One final note about my extended family (and this contains music content…). A few years ago I’d written in the music forum that I participate in (with a few hundred others members) about my cousin Jan’s husband, Mike Connolly. For those of you who may recall, Mike received a citizen’s medal of distinction/honor (which I believe is one of the highest, or highest, civilian honors that can be awarded — with only a handful given each year) for helping to save the lives of drowning people on a treacherous and windswept lake. I thought about Mike because two summers ago, around the same time as my last surgery for Crohn’s Disease, he had brain surgery that was of the highest risk. Mike made it through a miraculous recovery and has returned to his love of teaching and of exploring the great outdoors. I mention Mike now because last week he wrote me to say hello and mentioned that he was starting to explore progressive Irish music. Since my music library goes well beyond pop, rock, folk, and county and into world music I made Mike a few CDs that I hope he’s enjoying. For those of you who are into such music, this is what I sent…
The Skiffle Sessions†/ Live In Belfast: Van Morrison, Lonnie Donegan, Chris Barber (Pointblank/Virgin 2000)
The Music Of Ed Reavy (Irish field recordings late 1970s) (Rounder Records 2001)
Traditional Irish Music In America: Chicago (Rounder Records 2001)
Traditional Irish Music In America: The East Coast (Rounder 2001)
Davie Stewart: “Go On, Sing Another Song: The Alan Lomax Collection†Rounder Records 2002 (Scottish field recordings 1957)
Jimmy MacBeath “Tramps & Hawkers: The Alan Lomax Collection†Rounder Records 2002 (Scottish field recordings 1951-1953)
John Strachan: “Songs From Aberdeenshire: The Alan Lomax Collection†Rounder Records 2002 (Scottish field recordings 1951)
Traditional Irish Wind Instrumentals: “Light Through The Leaves†(Rounder Records 2001)
Celtic Harp: Aryeh Frankfurter (The Morning Dew) Irish Instrumentals (2003 ARC Music UK)
Rave on!
Dave