Michael Coleman was a Sligo fiddler who became the most influential fiddler in Irish music when he moved to America in 1914 and began recording 7 years later, overall recording roughly 80 78rpms while in America. These recordings made their way back across the Atlantic to Ireland where they became popular. Due to the aural nature of Irish music (almost nothing is notated), this was the first many in different parts of Ireland ever heard the Sligo style of fiddling and the tunes. People began imitating Coleman's style, making the Sligo style the most popular in Ireland and Michael Coleman the most influential fiddler of all time. This particular recording is, in my opinion, one of (if not the) best example of Irish fiddling ever cut. Coleman is accompanied by a guitar; though harmony is not part of traditional music, US influence naturally entered the music. Part of what I love is the style of guitar playing really fits the swing synonymous with the Sligo fiddle style, giving it an almost Jazz Manouche quality like Django Reinhardt's music.
[–] ElvisChrist6 [S] ago
Michael Coleman was a Sligo fiddler who became the most influential fiddler in Irish music when he moved to America in 1914 and began recording 7 years later, overall recording roughly 80 78rpms while in America. These recordings made their way back across the Atlantic to Ireland where they became popular. Due to the aural nature of Irish music (almost nothing is notated), this was the first many in different parts of Ireland ever heard the Sligo style of fiddling and the tunes. People began imitating Coleman's style, making the Sligo style the most popular in Ireland and Michael Coleman the most influential fiddler of all time. This particular recording is, in my opinion, one of (if not the) best example of Irish fiddling ever cut. Coleman is accompanied by a guitar; though harmony is not part of traditional music, US influence naturally entered the music. Part of what I love is the style of guitar playing really fits the swing synonymous with the Sligo fiddle style, giving it an almost Jazz Manouche quality like Django Reinhardt's music.