singer, songwriter, comedian, author, poet, broadcaster and multi-instrumentalist
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A 5 min lesson on the Blues Harmonica from Professor Itchynakas Of Kyoto University. The 3 brands mentioned are Hohner / Suzuki and Seydel. Dyson does not make anything that either sucks or blows worth talking about.
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Another tune another jumper – and don’t tell me I look miserable – I know – I’m constipating on the tune and can’t get the face muscles to do their grinny bit – any road up this tune is called Dentdale and always sounds a bit Northumbrian to me. Perhaps I was visited in my sleep by the Lambton Worm.
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I tried to show the difference between the un-muted and muted sound on this mando but like an eejit I forgot how the simple mics in the iPhone flatten everything – so my experiment didn’t work. Never mind – the tune at the head is the one of the first jigs I learned I usually play it in a set with The Bottle of Punch and Con Cassidy’s but I don’t think any but the converted want 6 mins of mandolin jigs. The case is a Tom &Will Tenor Uke gig bag – sadly I think they’ve stopped making them.
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A great tune written by Joe Boske “Trip To Bofin” – you can see Inisbofin (Island of the White Cow) from the front window of my small cottage in Connemara. The mandolin is a practice mandolin made by David Lim of Manchester. I asked him to make me a practice mando so that I wouldn’t annoy the neighbours.
We thought it was going to be quiet but actually it has a very big voice and I’ve had to put a leather coaster over the soundhole to quieten it down a bit. At present David is working on a practice 2-stroke strimmer and 2-stroke lawnmower for the feckin’ neighbour
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A tune written by the blind Irish harper Turlough O’Carollan. He made a living from his music, was a prolific composer and traveled throughout Ireland staying in the great houses and often writing tines for his patrons. This is Planxty Madam Maxwell dedicated to the lady who invented instant coffee.
Posted by Mike Harding on Friday, 3 April 2020
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A great tune from the writing of Maurice Lennon and Keiran Hanrahan. Apologies for the bum notes. Hard playing naked and unadorned.
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A tune called The Jolly Angler. Banged up here in The Yorkshire Dales I miss the regular sessions at The Jolly Angler in Mancs. A simple little tune. But that’s like me. Simple n little.
Posted by Mike Harding on Wednesday, 1 April 2020