The Palm Tree reel

Source: Alan & John Kelly - Fourmilehouse
Transcription: gmp

A great reel from e great album.
( I think so )

composed by Billy Mc Comiskey (if I’m not mistaken).

There’s a funny story here about this reel and the Flowers of Brooklyn:

http://www.cranfordpub.com/tunes/Irish/Palm_Tree.htm

The composer, Billy McComiskey writes the following about the history of this tune:
“Lori Anders, a New England piano accordion player, challenged me one night years ago saying, ”See, that’s why the piano accordion is better than the button box … you can’t play in Eb or Bb."
In response, Billy wrote The Flowers of Brooklyn in Eb and The Palm Tree in Bb.

This is my favourite tune at the moment. I love it!

The tune is quite a challenge on the box. But great practice. Laurie Andres (correct spelling of her name) had a point though: there’s a difference between writing a tune in Eb or Bb and jumping right in at a session when you’re playing a box in B/C or C#/D. (not talking about D/D# of course).

X: 1
T: The Palm Tree
R: reel
G: Whistle
C: Billy McComiskey
S: Joanie Madden, during a 2015 Minnesota Irish Music Workshop at the Center for Irish Music in St. Paul, MN.
H: Originally composed by Billy McComiskey in Bb in order to win a wager with Lori Anders. See: http://www.cranfordpub.com/tunes/Irish/Palm_Tree.htm
N: Arranged by Joanie Madden. The g# in the 4th bar of the B part is particularly pleasing.
Z: Andrea Morgan-Brist
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnHfu9P35Eo

play video

And a version from this up and coming banjo player
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QZI3V6qCwQ

play video

My friend Bob transcribed this version in C based on the playing of Maeve and Clodagh Cahalan and Fergal Scahill in his 2019 Tune a Day #319. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=710469196129911

from the playing of Laoise Kelly from her album “Just Harp”