Can anyone recommend any flute cds which contain mainly ( totally?) slow airs?
Desi Wilkinson’s latest CD, “Shady Woods,” is mostly slow airs and other slow tunes, very nicely played.
Do you want a CD of airs just for listening or for learning? If you want to learn slow airs, you really should listen to singers. Get some CDs of unaccompanied sean-nos singers (check out the many available on the Clo-Iar Chonnachta label, which has released CDs of many great singers from Connemara) and learn directly from them.
Joe Burke’s flute CD “The Tailor’s Choice” also has lots of slow airs on flute.
I second Brad’s suggestion that you might want to look for a CD of unaccompanied sean nos singers if you want to learn slow airs. Its harder to play a (sean nos) slow air “properly” in all its authenticity if you’re just learning off an instrument recording. It’ll be a bit like a game of chinese whispers actually…
An older tape by Matt Maloy(sp?) called stony Steps and a good air “the parting of friends” And maybe try some Joannie Madden tapes
Sorry, I meant the Parting of Friends is on the Matt Maloy tape.
Matt Molloy also has a bone-chilling redition of “The Banshee’s Cry” on his album “Shadows on Stone.”
My favorite recording of an air has to be Frankie Kennedy playing “An Feochan”. It is entrancing and never fails to make me just stop everything and listen.
–James
I second the sound advice that has been given so far -The Desi Wilkinson album is very good indeed (I wish I could find a copy of his ‘Three Piece Flute’ album).The Joe Burke album is one of my favourites- simply superb, ‘straight ahead’ evocative playing- Essential in my books!
I also agree about listening to Sean Nos- I’ve been listening to Joe Heaney’s ‘The road from Connemara’ 2c.d. album this last week.Recorded in 1964,it features Joe singing a range of songs,including the slow airs ‘Amhran an Bha’,Eamonn an Chnoic(Ned of the hill)and Eanach Cuain,amongst others.Joe is also taped talking about the songs,and singing in general(the album booklet is also superb).
Kevin,
Try Custy’s at http://www.custysmusic.com/mall/tplsearchstore.cfm?store=CustysTraditionalMusicShop, for the Desi Wilkinson CD, that’s where I got my copy. Just type “Wilkinson” into the search box and you should find it. Their service is really speedy, I’d recommend them to anyone.
Cheers
Graham
Thanks Graham 
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That’s what the board is all about, i.mh.o.