Re: Sacramento Traditional Irish Learning Session
Back in the 1990's here in St. Paul Minnesota, we started just like you. A 'learning group'. Later when we were too large a group to meet in someone's house, and after moving from a few cafe locations, we went to O'Gara's Pub and learned that we were called a 'slow sessiun' by the experts. The players kindly taught us tunes before their sessiun began.
From that experience, over the years I became a researcher of Irish tunes and compiled a book of tunes called the St. Paul Slow Session Traditional Irish tune book or the O'Gara's Slow Sessiun tune book. (by Doug Cole). There are others far more experienced and expert but my point is that we developed in a similar way as others and most of the common tunes are in everyone's list.
Some others have done the same thing. Michael D. Long published the King Street Sessiun Book. Phil Rubenzer published the Midwestern Irish Session Tunes book.
The internet has tons of stuff nowadays. The best resource IMHO is www.Irishtune.info and many people love thesession.org
And youtube is another world of information. Shannon and Matt Heaton do a 'live' slow sessiun' (flute and guitar with guest fiddlers and box players), every Saturday.
Here's a list from a guy named Dow. (And sorry for so much info at once, it's my favorite topic).
Dow’s 50 (Actually 60) Essential Tunes
Reels
1 − Banshee, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 7)
2 − Bird In The Bush, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 177)
3 − Bucks Of Oranmore, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 28)
4 − Concertina, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 94)
5 − Congress, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 35)
6 − Cooley’s (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 4)
7 − Cup Of Tea, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 36)
8 − Drowsy Maggie (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 1)
9 − Farewell To Erin (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 52)
10 − Father Kelly’s (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 221)
11 − Foxhunter, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 55)
12 − Gravel Walk, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 13)
13 − High, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 103)
14 − Humours Of Tulla, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 136)
15 − Maid Behind The Bar, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 9)
16 − Man Of The House, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 77)
17 − Merry Blacksmith, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 32)
18 − Miss McLeod’s (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 38)
19 − Mountain Road, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 25)
20 − Pigeon On The Gate, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 39)
21 − Rolling In The Ryegrass (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 71)
22 − Saint Anne’s (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 22)
23 − Sally Gardens, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 21)
24 − Silver Spear, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 6)
25 − Star Of Munster, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 24)
26 − Wise Maid, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 42)
Jigs
27 − Banish Misfortune (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 8)
28 − Blackthorn Stick, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 56)
29 − Blarney Pilgrim, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 20)
30 − Cliffs Of Moher, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 33)
31 − Connaughtman’s Rambles, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 11)
32 − Donnybrook Fair (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 84)
33 − Irish Washerwoman, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 40)
34 − Kesh, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 2)
35 − Lanigan’s Ball (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 264)
36 − Lark In The Morning, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 30)
37 − Lilting Banshee, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 43)
38 − Morrison’s (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 5)
39 − My Darling Asleep (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 47)
40 − Out On The Ocean (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 19)
41 − Pipe On The Hob, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 162)
42 − Rakes Of Kildare, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 130)
43 − Tripping Up The Stairs (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 48)
Hornpipes
44 − Boys Of Blue Hill, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 27)
45 − Harvest Home, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 18)
46 − King Of The Faeries (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 23)
47 − Off To California (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 37)
48 − Rights Of Man, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 12)
Slip Jig
49 − An Phis Fhliuch (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 166)
50 − Drops Of Brandy, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 123)
51 − Fox Hunter’s, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 91)
52 − Kid On The Mountain, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 17)
53 − Butterfly, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 3)
54 − Rocky Road To Dublin, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 64)
Slides
55 − Merrily Kissed The Quaker (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 46)
56 − Road To Lisdoonvarna, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 49)
Polkas
57 − Dennis Murphy’s (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 116)
58 − Egan’s (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 89)
59 − Ryan’s (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 50)
60 − Rakes Of Mallow, The (thesession.org Tunebook Rank: 167)
Decipit exemplar vitiis imitabile
Bookmarks