This
review of the
"Floating
Bowhand"
Video, written
by the editor
Mr. Brian Healey
of "Traditional
Music Maker",
a British based
music magazine
published by Magnet
Publishing Ltd.
28 Grafton Terrace
London NV5 4JJ
appeared on Page
29 of its July/August
2003 issue. Below
is a copy of the
article, except
for the exclusion
of the first paragraph
which deals with
how music crosses
national boundaries
and enriches as
it travels.
Jim
McKillop. The
Floating Bowhand
Having been sent
a 105 minute video
to review , I
assumed I was
in for another
session of diddleydiddelydiddly
so I stuck it
into the machine
to listen to a
couple of tracks
before I went
to bed.
WRONG.
Nearly two hours
later, I was still
sitting on the
sofa enthralled
by the artistry
of a truly great
fiddle player
who's playing
sweeps his fellow
musicians along,
whether they are
on stage, having
a session in a
Pub or street
busking. I
have watched the
video all the
way through twice
since then and
I am still enthralled.
Strangely
enough, Jim
McKillop didn't
start playing
the fiddle until
he was 26, yet
within 3-4 years
he had won major
competitions
in Ireland and
to boot was
becoming known
as a violin
maker. However,
no doubt the
fact that his
father played
the banjo and
still does into
his eighties
has influenced
him. Today ,
more than 30
years later,
Jim
is recognised
as a foremost
fiddle player
and teacher
and as a violin
maker he is
rated by Odhran
O Casaideas,
lecturer at
the Music Conservatory
as
probably the
best violin
maker Ireland
has produced
for the past
200 years.
But
what about the
video, you ask.
Too often, music
videos are a
static view
of a band in
performance
with poor sound
quality and
no direction.
Not so this,
it
is a professional
production of
a show, a travelogue,
a master class
and an insight
into the craft
of fiddle making.
Imagine
if you would
the tranquil
and picturesque
scene of the
Waterford estuary
to the sound
of CarrickFergus,
a slow Irish
Air with boats
swinging at
anchor and then
being transported
to the Garter
Arts Centre,
where much of
the video is
filmed although
there are 11
different locations
in all.
Jim walks on
stage, sits
down with his
friends and
suddenly we
are into Boil
Them Cabbages
Down--pure bluegrass,
we're in for
a Hoedown, Great!
but no the next
number is a
tribute to Graham
Townsend the
Canadian fiddle
player.
Jim
is joined by
the lovely Zoe
Conway who keeps
popping up with
her fiddle throughout
the video, to
play a haunting
tribute to the
Canadian. A
Pub session
with Matt McGranaghan
playing Maple
Sugar, McDermott's
Reel, Peter
Street and The
Hawk, among
others is another
highlight of
this terrific
video,
which
could do more
for tourism
than the Irish
Tourist Board
are probably
aware of. Other
musicians appearing
in the video
are; Dick Farrelly-Guitar,
Gary O'Briain-Keyboard
and Mandola,
Gerry "Banjo"
O'Connor-Banjo
and Mandolin,
James Blennerhassett-Double
Bass, plus of
course several
of Jims fiddle
students.
Martin
McAllister plays
Guitar in Jim's
front room and
Bobby Gardiner
makes an appearance
several times
throughout the
video playing
melodeon. Jim
himself plays
melodeon as
well as harmonica
and he also
sang in earlier
days, though
this video is
all instrumental.
This
is a gathering
of excellent
musicians in
different combinations
producing some
wonderful sounds.
There
are 58 tracks
on this tour
de force of
musicwhich
includes 5 of
Jim's own compositions
and embraces
not just the
Irish genre
but haunting
tunes from the
Shetland Isles,
Cape Breton
and the best
of Bluegrass,
Tennessee Waltz
and the Bob
Wills Western
Swing favourites,
San Antonio
Rose and Faded
Love. I think
Bob Wills must
have been listening
to the Maidens
Prayer, another
tune on the
video, before
he wrote Faded
Love, which
brings me back
to the point
I made earlier
about the connection
between Celtic
and American
music. This
eclectic collection
of the best
from both worlds
does much to
reinforce my
theory. Professionally
produced and
edited by Bill
Fogarty and
narrated by
Brian Lambert.
Quite Brilliant,
I can't wait
for McKillop
2.