I had an opportunity to play a Cotter flute a few days ago, owned by a visiting Chiff and Fipple member. What a nice instrument! In tune, easy to blow, big tone, all that stuff…
yer right I had one and agree with you I think they are over looked and a good buy for the money.Attention beginners.
So does he have a web-site or an e-mail address? Sounds intriguing…
-Bob
Superb flutes.
I was interested in buying a Cotter flute before I got my Copley. Unfortunately I was never able to get a response from Mr. Cotter. I get the sense that he’s not very motivated to sell flutes here in the U.S.
Loren
I read somewhere that Eammon was happier when
his flutes weren’t as popular and didn’t like the stress of having to met the demand.I think he sells most of his flutes in Ireland and your probably right about selling his flutes in the US.
Copleys are better I’ve had both.
I have it on good authority that Eamonn’s biggest market is Japan, where his flutes are in very high demand.
Chris
Is Irish music popular in Japan? Do they have many Irish pubs and Sessions?
For some reason I’m imagining Irish music Karaoke: Karaoke bars with session tunes on the machine - tracks recorded for all the instruments you’d normally find in a session. So, you go up on stage, tell the Karaoke computer what instrument you’ll be playing (so it mutes that track) and then pick a tune, or set, from the playlist, and off you go! Sort of like a karaoke version of the BBC virtual session, how cool would that be?
Mmm, maybe I shouldn’t drink so much caffiene this early in the day…
Loren
When I went to Ireland I ran into his flutes quite often in music shops on the west coast. So if you’re ever over there or know someone going there, you can ask them to bring one back for you. I try to go at least once a year.
Dionys
Loren,
I know several absolutely superb Japanese musicians, one of whom I met in Boston and is now living in Galway, as well as several others that I met in Ireland. I do not mean to sterotype, but my experience has been that the Japanese musicians work extremely hard to learn the Irish music perfectly, and in doing so become outstanding players.
I also have a friend (also a friend of Michael Eskin I believe) who is paid the big bucks to pretend to be Irish and play Irish tunes and sing at Universal Studios Japan. He loves it!
Chris
Chris,
I know there are accomplished Japanese musicians playing Irish music, and my question was sincere: Irish Music tends to flourish where there are people with Irish roots. So, it’s hard for me to imagine Japan as a hot spot for Irish music. Really, I’m hoping someone can tell me about the Irish music scene in Japan.
My Karaoke comments were just an idea by the way, not some sort of racist attempt at stereotyping (I don’t think you were suggesting that Chris, I just thought I better clarify, know how hypersensitive people around here can be). I think the BBC virtual session is cool - Imagine a home “karaoke” version for your PC. Somehow I can actually see the idea making it into bars in Japan if Irish music ever became really popular there. Not so far fetched really…at least in my warped mind 
Loren
Dude, I thought your post was funny, but I was about halfway through my post before I realized just how funny it was, so I didn’t bother with a witty reply. Yeah… Irish music karaoke, now that would be something!
I wonder if you could just turn off the bodhran and piano accordion?
Chris
Loren,
I just got back from two trips to Japan and the Irish session scene is flourishing there. I’ve played in regular weekly sessions in Kyoto (The Field pub), Osaka (Murphy’s Pub), and in Tokyo (Shamrock, near Shinjuku station).
As far as the big bucks in Japan, you nearly got it right. I was invited to play by a friend of mine, Peter Damachek, who has a regular gig at the Irish pub in Universal Studios Osaka. On my trip to Japan last year, I spent a week playing with him at the park, it was great fun. In real life, I’m a software engineer for Conexant Systems working on device drivers and software architecture for PCTV receivers.
Cheers,
Michael
[ This Message was edited by: eskin on 2002-03-21 10:07 ]
Michael,
I was talking about Peter making big bucks.
Chris
P.S. - Do you know Takafuni as well?
I know a bit about the culture having lived there for two years, speaking Japanese fluently and then working as a flight attendant doing the Osaka/Narita flights for 4 years.
I have noticed that Japanese will take hold of something whether it be a sport or another culture or music, and personify it like know one else. It’s actually a very “Japanese” thing to do. I remember this one guy who would call us once a week when I lived over there. He was “Elvis”. He spoke Japanese like Elvis probably would and he could sing any of Elvis’s songs spot on without accent. Even though his english was horrible.
There was also a famous singer who spent years of his life with Stevie Wonder as an apprentice and went back to Japan years later and sang Japanese songs with Stevie Wonders voice. He became very famous.
So not only is Irish Music Popular , Reggae also has a big following over there. Think about it…Ireland, Jamaica…after all Japan is an Island…maybe it’s an Island thing.
Back to the original notion of the post: Eamonn Cotter flutes.
I spoke with Eamonn not long ago – very nice fellow indeed – and he’s perfectly happy making flutes on demand, but he’s very careful to be sure it doesn’t get out of hand. He makes them keyless and keyed (and I’ve played both…great flutes they are).
He’s a pretty good player, too…not surprising as his family is talented as well. His sister is Geraldine Cotter of whistle fame.
Most of his flutes, by the way, are indeed sold in Ireland.
I saw/heard Eamonn play at Willy Week, and he is absolutely phenomenal. He blew the crowd away. He is much better live than on his CD, and I heard several people say that his style has changed considerably since the album was recorded.
Chris
Cool! Thanks Guys.
It’s nice to hear Irish music is alive and well in Japan, I’ll be sure to take my whistle or flute if I ever get to make the trip.
Loren
Loren you might try a fax to Eammon.That’s how I ordered,I sent a fax with my fax number
and stated Make a D keyless flute please and
a few months later He called and said it was ready and send the money.
Thank’s for the tip, might help someone else, but when I got no reply from him after a month, I bought a Copley instead, and I’ve been quite happy. In addition, my year on the Olwell waiting list will be up in a matter of days, so I doubt I’ll be lusting after another flute anytime soon
Loren