I’ve been absorbed in learning new skills that I couldn’t post regularly as promised. Learning new skills opens doors and possibilities that we could never imagine. So, I thought that I was still able to learn new things. In the spirit of learning skills, let me introduce this simple and good video about learning to play a song.
This one is a guitar tutorial of a song called Dirty Old Town. It’s from this guy who runs the YouTube channel called Flynners Folk Songs. If you want to increase your knowledge about Irish folk music, you should check him out. Ok, I will run errands and then go back to my studies. I will talk to you soon. Have a great week and weekend, dearies…
Music
Welcome Back Karl Nesbitt!
Since receiving my first Irish wooden D flute, I started digging back into my musical family. It felt like ages. But, like any relationship, you fall out of love. Then, you find your way back into the fold. It’s these things, circumstances, and complications.
You think YouTube has enough resources huh? My feed has changed after years of looking for other things. So, I tried my luck via Instagram. There I found Karl Nesbitt’s Instagram reels. It never occurred to me that he released albums from 2021 to 2022.
In February 2021, he released Return. One followed a year later. I stayed late listening to both albums to capture that essence of his music that I missed. I used to watch his bodhran tutorials when I got my bodhran. I was on fire trying to learn the instrument.
This post will have a second part because I cannot lump all my impressions of both albums. I am just going to tell you that if you haven’t gotten One yet, then you should. It is a fusion between traditional and contemporary styles. It sounds at home anywhere, yet it is also private music. It is one groovy album that lovers of lounge and chillout music will love.
How do you fuse Irish jig and chilled beats? Well, you better hear it from Karl Nesbitt. He is one original Irish artist who is a blessing to us all.
Listen to Good Times – Pabameto ( Mandolin & Irish Flute )
Since I am getting deep into the whole wooden flute escapade, I’ve been watching videos related to that. A few years ago, I learned that our brain is a huge filter. It filters what is around us and choose what works for us, and rejects those that are not applicable to us. For me, the key to improving on my flute playing is to surround myself with such music. It will encourage me to learn more and also to hone my musician instinct. These guys just came up on my feed, and I think they are fantastic. They are called Pabameto, who are twin brothers Pay Bandik and Melf Torge Nonn from northern Germany.
Yay My First Traditional Irish Black Rosewood “D” Flute
I admit, when I discovered cycling and fell in love with it, my music blogging took a backseat, which is not so bad considering that cycling saved me from anxiety and depression. However, it is time to get back to what I have created since 2009. And that is music blogging. Not just about Celtic music but music in general. I love the way music energizes our souls. And I realize that listening to music is the same as drinking coffee(for coffee lovers, of course, or any type of drink you are fond of). We get that buzz that we could not explain, but we know that we need it to improve our lives. That is why we need musicians. We also need to learn to play an instrument or two. Not to be experts or become recording artists, but to tap into that creative part of us that gives us pleasure. That is why I am so pleased to receive a gift from my friend in England. Paula sent me an Irish wooden “D” flute. It is a challenge to play. I had to do research and learn terms like embouchure and also tuning. This musical instrument is different from the German recorder because of the mouthpiece. You blow the air on a hole to create a tone that can be a hit or miss when you are starting. It would be best if you also had good breathing techniques because it requires a lot of air on top of being precise. The first day I tried to practice, I got so tired and hungry.
There is something magical about the wood as a medium of music. It has warmth and overtones that can give the piece its distinct “favor.” I am watching many wooden flute videos on youtube. I am also taking out my Brendan Mulholland and Calum Steward CDs to reinforce my passion for practicing. I am sure this will result in more artists playing the wooden D flute in future articles.
Check out the videos of Sean Cunningham is you are interested to learn how to play the Irish wooden “D” flute.
Revisiting Calum Stewart’s Superb Talent
This music video came out months ago while the world was still deep in the pandemic. Now we have the Russia and Ukraine war. And although I am not the type who posts political content, I want to say that the situation is getting worse. After one problem, there’s another one, all because of greed, hubris and people not learning from history.
To appreciate this type of music that I talk about, one must understand history. History has taught us that it repeats itself. History has shown us that leaders fall because of hubris. I created this blog after a crash course in Celtic history. It’s remarkable what you can learn when you pick up a book. The book will take you anywhere…maybe to a series of books, movies, and albums you need to hear.
I interviewed Calum Stewart way back. It was a happier time, and I was also a different person. I loved writing and asking artists about their craft and creative habits. So it was a pleasure to have that interview featuring Scottish traditional music.
Now, he is going places and has collaborated with different bands and artists. You can tell a superstar when you talk to one. This video is a testament to that. After seeing his post on my feed regarding the recent “Saerim” session on BBC Alba, I also wrote this. Unfortunately, I cannot watch the whole episode on iPlayer because I don’t live in the UK. I was fortunate enough to find this recent upload on his channel, even though this is ten months old.
Celtic Music Fan 