Hughie Gillespie & Frank Kelly: The Sparkling Dawn

The music on this new CD comes from a house party in Hughie’s home in Ballybofey, 1964, not long after he emigrated home from New York.
Frank, who lives in Killygordon, was a  great friend of Hughie’s and has championed his music since Hughie’s death in 1986.     

Hughie Gillespie was born in Dreenan near Ballybofey, Co. Donegal in 1906 and was to become one of the most distinguished Irish fiddle players of the gramophone era, despite having one of the shortest careers. It was in 1928 when Hughie emigrated to New York that he met celebrated fiddle player Michael Coleman, a meeting that resulted in a close friendship, lasting until Coleman's death in 1945. Coleman's estimation of Hughie as a musician can be gauged firstly by the fact that he took him on as a student, almost immediately after they met. In the years following, Coleman and Hughie established a rapport as a duet, and although there are no known recordings of the pair, they did play together weekly for live radio broadcasts and other public events. As economic footings started to re-establish themselves following the initial shock of the 1929 Wall Street crash, emerging record companies began signing artists again. Between 1934-36 Coleman recorded for the Decca Label and although these became his final commercial recordings it was his standing with the label that afforded Hughie an audition with a senior producer. Hughie recorded a total of twenty sides for Decca; two discs in May 1937, a further four discs in June '38, and his final four in June '39. His work has been reasonably well represented on both LP and CD reissues. His playing as preserved on those records provides evidence of an individual and captivating performer, his approach both sweet and energetic, his left hand embellishments atypical in comparison to many fiddlers of that era. His rhythmical bowing style, coupled with a lively tempo demonstrate his artistic originality. Quoting Frank Kelly, 'The records were his own'.

Frank Kelly started playing fiddle at 8 yrs old on a square shoebox fiddle made by his grandfather. He recalls the strings were like 'bull wire' and his bow probably better suited for a bow and arrow. Growing up, his house was full of music, often holding two dances a week. "I remember going to bed, no-one in the house only myself and my mother...and waking up at twelve o'clock (midnight) and the house was full". He began learning from his brother Eddie and local fidldler John Dan McLaughlin, but would also glean tunes from local whistler John Callaghan. Simon Doherty, fiddle player and nephew of John Doherty was also a regular visitor. But Frank's principal influence became Hughie Gillespie. In 1964 Hughie and his wife Mae moved back to Ireland and bought a farm in Carrickmagrath, Ballybofey. From that point on, Hughie mentored Frank in much the same way Coleman had fostered Hughie's talents in the late 20s. And again, the imitation process did not suppress individuality. They became musical companions, meeting up at least two nights a week, Hughie 'smoking little cigarettes' and sharing music, until Hughie's passing in 1986. The recordings presented on this CD are from a night in 1967, a gathering in Hughie's house. There's an obvious 'live' uncommercial feel. You'll hear a bit of chatting and lilting which brings you right into the room. You can nearly smell the smoke.

Audio

Track 1: Dowd's Reel

Track 2: Jackson's Moring Brush

Track 3: Mrs Kenny's Waltz

Track 4: Colonel Fraser

Track Listing

1.  REELS: The Galway Rambler/The Copperplate.  5.17
2. REEL: Jenny's Welcome to Charlie. 3.09
3. JIG: The Old Grey Goose. 3.14
4. REEL: The Boys of the Lough.  1.12
5. HORNPIPES: The Stage/Parker's Fancy/Coleman's Fancy.  4.53
6. REELS: Dowd's/The Star of Munster.  3.08
7. REEL: Lord Gordon. 3.14
8. WALTZ: Mrs Kenny's.  1.47
9. REELS: Trim the Velvet/Paddy on the Turnpike.  2.57
10. JIGS: Tell Her I Am/Richard Brennan's Favourite.  1.55
11. REELS: Ah Surely/The Dublin Reel.  4.11
12. REELS: The Shaskeen Reel/The Bag of Spuds.  4.11
13. JIGS: Jackson's Morning Brush/The Rambling Pitchfork.  2.35
14. REELS: Lord McDonald'/The Ballinasloe Fair.   2.06
15. SONG: Johnson's Motor Car.  4.04
16. REELS: Bonnie Kate/ The Donegal Traveller.  2.33
17. REEL: Colonel Fraser (Kreisler's Fancy).  1.53
18. SONG: Bonnie Maggie Thompson.  2.03
19. REELS:  The Cameronian/Tom Steele.  2.30
20. REELS: Master McDermott's/The Sparkling Dawn.  1.36
21. REELS: The Morning Dew/The Woman of the House.  2.36

Also available from Copperplate
Con Cassidy: Traditional Fiddle Music from Donegal

Frank Cassidy: Níl gar ann!

Danny Meehan: The Navvy on the Shore

Press Reviews

The Living Tradition Jan 22
Hughie Gillespie is one of the great names in 20th century Irish fiddle playing.  Pupil, friend and recording partner of the mighty Michael Coleman, he started out playing his normal repertoire of Donegal dance music, such as neighbour Frank Kelly later described: “It was mostly for dancing at that time – highlands, germans, waltzes, lancers, polkas, sets, more or less.” Coleman changed all that, producing a new breed of music based on dance music, but moving away from the single bow-stroke technique (“using slurs and that” as a London-based musician described it) to a long-bow style primarily aimed at the listener – and the sales of his 78s showed the impact he had. Under Coleman’s tutelage, Gillespie also mainly dropped the “dance” element in order to master Coleman’s fluid ‘Sligo Style’ of playing.  His early recordings are well documented, and he also prospered by using a guitarist as his accompanist, rather than suffering the rather random piano accompaniments inflicted on some of his peers.

When he returned from the USA to Ireland, Gillespie took his young cousin, Frank Kelly, under his wing and in turn, became his mentor, passing on Coleman’s teaching and style. “Hughie was particular about getting things right,” remembered Kelly.  They would meet at each other’s houses several times a week for music and conviviality. They travelled to fleadhs together.  After Gillespie’s death in 1986, Frank Kelly made a lovely tribute album to him, Memories Of Hughie Gillespie, remembering the tunes they shared and using a similar guitar accompaniment.  This cassette was issued in 1996 but was reissued on CD a year or so ago – it’s a lovely piece of work, highly recommended (and available from frosses56@gmail.com).

This current disc, The Sparkling Dawn, consists of recordings made in 1967 at one of the many evenings that Hugh and Frank spent playing together.  As you would expect, the style is Sligo rather than Donegal, with reels predominating, punctuated by a few jigs, Mrs. Kenny’s Waltz, a set of hornpipes and even a couple of songs.  Some of the sets of tunes were popularised by Coleman, but there are a number of others which they seem to have imbued with their own characters.  As a live rather than a concert recording, there is background noise, bits of chat, a bit of lilting breaks out, but the sound quality is excellent and the sound restoration very impressive. This to me is a plus – it all adds to the atmosphere – consequently the playing is relaxed with a lovely swing to it that comes from players performing to enjoy themselves (and each other) rather than having to be aware of the studio microphone.  It’s wonderful to see this material released on CD.  And as for its place in Irish traditional fiddle playing – it’s gold dust. Paul Burgess