Who is your greatest influence as a flute player?

[flutey1]

Jimmy Noonan (my flute teacher) and Mike McGoldrick. different styles but I love them both.

[Akiba]

Peter Horan.

Yep, should be there.

[Akiba]

Grey Larsen - just did the Timber Flute Festival with him...

Pat

Thought about putting Grey in there since he does represent a distinct style and I'll admit he's had an influence on me as well. I've read and listened to almost all the material in his tome "Essentials..."

[Akiba]

I forgot to mention John Skelton. I wouldn't claim/name him as a huge influence myself, but I know he is to many. For older British based folks, I guess Roger Sherlock might be important too???? (Not on me, never heard much of him, but have often heard his name quoted.) Michael Tubridy, the original Chieftains fluter, would have been one of the first to come to general, non Irish attention and through the media pre Bothy Band - probably as influential in raising awareness (if not as a direct model) as Cathal McConnell has been through Boys of the Lough. Paddy Carty is another oft-quoted name I'd think of as being influential (again, not on me personally as only acquired any recordings of him relatively recently) way before I'd think of the majority of the names in the poll list!

I suppose what I'm getting at is that most of the names on the poll list, whilst I've heard of them all, are not ones I'd think of quickly if you asked me to nominate a similar list of highly influential/famous ITM fluters. Molloy and McConnell would be there, Crawford and probably Egan..........

Fair enough, Jem. I'll admit I'm not an expert and created this poll to find out who are the most influential for us C&F folks. I'm sure the geezers have influenced folks in the past and some now, but I wonder if they directly (as opposed to indirectly) have an influence on many contemporary amateur and professional players. Just a thought...

[cocusflute]

Jem said:

...most of the names on the poll are not ones I'd think of quickly

The players listed on the poll are exactly the people I'd think of in a list of this sort. Gary Shannon and Harry Bradley influenced me a lot too, but nobody so much as The Divine Catherine, aka The McEvoy Express.

It would be interesting to know how long people have been playing and how that correlates with who they were influenced by. Newcomers (fewer than five years playing) would I think tend to be more impressed with flashy players in band settings, rather than by the more laid back pure-drop players. Over time serious fluters listen more carefully to solo players like June NiChormaic and Catherine and start to appreciate The Great One, Mike Rafferty.

It's a shame, I think, that Lunasa seems to be more of a touchstone for ITM than people like Harry Bradley, a huge influence here in Ireland. I am surprised by how many American fluters -- good players -- have Crawford's and McGoldrick's idiosyncratic repertoires down but don't have such simple, common tunes as The Bride's Favorite, Maid on the Green, and Christmas Eve.

I'm waiting for Rob Sharer to cite Michael Hynes as his inspiration.

[BrendanB]

I appreciate the intent of this poll, but I think it is misguided. If every influence could be broken down into a list of five or six players, then it would be a sad state of affairs. It would basically mean that we would all play with the same style.

To me, this list is more of a reflection of how well known someone is currently in the US. All great players, but I think this lists reveals its bias. Where are players who had a tremendous influence but are not more contemporary - John McKenna, Tom Morrison, Paddy Carty, Vince Broderick, etc.?? (Fair play to Mike and Josie). While contemporary players may not cite them by name, they certainly had a huge influence on how the instrument is played and did influence our style.

Ultimately, I think the list of who influences you is really subjective to each player. Perhaps there are people, such as Matt Molloy, who are so influential that they are on almost everyone's list, but that is pretty rare.

In most cases, a lot of your style and repetoire come from the musicians you play with regularly. For instance, most of us here in the DC/Baltimore area would point to Brendan Mulvihill and Billy McComiskey as a big influence, since they taught so many people in the area and influenced the style. Neither of them are flute players, but I play (or at least aspire to) more like them than better known flute players. To me, that's a good thing since it maintains some regional flavor and style.

Anyway, my two cents,

Brendan

[jemtheflute]

BrendanB, you've hit my feelings spot on and said it far better than I could have, or did with my attempts to cite a broader group of names. I certainly thought, but didn't say what you said about it being an American perspective. Add my 2p to your cents. And, although I don't share his experience/influences, I otherwise agree with cocus too. I'm sure I've so far missed out on things I'd love and certainly ought to get to know, but I've hardly heard McEvoy or Rafferty, still less McDermott, Larsen, Nugent or Norman - probably just their tracks on Woodenflute Obsession. And before folk start advising what albums to get, I'd love to, but I've NO money to do so nor enough time to listen to the huge pile of CDs I already own, let alone the ones I do buy when I can afford it...... and I buy classical stuff too. For example, when I went to the first Flute Meeting I bought about 8 albums - Harry's, Conal O'Grada, Hammy, Paul McGrattan - and if I've found time in two years to listen to each of them three times that is it! Ditto the WFO albums - have them all so far, have probably listened to them twice each. No time!

[Jack Bradshaw]

Chris Norman is the primary reason I took up the flute.

Ditto

[flutey1]

I appreciate the intent of this poll, but I think it is misguided. If every influence could be broken down into a list of five or six players, then it would be a sad state of affairs. It would basically mean that we would all play with the same style...

Ultimately, I think the list of who influences you is really subjective to each player. Perhaps there are people, such as Matt Molloy, who are so influential that they are on almost everyone's list, but that is pretty rare.

In most cases, a lot of your style and repetoire come from the musicians you play with regularly. For instance, most of us here in the DC/Baltimore area would point to Brendan Mulvihill and Billy McComiskey as a big influence, since they taught so many people in the area and influenced the style. Neither of them are flute players, but I play (or at least aspire to) more like them than better known flute players. To me, that's a good thing since it maintains some regional flavor and style.

I agree that it's difficult to come up with an 'all inclusive' list. a lot of influence is still from the people you interact with, whether that's a teacher or people you play with at sessions.

Kenny and I were talking about different types of flute players last week and he said that he would put them into 2 categories - the ones who play from the barrel of the flute up (Harry Bradley and many of the old style players would fall into this category), and the ones who play from the barrel down (Matt Molloy, for example, people for whom the fingerwork and ornamentation seems more dominant than the breath). I would posit a 3rd category - people who play the whole flute (utilizing both fingerwork and breath too add interest to the melody), and in this category I would put Paddy Carty and Jimmy Noonan (and others no doubt). Given these three choices, I would prefer to fall into the 3rd category, but others would no doubt choose differently. again, I suppose it's a matter of personal taste...

Sara

[bradhurley]

For example, when I went to the first Flute Meeting I bought about 8 albums - Harry's, Conal O'Grada, Hammy, Paul McGrattan - and if I've found time in two years to listen to each of them three times that is it! Ditto the WFO albums - have them all so far, have probably listened to them twice each. No time!

Jem, no offence, but you've been on this board since 2006 and you've made more than 1600 posts and you're posting clips and YouTube videos. You have time to listen to music, you're just not making the time.

Listening to good players is arguably more important than playing, and is unarguably more important than talking about music or making recordings of oneself. I'd say a good distribution of one's music time would be 70 percent listening, 28 percent playing, and at most 2 percent pontificating, debating, and reading about music. Or maybe 60/39.5/0.5. But you get the general idea.

I'm guilty too -- I know how addicting these boards can be, but if we all shut up and listened more, we'd all be better flute players.

[BrendanB]

Kenny and I were talking about different types of flute players last week and he said that he would put them into 2 categories - the ones who play from the barrel of the flute up (Harry Bradley and many of the old style players would fall into this category), and the ones who play from the barrel down (Matt Molloy, for example, people for whom the fingerwork and ornamentation seems more dominant than the breath). I would posit a 3rd category - people who play the whole flute (utilizing both fingerwork and breath too add interest to the melody), and in this category I would put Paddy Carty and Jimmy Noonan (and others no doubt). Given these three choices, I would prefer to fall into the 3rd category, but others would no doubt choose differently. again, I suppose it's a matter of personal taste...

Sara

Hey Sara,

I guess I would disagree with the three categories you set up. Take another listen to both Harry Bradley and Matt Molloy and I think you may change your mind. A lot of people simplify it to be breath vs. fingers, but there isn't a good flute player out there who doesn't focus on both. Listen to Matt Molloy's breath articulation and pulse - particularly his earlier recorded solo albums - and it is savage. Harry also has a ton of really complex finger work going on in his playing. It's a lot more nuanced than some people acknowlege.

Sorry for being ornery today. Brad is right. More listening, less pontificating.

B

[jemtheflute]

Guilty as charged! Though I rather feel that I might put more consistent and serious practicing and generally playing a lot more rather higher in the recommended scheme. Mind you, I rarely listen to music while pontificating on here or otherwise working on the 'puter - and I'm not a person who requires silence to work. That's just a question of making the effort to put a CD on.

[Liney Bear]

I'm guilty too -- I know how addicting these boards can be, but if we all shut up and listened more, we'd all be better flute players.

Amen, brother. One of the most prescient comments I've ever read here.

[flutey1]

Kenny and I were talking about different types of flute players last week and he said that he would put them into 2 categories - the ones who play from the barrel of the flute up (Harry Bradley and many of the old style players would fall into this category), and the ones who play from the barrel down (Matt Molloy, for example, people for whom the fingerwork and ornamentation seems more dominant than the breath). I would posit a 3rd category - people who play the whole flute (utilizing both fingerwork and breath too add interest to the melody), and in this category I would put Paddy Carty and Jimmy Noonan (and others no doubt). Given these three choices, I would prefer to fall into the 3rd category, but others would no doubt choose differently. again, I suppose it's a matter of personal taste...

Sara

Hey Sara,

I guess I would disagree with the three categories you set up. Take another listen to both Harry Bradley and Matt Molloy and I think you may change your mind. A lot of people simplify it to be breath vs. fingers, but there isn't a good flute player out there who doesn't focus on both. Listen to Matt Molloy's breath articulation and pulse - particularly his earlier recorded solo albums - and it is savage. Harry also has a ton of really complex finger work going on in his playing. It's a lot more nuanced than some people acknowlege.

Sorry for being ornery today. Brad is right. More listening, less pontificating.

B

I know that it's both breath and fingerwork in all cases, but for some players the emphasis is more on one than the other when describing the overall style. there is a very clear distinction between Harry Bradley's playing and Matt Molloy and I still hear it having spent lots of time listening to both. Maybe it's more of a spectrum than categories. It's not that I especially want to put things into categories or boundaries, it's just a way of thinking about styles of flute playing and I definitely don't think the 2 ways of playing that Kenny originally suggested were enough.

cheers,
Sara

[galfrex]

I'm adding another vote for Chris Norman even though he's not on the list. He's the reason I switched from recorders to wooden flutes, and I like his genre bending style best too.