new Rafferty tune book

[bradhurley]

Ossian USA have it listed for $16.00:

http://www.ossianusa.com/Merchant2/merc ... e=00321-CD

This is still my favorite Mike and Mary recording, chock-full of great tunes and great playing. Speed 78 is in a class by itself of course, but if you could only get one other Rafferty recording this one would be it for me. (Of course, you SHOULD get them all, including Mary's solo album, which has some more wonderful duets with Mike!)

[chas]

Philippe Varlet has it for $16.99.

Do you mean he lists it, or he actually has it in stock and/or can get it? There's a difference sometimes, alas.

He has it listed. I got it from him in the last few months, though.

[withak]

I got a bounced email from Philippe a few days ago saying that he is on vacation until the 26th, so you'll have to wait until then to know.

[lesl]

I'm happy to say that we just picked up another printing of Mike's first tune-book ('300 Tunes') so it is again available. And another thank you to those who have it already!

[Cathy Wilde]

Having a blast with it, and I'm liking a couple of his settings on my pipes (yeah! they don't go above B2!)(yes, I'm still a wimp about that). Thanks so much, Lesl!

So, like ... how many tunes might you have from Mike in total? Just curious. I can't imagine how he remembers them all. Thank goodness someone's keeping track of them!

[pipersgrip]

(yeah! they don't go above B2!)(yes, I'm still a wimp about that)

My problem is if they go before D1. I have the worst trouble when it comes with tunes that go lower than D.

I can't wait to get Mike's new cd, I listened to the samples, and it is extremely high quality. Mike sounds just as good as ever on it.

[lesl]

Sometimes when we're playing on pipes (me on whistle him on pipes that is!) we flip to the bottom octave on tunes that go above. That's a useful thing for playing whistle at home, too!

Gee now, how many tunes, I guess I've about 640 something from him. I keep them by number with first 2 bars in abc, but he's a walking encyclopedia. And every time someone reminds him of another tune.. Just a couple weeks ago we were playing a tune one of his students reminded him of. It put me in mind of the time he gave me back a tune I'd given to him a couple months earlier.. the beginning was different so at first I didn't recognise it, only that it seemed to roll right off the fingers.. (that one's turned up on the new cd, surprisingly)

The new cd is great. I'm not skilled at writing reviews coherently but I love the timing and the solos and the interplay between Mike and Willie and Donal. With the exception of Willie's brilliant fiddle air, most of the tunes are in the books (looks like mostly book 2, maybe 1/3 in book 1) but a few were past the cutoff point for book 2 and didn't make it in. As things settle down a bit I'll post the added discography on the book website and if anyone would like transcriptions for the remaining tunes on the disc I'll try to put them up here as I get to them. (at the moment they are only on my list with first 2 bars - where the books 'first notes indexes' come from)

I also noticed that sound Wh. Collector mentioned, of when the tune goes below D. There's something magical about fiddle and flute, I think its a sort of aural-illusion where the flute 'seems' to go below D if the fiddle does. Even when you know the tune you can still 'hear' that.

[pipersgrip]

I do know what you mean Lesl about the flute and fiddle. It is mesmerizing.

[Cathy Wilde]

My lazy approach has always been to just play the notes in the first register and "think lower." That's part of why I so appreciate Mike's settings, because while my method is OK, especially when playing with a fiddle, often the "instrument appropriate" version is a gem in and of itself!

640, eh? Man, we were pikers in St. Louis then, just getting 6 or 8 from him in one day.

BTW, "The Shoemakers Fancy" is my new favorite evil pipe tune And that "High Road" jig on the next page ... thank you (though that one may stay on the whistle; I'm not capable on the pipes)!!!! I've been after that for years but never knew what it was.

Many, many of those "oh, that's THAT!" tunes in here. I could be pretty happy for life with just these two books. .... And this lamp. And this ashtray. That's all I need. Just these two books, this lamp, and this ashtray. And ...

Looking forward to Mike's new CD as well. I love Willie's fiddling, too. Anyway, his, plus Michael Clarkson & Harry Bradley's, are my earmarked buys for the summer.

Thanks again, Lesl. It's a wonderful thing you're doing, here!

[Cathy Wilde]

Doh, that would be "The High Part of the Road."

I seem to have misplaced my memory.

[Cathy Wilde]

Cool, Lesl! Can I touch your medal?

Congratulations!

http://midatlanticcce.wordpress.com/cat ... ouncement/

And there's Ronnie McNamara, too .... hers is my third precious gem of a book (fourth is Paddy O'Brien's tunebook).

[lesl]

The New Broom cd discography thing is up now for anyone who wants to find the tunes from that cd in the books.
http://www.firescribble.net/rafferty/Di ... on5.09.pdf

Maybe see some of you in the Catskills next week, we'll be up on the Thurs and Friday.

[Cathy Wilde]

God help me it's a beautiful CD; I can't stop listening to it. And I love Willie's fiddling, too.

Hey, while I'm thinking about it -- a couple of non-Chiff folks have asked me about the book. Will you be schlepping some copies to the Catskills?

[lesl]

yes, we're not sure whether they will be allowed on the tables or not this year (new CIAW regs) but if they are allowed they will be there. Mike will have some, and I'll have some with me on the Thurs (usually we have to replenish by then) and we'll also keep extras in our trunk.

[Cathy Wilde]

If it wasn't so hot you could have raincoats with pockets sewn inside ... "Hey buddy, wanna buy some reels? Or I got some nice jigs ... yeah, airs, polkas, slides, set dances, flings and hornpipes too."