Buy OurMusicToYou live concert CD compilation

"...among the most enjoyable I've heard in quite a while...too good to pass up", Earle Hitchner -The Irish Echo

OurMusicToYou vol.1 is a professionally produced compilation of 15 selections from a cross section of the artists who have performed in our concert series.

OurMusicToYou vol. 1 features unique pairings of artists previously unheard elsewhere. Performers include (full tune list below): Andy Irvine & Rens van der Zalm; Liz & Yvonne Kane with John Blake; James Keane;

John Whelan & John Brennan;

Mattie & Deirdre Connolly;

Liam Lewis & Claire Keville; Jesse Smith with John Blake;

John Carty with John Blake; Noel Hill;

Joe Derrane, Seamus Connolly & John McGann;

John Whelan Band; John Hoban

There are 2 bonus tracks... Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill went into the studio and recorded a special track just for you which can only be heard on OurMusicToYou vol.1!

For $50 you can own the CD and get a pair of tickets ($40 value) to an upcoming concert of your choice. To get your copy of OurMusicToYou vol. 1, send a check payable to “STIMS” and mail to:The Shamrock Traditional Irish Music Society, Inc. P.O. Box 486 Fairfield, Ct. 06824

CEOL By Earle Hitchner

...There's another compilation CD ranking among the most enjoyable I've heard in quite a while, "Our Music to You," issued by the Shamrock Traditional Irish Music Society in Fairfield, Conn. It is 15 tracks long, 13 of which are taken from S.T.I.M.S.-sponsored concerts during

the past 18 months, plus two cuts recorded in a studio.

The impressive lineup of talent includes John Carty (on banjo) with John Blake, Andy Irvine with Rens van der Zalm (both are in the band

Mozaik), Jesse Smith with John Blake, John Whelan Band, Liz and Yvonne Kane with John Blake, Mattie and Deirdre Connolly, James Keane with John Doyle, and Clare fiddler Liam Lewis with concertinist

Claire Keville.

Three of the most exciting live tracks on the CD are by concertinist Noel Hill, performing strictly solo at a house concert in Stratford,Conn.; fiddler Séamus Connolly, button accordionist Joe Derrane, and guitarist John McGann, whose inspired playing as a trio in Southport,Conn., sparked the idea of recording an album together, which they'll do this May; and button accordionist John Whelan with guitarist John Brennan, who plays some tasty bottleneck blues as a bridge between an original tune by Whelan and "Master Crowley's" reel at their concert in Newtown, Conn.

Fiddler Martin Hayes added a studio solo, the reels "Sailor on the

Rock/Last Night's Fun," and Brennan and Whelan also contributed a studio cut, "Waltz of the Sorrows."

"Our Music to You" is not available commercially. It is meant as a thank-you to S.T.I.M.S. contributors and volunteers. But I think the performances and the sound quality (with minor exceptions) are too good to pass up. A contribution of $50 will get you both the CD and two tickets to any S.T.I.M.S. concert you choose.

Checks payable to S.T.I.M.S. should be mailed to the Shamrock Traditional Irish Music Society, P.O. Box 486, Fairfield, CT 06824 (phone: 203-256-8453). The CD money will help defray the cost of concerts, musician workshops, and school presentations sponsored by this not-for-profit, educational organization, which was founded in 1999 to support Irish traditional music.

OurMusicToYou vol. 1 features these live performances:

1) ANDY IRVINE & RENS van der ZALM -Tressler's Barn, Easton, CT. (5/16/02)

Legendary Irvine with multi-instrumentalist van der Zalm, give us "Michael Davitt",

a marvelous song heralding the great 19th century Irish freedom fighter.

2) LIZ & YVONNE KANE with JOHN BLAKE - Stamford, CT. A.O.H . (11/09/02)

Young Connemara sisters with a unique unison fiddling style offer three jigs, "Girl From The Big House", "Tra Na mBan" original from Liz, and "Thank God We're Surrounded By Water", from Paddy Fahy.

3) JAMES KEANE & JOHN DOYLE - Acoustic Café, Bridgeport, CT. (11/17/02)

Airs are perhaps the greatest test of a musician's artistry, here we feature a stunning solo from

James playing the classic air, "The Coolin".

4) JOHN WHELAN & JOHN BRENNAN - Newtown Meeting House, CT. (1/04/03)

Innovative arrangements of traditional and original works are both on display here from our

local heroes” on “From the Heart”, “Blues Transition” and “Master Crowley's”.

5) MATTIE & DEIRDRE CONNOLLY - Stamford,CT. A.O.H. (2/08/03)

Mattie, All-Ireland uilleann pipes, and daughter Deirdre, (flute, tin whistle & vocals),

All-Ireland Champion and former lead singer for Cherish The Ladies, treat us to "Maid In The Cherry Tree" & "Humours Of Tulla".

6) LIAM LEWIS & CLAIRE KEVILLE - Cummiskey's Carriage House, Redding, CT. (4/14/03)

County Clare duo's 1st tour of America with Liam on fiddle & Claire on concertina

with a sparkling rendition of two reels by Tommy Coen of East Galway.

7) JESSE SMITH with JOHN BLAKE - Stamford, CT. - A.O.H. (5/16/03)

Jesse, one of N. America's finest fiddlers & John Blake (guitar), Irish Echo runner-up "Musician Of The Year", give us "Reavey's", "The Rights Of Man" and "The Western" hornpipes.

8) SEAN TYRRELL with GREG ANDERSON - Stamford, CT. A.O.H. (6/08/03)

One of Ireland's most gifted singers in this heartfelt rendition of

"Time You Old Gypsy Man", featuring Sean's instrumental prowess on his vintage

Gibson mandocello with accompaniment from Greg Anderson (guitar).

9) JOHN CARTY with JOHN BLAKE - Newtown Meeting House, CT. (7/25/03)

Better-known as a gifted, innovative fiddler, Carty first came to international prominence on the banjo, with which he treats us here to two classic reels, "Moving Cloud" and "Lucy Campbell's".

10) NOEL HILL - The Ferguson's, Stratford, CT. (8/09/03)

The world's greatest concertina virtuoso in a rare solo performance tour de force

rendition of the "Foxhunter's Slip Jig", with a seamless shift into high for the "Foxhunter's Reel".

11) JOE DERRANE, SEAMUS CONNOLLY & JOHN McGANN -

Pequot Library, Southport, CT. (9/06/03)

Powerhouse legends rare appearance. Joe said the encore, the "Round Robin Set",

is in keeping with the custom where each player favors a different tune before coming back to a common theme, (here the classic reel "Drowsy Maggie"), topped off with the mighty "Bucks Of Oranmore".

12) JOHN WHELAN BAND - Stamford, CT. A.O.H. (10/04/03)

Celtic Connecticut's #1 son, 7-time All-Ireland Champion & his dynamic band's rousing close,

one of their signature sets of reels, "Sporting Paddy", "John Dwyer's" and the "Galtee Rangers".

13) JOHN HOBAN - Newtown Meeting House, Newtown, CT . (10/18/03)

This County Mayo, singer, musician, composer & teacher has become an area favorite and the

Shamrogues' muse. "A Day In Sligo", a Hoban original, (set to the tune of "Bold Doherty")

recalls an actual encounter in Sligo town in the 70's.

14) JOHN BRENNAN with JOHN WHELAN

Studio recording of Brennan's original "El Vals de Dolores" ("Waltz of the Sorrows"),

featuring John's intricate guitar work and the peerless button accordion of John Whelan.

15) MARTIN HAYES

Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill gave us a stunning live performance last spring.

Disappointed with the flawed recording of the event, Martin graciously went into the studio

and recorded two great reels, “Sailor On the Rock” and “Last Night's Fun”, just for this compilation

- Thanks, Martin!! (Martin Hayes appears courtesy of Green Linnet Records)

OurMusicTo You vol.1 was produced, edited and mixed by John Brennan of John Brennan Productions Jb01@optonline.net

This compilation is a special limited edition gift intended solely for the enjoyment of the Society's Contributors, and is not to be sold or otherwise reproduced.

Dedicated to the memory of Frank “Pure Drop” McEvoy and Dr. Joe Shea.