Mr.Gumby wrote:
This sort of thing is really a long game. You have to start somewhere and the recordings are good for that but to really 'get into' the repertoire and style you'll have to listen to anything you can get your hands on by these players and the people around them, what they play in different contexts and immerse yourself. Spend time in their company when you have the opportunity.
True, but given my finances and time off availability, that opportunity comes for about five days once a year, so recordings will have to help take up the slack. But hell, given the way this country's going, I plan to GTFO as soon as I finish my album and launch my handmade whistles. Maybe I'll live closer to Ireland in the future...