The role of instruments in Celtic traditions can be fickle: newer voices (like the tenor banjo) are increasingly popular on festival stages; while ancient ones (like the harp) still hang on the outskirts when it comes to modern group projects. Find out how the banjo came into common acceptance in Irish circles from Daniel Neely, Enda Scahill, and Martin Howley… and learn about joys and challenges of outsider status from harpist Maeve Gilchrist, cellist Natalie Haas, and saxophone players Susan Lindsay and Isaac Alderson.

There’s also plenty of music in this episode. Full playlist below.

And for Japanese speakers who want to get started with Irish Music Stories, the first episode has been translated fully (transcript) by Ryoko Murakami (with Tomoaki Hatekeyama) HERE 

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Thanks to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters: Pat Wilcox, Soomee Han, Ken Doyle, Stephanie Reeve, Finn Agenbroad, Mark Haynes, David Vaughan, Gerry Corr, Susan Walsh, Rick Rubin, Randy Krajniak, Jon Duvik, and Suezen Brown.

Please CLICK HERE if you can kick in to support this podcast!

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Visit IrishMusicStories.org

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Music Heard on IMS Episode 43

Tunes: “The Big Reel Of Ballynacally/The High Hill/Flash Away The Pressing Gang,” from Sunny Spells And Scattered ShowersArtist: Solas

Tune: Professor Cherry, from Ports of CallArtists: Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas

Tune: “D Chimes,” from Irish Music Stories Production musicArtist: Matt Heaton

Tune: “Taste of Gaelic,” from The Cabin SessionsArtists: Mairi Rankin & Eric Wright

Tune: “February Bright,” from 20 Chandler StreetArtist: Maeve Gilchrist

Tune: “Zayante,” from Home RecordingArtist: Alfredo Rolando Ortiz

Tune: “G Meditation,” from Irish Music Stories Production musicArtist: Matt Heaton

Tune: “Harp Glissando demonstration,” from How to play Glissandos on the Harp Artist: Christy-Lin

Tune: “Waimea Rising,” from Vignette Artists: Maeve Gilchrist & Viktor Krauss

Tune: “The Castlebay Scrap/Stuarts Rant,” from Play On LightArtist: Síleas

Tune: “The Blue Dress,” from The Blue DressArtists: Shannon Heaton & Maeve Gilchrist

Tune: “Tom Maguire's Fancy, The Flogging Reel,” from Traditional Music On Fiddle, Banjo & HarpArtists: Oisin Mac Diarmada, Brian Fitzgerald, Micheal O'Ruanaigh

Tune: “Following the North Star,” from Freedom HighwayArtist: Rhiannon Giddens

Tune: “The Miller Of Drone/Pauline Conneely's/Finbar Dwyer’s,” from An Traidisiún BeoArtist: Angelina Carberry

Tune: “Medley,” from live footage from 1928 (presented by Vitaphone) Artist: Fabulous Ingenues

Tune: “Seamus Connolly's/Brid Harpur’s,” from Traditional Music From Doolin Co. ClareArtist: Kevin Griffin

Tune: “The Rookery,” from Music class at 2014 Milwaukee Irishfest Summer SchoolArtist: Martin Howley

Tune: “The New Irish Barn Dance,” from 1929 recording Artists: The Flanagan Brothers

Tune: “Sailor on the Rock,” from Fleá Ceoil (1964 recording from Gael Linn)Artist: Barney McKenna

Tune: “Bill Cheatum / Kitchen Girl,” from Live in GalwayArtist: We Banjo 3

Tune: Martin Wynnes #2 / Martin Wynnes #1 / The Coalminer,” from Roots of the Banjo TreeArtist:  We Banjo 3

Tune: “Splendid Isolation,” from At the RacketArtist: At the Rocket

Tune: “Mutey Big Build,” from Irish Music Stories Production musicArtist: Matt Heaton

Tune: “Siege of Ennis No. 3,” from B Side of Copley Record #9-178 Artist: Johnny Powell and his Irish band

Tune: “Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria,” from Bach: Goldberg Variations (For Saxophone Quartet)Artist: Danish Saxophone Quartet, Christian Hougaard, Torben Snekkestad, Jørgen Ole Bove & Per Egholm

Tune: “Rhythm Is Our Business,” from 1935 Hits (Remastered)Artist: Jimmy Lunceford and His Orchestra & Willie Smith

Tune: “Abbey Reel Meditation,” from Irish Music Stories Production musicArtist: Matt Heaton

Tune: “Heartstrings Theme,” from Irish Music Stories Production musicArtist: Matt Heaton

Song: “Sixteen Jolly Ravers,” from From the Green to the BlueArtist: The Lindsays

Tune: “Sabai Sabai,” from Irish Music Stories Production musicArtist: Matt Heaton

Tune: “Aunt Jane’s Trip to Norway,” from The Blue DressArtists: Shannon Heaton & Maeve Gilchrist

Tune: “Jane’s Reel,” from Simon Chrisman & Wes CorbettArtists: Simon Chrisman & Wes Corbett

Tune: “Stah Wahs,” from banjo outtakeArtist: Matt Heaton