HOMESPUNPlaying Traditional and Contemporary Irish Songs
Taught By Paul Brady.
Level 3
90-minute DVD or VHS, includes music and tab
Hosted by Happy Traum
Paul Brady has chosen ten of his most popular songs – four traditional and six original – and teaches the elements that make his powerful guitar arrangements unique. He demonstrates his various tunings, chord voicings, chord shapes and the driving rhythms he achieves with his flatpick-and-fingers approach. In addition, Paul discusses important aspects of his background, history, influences, and the vocal technique and musical ideas that have given his artistry its singular impact.
Paul’s arrangements of such traditional Irish songs as "Lakes of Pontchartrain," "Arthur McBride and the Sergeant," "I Am a Youth That’s Inclined to Ramble" and "Mary and the Soldier" have achieved legendary status. For the first time, he takes each one apart to show the alternate tunings, harmonies, moving lines, picking techniques and other skills necessary to play them with the harmonically rich and compelling sounds that have long been his trademark.
Paul’s originals are equally guitar-friendly, rich with rhythmic grooves and catchy licks to add to your bag of tricks. These songs are fun to sing as well, either solo or with a band. They include "Luck of the Draw," the title song from Bonnie Raitt's his album; "Blue World," "Crazy Dreams," "The World is What You Make It," "Nobody Knows" and "Travelin’ Light." Each song provides insights, musicianship and a rare chance to learn, in depth, from this uniquely powerful Irish artist.
Review:
"If you are a singer who plays as a solo performer accompanying yourself
with the acoustic guitar, this DVD offers a wonderful assortment of guitar techniques
that can serve to greatly increase your ability to add various textures and embellishments
to your performance and presentation. You will definitely find this DVD worth
your time and invenstment." - Flatpicking Guitar Magazine
Paul Brady originally made his reputation as one of Ireland’s
premier interpreters of traditional music, touring and recording throughout the
‘60s and ‘70s with the Johnstons, Planxty and Andy Irvine. After an acclaimed
solo folk album, “Welcome Here Kind Stranger,” he released “Hard Station” in
1981, now widely viewed as a classic of Irish rock. Several albums followed,
including “Nobody Knows,” a best-of collection that cemented his reputation as
the greatest Irish singer-songwriter of his generation. Numerous artists have
recorded his songs, including Bonnie Raitt, Tina Turner, David Crosby, Phil Collins,
Cher, Maura O’Connell and Carlos Santana. Paul’s CDs are distributed in the U.S.
by Compass Records.