From Joanie Madden

Brewster · Post by **Brewster** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 8:45 am

Hi Joanie--I'm a bit of a new whistler, but I'll throw in my 2 cents. First, I'd have to say I'm not a big fan of folk/orchestral arrangements. They usually end up being syruppy, sentimental, and overwrought. Anything that sounds like "The Three Irish Tenors" from PBS or the theme from "Titanic" makes my skin crawl.

You've already proved your brilliance in the ITM arena. Why not try something different? Try arrangements with non-ITM instruments. Collaborate with musicians outside the ITM world. Take us on a musical journey that helps us to grow in our appreciation of what the whistle is capable of.

Brewster

Bartleby · Post by **Bartleby** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:10 am

I vote for rip-roaring, uptempo IrTrad: reels, jigs, hornpipes- no airs, please! Preferably recorded live in a pub somewhere.

Mack.Hoover · Post by **Mack.Hoover** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:11 am

I'd like to see how it was sitting around at home with the family just playing whatever came to mind. It couldn't be more "trad" than that.

Call it "Back Home"

chattiekathy · Post by **chattiekathy** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:22 am

OOoooo good idea Mack!

I also like the 2 disk release idea!

Cheers,
Kathy

barbprimrose · Post by **barbprimrose** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:41 am

Right On Brewster!

Hey Joanie, I to have both of your albums as well and they are superb!
But why not hire some musicians for this upcoming project! There is a really good board member here who's Low Whistle style is really new-agey and unique. Talbert St.Claire! He's a local here in the Chicago area.

He's also my Low Whistle teacher. Just a thought! But whatever you decide to record I'll buy it anyway regardless!!-Barb

That's a nice plug for you there Talbert.

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:47 am

Yeah, I really like the Russell Family album for example. You can practically hear the seagulls and the waves in the background and feel this sense of family and shared expression.

Thanks for saying you chatted. I mentioned it once or twice but people didn't believe me, the previous time. I'm the guy out here in Calif. that knows where American Canyon is....

As for recording...hmm... off the top of my head, a duet album with Paul McGrattan might give us a new Potts-Moloney type of cd to enjoy. I really like the way he puts together tunes. His version of Dublin Porter is stunning in its totality (the other players and the feeling)..

tin tin · Post by **tin tin** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:50 am

Another vote for trad. How 'bout mixing up the tunes to include hornpipes, polkas, slides, a waltz... So many contemporary recordings focus almost exclusively on reels and jigs; it would be great to have a trad album that allows some of these other tune types to shine as well. (Jim and Mary Coogan's album is a great example of what I'm thinking of.)
Micah

Monster · Post by **Monster** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:53 am

Hi Joanie!

With good publicity and marketing and a good CD you might find a bigger audience for flute/whistle/orchestra combination. Personally though I'd like to hear a good trad. inspired album, smaller settings.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 10:13 am

I'd buy one if you put some movies on the CD / DVD - how about play the Rakes of Mallow and do a handstand at the same time?

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 10:26 am

I don't know if this is feasible, but what about doing the same tunes two ways - trad and then really hot improv (I don't know if there are enough tunes that you feel lend themselves to this), you know, sort of "Both Sides Now." Or "Both of Me."

Best,

Philo

fancypiper · Post by **fancypiper** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 10:27 am

Trad, solo whistle, some duos/trios with bodhran, light counterpointed bouzouki backup, fiddle and uilleann pipes as accompaning instruments. Whistle up in the foreground, of course. Don't neglect the single jigs, slip jigs, slides and hornpipes that are played too rarely IMHO and make it reel heavy (I go into jig withdrawal quickly). Low whistle slow airs pull my chain too. Lots of liner notes are a must.

I love tons of variations and occasional weird twists in melody/rhythm (very easily overdone, of course) in tunes as well.

I really wouldn't mind some vocal introductions with good tales about the tunes as well as I usually listen to my stuff on my computer on random play and I hate to have to run and look something up a CD liner.

Just think of a duo album of Joanie Madden and Mary Bergin!

Good luck!

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 10:33 am

I like Mack's idea...a live-in-the-kitchen session of your favorite tunes with just a few musicians as very simple backing, a recording that lets me hear the music just like it would sound if I were sitting at the table with you.

I would buy such a CD in a heartbeat.

--James

DazedinLA · Post by **DazedinLA** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 10:57 am

peeplj wrote:I like Mack's idea...a live-in-the-kitchen session of your favorite tunes with just a few musicians as very simple backing, a recording that lets me hear the music just like it would sound if I were sitting at the table with you.

I would buy such a CD in a heartbeat.

--James

Yeah, this would be my preference too, for most of the album if not all of it.

But then, remember that you're asking a bunch of Traddies what they'd like to hear, and Traddies are a small subset of the market your publisher may want you to target. I prefer the Pure Drop to orchestrated stuff...but I'm a fiddle student who listens endlessly to CDs with nothing but Irish/Cape Breton fiddling and little or no accompaniment, and I tend to skip over tracks on CDS with songs and airs and go straight to the rockin jigs and reels.

So it kinda depends on who you want your CD audience to be. If it really is a CD for us Traddies, then drag some chairs into the kitchen, invite some friends over and let the Pure Drops flow.

If you want to sell a ton of CDs, which means catering to the masses, then mix it up a bit, with some orchestral but then maybe one or two tracks of something really different. I'd love to hear you do something with (Iknow Im misspellign this) Darryl Anger and friends from Nashville, maybe something Latin/Salsa, maybesomething a little Gypsie/Klezmer, hey, whatever is a little different but still speaks to you musically.

But again, if its just for me, rock on with those jigs and reels!

Post by **Nanohedron** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 11:24 am

Hi, Joanie. I'm a diehard pure drop fan, but I have to say that I just LOVED your take on Lord Mayo (last track on Song of the Irish Whistle): Fenians on the high chaparral! A movie Western with treachery, escape, revenge and new beginnings runs thru my head whenever I hear it. That one suspends my distaste for high production every time.

I too like the two-CD set idea. Pure drop on one, including kitchen takes, and the other for pushing the envelope, if I may be so bold.

Montana · Post by **Montana** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 12:04 pm

Make it another vote for rip-roarin' or any other kind of roarin' trad!!
And maybe intersperse the tunes with one or two solo or guitar-accompanied ballads/aires.

I agree that backing orchestras can make tunes sound kind of syrupy and over-done. The Beatles just put out Let It Be - Naked, which was cleaned up using the latest digital expertise and stripped of the orchestral bombast added by "wall of sound" producer Phil Spector. This was their attempt at getting away from the orchestral sound. Not that yours would be that over-done. But a lot of people still like the "unplugged" interpretation of music because it is like sitting right next to the performer.

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From Joanie Madden

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