At the Crossroads

A simple show this week focusing on some of my favourite Irish music clips. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with any comments, queries or suggestions: patrickcumminsmusic@gmail.com. And if you enjoy the show, tell your friends!

In today's episode I'll look through some of the musicians and bands that played on the bluegrass scene in Washington D.C. I will do a more deeply researched show for a future episode but this is just a selection which I've hand-picked to give you a flavour of some of the incredible musicians who littered the city between the 1950s and 1980s. *It may have been Jimmy Guadreau on mandolin for the "To the Rescue" take, by the way. It comes from a compilation album of Rebel recordings and some research tells me that this track was on a 1970 record titled "New Look, New Sound" with Gaudreau.Timestamps:00:00 Buzz Busby & Charlie Waller (1957-59) - "The Lonesome Road"05:05 Leon Morris & Buzz Busby (1974) - "At the End"08:32 Old & In the Way (1973 rrl. 1996) - "Lost"12:41 The Country Gentlemen (1957) - "Going to the Races"16:01 The Country Gentlemen (New Look, New Sound, 1970) - "To the Rescue"20:11 Pete Pike (1963?) - "Little Maggie"23:21 Pete Pike (1963) - "Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow"26:35 Scotty Stoneman w/The Kentucky Colonels - "Old Joe Clark"31:30 Johnny Whisnant (Rounder Album, 1974) - "Home Sweet Home"36:21 Seldom Scene (Old Train, 1974) - "Wait a Minute"40:20 Johnson Mountain Boys (Live in VA, 1988) - "Newton Grove"44:50 Johnson Mountain Boys (Favourites - Compilation, 1987) - "Tomorrow I'll Be Gone"

Following on from last week's show about East Clare, we're moving westward through the Fergus Valley region, out to the Atlantic coastline by Milltown Malbay and then southwards to the Loophead peninsula. This area covers a wide range of ground and has several, distinct parameters that separate them from each others. From the Kerry/Limerick-influenced repertoire of the South-West peninsula, to the lonesome touch of fiddlers like Junior Crehan from further north in Mullagh, right through to the more eastward territory of the Fergus Valley where we'll find technical virtuoso playing from the likes of Paddy Murphy and, arguably, Bobby Casey (who, was actually from the West coast), there is a lot of talking and listening points.Let's not also forget the magnanimous influence of the piper Willie Clancy and of the two major female influences in Mrs. Galvin and Mrs. Crotty. It's all loaded in today's episode. Join me for a ramble through history (and take in some beautiful countryside along the way).Timestamps:00:00 The Kelly Family ("Humours of Donnybrook", 1977): Ceathrú Rua / The Wild Irishman07:00 Patrick Kelly ("Patrick Kelly from Cree", --rl2004--): Denny Mescall's Slide10:31 Mrs. Galvin (Field Recording): Unknown Slow Air16:14 Mrs. Galvin (Field Recording): Flowing Bowl; Allisdrum's March20:43 Mrs. Crotty ("Concertina Music from West Clare", RTE orc1930s-1950s---c. 2000rl): The Wind That Shakes the Barley / The Reel With the Beryl22:45 Mrs. Crotty ("Concertina Music from West Clare", RTE orc1930s-1950s---c. 2000rl): An Gabharín Buí; The Droighneann Donn27:26 Willie Clancy ("The Gold Ring", RTE --rl2010--): Down the Back Lane / Seargent Early's; Garrett Barry's Mazurka32:35 Willie Clancy & Joe Leary (Live at the Fleadh in Kilrush, RTE rc1963): The Flogging Reel / The Sligo Maid36:02 Junior Crehan (Field Recordings - some from the double CD "The Last House in Ballymakea", rl2006): Introduction and playing of the air "Lament for the Country House Dance"; Farewell to Milltown Malbay / Mother's Delight; Lament for Willie Clancy48:19 Bobby Casey (Taking Flight, rl1979): Poll Ha'penny52:29 Bobby Casey (From Patrick Ourceau): College Groves55:07 Bobby Casey (BBC Archive Recordings, rc1966-1971): Sweet Iniscarra58:39 Joe Ryan ("An Buachaill Dreoite", rc1992 --1995rl--): Auchadon House1:03:33 Paddy Murphy ("In Good Hands" - rc1958-1980s --2007rl--): Sean Sa Cheo; Bunker Hill (duet with Peadar O'Loughlin)1:06:46 John Kelly ("Fiddle and Concertina Player", --orc1974/5--rl1975--): Bunch of Green Rushes (two versions, fiddle and concertina)*rc = recorded*rl = released*rrl = re-released*orl = originally released*orc = originally recorded