At First Light-New Site.

Whistle
1

Hi all you whistling loonies.
I was just talking to Dr McSherry and he said to mention that the band At First Light now have a new website.
www.atfirstlight.net
I think they will be more on the ball with the site stuff now they have a new CD “Tripswitch” to promote.
You can listen to all the tracks (mp3 clips)on the site.
I have put some clips up of some of the new material but if you get a chance to see them live ,go for it.
Phil.
ps.also you could email Donal and tell him what you think of the new site.
info@atfirstlight.net

[/img]

2

Half of the MP3 demos from tripswitch aren’t working ;/

3

I just listened to some of the sound clips. They are really nice.

I have a question though. On the home page it says Traditional Irish music at the top. I have just been listening seriously for a while, and I can see how some of the music is based on ITM, but it just doesn’t seem to sound traditional to me. It isn’t what I would have expected if someone said Irish Traditional Music. I guess part of it is the backup, but it seems like the tunes themselves (not talking about the Spanish tune, obviously) don’t exactly sound traditional, although I can’t exactly say why. I’m not commenting on the abilities of the musicians, they are excellent. I’m just wondering if this seems like traditional Irish music. It seems like there would be a better description for them to use so that people would know more what to expect. I don’t know. As I say, I am a beginner at serious listening.

4

I don’t think so. They’re pushing the evelope, which is fine.

5

Okay, that is good to know. I think it is just fine for anyone to play what music they want to play. I have absolutely no problem there at all. And I think they sound like excellent musicians. I just wish there was a better way to describe what they are playing. Like Flook, whom I’ve heard in concert twice, doesn’t really say Irish traditional music on their website. So you just get the idea that they are playing something kind of different and I like that. I guess it says Folk Music Award on the home page. Oh well, just wondering. No problems.

6

Trip, all the MP3’s should be working now.

Cynth, The reason why I wrote “Irish Traditional Music” at the top left of the ‘At First Light’ site, was to give people who come across the site an idea of what the site is about, as the web / graphic design is pretty modern, so just to be blatant for users I have written this, as I have written on many websites, for the simple purpose of clarity, where in cases it my not be blatantly obvious what the websites are about, for example:

http://www.fourmenandadog.com
http://www.reeltrad.com
http://www.padraigrynne.com
http://www.tradcentre.com/oige
http://www.tradcentre.com/barrykerr
http://www.paulbradleyviolins.com

With regard to how to define traditional Irish music, the definition I have to traditional is:

“The passing down of elements of a culture from generation to generation, especially by oral communication.”

In my opinion, there are certainly “elements” of Irish trad music in the tracks composed by John and Dónal, namely, the title track “Tripswitch” and “Both Ghé” although arguably, they may sound a bit more modern or contemporary, but the “elements” are certainly there. Strictly speaking, in order for a track to be truly traditional, the composer/s of the track must have sadly passed away, some purists will argue, so this I suppose is a matter for the purists to argue. “Áille’s Arabesque” was also composed by John and ties in beautifully with “Tell her I am” also known as “Tart ar an Ól” (recorded by Michael Coleman 1891-1945 Disk 1)

To me, it just sounds like great music.

Ancestors of mine, such as Ruairi Dall Ó Cathain, Brighid Ó Catháin, Echlin Ó Catháin have written a lot of what is known as “the ancient music of Ireland” which is certainly very traditional, but you won’t hear it being played in many seisiúns.

In the sleeve notes of this very cool album cover, they have given a very detailed account to where the tunes have come from; where they picked them up, which certainly documents the tunes authenticity couple with the personal touch of where they got the tunes from. In my opinion, the tradition is in very safe hands with these guys, and it’s nice to see them getting recognition for their music, (which inevitably will become traditional) within their own lifetimes, and I’m looking forward to hearing more and more from them.

For ALL the audio samples from “Tripswitch” click on either the “recordings” or “new album” section of:

http://www.atfirstlight.net

Great stuff!

Murrough Ó Catháin

7

““To me, it just sounds like great music.””..absolutely.
If we were to kill the band this might make it traditional enough for our american friends. :laughing:
you couldnt make it up priceless

.

8

I love the sound of these clips and will definitely be purchasing this CD. Like Cynth I wasn’t sure how to categorize it either. But the great thing about folk music is that its a living art, meaning it changes with time. I like the direction in which it seems to be going as well as the old stuff.

9

Please don’t go killing the bands… :astonished:

It’s not worth it so every single track can get labelled as “traditional” :stuck_out_tongue:

Let’s just call it good music, and let them play away and produce more quality recordings and good gigs :wink:

10

Yeah, it’s an evolving tradition Ann, respect is given by said musicians to the same tradition.

Keep 'er lit!

11



Still, “Kill the Band” would probably make a good album cover . . .

I agree with pop - very well done - great music! It sounds traditional enough for me, even though I am an American :smiley:

Methinks I shall be buyin’ some . . .

12

I really appreciate your very thoughtful and courteous answer to my question. I knew when I brought it up that some people would interpret it that I was condemning the music and musicians.

**[**pop, you are not really reading or interpreting what I said fairly. And since I’m the one that found that Challenger the Wonder Horse link for you (which you enjoyed very much as I recall), I think you should cut me some slack! :laughing: ]

As I said, I thought the music was excellent and likewise the musicians. I have absolutely no problem with people playing all kinds of music and I actually like many kinds of music. My sole question concerned terminology and the distinguishing of traditional Irish music from music based on traditional music that doesn’t seem quite traditional itself.

I can certainly see that someone could think a group was some kind of rock group or anything if there wasn’t a label on the website linking them to Irish music. Then those people would feel they had been misled.

I know that the discussion of traditional could go on forever and that traditions evolve. People in old time music wrote tunes themselves and played them while they were alive (Seamus Ennis’ father wrote a tune for a competition–The Morning Thrush, I believe) so the composer being dead can’t really be the deciding factor I guess :laughing: !

I don’t know the answer to my question of is there a better name for this type of music—music based on a tradition but sort of different. I think maybe part of having a tradition (not just in music but in anything) is the back and forth between the conservative people and the less conservative people. Maybe this ongoing struggle or discussion is a way of filtering the inevitable changes or additions to a tradition in a way that keeps the essential parts of a tradition intact. I don’t know.

The website is nice and I will listen to more of the sound clips. Thank you again for your response. I am not at all an authority on Irish music, I have just begun my real listening. I listen to the old time style and find that nothing can do the same thing for me. But I am that way with American music—I love bluegrass, I don’t care for newgrass—so it is just my preference, but it is certainly not a condemnation of musicians who play other things. I know of many brilliant musicians who simply need to play something other than old style music.

13

Its only a bit of fun :wink:
Top tunes i reckon, il be buying it too.

14

For the record i think cynth is a nice girl :slight_smile: i was just teasing.Fantastic that you took it in the right spirit,

15

:slight_smile: I’m glad I took it right too. I just wish I was still a girl. :laughing:

16

no bother for the reply and don’t worry, i’m sure no-one thought you were slagging off the musicians. :slight_smile:

17

So! did anyone buy the CD?
If you did what did you think of it.
I must say it was different to the first CD which I loved.
There is definately a particular magic between John and Mike on the first cd.
Phil.

18

have both albums “at first light” with john & mike and “tripswitch”.

both are great albums, and no doubt there’s great chemistry between mike & john’s playing, resulting in a great album.

i always liked mikes stuff right from ‘champions of the north’ (not sure about the acid house reel) but it was good craic at the time sure, around 1989 or whenever it was out, lol. i think it even reached the charts in england if memory serves me correctly.

toss the feathers, again, thought their stuff was really good.

all the other projects mike was involved in starting: flook, lunasa, at first light - again, all great. his session musician work, plays, all great work. his stuff with capercaillie and sharon shannon, again super.

the “tripswitch” album is also a great album. john’s a genius on the pipes, simple as that… no point in even beginning to list his credentials, as they’re too long. dónal’s a great fiddle player, his playing speaks for itself and he comes from a great musical legacy of at least five generations of fiddle playing and countless generations of traditional singing, son of the celebrated fiddler gerry o’connor (skylark, kinvara) and renowned singer eithne ní uallacháin (lá lugh). great accompaniment on the album from paul on guitar, tony byrne, rubén bada, gilles le bigot.

both great albums!

murrough

19

I cant belive how much footage i have of these guys playing together.Did you see any on the site?
Oh and buy the way,John McSherry is the GREATEST piper that has ever walked Gods green grass…imo.( and proberbly ever will do)
Phil

20

Hello
Just found some footage of At First Light in Asturias in Spain last month. :boggle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhNK7h6iNu4
There’s an amazing slow air on the two Pipes and Keys-
Does anyone know what it’s called or where I can get a recording of it ?
It’s really very haunting - spine tingling.
J