Dear Readers –
So I have a big question for you all to start today’s letter....
What is God’s favourite chord??
I’ll tell you the answer later, but for now come with me through the letter’s more regular features.
The Big Thing
So some weeks there is no big thing to talk about. Some weeks you’re in the kitchen cooking things up. Preparing, organising, recording, planning. And last week was one of those weeks. And while I’m really looking forward to serving up these meals in the next while, this week you’ll be going hungry I’m afraid.
Well…apart from this new theme tune. Luke Devaney and I put it together for our In The Lamplight Podcast, and we think it’s THE one. Well it will be when Luke adds a few more instruments to it.
For a bit of context, we did like our first attempt at a theme tune for the show, but we figured after a while that we needed something snappier and more fun.
Myself, Rory and Luke (left to right) outside the Hawk’s Well Theatre after recording Season 2 of In The Lamplight there last month.
Where else but Sligo?
Speaking of theme tunes, the first band I was in when I moved to Sligo in 2007 was called The Odd Couple. A classic jazz trio (piano/bass/drums), playing theme tunes was our gig. Hill St. Blues, Match Of The Day, The Flintstones, we even threw in the iconic Sunday Game theme tune. Nothing was safe.
Francie Lenehan came in to see our gig one night. Francie is now nearer the end of his career than the beginning, and has been an inspiration to countless Sligo musicians over the years. But he is a country and rock ‘n’ roll guitar player, and so to see him at our gig was a bit of a surprise.
But he sat there for the night, and came up to me afterwards and complimented me on my playing and on the set. “No-one is doing what ye are doing”, he said.
And while the fact that we were the only jazz trio playing slightly obscure theme tunes in Sligo was no surprise, I took two things from Francie that night that have stayed with me.
Firstly, it’s never any harm to do what no-one else is doing.
And secondly, that a community is enhanced with cross-pollination. When a local legend of a rock ‘n’ roll musician comes to see a jazz gig, it sends the message that in this town we all support each other, no matter what type of music each of us plays. And that is something this town does very well.
I recently came across the below video of us playing our mash-up of the themes from The Simpsons and Sex And The City. From 2012. Thanks to Kris Manulak for this footage!
What’s New This Week?
For 2021, each quarter I will be releasing 3 new compositions/arrangements. Work is underway on the current batch, but here is a playlist of the first 3.
Season 2 of In The Lamplight is up and running. You can now listen to our two most recent episodes, featuring Marie O’Byrne and Those Nervous Animals.
And thanks to everyone who submitted responses to my request for a title for this tune. I have received some great ones, including “Dancing in the Drizzle”, “Soldiering On”, “Whiling Away” and “Swans Sliding (down the Garavogue)”. If anyone has any more suggestions please email them on to kieran@kieranquinn.ie
Finally, since we’re on the topic of jazz trios…
…here is my favourite of the genre – Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen. If you don’t want to watch the whole vid, just listen for a minute or so from 2:01 on. Musical heaven.
Oh and speaking of heaven - that reminds me…
God’s favourite chord? Well it has to be Gsus doesn’t it?
Till next time everyone - Kieran.
Sent from Sligo.