I attended a screening of this documentary, "Beautiful People" last night. The film's producer and editor, Sam Adelman, was kind enough to present the film to our session crew and punters at the Ould Sod pub in San Diego.

The film is 67 minutes long, focusing on a half-dozen or so of the session regulars and the very different life-paths that led them to play Irish session music together every Tuesday at Dempsey's Pub on the Lower East Side of NYC.

Most of the film is interviews, and there's relatively little actual music presented - mostly session shots with (sometimes intrusive) voice-over of one night at the pub, connecting the interviews. Enough to get a basic sense of the session, it's true. But if you're looking for a film of session music, you'll probably be disappointed. I suppose the accompanying audio CD is meant to fill that particular gap.

It's not a "star" session with any "famous" names from the NY session scene. The regulars span a range of abilities, but the result is fairly tight playing on mostly familiar tunes. It's an open session and a large session, with some 30+ players. Multiple fiddles, guitars and bodhráns in evidence, and a smattering of the other usual suspects (and one unusual suspect playing clarinet). And interestingly, no pipers in sight, as noted in a previous thread.

The filmmakers and crew are not Irish or Irish musicians, so the point of view is rather an outsider's perspective and ethnographic. But the treatment is very tasteful, with obvious respect for the players and their stories.

Personally, I'd say the film is worth a viewing if it comes to a TV program or festival presentation near you. Or as a purchase for a library of contemporary ITM/session ethnography. But if you're interested primarily in session tunes and dynamics, there are better resources to be had.

Here's a link to the previous thread:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=86690

I LOVE it (and I even know all the tunes in the trailer!)!!!

Pat

Think the trailer basically covers it.

Like the guy who said, "If you are a legend in your own mind, then you will not find it most comforatable at Demsey's,"

Looks like a lot of fun. If I ever get to NYC (and stranger things have happened) I'd love to drop in on a place like that.

Actually I was just reading an interesting article by this Australian known musicologist:

http://www.music.ucc.ie/jsmi/index.php/ ... tial/10/12

I'm very interested in the ethnography of the session much more than who plays what, which music is being played or if someone is known playing... That would be interesting when Im the sessioner.

I wonder how deep and serious though this film is and if it is going to show me something new about a specific session and all its conclusions.

Nice find Trip, thanks for the link.

I'll refrain from comment.

From the same writer:

Every time I walk into a session I feel like I'm doing an ethnography. I clearly should be paid to write this sh*t.

Any chance of an introduction to the blond with the flute?

be there

I knew there was a catch.