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Transatlantic Sessions
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Subject: Transatlantic Sessions From: Mick Tems Date: 27 Sep 13 - 08:04 PM Transatlantic Sessions started a new six-programme series on BBC4 on Friday night, with an absolutely stellar cast including Ewan McLennan, Karen Matheson and Donald Shaw of Capercaillie, Mary Chapin Carpenter, John McCusker, Michael McGoldrick, Danny Thompson, Andy Irvine, Tim O'Brien, Aly Bain, Jerry Douglas, Donal Lunny, Teddy Thompson, Sam Lakeman and the lovely Cara Dillon - apologies to those I've missed out. Looking ahead to next week's RT, the series will feature the Irish star Maura O'Connell and Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis. ...and Teddy's father, Richard, was on an hour-long programme on BBC4 on Friday with the trio, Dave Swarbrick and Pete Zorn... just after the hour-long totally moving documentary about Nic Jones. Thank God for BBC4! |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Andrez Date: 27 Sep 13 - 10:56 PM We can only drool about it all in the land of Oz :-( Cheers, Andrez |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Will Fly Date: 28 Sep 13 - 05:09 AM Part 2 is on the iPlayer now - just do a search on "Transatlantic Sessions". |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: GUEST,henryp Date: 28 Sep 13 - 05:56 AM A stellar cast but mixed performances, I thought. Good sessions from the band. I enjoyed Teddy Thompson and Ewan McLennan and a restrained but short version of Rambling Boys of Pleasure from Andy Irvine with Donal Lunny. Andy's newly refurbished mandola looked good and I would have liked to hear a little more of it. Not impressed by Karen Matheson, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Tim O'Brien on Aragon Mill - I would rather have heard Andy Irvine sing this too. Nor by choice of songs from Aoife O'Donovan and Cara Dillon and Sam Lakeman on this occasion. Nice views across Loch Lomond. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Pete Jennings Date: 28 Sep 13 - 06:12 AM We're lucky to have BBC4 for folkies. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Jim Martin Date: 28 Sep 13 - 07:34 AM Link for prog: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03bv1bv/Transatlantic_Sessions_Series_6_Episode_2/ |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Will Fly Date: 28 Sep 13 - 08:19 AM I was also unimpressed by some of the singing - while remembering that it's all personal taste, of course - but I did enjoy Teddy Thompson's performance. My main bleat was that I had difficulty in making out some of the words, particularly when Cara Dillon was singing, which I think is more a product of the sound mixing than of her voice. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: GUEST,henryp Date: 28 Sep 13 - 09:24 AM Folkies are lucky to have one programme on four channels of BBC TV devoted to Scottish, Irish and American music? English folkies may not agree! |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: GUEST,rich Date: 28 Sep 13 - 10:07 AM The usual suspects and tired formula. The best thing now is some of the guests. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: GUEST,Mike Rogers Date: 28 Sep 13 - 12:30 PM It appears that the house band has a job for life. Some of 'em acquire more facial hair and girth but that's about it. I keep asking myself 'can you have too much of Jerry Douglas?' Nonetheless I thought the sound quality in general was better than series 5, which seemed over-compressed and lifeless. I still can't understand what Cara Dillon sings. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: GUEST,Auldtimer Date: 28 Sep 13 - 01:03 PM Sound quality ? Like in the last series I somehow I don't get the feeling that what I am watching is what I am listening to. (Or is that the other way round.) I may not have the best TV or speakers but on other music programs the sound and vision seams more all of the one piece. This may also be because of being too used to the sound of "live" performances. Still... I'm fair enjoying the program |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Edthefolkie Date: 28 Sep 13 - 02:59 PM Funny, I thought Jerry Douglas was doing some pretty hot accompaniment last night! I've somehow got to cure myself of falling to the floor and genuflecting every time I see Danny T or Andy I on the telly. But when Andy does a song with Donal Lunny and Mike McGoldrick, what can you do? Sound quality was very good on the PC with a very basic 2 speaker and little bass box setup. Never sounds as good on the TV in spite of wasting money on a cheap soundbar & subwoofer - great big hole in the mid range. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: GUEST,Hootenanny Date: 29 Sep 13 - 04:28 AM The usual waste of great musical talent. Take some excellent musicians from various fields throw them all in together to accompany various vocalists and everything comes out sounding the same. Too tightly arranged. Where is the spontanaiety that comes out of real sessions? I too was unable to understand what Cara Dillon was singing or why she was even in the programme. Tim O'Brien reduced to backing singer/musician and why was the last line of the adaptation of Aragon Mill repeated ten times. Pipes, flute/whistle and drums on almost everything.How about showing a little more variety in styles of playing in traditional music. Hoot |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Vic Smith Date: 29 Sep 13 - 07:18 AM Ed the Folkie wrote: "I've somehow got to cure myself of falling to the floor and genuflecting every time I see Danny T or Andy I on the telly. But when Andy does a song with Donal Lunny and Mike McGoldrick, what can you do? Henry P wrote: " a restrained but short version of Rambling Boys of Pleasure from Andy Irvine with Donal Lunny. Andy's looked good and I would have liked to hear a little more of it. * See and hear a lot more of Andy and his newly refurbished mandola when he headlines a concert at Lewes Folk Festival on Friday 11th October. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Backwoodsman Date: 29 Sep 13 - 07:46 AM If I want to hear the "spontaneity that comes out of a real session", I'll go to a real session. TTS isn't a 'real session' and it was never intended to be - it's a group of musicians and singers playing and singing together. Not the same thing. Tim O'Brien sings a nice "My Girl Waits For Me" in the second programme, so that will hopefully shut our moaning-minnie guest up. Very nice performance from Mary Chapin Carpenter also. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Dave Hanson Date: 29 Sep 13 - 07:51 AM With so many top musicians there, no doubt the BBC will want everyone playing on everything to get their moneysworth out of them. Dave H |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: GUEST,Hootennanny Date: 29 Sep 13 - 12:32 PM If it was never intended to be a real session why is the series called Transatlantic Sessions? Sorry Backwoodsman but I don't enjoy pasteurised traditional music. And, it isn't just Tim O'Brien who is wasted on this programme it is most of the musicians involved. Hoot (just before leaving for a live session) |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Backwoodsman Date: 29 Sep 13 - 02:51 PM Then don't watch it. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: GUEST,Allan Conn Date: 29 Sep 13 - 02:59 PM I like Karen's version of Aragon Mill. Personal taste of course but whether one likes it or not it is part of her normal repertoire. Was certainly in her set list when I saw her at Innerleithen earlier this year. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: GUEST,Hootenanny Date: 30 Sep 13 - 05:43 AM I don't watch it for reasons stated above. This being the first of a new series and me being sometimes an optimist I gave it a try. Unfortunately it turned out to be the same old same old.It just isn't for me. Hoot |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Will Fly Date: 30 Sep 13 - 06:30 AM I recall seeing the first series of sessions in 1995, which - unless memory is playing me false - seemed a little more rough'n ready and spontaneous. I missed the second series but bought the third series. This contained some stuff that wasn't in the broadcast programmes, including an informal duet between Bruce Molsky on banjo and a Uillean piper which was absolutely superb. It was either a rehearsal or just caught on film by chance. That sort of spontaneity appears to have subtly lessened over the years, with almost everyone in the "house band" playing on almost every guest's numbers. When I saw the live show at the Festival Hall last year, the highlights for me were when band members actually dropped out and smaller, more intimate groups were formed. The full band seemed to make everything sound samey. And this is what - IMO - characterises the sessions these days. I don't really object to the word "session" except that it might give the wrong impression of a session to non-folkies watching it. At most of the sessions I go to, there are often newcomers who change the musical mix - which is one of the fascinations of these things. Why - we even had a 5-string banjo player at last night's session and, in spite of us making signs of the cross in front of him and muttering banjo jokes, he was great fun, a good musician and added spice to the evening. :-) |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: melodeonboy Date: 30 Sep 13 - 10:45 AM I'm just grateful for such a wonderful evening's viewing. The Transatlantic Sessions followed by a rock 'n' roll documentary, a documentary on Nic Jones and a Richard Thompson concert! Wonderful! Good old BBC4! One of the few evenings when I could honestly say I'm glad I didn't have a gig! |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Will Fly Date: 30 Sep 13 - 10:52 AM It was a very good evening. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Backwoodsman Date: 30 Sep 13 - 01:14 PM A very, very good evening! :-) |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: SteveMansfield Date: 30 Sep 13 - 02:32 PM It's nice to see the Mudcat traditions being observed; every time a new TS season starts, the threads are full of people saying how rubbish it is. If you don't like it so very much ... don't watch it. Newsflash - it's not compulsory. Or have a long and high profile career in traditional music, set up your own film production company, and make something better / more to your taste / more English / etc. I will freely allow that Aragon Mill was a bit bobbins though. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Noreen Date: 30 Sep 13 - 06:13 PM Just watched episode 1 on iPlayer, and going on to episode 3. What happened to episode 2? Steve Mansfield, the point is, there is such talent gathered together there, it's a shame when it's not used to it's fullest. It can be stunning and we want it ALL to be that good! Rambling Boys of Pleasure was indeed that good, and Aoife's song was getting that way, but for most of the rest, they seemed to be 'going through the motions'. Good, of course, but... Yes, a bit more variety of groupings would help, as Will Fly says- then you'd see them sparking off each other rather than being in their own little worlds. I look forward to what's coming in the rest of the series. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: GUEST,henryp Date: 30 Sep 13 - 07:06 PM Nobody has actually said that the new series is rubbish. But perhaps the first episode failed to meet expectations. |
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Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sessions From: Backwoodsman Date: 01 Oct 13 - 01:34 AM Watching it on BBC2 Scotland, it's on on the Sunday before it's shown on BBC4. Ep. 2 was shown last week, Ep. 3 was on Sunday just gone. I'm recording the series. |
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