RE: Recording Tommy Reck's "Stone in the Field"

[patsky]

I first met Tommy Reck at Seamus Ennis’ and Liam O’Flynn’s apartment located in Ballsbridge, Duiblin around 1971 ( my dates might be incorrect but they are generally accurate). Over the next year we became friends and I asked Tommy if he would be interested in making a recording for my record label. He said that he would, but his pipes were not going. That was the main reason that the other record companies did not get to record Tommy. I asked him to give me the pipes and I spent the next week making reeds and getting them going. When I returned the pipes Tommy was delighted.

At the time Paul Brady had an apartment, also in Dublin, which I used to make Tommy’s record. On the appointed day Tommy showed up with a manuscript of tunes that he had collected over the years. Tommy was an excellent sight reader. We spent a couple of days going through tunes and recording, with Tommy and the microphones sitting in a stairwell in Paul’s apartment.

One funny thing that I remember was that after the recording was over Tommy and I went out for a pint. While standing at the bar I gave Tommy an envelope containing $500 (at the time $450.00 pounds) in cash. Tommy was stunned and said “Jaysus, I didn’t know that I was going to be paid”. 450.00 pounds was a lot of money at that time, when the average weekly pay was around $100.00 pounds,

I must say the recording and just being with Tommy was one of the high points of my life. Tommy and I remained good friends over the years until his death a while back.
Tommy by far had the sweetest, easygoing and at the same time, complicated styles of piping that I have ever heard. I sure do miss him.

All the best,
Patrick Sky

[totokots]

Hi Pat

Great story about Tommy Reck. I was lucky enough to meet him as a novice piper (I've since graduated to struggling piper) in 1987-ish in Comhaltas Ceoltoiri headquarters in Monkstown. Unfortunately he didn't play when I met him, but it was a privilege just to shake his hand. I have a copy of the Stone in the Field and I love the piping on it.

[djm]

I had heard a story that Tommy's wife would not put up with him hanging out in pubs and becoming a drunkard like so many other pipers, and that's why there's so little of his playing recorded by anyone. He just wasn't available. Do you know if that's true?

djm

[glands]

Pat, its one of many many lovely stories that you could share with us, I'm sure. You have had some wonderful opportunities. I look forward to hearing what you have to say about S. Ennis and others at the upcoming SF tionol. I also would like to speak with you about tionol issues.

[John Dally]

Is the recording available today? If so, where can I get a copy?

Thanks for the great story.

[benwalker]

I think you can only get it on cassette! I wonder if there are plans to realease it on CD?

[djm]

The tape is available from NPU. CD would be nice, but then someone would have to clean up the old tapes and remaster them.

djm

[brianc]

Could someone in the know share the track list for this recording?

thanks,

[djm]

Tommy Reck: The Stone in the Field
Green Linnet CSIF 1008 - 1977

Side A:
1. The Fairy Reel / The Donegal Reel
2. The Rose in the Heather / The Wandering Minstrel
3. The Kilfrush / A Trip to Durrow
4. The Cook in the Kitchen / The Langstern Pony
5. Two Polkas
6. The Queen of the Rushes
7. The Ash Grove / Sonny Brogan's Mazurka

Side B:

1. The Merry Blacksmith / The Cameronian
2. The Blackthorn Stick
3. The Tailor's Twist / The High Level
4. The Maid in the Cherry Tree / The Mistress of the House
5. The Cat That Ate the Candle
6. Seán Buí / Jackson's Morning Brush
7. The Dear Irish Boy / The Stone in the Field

Hope that helps,

djm

[bradhurley]

There's also a tape widely in circulation of Tommy Reck made in 1960 or 61, reportedly by Sean Reid. Recorded at home, there's a baby crying in the background on some of the tracks. Really lovely piping, including nice regulator work. If memory serves, he was not playing the regulators much if at all on the Stone in the Field recording.

Does anyone know more about the history of that earlier tape?

[brianc]

Thanks, djm.

There are some classics on that tape!

[Patrick D'Arcy]

There's also a tape widely in circulation of Tommy Reck made in 1960 or 61, reportedly by Sean Reid. Recorded at home, there's a baby crying in the background on some of the tracks. Really lovely piping, including nice regulator work. If memory serves, he was not playing the regulators much if at all on the Stone in the Field recording.

Does anyone know more about the history of that earlier tape?

As far as I know that tape was recorded by Peadar O'Loughlin in Tommy's home in Dublin when Peadar was visiting. The baby crying is Tommy's daughter Maura.... as far as I know.

Patrick.

[kenr]

The story I have about that tape from both Jimmy O'Brien-Moran and Ronan Browne is that Tommy was asked to put a tape together for aspiring pipers. I think Breathnach distributed it.

I don't have a copy myself so if anybody out there would like to carry on Breathnach's mission I for one would be extremely grateful

Ken

[oleorezinator]

I had heard a story that Tommy's wife would not put up with him hanging out in pubs and becoming a drunkard like so many other pipers, and that's why there's so little of his playing recorded by anyone. He just wasn't available. Do you know if that's true?

djm

one story goes that reck once arrived home and the bellows was burning away in the fireplace awaiting the rest of the set. marriage is such a great institution if ya like......... ya'll know the rest.

[Joseph E. Smith]

.....marriage is such a great institution if ya like......... ya'll know the rest.

....oh, I dunno. My wife has been nothing but vastly supportive of my piping, where ever I choose to do it... and lately, she has agreed to my completing a full set. I tell ya, what a gal!