Conal O'Grada's 2nd solo recording

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 5:49 am

...is out now.

Track list here, and I'll comment later.

http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/3063

Markus · Post by **Markus** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:46 am

Ah well, one more item on my shopping list when heading for Ireland in the end of July...

Great that he ended up doing the record after all. Looking forward.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:12 am

He was all fired up playing with Gary Hastings last saturday, Gary described Conal as 'half man, half steam-engine'.

I mentioned the CD launch briefly on the Willie week thread over on the ITM forum, where I posted pictures as the week progressed.

mukade · Post by **mukade** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:40 am

Great news.

Top of the Coom has never left our car's CD player - it is played so much that my wife has given Japanese names to the tunes.

Mukade

Seanie · Post by **Seanie** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:27 am

Hello,

I heard a few tracks of the CD on the radio during Willie week (or weak willie week). He plays a selection of marches called the Green and Gold. I remember learning them off a Brendan Larrisey tape years ago.

Brendan said that he got the marches from Gerry O'Connor's mother who had taught him (and several others) to play the fiddle.

Needless to say Conal's interpretation left my effort in the shade.

Regards

John

Steampacket · Post by **Steampacket** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:44 am

Conal O´Gráda´s CD "Cnoc bui" is the CD of the year for me. Last year it was the Rainey Brothers CD. I´m playing Conal´s new CD now as I write. It´s been 18 years since Conal´s last solo CD "Top of Coom" and well worth the wait. Every track is great. Wonderful, exciting flute playing. Just now my favourite tunes are "The Grafspey & Come west along the road" set, "Lesbia hath a roving eye" and the "Muing fhliuch jig & Greensleeves" set. Conal´s sister Maire Ní Gráda is one of best uilleann pipers I´ve ever heard, a fine musician. I wonder if their parents are also musicians too?

SteveB · Post by **SteveB** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:09 am

I googled "Cnoc Bui" and the only place I could find to order it online was at cdbaby.com. Unfortunately (or rather, fortunately for Mr. O'Grada!) they've already sold out. Is anyone aware of any other online sellers who currently carry it?

regards,

SteveB

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:07 am

Would be nice if it were available on itunes, but who knows what their criteria are.....

Loren

ChrisCracknell · Post by **ChrisCracknell** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:38 am

Great photo of Conal there.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:13 pm

ChrisCracknell wrote:Great photo of Conal there.

I got loads of nice pics last week.

Steampacket · Post by **Steampacket** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:16 pm

I googled "Cnoc Bui" and the only place I could find to order it online was at cdbaby.com. Unfortunately (or rather, fortunately for Mr. O'Grada!) they've already sold out. Is anyone aware of any other online sellers who currently carry it? " Steve

NPU had it at Miltown in their temporary shop there. www.pipers.ie It´s not listed on their site today, but maybe they haven´t updated their site what with Willie Week and everything?

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:19 pm

Steampacket wrote: NPU had it at Miltown in their temporary shop there. www.pipers.ie It´s not listed on their site today, but maybe they haven´t updated their site what with Willie Week and everything?

NPU takes stock off people for the week, they don't carry the non-piping items as standard, the unsold items are returned after the saturday concert.

That said, they took away a few unsold ones of ours after the week last year and that was never listed on the website either.

Father Emmet · Post by **Father Emmet** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:39 pm

O´Gráda rocks! I've seen trad-hating emo teens tap their feet to Top of Coom.

pixyy · Post by **pixyy** » Sat Jul 19, 2008 2:04 pm

Father Emmet wrote:O´Gráda rocks! I've seen trad-hating emo teens tap their feet to Top of Coom.

heh, that would make one excellent endorsement on a future re-release of Top of Coom

mukade · Post by **mukade** » Sat Jul 19, 2008 8:22 pm

It's a shame Scoiltrad went tits up.
The advice I got from Conal was very valuable.

He was a great guy to deal with.

Mukade