Best Sessions

What is the best session you have ever played or been at?

Personally and certainly my best was at a pub in the back of the beyonds a couple of years back. I wasn’t a very good player, but I certainly joined in. It was like a remake of Darby O’Gill and the Little People! Musicians had come in the pub door as one by one and all joined in. At the start there was roughly 4 people playing, at the end maybe 25 - 30. There was all sorts of dancing and singing and typical Irish porter drinking. Still to this day I don’t know why there was such a great and lively session and for the life of me could not tell you where it was but it would be great to see that every night.

Tuesday Night, Miltown Malbay Willie Clancy, Tom Malones Pub, 2004.

Eight of us arrived in, the bar staff made room for us got the owner playing a couple of tunes, a fair few free pints and a rocking session with about eight of us. One fiddle, one concertina, three banjos, one piper and two guitars. Stayed there until the wee hours from about three in the afternoon will always go down as the best ever.

I was there that year, don’t know about the pub though. I know I was in a bar that had t bigger room and we were smoking in it even though it was banned. Are you heading there this year? I will be but don’t thnk I’ll play, the people I’m going with are completly tone deaf!

I have two in mind.

1 - I was asked to come along to an afternoon session a few weeks ago in the Culthurlann. I was delighted because I’m always up for a session. Members of Congress (or something like that) were having some kind of meeting that weekend and, as would be the case with it being Comhatas Ceoltoiri Eireann HQ, there would be a session. I saw some regular players there aswell as a few unfamilier ones. Michael O hAmhain was there (playing whistle) and so was Donal de Barra (on box). They were something else. We played a few regular sets but Donal really took control. His style was just amazing and his set arrangements have stuck with me since (eg Sporting Paddy/Bird in the Bush and Toss the Feathers (Sonny Brogan’s version)/Toss the Feathers (D maj)). It lasted about an hour and a half I think and there were about 12 musicians but it was perfect. They were all great musicians and the sound created was just wonderful.

2 - This years Fleadh Nua. We had a session on the floor of the Queens hotel from half 10 to half 3 in the morning. It was brilliant. There must have been about 30 of us (started off with 4 or 5). I really liked hearing tunes that I’ve never heard before, I love that part (ie Providence Reel, Ladies Pantalettes etc) and there was an easy going atmosphere. Everyone was just playing away and enjoying the tunes and most of all, the crack. It was as much a social session as it was a musical one and I got to meet new musicians and some well known ones around Dublin clare (The Denmeads etc).

I’ve enjoyed most sessions I’ve been at but they stand out.

Last year’s Celtic College in Goderich, Ontario… my brother and I started a session with a couple other musicians we had met earlier that day (Thursday) in the lobby of the Bedford Hotel. The session began around six, with just the four of us starting off easy, and as the night went on, more musicians joined in. I think the largest it got was somewhere around 14 people, so it never got too big. Lasted until 2 or 3 in the morning, with most of us playing almost the entire time. The music was wonderful. It will always stick out in my mind as one of the most enjoyable sessions I’ve ever been to.

Every one I have had the great fortune to be in!

Peace,
Ed

Tom Malone’s had great sessions that year…I’ve taken lots of pictures of them. Last year on the Monday after the week there was a marathon street session right outside the pub with about 15-20 musicians and another 30-40 people listening, dancing and carrying on until the sun was coming up. You can see the pictures at www.tommalonespub.com. This year, on Tuesday, the 4th, stop in during the afternoon for a very special session with Denis Liddy and other members of the Turloughmore Ceili Band.

For me, it was the Wednesday night session during last year’s Zoukfest.

That was the first session that week where all of the teachers got into the action, so pretty much no students picked up instruments for the first couple of hours, and the mood was set by the world class playing of the teachers. It was a late night, and fun was had by all!

Every so often, I’ve noticed that a session can spontaneously be raised to a different level. We call it “cranked up to 11”. (Thanks to Spinal Tap). It’s the point where everything is clicking, and for me, it brings a state of euphoria. I love having discussions with people about what makes that happen. I don’t have a definitive list, but it seems like some contributing factors tend to be: general talent level of the players, general comfort of the players at playing together, and general knowledge of whatever is being played at the time.

Whatever it is that makes that moment, it’s truly wonderful. The majority of the aforementioned Zoukfest session felt like it was “cranked up to 11”. 😀

Pete

September 2003 - O’Connor’s Pub, Ballyboughal, Dublin - coinciding with Seamus Ennis weekend. Huge session in front room with outstanding players, set dancing, the works. Cozy little session in the back with more “celebrity” players than I can remember. Didn’t play much (not at all in the “professional” session). Just soaked it all in and enjoyed the company of many wonderful people.

It was one Sunday night at the local pub, where both of the “leaders” who normally alternated, showed up on the same night. There were two flutes, two fiddles, one zouk and one guitar, folks who had played together for years, but never in that particular lineup. And for whatever reason, everything clicked, and it was magic, and it was a joy to be a part of it.

Without a doubt it had to be the final of the Seisiún na h-Éireann festival last September. The line up was the Winner of best Trad Session and the 3 runners up. You could hear a pin drop and there were over 350 spectators!…. Mighty stuff! and it’s all happening again in Quin Co. Clare Sept 29th - Oct 1st.
see www.besttradsession.com - Shameless plug - I know……….