Whistle + Bluegrass = Whats your opinion??

Another Whistler · Post by **Another Whistler** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 10:07 am

Just curious. I got the Chieftains "Down the Old Plank Road" CD for Christmas and LOVE it. Was anyone else impressed? Living in Indiana it is a lot easier to find Bluegrass players to play along with than an Irish group. Has anyone else found this a nice substitute?

WyoBadger · Post by **WyoBadger** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 10:17 am

I don't care for what I've heard of the new Chieftains CD, but that might just be because it doesn't sound like I expect it to.

I've played a good bit of bluegrass around here. It works quite well once you get the style down. A favorite is "Amazing Grace" on mando, guitar, lap dulcimer, bass, and whistle.

I've also been amazed at how well whistle, shuttle pipes, and harmonica blend. You never know until you try.

Tom "Why Don't My Papers Ever Get Graded?" Wilson

spittin_in_the_wind · Fri Jan 03, 2003 10:31 am

I listened to it the other day in the bookstore, and I have to say it was awesome! I really liked that they could put a whistle in bluegrass music--but I like bluegrass. I would really like to get this cd sometime.

Robin

spittin_in_the_wind · Fri Jan 03, 2003 10:46 am

P.S., I thought "Shenandoah" was just gorgeous!

Robin

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 11:12 am

I don't think there's any genre of instrumental music which can't be improved upon with the addition of whistle.

WyoBadger · Post by **WyoBadger** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 11:17 am

Yeah, Walden, I've been getting into opera and death metal lately...

tinker · Post by **tinker** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 11:18 am

I bought the CD myself, and my Fiance and I have different opinions about it... I kinda like it, but I personally really like bluegrass as well as IrTrad music. That said, I still only really enjoy about 1/2 the tracks on it. I think the other half are just sort of a wierd blend that doesn't quite appeal to either audience, for the most part. But that's just my guess and thoughts.

- tink

Flamman · Post by **Flamman** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 11:19 am

I love just about everything on "Old Plank Road." It's worth the price of purchase just for the finale, which goes on for ages. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall during that recording session. Some fairly cool bodhran playing, too, throughout the CD. Last I looked, all of the tracks were available for a listen online at the Chieftains' Web site, http://www.irish.com.

If you like how whistle sounded on this CD, check out the Dixie Chicks latest, "Home." There's a track called "More Love," featuring whistle and uillean pipes.

I'm of the opinion that you could probably bring whistle into most kinds of music. I would draw the line at Tuvan throat singing, though.

Isilwen · Post by **Isilwen** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 3:43 pm

I think it blends very well; I was able to join a Bluegrass session this past summer during the Bluegrass Festival in the next town, and the performers had no problem with my being a whistle player.

They even asked me to play a few tunes for them and then they joined in.

The first mandolin/guitar player there grinned when he found out I was an Irish musician, then promptly started playing The Swallow-Tail on this mandolin. That was fun!

C4 · Post by C4 » Fri Jan 03, 2003 3:54 pm

THis is news to me. I didnt know you could even play bluegrass on a whistle..I am going to have to give this cd a listen..

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 4:09 pm

Here's what you can play on the whistle:

any European trad
American folk
Bluegrass
Blues
Country/Western
Rock and Roll
Gospel
Tex-Mex/Tejano
Classical
Cajun/Zydeco
Kwela
Gypsy
Native American
Asian
. . . . . . .

The list goes on and on!

SteveK · Post by **SteveK** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 4:58 pm

On 2003-01-03 16:54, C4 wrote:
THis is news to me. I didnt know you could even play bluegrass on a whistle..I am going to have to give this cd a listen..

Many of the tunes that bluegrass musicians play either come directly from or are derived from the music of Celtic immigrants. I had a tape of Paul Warren once saying "we're gonna play an ol' tune called Ol' Leather Brithces". This tune is Lord McDonald's Reel, a Scottish tune. However, these tunes were in the American tradition before there was any such thing as bluegrass since bluegrass is a relatively recent arrival on the string band scene. Bluegrass, as a genre, is not particularly tune oriented, hoever. Lots of bluegrass musicians that I have run into know about five tunes. Most of it is vocal music so that you will find a heavier concentration of those Celtic tunes in American old time music.

Steve

Pat Cannady · Post by **Pat Cannady** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 5:20 pm

On 2003-01-03 11:07, Another Whistler wrote:
Just curious. I got the Chieftains "Down the Old Plank Road" CD for Christmas and LOVE it. Was anyone else impressed? Living in Indiana it is a lot easier to find Bluegrass players to play along with than an Irish group. Has anyone else found this a nice substitute?

It can work on old country songs, like "The Tennessee Waltz", but really, bluegrass is music for string instruments.

The novelty would wear off pretty fast for bluegrassers, if they took to it at all, and irish players are kind of conservative, too.

spittin_in_the_wind · Post by **spittin_in_the_wind** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 7:34 pm

Now that we're onto bluegrass, does anybody know any bluegrass sheet music databases that would suit the whistle?

ErikT · Post by **ErikT** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 7:58 pm

Whoever wanted to be a fly on the wall... they have a "Making of.." video on their site. It's pretty cool.

Erik

p.s. it's in the Gallery.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ErikT on 2003-01-03 21:00 ]</font>