Micho Russell : Rarities & Old Favourites

[Mr.Gumby]

Just received a message from Bill Ochs about the write up in the Clare People and pictures from the Russell Cottage gathering on Friday night. Can't find the article on-line. And it seems the photos don't work with a direct link but they're here: Bill Ochs, Music by the fire (there are a few more on the site but this will do I suppose. You can navigate the gallery from the pic page anyway).

[edit:]

Here are the two images linked above, there was a way around the site's anti linking strategy after all:

[ytliek]

Enjoyed photos.

What would be nice with the Micho Russell double-CD now available is a tune/song book of the forty-nine tracks. Ear learning may be the best way but only goes so far, while sheet/ABC music helps those individuals that rely on learning it that way. Whatever method is used its about getting the music in your head.

The CDs are wonderful listening and I especially enjoy just hearing Micho speak.


BTW, its snowing.

[Mr.Gumby]

A fair number of Micho's tunes appear in Breandan Breathnach's collections, especially CRE 2. And another few in Michael Coady's 'Well of spring Water'. His songs can be found in Micho's Dozen, compiled by the late Tom Munnelly for the Ennistymon Festival of Traditional Singing.

[Steve Bliven]

There is also "The Piper's Chair: a collection of tunes, songs, and folklore from Micho Russell". From Ossian Publications (1989) with 22 tunes "transcribed from Micho's Tin Whistle-playing by Barbara Wygol." I've seen references to a second volume but never actually laid eyes on it.

The Piper's Chair seems to be out of print but maybe inter-library loan or used book sellers might come up with a copy.

And, I wouldn't be surprised if Bill Ochs isn't considering something along these lines anyway.

Best wishes.

Steve

[Mr.Gumby]

There is also "The Piper's Chair: a collection of tunes, songs, and folklore from Micho Russell". From Ossian Publications (1989) with 22 tunes "transcribed from Micho's Tin Whistle-playing by Barbara Wygol." I've seen references to a second volume but never actually laid eyes on it.

I keep forgetting those ones : Micho was also forever trying to flog little photocopied booklets like that with a few tunes, a few pictures and a bit of song and story in them (“The Piper's Chair”, “The Piper's Chair No. 2”, “The road to Aran” etc). Ossian took one of those up I believe. They'd be hard to find nowadays although I have seen them on ebay a few times. Dennis Winter's 1990 Doolin's Micho Russell had similar production values. No tunes in that though.

[ytliek]

There is also "The Piper's Chair: a collection of tunes, songs, and folklore from Micho Russell". From Ossian Publications (1989) with 22 tunes "transcribed from Micho's Tin Whistle-playing by Barbara Wygol." I've seen references to a second volume but never actually laid eyes on it.

The Piper's Chair seems to be out of print but maybe inter-library loan or used book sellers might come up with a copy.

And, I wouldn't be surprised if Bill Ochs isn't considering something along these lines anyway.

Yes, that is precisely why I'm hoping a tune/song book specific to this double-CD would be worthwhile. The book would be "current" and available. There is money in publishing, no doubt, and a share of proceeds could possibly used for supporting whatever charity, foundation, organization deemed worthy.

Or even an effort to re-print all of the out-of-print volumes as a collection would be encouraged. A 100th anniversary (1915-2015) is a nice time to celebrate and raise the level of awareness. Collectors like to collect. Just saying.

[chaos97]

I've never downloaded from itunes before. How many restrictions do they place on their mp3s? Will I be able to burn it to a disc or transfer it to external hard drives, etc.? I've heard downloading from them is different from other places.

[dunnp]

It doesn't seem to be available on iTunes yet?

[dunnp]

Now available on iTunes for those who were waiting.
7.99 pounds for download with pdf booklet
Huge thanks to Bill it's brilliant.

[Bill Ochs]

Now available on iTunes for those who were waiting. 7.99 pounds for download with pdf booklet Huge thanks to Bill it's brilliant.

Thanks, dunnp. Glad you like it!

I've never downloaded from itunes before. How many restrictions do they place on their mp3s? Will I be able to burn it to a disc or transfer it to external hard drives, etc.? I've heard downloading from them is different from other places.

chaos97, the iTunes Store removed digital rights management restrictions from most of its downloads in 2009. Even before that you were free to burn the files to a CD or store them on a hard drive. So you should not have a problem. The sound files are also available from the Amazon MP3 Store if you prefer that route. Unfortunately Amazon does not allow musicians to attach PDF booklets to their releases. iTunes is the only download store that supports digital booklets at this point. The iTunes download of Rarities & Old Favorites includes a 16-page booklet with contextual information, photos, recording credits, and a tune transcription.

Of course the booklet also comes with the physical CD. For those who prefer a hard copy CD, the main sources at this point are Ossian USA in N. America and Custy's, Claddagh, and Oidhreacht an Chláir in Ireland.

Folks, thanks for your support and enthusiasm. If you enjoy the album, please spread the word via your networks.

P.S. For those who are waiting for FLAC files, these will be available shortly from CD Baby. CD Baby will have hard copies of the CD as well.

[Steve Bliven]

Folks, thanks for your support and enthusiasm. If you enjoy the album, please spread the word via your networks.

Bill - Thanks to you for pushing this through to completion. As you see from this thread, there are a number of people for whom Micho Russell is important both as a performer and as a link to a tradition. I, and I expect others, appreciate hearing many of these cuts in context with the sounds of dancing, conversation, and general milling about as much as the performances themselves.

Thanks again and best wishes.

Steve

[ytliek]

Here, here, on the wonderful production of this beautiful Micho Russell CD. Already purchased multiple copies of CD and now to get the downloads too!

Thank you Mr. Ochs!

[An Draighean]

Now available on iTunes for those who were waiting.
7.99 pounds for download with pdf booklet
Huge thanks to Bill it's brilliant.

Thanks for letting us know about iTunes availability; I downloaded it and am listening to it continuously. Agree on the great job Bill, it is smashing! Great value for the number of tunes you get for the price also.

[dunnp]

Does anyone know why one can't download the pdf directly to iphone?

I currently am computerless so can't veiw it.

[Bill Ochs]

Does anyone know why one can't download the pdf directly to iphone? I currently am computerless so can't veiw it.

I found the following at https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201574 — a support doc titled "Using the iTunes Store for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch":

If an album has bonus content in the form of a digital booklet, it will download to your computer when you sync your device or when you check for available downloads in iTunes on your computer.

Sorry for this limitation and for your difficulty. But the good news is that when and if you sync your phone to a computer, you will be able to download the booklet then. And you could then move the booklet into a PDF-enabled app such as Dropbox, which would make it available for reading on your phone.

Why one can't download the PDF booklet directly from the iTunes Store to a phone, I can't say.