Launie Tunes
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Well folks, it's been a long time in the works, but finally it's here -- the Laune Rangers debut album. After a number of false starts, blind alleys and other poetic missteps, we finally found an engineer we liked (this is first and foremost fiddle music, so we needed someone we could trust to capture Cara's artistry), a setlist that flowed, and a few friends who could spice up the sound with a little diversity. (Fiddle and guitar live is one thing, but a whole album?) So, here are the original sleeve notes which were painstakingly handwritten by Cara but ended up not fitting into the final design. If you want to get hold of a copy, check the bottom of this page for details. a new album of Irish music and more by the Laune Rangers on C & N Recordings 1: MUNSTER BUTTERMILK (jig) 2:19 A jig Cara came up with that has long been on our set list. 2: AN IRISH BLUES (song) 2:53 Cara found this on a Bothy Band album and I learned it from the singing of Maura O'Connell. So this is our hybrid version. Dave SanSoucie adds mandolin. 3: COOLEY'S REEL/THE HIGH REEL/PIGEON ON A GATE (Reels) 3:26 We sat there and decided to record some of our favorite reels. Each take was a different set and each set was great fun. We finally settled on these. 4: SWEANEY'S WALTZ [Dan Possumato] (waltz) 3:53 An Irish waltz written by a Pennsylvanian living in Alaska? Why not? Dan visited the area with his band, Last Night's Fun; we sat in and learnt this from him. He sits in with us here playing button accordion. 5: THE LOVER'S GHOST (song) 4:12 My accordion-playing friend, Andreas Barth, had learnt this from an Irish album released in East Germany before he escaped to the West. It's the only Irish song I've ever learnt from a German. 6: LORD GORDON'S REEL (reel) 3:06 One of those tunes that gets right under your skin. It comes from the playing of Kevin Burke, though the John Vesey version has made its mark. 7: ROLLING WAVES/SCATTER THE MUD/KERFUNKEN (jigs) 3:19 Cara has magical earbuds: she learns good tunes almost on first hearing: the first one here comes from sessions, the next from the playing of Kevin Burke and the last one from a brilliant performance by Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill. Carol Whitfield joins us on bodhran. 8: MARGARET'S WALTZ [Pat Shuldham Shaw] (waltz) 2:26 I heard the Boys of the Lough play this many years ago and the haunting melody has stuck fast ever since. Margaret must have been a wonderful woman. This time, Carol plays English concertina. 9: HUMORS OF TULLA/LONGFORD TINKER (reels) 3:10 When Cara turned up with these tunes, I drooled. I'm seeing a doctor about it. She came up with this arrangement of Longford Tinker by combining an Irish version with one from Cape Breton. Carol once again joins in on bodhran. 10: THE OLD MAN AND A BABY/ STAN CHAPMAN'S/RECONCILIATION/ MOUTH OF THE TOBIQUE (song and an old timey set) 6.23 I've been singing this song for longer than I can remember. Over the years, I've picked up different versions here and there, but this is pretty true to the first one I ever sang. I believe this version may have originated in Limerick. Stan Chapman's Jig is one of the many, many tunes Ryck Kaiser has introduced to Central Pennsylvania musicians. Cara found the two reels, The Reconciliation and The Mouth of the Tobique on old recordings. Ryck joins us on fiddle. 11: THE ORPHAN/CLIFFS OF MOHER (jigs) 4:06 We learned the first tune from John Brennan at his sessions at the Glenside Pub in Philadelphia (actually, we called it The Jig We Learnt From John Brennan until he told us its title.) I've known the second tune from various sessions and Cara picked it up from a fiddler called Franco. 12: ONCE I LOVED (song) 4:13 Another song from the family repertoire, though this version is highly influenced by Niamh Parsons who sang it to me in Philadelphia once and gave me some words I hadn't heard. and just a touch of reel cotton-pickin' fun from the Conodoguinet Un-Ceili Band (Dave, Ryck and Dan.) 2:33 All tunes traditional (except Margaret's Waltz written by Pat Shuldham Shaw and Sweaney's Waltz written by Dan Possumato)
The Laune Rangers are:
Cara Kelly - fiddle, vocals and Jamie O'Brien - guitar, cittern, vocals
Ryck Kaiser - fiddle (10 & 13)
Dan Possumato - accordion (4 & 13)
Dave SanSoucie - mandolin (tracks 2 & 13)
Carol Whitfield - concertina, bodhran (7, 8 & 9)
Recorded and mixed between January and June, 1999 Engineer - Dave SanSoucie Mastering at Masterworks Recording Inc., Philadelphia Produced - TLL Sleeve Design - Claudia SanSoucie Photos - by Cara's friend whose name I've forgotten |
| Thanks Henry for the title. Brill! |