I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it

Subject: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Rasener
Date: 13 Oct 09 - 01:17 PM

There must be millions out there who play the Bodhran and are proud of it.
So this is your big chance.

Who is the worlds best Bodhran player?

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 13 Oct 09 - 01:23 PM

Pride is only temporary; pain is forever.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: wealdroad
Date: 13 Oct 09 - 01:25 PM

John Joe Kelly, such a strange and wonderful musician.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Ernest
Date: 13 Oct 09 - 01:27 PM

Ivan Smith would be another one in the class of John Joe Kelly

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Rasener
Date: 13 Oct 09 - 02:02 PM

Any videos of them?

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Dave_
Date: 13 Oct 09 - 02:08 PM

John Joe Kelly of Flook

Conor Lyons is current world champion

Ciaran Boyle from Rotherham,England my personal favourite played with Last Nights Fun

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: greg stephens
Date: 13 Oct 09 - 02:24 PM

Jim Sutherland was fantastic, ther best I've heard. Don't know if he still plays it. I would hope he might have seen the light, packed it in and taken up the banjo.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: TopcatBanjo
Date: 13 Oct 09 - 03:12 PM

I do but I've pretty much let it slide since taking up the banjo (no, I'm not joking). No expert on great players but I've seen Cormac Byrne play a couple of times and been to one of his workshops and was very impressed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6xyS4YDuZY

Right, I'm off to paste in the banjo thread   ;o)

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 09:53 AM

Gino Lupari, end of.

Dave H

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 09:58 AM

World's best bodhran player? Not much competition considering that only about three people in the world can play it. Mr McDonagh for my money.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Dave_
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 10:07 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ChbigufBC8

John Joe Kelly

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 10:55 AM

Vincent Short.

Runner-up : Mo Green

Proxime Accessit : Bryn Pugh

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 15 Oct 09 - 07:48 AM

Shouldn't that be
"My name is ******* ******* and I am a bodhran player.
- one day at a time!
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Oct 09 - 07:53 AM

Lets not forget Mark from Emma and the Professor

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Joules
Date: 15 Oct 09 - 07:58 AM

Sorry !! Cookie now reset, the last post was me

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Rasener
Date: 15 Oct 09 - 09:27 AM

Thats true Joules.

Congrats by the way Joules :-)

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: G-Force
Date: 15 Oct 09 - 10:07 AM

Anyone who saw Typsy Jazz at Bromyard may have had their mind expanded as to what the bodhran is capable of. Don't know the guy's name, sadly.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Oct 09 - 11:27 AM

Big Mick told me the other day that it's pronounced "Bow-Rahn", not "Boh-Dran". Always good to know these things.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: OlgaJ
Date: 15 Oct 09 - 12:12 PM

I asked in Ireland and there seem to be as many ways of saying it as playing it! The most common seems to be bow-(as in now)rawn (as in torn). What you definitely don't call it is a 'bodran'

As a bodhran player who does occasional workshops (four days running once a year is quite enough believe me)I am sometimes blamed for the number of drums turning up at sessions. Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there who buy a bodhran and assume that owning one is qualification enough to bring it along and bang it. You wouldn't buy a guitar or a flute and turn up expecting to play without learning how - or would you?

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: The Sandman
Date: 15 Oct 09 - 01:36 PM

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Steve Shaw - PM
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 09:58 AM

World's best bodhran player? Not much competition considering that only about three people in the world can play it. Mr McDonagh for my money.[quote]
bollocks,I know at least 8

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: jeddy
Date: 18 Oct 09 - 02:12 PM

i play it too!! *shame on me*   don't really bother much since taking up the mandolin.
well don't play that much either as edi won't practice with me much anymore, so blame her, thats my excuse and i am sticking to it!! LOL.

best bodrhan player, aimee lenoards(?), was with anam, father makes them comes from orkney(i think). very impressive to watch and listen to.

take care all

jade x x x

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: gnu
Date: 18 Oct 09 - 02:29 PM

Me. Which is why I don't play in public any more. I am too shy for all the attention. I still tutor, of course, searching out those who are worthy and as humble as I.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Tim Leaning
Date: 18 Oct 09 - 02:48 PM

Gnu I know the feeling.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 18 Oct 09 - 08:11 PM

Quite a few Marks out there:
Mark McGuire (Deaf Shepherd)
Mark Dunlop (Malinky)
Mark Duff (ex-Capercaillie)
Mog (who taught me)
as well as Martin O'Neill, Johhny (Ringo) McDonagh, and John Jo Kelly

And by the way, Greg, Jim Sutherland has been hugely busy with La Banda Europa, writing film scores and othe major musical projects.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Oct 09 - 10:08 AM

Typsy Jazz
the truly unique bodhrán style of Mark Lewis,

saw them at Bromyard Festival. I didn't realise they were locals. Absolutely knocked-out by them.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 06:06 PM

James Doolan from Dublin is the 2009 World Bodhran Champion. He is a savage player - and he plays loads of other instruments too! lovely to hear him play. He is some class.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 06:50 PM

i agree! Saw him on the Comhaltas Live web doing brilliant playing with a lovely concertina player. Look them up on youtube; just google in james doolan and you will get them; they are well worth a look. you are right. he is a great bodhran player.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: buddhuu
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 08:28 PM

I play it and I'm proud of it. I'm nowhere near anywhere's best player, let alone the world's. That said, I'm better than that fella who plays it on Ted Furey's 'Toss the Feathers' recording.

Bodhrans are great. I have a lovely 16" Belgarth tunable drum from which I will never part.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Connacht Rambler
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 06:14 AM

Lots about the Irish bodhran here:

http://www.ramblinghouse.org/2009/08/history-of-the-bodhran/

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: skarpi
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 09:04 AM

who is the best , no idea .

I say the best is who play from his/her heart with a feeling

kv Skarpi

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: GUEST,Janet
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 12:11 PM

I think Aoife Clancy plays it well. She may be the best I've ever heard in live performances.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: buddhuu
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 05:27 PM

One thing about bodhran... Am I the only person who isn't impressed by top-end style? Very clever and all that, but it just does little for me.

I prefer Kerry style.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 06:29 PM

Just learn a real instrument that can play real tunes. Don't worry, you'll soon get over the bodhran delusion.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 04:51 AM

Been there, done that. Didn't get over the bodhran thing.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: GUEST,Steamin' Willie
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 04:58 AM

Ciaran Boyle.

When he was about 12, and already a brilliant player, I went with him and his Dad to a festival, where in return for playing him at pool, he taught me the rudiments.

I hope his pool playing is better than my bodhran playing.... I am fast enough, but that is through having no toys as a child........ But playing it???

Leave it to the experts? No, it is not hard and practice gets you by.. it has a wonderful sound and compliments jig & reel sessions like no other percussion can.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 05:11 AM

I can't say I'm much of fan of the gurgling water brigade, although thew best exponents are fine players when you come across one in a session it can be a right pain in the arse.

My favourite is Martin O'Neill (not his Grace MON of the Holy Church of Aston Villa, his name be praised) who plays with Julie Fowlis and is a brilliant, sensitive musician and a really nice guy to boot.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Brian May
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 08:12 AM

Well someone has to be . . . ;o)

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: GUEST,Randa
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 05:26 AM

The player to check out is Adam Brown and he makes his own instruments.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: GUEST,Ana
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 06:32 AM

Kerry style? What are the different styles, and are they really region dictated? Does Scotland have a style...and if so, how does it go.
Was in India (Rajasthan - some think 1st home of the gypsies) a few weeks back, and was fascinated to see folk musicians with 1 1/2 sized bodhran type drums. They tended to beat and dance at the same time. Very clever! They used the flat of their right hand to make a complicated rythm, and a light 12 inch stick was folded between their left hand and the rim at a 45 degree angle. Meant that the left hand could then flick the stick in a constant light beat on the skin.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 06:50 AM

Wurzels regional style is my favourite. You have to sort of pretend you're Bono getting the crowd clapping. Take the drum in one hand (you must get one with one of those cross-pieces), hold it over your head and smash a big tipper into it for all you're worth. Or even your clenched fist. Incredibly effective, and you won't be ignored.

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: ruairiobroin
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 09:23 AM

Robbie Walsh and Niall Preston are both brilliant , interestigly they are both excellent melodic instrumentalists as well

Subject: RE: I play the Bodhran and I am proud of it
From: Green Man
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 10:26 AM

Don't worry mate, you're not alone. I play the melodeon. ;) A match made in ,, Ireland I think.

GM