Boundaries, like feasts, are at their best when they re moveable. A bit like the Mississippi Delta, the territory that is defined as Sliabh Luachra consistantly changes.
It s small wonder then that Messrs. Cranitch, Murphy and O Sullivan can blithely smile when their territory is adopted and then jettisoned by rakes of musicians and travelling bards, who dip in and out of Sliabh Luachra at will. For this trio who ve christened themselves Sliabh Notes, this is the place they call home.
Hot Press has come to visit Sliabh Notes at home. Only their home is far from the hearth. It s in the midst of a dance floor whose floorboards ricochet every which way beneath the throbbing feet of a half dozen sets. First though, they whet their appetite with a sociable drink far from the madding crowd.
I suppose the first time we got together was in The Droichead in Dingle, Donal offers, and not too long after that, we met again in Killarney around 1993. But our first official gig was in Castleisland at the Padraig O Keeffe festival in 1994.
At this stage, Matt Cranitch chimes in with what is probably the most crucial piece of the jigsaw puzzle.
I remember the day after we played that session, he adds, we were in Donal s house, and he turned to Tommy and myself, and he said: lads, I think we should make a CD ! Just like that. I thought it was a hilarious idea at the time! But to cut a long story short, the following February we were down in Steve Cooney s studio, and our debut came out in October 95, a year after we first played together.
They make little secret of the regard they ve always held for one another s playing, an ingredient that s fundamental to the lifeblood of the group.
There was an immediate magic about playing together, Cranitch avers. I think that coming from Sliabh Luachra, we could understand one another s playing so well right from the start. But for that happening, we probably wouldn t have continued.
Even the most cursory listen to their second album, Gleanntan, reveals a much stronger sense of place in the music than was evident in their eponymous debut. Second time round, they opted for songs and tunes with firm roots in Sliabh Luachra, whereas their first CD had cast a glance east and westwards to Tennessee and Scotland, as well as towards their own home place.
I suppose as time went on we got more and more into the music of Sliabh Luachra, Matt explains, and because Donal s family had been very friendly with Terry Cuz Teahan, who was a frequent visitor to their house, we started to zone in a bit closer on his tunes.
Music and language are inextricably linked in Kerry, and ultimately it was Cuz Teahan s writings that finally ensnared first Donal, and then Matt and Tommy.
I came across a book Cuz had written called The Road To Gleanntan, Donal recalls, and I found some really simple tunes in it that were really nice.
He also draws attention to an interesting footnote to Cuz Teahan s book.
There s a tune in the book, he notes, with a dedication to an up and coming flute player and dancer from Chicago, who I think will go a long way in the music and dancing world Michael Flatley s Jig !
Matt recounts what for him became the centrepiece of their second album.
I suppose it grew organically in a sense, he offers, and Gleanntan seemed like such a pivotal place for the music of the area. All along that wonderful long road, seeing that old school house there, we got a great sense of place and purpose and music there.
Finally, Gleanntan represents a very interesting and creative partnership between the musicians and Radio Kerry.
It was quite simple really, Matt explains. We approached Radio Kerry and said, look, Sliabh Luachra is part of your community, your hinterland. Would you be interested in getting involved? And they jumped at it. The advertising has been great, and they have their logo on the CD. We re also discussing the idea that Radio Kerry would run a number of concerts throughout the county, bringing the music to the people. It s an exciting kind of initiative and it gets the word out that Radio Kerry has a commitment to traditional music.
Watching and listening to them peddle so fine and wild a line in Sliabh Luachra sets for the wedding party tonight, there s no doubting the fire that s borne in the belly of this beautiful beast.
This is the music at its best: living and breathing in the place it was born. n
Sliabh Notes second album, Gleanntan is released on the Ossian label. Matt Cranitch s Irish Fiddle Book is published by Ossian Publications.