If it is of any interest to anyone I am Irish, brought up in England in an Irish musical household, and play Irish music on a variety of instruments (plus other genres too, e.g. blues). However, I have a particular liking for Northumbrian music and am doing my level best to introduce as much of it as I can here in Belgium where, apart from the musicians I normally play with, the trend is towards achieving new Flemish-Irish (Flirish?) world speed records in the Olympic Irish Reel event.

I can't really understand some of these nationalistic arguments being brought in here, particularly those concerning Irish sessions in Ireland (my grandfather was a friend and contemporary fellow fiddler of Coleman and I am also more distantly related to the song collector Sam Henry). Certainly, in earlier times, the norm was house parties and dancing but pub sessions have been going for some considerable time in Ireland, at least the parts I know well. I certainly cannot see how "the arrogant elitism of the imperial British session" as quoted above is anything other than a red herring IMHO.

As I said above, a good session must have tolerance, humour and sensitivity. If you have good musicians/singers with these qualities as well, an enjoyable session can be become something quite extraordinary.

Tashi dele

mooman