Hi Frank, you're right on target. I've been playing off & on with Larry & Seamus for over (since the eary Coach House Days) 20 years & you couldn't find a more welcoming group in a session that has more love & talent anywhere on earth. It was Seamus that kept at me to pull my drum out from under the table & both he & Larry would always call on singers & dancers & story tellers to make sure it stayed well rounded. Their sessions were always consider by hot shots to be a mid level session but as I said above this was where you could not only hear the love of the music but could really see the love of it & if the worlds best didn't care if it was hot shot then why would I. To them I owe my respect for how I play with others be they better or not. I last I saw of Seamus about a yr or two ago at a concert at the Museum of our Natural Heritage, his dancer didn't make it & he asked if I'd sit in with him for a few tunes. I'd refuse Seamus nothing in this world so I joined him when he asked & he gave me such a lovely & warm intro as if I were the star yet it was my honor to return some of the love of the music he had helped to instilled in me.
Frank I still drop in on their Monday night session when I get the chance (not near often enough) my point was that their are snob sessions but there grows no love of the music there & then there's a lack of a good ttime.
See my July 5th post in this thread.
Barry