Things said that make ya think... or at least... made me think...
25/07/10 10:55
I recently had one of
my fiddle students - come into the pub - to hear us
play on this past Tuesday evening. She came in with a
few friends - and said when she walked into
St. Stephen's
Green...
it was like stepping out of the NJ shore... and
magically into Ireland... I knew what she meant...
for the feel is definitely distiinct... and it's
not just in the cozy atmosphere of the rich wood,
the antique lamps & lighting, the warm colors,
the good food...
It's much more than that... it's the friendliness of the staff and the other patrons - as well. She was amazed that she was so quickly chatting away with folks she'd never met before, who were there to hear the music and pass the evening, and pleased to find she was enveloped into this large, friendly atmosphere - where everyone seems to belong... both young and old...
Then, she said something that made me think, which is what this post on my site is all about... She said, not only was the music & songs fantastic... but she loved watching the personal interaction between us musicians in the band as we played. The constant eye contact between us, the smiling... the laughing and the kinship we all hold - towards each other... is evidently clear. (Gee! See why i love them!)
This got me thinking a great deal, about the wonderful folks we play with each week. Both those who come in and join along in our session once in a while, and those that are regulars, and dwell within "The Boys of County O'Cean" on a regular basis & for gigs... and how fortunate we are... to have such great musicians, wonderful connection, and great friends...
(Here's Bob Schmidt... he monitors how much diet coke i drink... HE says, it's got caffeine in it... and makes me play fiddle - WAYYY too fast! lol... idk... maybe he's right... But what IS "too fast" when he's a former member of the 'Barn Burners'? LOL!!)
BUT ANYWAY... The 'core band' has become quite close knit in the 3.5 steady years we've been at St. Stephen's Green now. We know, and can usually expect - what each other is doing, or gonna do... We know our musical sets, though they're always evolving... and we just laugh when things accidently run amuck in a set of tunes, or a song... but either way, I think the key - is that we all listen acutely to each other intently... knitting together our melodies - and we end up balancing each other out... It's just such a cool thing... and a beautiful, and rare gift.
I think the beauty of what we have... is that we all try to bring out the very best - in each other... We don't ever try to PLAY OVER one another... or try to be louder, or better than anyone else... we just play to compliment each other... and augment what the others are doing... as best, and as beautifully as we each can... which i think... is why we always seem to gel so well, AND bring joy to the listeners and make them happy!
My student told me she loved watching us - as we connected with each other in our music... And that we laughed a lot, and it was easy to see we were having a good time... as we set out what we were gonna play.. be it - a tune set, or a song... OR... as we expressed our feelings on what we had JUST played... and our thoughts on that (usually saying.... THAT WAS WAY TOO FAST!) lol...
I realized also... that we've really focused not only on the 'band' but we've always tried to encorporate the patrons in our sights and considerations during the evening. For example... playing waltzes for the couples who come in and want to dance, or playing lively tunes for the children who come to the front of our platform to watch us... and we see their little feet moving their bodies to our music... And Lyn, our resident Bodhran/percussion member - always brings along her bag of musical goodies each week, and lends them to the kids... giving them egg shakers, or assorted percussion instruments - for the children to feel like they can play along and dance their little joyful dances, because they just can't sit still at the table anymore with Mom & Dad... and their parents are glad for their dancing - for it makes them sleep better when they get home!
So we mix the songs, jigs, reels, polkas... hornpipes... airs... so as to not only make it interseting for the band musicians... but pleasing for the customers... When there's a lull in the pub... and people are dining, or talking quietly... we try to play gentler... when it's picking up... and getting lively... and things have a 'party' edge... we crank it up a knotch... It's just being sensitive - to each other and to the environment of the pub in that moment... and of who's IN the pub... at that time... I just thought - it was a pretty interesting observation... Soo... for what it's worth... Read More...
It's much more than that... it's the friendliness of the staff and the other patrons - as well. She was amazed that she was so quickly chatting away with folks she'd never met before, who were there to hear the music and pass the evening, and pleased to find she was enveloped into this large, friendly atmosphere - where everyone seems to belong... both young and old...
Then, she said something that made me think, which is what this post on my site is all about... She said, not only was the music & songs fantastic... but she loved watching the personal interaction between us musicians in the band as we played. The constant eye contact between us, the smiling... the laughing and the kinship we all hold - towards each other... is evidently clear. (Gee! See why i love them!)
This got me thinking a great deal, about the wonderful folks we play with each week. Both those who come in and join along in our session once in a while, and those that are regulars, and dwell within "The Boys of County O'Cean" on a regular basis & for gigs... and how fortunate we are... to have such great musicians, wonderful connection, and great friends...
(Here's Bob Schmidt... he monitors how much diet coke i drink... HE says, it's got caffeine in it... and makes me play fiddle - WAYYY too fast! lol... idk... maybe he's right... But what IS "too fast" when he's a former member of the 'Barn Burners'? LOL!!)
BUT ANYWAY... The 'core band' has become quite close knit in the 3.5 steady years we've been at St. Stephen's Green now. We know, and can usually expect - what each other is doing, or gonna do... We know our musical sets, though they're always evolving... and we just laugh when things accidently run amuck in a set of tunes, or a song... but either way, I think the key - is that we all listen acutely to each other intently... knitting together our melodies - and we end up balancing each other out... It's just such a cool thing... and a beautiful, and rare gift.
I think the beauty of what we have... is that we all try to bring out the very best - in each other... We don't ever try to PLAY OVER one another... or try to be louder, or better than anyone else... we just play to compliment each other... and augment what the others are doing... as best, and as beautifully as we each can... which i think... is why we always seem to gel so well, AND bring joy to the listeners and make them happy!
My student told me she loved watching us - as we connected with each other in our music... And that we laughed a lot, and it was easy to see we were having a good time... as we set out what we were gonna play.. be it - a tune set, or a song... OR... as we expressed our feelings on what we had JUST played... and our thoughts on that (usually saying.... THAT WAS WAY TOO FAST!) lol...
I realized also... that we've really focused not only on the 'band' but we've always tried to encorporate the patrons in our sights and considerations during the evening. For example... playing waltzes for the couples who come in and want to dance, or playing lively tunes for the children who come to the front of our platform to watch us... and we see their little feet moving their bodies to our music... And Lyn, our resident Bodhran/percussion member - always brings along her bag of musical goodies each week, and lends them to the kids... giving them egg shakers, or assorted percussion instruments - for the children to feel like they can play along and dance their little joyful dances, because they just can't sit still at the table anymore with Mom & Dad... and their parents are glad for their dancing - for it makes them sleep better when they get home!
So we mix the songs, jigs, reels, polkas... hornpipes... airs... so as to not only make it interseting for the band musicians... but pleasing for the customers... When there's a lull in the pub... and people are dining, or talking quietly... we try to play gentler... when it's picking up... and getting lively... and things have a 'party' edge... we crank it up a knotch... It's just being sensitive - to each other and to the environment of the pub in that moment... and of who's IN the pub... at that time... I just thought - it was a pretty interesting observation... Soo... for what it's worth... Read More...
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