Eleven comments
The last of the tree reels in the "Tarbolon Set" this is both an easy & hard reel at the same time. Not much to it but since it’s got lots of repeated figures it’s a little tough to get the phrasing memorized. this is a great reel on it’s own as well.
It’s in B minor
it’s in B minor
It’s in D major
it’s in D major
Sailor’s Bonnet
you could call this kind o tune a ‘marching reel’. There are a few of those around, like The Cocktail, The Blackbird frae Clough, etc
Does anyone else play the first part four times, so that the first and second parts end up the same length? I found myself doing that at a session the other day, much to the confusion of some other musicians. I only realised afterwards that most people play the first part half the length of the second…
On an Arlo Guthrie Recording
iTunes has it credited to an Guthrie recording "Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys" 1973. Purely guessing by ear the fiddler’s Kevin Burke.
Arlo Guthrie’s Sailor’s Bonnet
Arlo Guthrie’s Sailor’s Bonnet
After watching the subject video posted above, it seems a bit of misplaced credit to refer to the tune as Arlo’s. Especially since he seems to be playing a rather distracting old-time version of "Cripple Creek" against Kevin Burke fiddling the actual tune. I’ve always enjoyed playing the SB as part of the Tarbolton set, but the first time I heard this version, I was awestruck:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usva3chWf5w
Martin Hayes, one of the truly great artists of our time.
A tin whistle version here
The Sailor’s Bonnet, X:3
Taken from ‘A Fine Selection of Over 200 Irish Traditional Tunes for Sessions’, compiled by David Speers with a Forward by Matt Cranitch. I notice the debate (let’s call it that!) above about it being in D or Bm … another one of THOSE tunes, starts in one key or mode and seems modulate to another. I think it’s the hovering around B’s - especially in the second part - that makes it feel like it’s in B minor. Whatever it is, another great tune and finishes off the ‘Coleman’ set in good style.