This
review was written
by journalist
Mr. John Watts
and published
in his regular
feature in the
Chronicle Newspaper,
Northern Ireland
on September
15th 2004.
The
Floating BowHand
- a great video
from the fiddle
master' from
the Glens.
I was delighted
during the week
to review a present
of a great musical
video that a friend
of mine secured
for me whilst
holidaying in
Dublin. The friend
in question was
of course well
aware of the fact
that that I would
be delighted with
the gift, knowing
that I was a great
admirer of the
subject of the
tape- Jim McKillop,
the fiddle-player
supreme, a native
of Cushendall
in the Antrim
Glens who now
lives near Dundalk.
The tape lasting
105 minutes in
total, isn't yet
on sale on this
side of The Border,
I understand,
but no doubt when
it reaches the
video stores here
it will be a big
seller. Jim McKillop
has indeed a remarkable
talent-as a fiddle
player he is in
the premier division
and as a violin
maker he is very
highly regarded,
not only around
these shores but
in many countries
across the world
as well.
My
knowledge of
Jim's music
goes back several
decades to when
we were both
very young-
he was playing
a guitar at
the time and
I was trying
to learn the
banjo. And I
can well recall
that as a singer
back in those
early days,
the McKillop
boy from the
G'lens could
have walked
on to any stage
in the country
and captured
any audience
with a singing
voice that had
a tone all of
its own and
would have compared
with any of
the big showband
vocalists that
were riding
high in the
popularity charts
at the time.
Even then Jim
wasn't interested
in fame or hugging
the limelight,
he only played
music for his
own enjoyment.
And although
he now sits
comfortably
at the top of
the musical
tree as a fiddle
player, he still
shows no craving
for any great
fame and uses
no gimmicks
on stage to
put his music
across.
At
an early age
Jim joined the
Merchant Navy
where he eventually
reached the
rank of Chief
Engineer, and
he tells the
story about
introducing
himself to the
fiddle whilst
on board a ship
sailing around
the other side
of the world.
A shipmate had
purchased a
violin at a
port where the
vessel had visited,
and being aware
of the fact
that Jim was
a guitar player,
the sailor wondered
if he could
tune the instrument.
That stroke
of fate changed
life for Jim
for ever more,
for from that
point in time
he took up fiddle
playing seriously.
And on returning
home to The
Glens he joined
in sessions
with his dad,
John McKillop,
who sadly departed
this life some
years ago and
was a skilled
banjo player,
specialising
in Irish and
Scottish traditional
music. Jim was
26 at that time
and within four
years from starting
to play the
instrument he
collected every
major traditional
fiddle competition
that could be
won in Ireland.
His
reputation for
fiddle making
soon equalled
the skills that
he had acquired
for playing the
instrument and
these days violins
from the McKillop
mould are the
treasured possessions
of fiddle players
right around the
world.
As
well as including
plenty of music,
58 different
tunes in total,
ranging from
styles right
across the board
from Irish traditional,
Scottish, Shetland,
Canadian, Bluegrass
and Slow Waltzes,
the video also
looks in detail
at Jim's violin
making business.
Most of the
music was filmed
at a "Music
Giants' concert
in Waterford
City, but there
is also footage
included from
pub sessions,
All Ireland
Fleadhs and
from recording
studios. One
very interesting
feature comes
form a clip
of a BBC television
documentary
programme that
was made on
Jim McKillop
back in 1980
and features
him playing
the fiddle along
with his dad
on the banjo.
The
video is very
well filmed
and produced
and makes great
viewing. It
is a product
of The Online
Music School
Ltd. 8 Ballymun
Road, Dublin
9 and I can
include a telephone
number for anyone
who is interested
in finding out
more about the
tape. It is
353-1 8376125