Playlist L

16 July 2021

If you don’t wish to read through the notes below, you can go straight to playlist L on YouTube here.

Jeff Lindqvist joins Aidan Crossey to help create another of our collaborative playlists of Irish traditional music. Jeff is another one of those individuals who I have never met in person but with whom I’ve had many conversations online and it has been clear to me that he knows a thing or two about the tunes!

Jeff has been playing Irish traditional music for 30 years now. He started on guitar and (shortly after that) mandolin. Banjo was the main focus for maybe ten years (including intense sessions at Willie Clancy Week in Miltown Malbay 1999-2002). Nowadays his main session instruments are button accordion and fiddle.

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L is for LORD GORDON’S. Jeff says: Many tunes have Lord as part of their name. This is the first track on the first album I heard with Kevin Burke. It made a huge impact on my repertoire when I started playing in the early 1990s. Kevin Burke – Lord Gordon’s

L is for BOYS OF THE LOUGH. Aidan says: One of those “powerhouse” groups whose influence has passed down through at least two generations of musicians. This set of jigs starts off with one of my favourites – Maho Snaps, named after a series of nasty bumps on a road in Fermanagh. The Boys Of The Lough – Maho Snaps/Charlie Hunter’s/The Mouse In The Cupboard/The Rosewood

L is for LEFT-HANDED. Jeff says: A strong opening track if ever there was one, with Michael McGoldrick who plays flute and pipes left-handed. Manus Lunny can be heard on bouzouki. Michael McGoldrick – Jenny Picking Cockles/The Earl’s Chair

L is for LITTLE PACK OF TAILORS. Aidan says: Skylark assembled together a bunch of remarkable talent – Len Graham’s singing, Gerry O’Connor’s fiddling, Mairtin O’Connor’s box-playing and Garry O’Briain’s mandocello… Here Len takes the spotlight on what is essentially a sung (and lilted) version of that old session warhorse, The Wind That Shakes The Barley. Skylark – The Little Pack Of Tailors

L is for LUNASA. Jeff says: L stands for both Lúnasa and Lord Mayo. This is one of the big groups, and the first track I heard.   Lunasa – Lord Mayo/Gavotte/The Maids Of Mount Cisco

L is for LEO RICKARD. Aidan says: Leo Rickard’s album “Pure Piping” blew me out of the water when it was first released and continues to be great listen ever since. I had the pleasure of a conversation with Leo one night many years ago after a gig at a Return To Camden Town festival and I can confirm that he’s a gentleman of the highest calibre as well as being a peerless piper. Two lovely hornpipes… Leo Rickard – The Tailor’s Twist/The Fairies’ Hornpipe

L is for LA BOITE A FRISSONS/LUSIGNAC (LIVE). Jeff says: And now for something completely different.  Chris Wood & Andy Cutting – La Boîte a Frissons/Lusignac

L is for THE LISHEEN SLIDES. Aidan says: Brothers John (pipes) and James (fiddle) Kelly brought out the imaginatively-named (!) album “John and James Kelly” from which this selection is taken. While they may not have spent much time thinking up a title for the album, they’ve clearly spent much more time honing their talent on their respective instruments! John & James Kelly – The Lisheen Slides

L is for LIZ KNOWLES. Jeff says: Last but not least, a selection based on a musician’s first name. There are many fiddlers named Liz. This is one of them. Another mighty opening track with two multi-part tunes. Liz Knowles – Tuohey’s Frolics/The Rakes Of Cashel

L is for LIAM FARRELL AND JOE WHELAN. Aidan says: Liam Farrell (banjo) and Joe Whelan (box) were part of London’s Irish Traditional Music scene for many years. I have fond memories of sessions in The Goldsmiths Arms in Penge, South East London where Liam and Joe would offer generous encouragement to players who didn’t have quite so many musical miles on their clocks. Liam Farrell & Joe Whelan – The Humours Of Tullycrine/Mickey Callaghan’s Fancy

Many thanks to Jeff for suggesting some stirring selections for this playlist. Very much appreciated!

Listen to the full “L” playlist, here.

All playlists on my channel here.

Return to the “A to Z” home page here.