paddy and paddy and paddy......

I recently directed a production of the musical Brigadoon, a wildly romantic tale of love and devotion set in Scotland. During the second act there is a funeral and the musical director hired a bagpiper to play the dirge. Between the story of a young man who dies for love, the beautiful dance that my friend Maria, choreographed and the sound of the pipes there were many tears shed each night.

In my family we are rife with musicians- guitars, and drums, and banjos and trombones and flutes and on and on. Lots of singers and all styles of music.

My dad played the ukulele and the guitar, his dad was an accordion and penny whistle master. My Uncle Joey Flynn (who looked exactly like the actor Joe Flynn -from McHales Navy-) was a fiddler and band leader. Lot's of time when I was little was spent in the back of a bar listening to his band.

My Aunt was a traditional Irish dance teacher, and her kids Michael and Chrissie would dance every year on Wonderama around Saint Patricks Day.

Oh and My niece became a step dancer as well.

So I was always surrounded by Irish Music, but never really jumped head first into the music. Although I will say I can deliver a rousing version of Black Velvet Band and/or the Wild Colonial Boy when called upon.

That said , there must be something in the Irish DNA that when I here the sound of the pipes or the fiddle- ,especially a melancholy plaintive air- I get a physical reaction. It's as if something way down deep is stirring, odd and fascinating.

So Listen to Paddy and Paddy , I'll be out back diggin' some peat.


ps I love spell check- for the word Wonderama, he wondered whether I was looking to spell underarm