vicar, but that is a matter of opinion.

O'Connor and Daly are very good box players, as was that old Irish/Yank, Joe Whatisname is very good, well I like him.

I do not like Miss Shannon.

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by bodhran bliss

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Joe Derrane, from Boston. I was impressed by his playing, and it is not my favourite instrument.

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by bodhran bliss

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

On box, Andrew Mac.

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by alec b

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Tony MacMahon

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by The Whistle Collector

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

No one put Seamus Egan for flute?!?!?!

John Nolan is one of my personal favorite box players

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by rob_handel

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

I really enjoy the the Flute player's James Galway's music; he doesn't do all that much Celtic music, but I think that the music he does is very good.

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by peterthepiper

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Sorry about the typo, change "Flute player's" to "flute player".

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by peterthepiper

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Paddy Carty, Frankie Gavin, and Harry Bradley should be in the list.

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by slainte

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

A few more:

Flute - Conor Byrne, Larry Nugent, PJ Crotty, Peter Molloy, John and James Carty, Cathal McConnell, Paul McGrattan, Conal O'Grada, Gary Shannon, John Skelton

Box - Seamus and Brendan Begley, Aidan Coffey, Peter Carberry, Martin Quinn, Johnny Connolly, Johnny B. Connolly, Joe Cooley, Colm Gannon, Jimmy Keane, Karen Tweed, Charlie Piggott

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by Aiki

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

My own flute League Standings

1. Matt Molloy, Ive already got his Autograph on the Pathway to t he Well CD.
2. Kevin Crawford
3. Harry Bradley
4. Seamus Tansy
5. Gavin Hastings
6. Michael McGoldrick
7. Marcus O'Murchu
8. Catherine McEvoy
9. Brian Finnegan
10. Frankie Gavin

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by Andyras1

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Flute

Michael McGoldrick
Kevin Crawford
Matt Molloy
Seamus Egan
Harry Bradley
Frankie Gavin
Louise Mulcahy
Brian Finnegan

Accordion

Mairtin O'Connor
Dermot Byrne
Alan Kelly
Jackie Daly
Tony MacMahon
Seamus Begley
Damian McGee
Sharon Shannon
Tim Edey

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by S.Doherty

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

...and I forgot Luke Daniels

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by Key Maniac Lad

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Frankie Gavin is a terrific fiddle player but I've never heard him on the flute. The late Frankie Kennedy (Altan) was a lovely flute player. I like Seumas Egan and Michael McGoldrick on Irish flute and there's a Northumbrian Irish/Scottish flute player called Claire Mann who is also very good, along with Iain Macdonald from Glenuig who also plays Scottish pipes. Two top Scottish box players are Phil Cunningham (piano box) and Fergie Macdonald (button box).

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by west-coaster

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

I've got to pick on the suggestion above of James Galway! Stunningly awful whenever he tries - as he unfortunately does from time to time - to play Irish music. And who can forget the cringe-making Annie's Song?

Harry Bradley's a great man. He does OK on flute too.

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by benhall.1

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

May I respectfully suggest sampling a few of the flute players who appear on the Wooden Flute Obsession series:

Volume 1:
http://www.worldtrad.org/WFO_CD2.htm
Volume 2:
http://www.worldtrad.org/WFO2_CD2.htm
Volume 3:
http://www.worldtrad.org/WFO3_CD2.htm
Upcoming Volume 4, no samples yet:
http://www.worldtrad.org/WFO4_CD.htm

Certainly by no means complete, plenty of omissions. Make up your own mind.

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by kkrell

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Wow! This is great!
I'm discovering a whole lot of fabulous musicians here.
Thank you all for taking the time!
Yippeee!
L

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by Fanning

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Maybe not for fireworks, but for grace and phrasing on box - Josephine Marsh

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by TomB-R

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Box:

(no particular order)

Seamus Begley
Tim Edey
Jackie Daly
Mairtín O'Connor
Tony McMahon
Benny McCarthy
Joe Burke

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by tommy_ie

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Box Players that I'd pay to see:-
Seamus Shannon
Joe Deranne
Joe Burke
Scotland's Wille McGuire - Jimmy Cassidy and Ardee born Paddy Neary.
I don't play the flute so most decent flute players sound good to me

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by Free Reed

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

I'd add Turlach Boylan to the list of flute players, and also agree that BIlly McComisky is one heck of a box player.

# Posted on March 1st 2008 by Jayhawk

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

I'm a fiddler, so my flute knowledge is somewhat limited, but what I have heard of Grey Larsen is fantastic.

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by jasonb

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Of his playing, I mean. Although I've heard good things about his personality too.

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by jasonb

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

I'm not knowledgeable about the technique of box playing, so I can only go on the sound; to my ears, Josephine Marsh and Peter Browne both sound really very good. Love the tone and the fluidity.

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by wolfbird

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Not to worry peterthepiper, the flute player is not the same as a flautists anyway. (ducks down out of range)

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by Bodhi

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

What is the difference between a flute player and a flautist? In Utah, where I live, people use the two interchangeably, so I would be interested to know how they are different.

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by peterthepiper

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Also, I would like to thank benhall.1 for the comment about James Galway. He is fantastic with classical music, but it is good to hear that I should not imitate his style with celtic music.

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by peterthepiper

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

We tend to call them "fluters"

wink, wink ,nudge, nudge, say no more!! :0)

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by Bodhi

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

I prefer the more traditional players, rather than the young guns., who tend to add other musical genres into the tunes, so.......

Johnny O' Leary
Brendan Begley
Joe Burke
Johnny Connolly on melodeon
Jackie Daly
Tony MAcMahon
P.J. Hernon
Bobby Gardiner
John O' Halloran on melodeon
Billy McCominsky
Joe Derrane (with Jerry O. Brien on the old recordings..not the new)
I have to admit I don't listen to American players; as I haven't heard of many that I can listen to here in the States.

Don

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by gdhow62

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

James Galway may be an accomplished flautist in classical music but I'm astonished that someone with his ears could possibly think that his renditions of trad tunes is anything but painful and cringeworthy. What the hell is he thinking about?

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by bogman

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Quite. And, peterthepiper, you're welcome.

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by benhall.1

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

"What the hell is he thinking about?"

Money ?

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by wolfbird

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

What? Is he skint?

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by bogman

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

I don't see John Wynne on any of the lists of flute players so far. One of my favourites !

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by southsider

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

GAVIN Hastings on flute !!! [ see above ]

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by Kenny

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Sorry don't have a top 10 of either but... Michael McGoldrick for the flute list and Luke Daniels and Phil Cunningham for the Accordian list!

# Posted on March 2nd 2008 by creathana

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Once again thank you all... I think I might have my homework cut out for me for the next couple years.
This is fantastic!

# Posted on March 3rd 2008 by Fanning

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Dereck Hickey - box
Ronan Ryan - Flute

both from limerick

# Posted on March 3rd 2008 by tina concert

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

ACCORDION :

Dermot Byrne
Mairtin O’Connor
Paul Finn ( “Teada” )
Martin Quinn
Jackie Daly
John Williams
Lawrence McElhinny
Charlie Harris
Paudie O’Connor
Johnny Og Connolly

FLUTE :

Harry Bradley
Conal O’Grada
Desi Wilkinson
Mick Gavin
Kevin Henry
Frankie Gavin
Frankie Kennedy
Packie Duignan
Tom Doorley
Ciaran Somers [ very impressed after hearing him in a couple of sessions at the Willie Clancy Week last year. ]

# Posted on March 3rd 2008 by Kenny

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Flute
Matt Molloy
Michael McGoldrick
Sylvain Barou
Brian Duke
Kevin Crawford
Cormac Breathnach
John Kelly
Jean Michelle Veillon
Davy Maguire
Patsy Hanley

Accordian
Dermot Byrne
Maitin O Connor
Mirella Murray
Donald Shaw
Jackie Daly
Sean Og Gragham
Damian McKee
Sharon Shannon
Bennie McCarthy
Karen Tweed

# Posted on March 3rd 2008 by eurbanjo

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

I am troubled by the ommission of Tony McMahon and John Williams in the box category.

# Posted on March 3rd 2008 by zippydw

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

Also for box forgot Finbar Dwyer. Serious omission. Unbelievable player.

It's nice that there are so many virtuoso box players that there can be a discussion like this!

# Posted on March 3rd 2008 by zippydw

Re: I need the top ten accordeonists and flautists in ITM and/or STM

i wouldn't be troubled by omissions here, zippydw....at this level of playing, choices as "best" are all subjective personal faves. and limiting it to living players, tony macmahon may be my own personal rave fave, along with the younger paddy o'brien of minneapolis, plus, oh, let's see, on b/c: aforementioned paddy o'brien of chulrua/minneapolis, johnny mccarthy of ennis, christy mcnamara, mary rafferty, josephine marsh, john canny of east clare, finnbar & others, and on c/# or d/d#: aforementioned tony macmahon, mick mulcahy, andrew macnamara, jackie daly, charlie piggot. all masters and all totally subjective "best" choices.....

for flute, mine would be more subjective faves from the flowing east galway/ballinakil school---paddy carty RIP, and among the living, mike rafferty, jack coen, charles coen, the maloney-family flute players.

# Posted on March 5th 2008 by ceemonster