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March 18, 2008 4:30 PM

Hey, get outta bed, you! What? Say you had one too many on Paddy's Day? Well, friend, just down a little hair of the dog and we'll dance it off! That's right! Some jigs, a couple of reels and a hornpipe or two, from Irish button accordion maestros John Whelan, Michael O'Connel, Damien Mullane, and Keith Gildea. And for good measure, Edel Fox on the concertina, and Bobby Gardiner on the melodeon. Just the thing to chase that nasty ol' hangover away!

Button accordion / Melodeon Wikipedia page.

posted by flapjax at midnite (14 comments total)

And some previously posted flute music to go with yer buttons. Thanks for the tunes!
posted by salishsea at 4:47 PM on March 18

Oh, and here's some Sharon Shannon, Jackie Daly, Joe Burke and Dermot Byrne.
posted by salishsea at 4:51 PM on March 18

As an Irishman, I resent your linking of the great Hibernian race with drunkeness. And, as a drunk, I resent you for waking me up with your loud music.
posted by Astro Zombie at 5:22 PM on March 18 [2 favorites]

Great music, but definitely not on my hangover playlist.
posted by The White Hat at 5:24 PM on March 18

Sign in Elderly Instruments: "Play an accordion, go to jail."

Sorry, it had to be said.
posted by Herodios at 5:37 PM on March 18

Elderly is not far from the Tuba Museum.

Just sayin'
posted by stubby phillips at 6:13 PM on March 18

OK, OK, I'll get up already, just stop playing so fucking LOUD!! fuuuuck, my head....
posted by not_on_display at 7:06 PM on March 18

AZ, you're an Irish Jew (or of Irish-Jewish origin)? I realize Jews hail from just about every (European and Middle Eastern, in particular) country, but I wasn't aware of a Jewish Diaspora in Ireland until your comment piqued my curiosity and led me to the Wikipedia entry on the history of Irish Jews. According to a 2006 survey, there are only about 1,930 Jews in the Republic of Ireland. It must have taken a hardy bunch to gain a foothold on the Emerald Isle, seeing as 'The earliest reference to the Jews in Ireland was in the year 1079. The Annals of Inisfallen record "Five Jews came from over sea with gifts to Tairdelbach [king of Munster], and they were sent back again over sea'. It didn't get much easier in the following centuries either, but a small minority somehow prevailed.

I love Metafilter for the little serendipitous finds like that. I learned something new today. Apologies to flapjax for the derail. I'll check out some of the links now.

Master thespian Daniel Day-Lewis is an Irish Jew; he has Irish citizenship and his mother was Jewish.
posted by Devils Slide at 7:17 PM on March 18 [1 favorite]

No sweat, Devils Slide. That's the kind of derail one likes to see.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:23 PM on March 18

Stubby: Been there, done that, ate the bisonburger.

Meanwhile. . .

Now I've listened to all the clips, I gotta say that though these folks don't have a lot of stage presence, they're getting fairly impressive articulation from so simple an instrument, especially O'Connell. And beautiful machines they are, too.

Unfortunately, even my dog doesn't dig accordion music. She just got up and ran out of the room once it was clear I was gonna play more than one of these clips.
posted by Herodios at 7:39 PM on March 18

Now I've listened to all the clips, I gotta say that though these folks don't have a lot of stage presence, they're getting fairly impressive articulation from so simple an instrument, especially O'Connell. And beautiful machines they are, too.

I'd have to agree about O'Connell being the standout, although they're all very capable musicians. And regarding (lack of) stage presence, they must subscribe to the "shut up and play yer accordion" method of musicianship, which although lacking in flair and panache, is very honest and doesn't pander. Traditional Irish music isn't my absolute favorite type of music in the world either, but these fellas can sure play.

Thanks, flapjax. Well-timed post.
posted by Devils Slide at 8:03 PM on March 18

I loved these. Thanks.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:32 AM on March 19

Small, resticted-scale awkward reed instruments REPRESENTING! So what if it is St. Patty Day. Everybody SQUEEZE!

I've got two button boxes sitting next to me, but when I need to have a restricted diatonic funk attack I prefer dominican meringue, played on little two row hohner ericas, Columbian vallenato (usually played on three row Hohner Coronas.)

I.K. Dairo was Nigerian Juju music's main squeezer on single row button box.

Madagascar has a great button box traditon, exemplified by pop star Lego but the problem is that as the accordions wear out, new ones are too expensive to replace. So Regis Gizavo collects donated boxes in Europe and delivers them to Madagascar.

Most of these folkier style diatonic accordions are tuned with rows a fourth apart. Irish music uses the "B-C" keyboard, which allows more charomatic playing. It is also the style of "Eight Bass" box used in old style Brazilian forro.
posted by zaelic at 6:32 AM on March 19

Thanks for all the great links, zaelic!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:07 PM on March 19