Day 73: Wit or Whimsy: Crawley and Sofranko
...and the Balance of the Day to You!
One of the fun things my son Chris and I did, while we were in Dublin, was tour the Irish Rock and Roll Museum and Hall of Fame. It’s also a functioning recording studio in the Temple Bar area of the city. It was housed in two separate buildings about a half a block apart and on opposite sides of the street. Musicians such as Sinead O’Connor, Dolores O’Reardon and the Cranberries, U2 with Bono, Thin Lizzy, and the incredible guitarist Rory Gallagher had graced its hallowed halls and multitude of recording spaces over the years. It was fascinating to walk through and imagine what recording in that studio would be like. I’ve recorded in other studios, one in Cleveland and one in Detroit. Each of them was unique in style and set up. However, I’d have given my eye teeth to record in Ireland…maybe next trip across the pond.
Irish music came here with immigration, before and after the potato famine. Traditional country and Americana music are steeped in Irish music traditions. Although many of the Irish stayed in New York or moved to Chicago when they arrived and worked their way into being public servants (policemen, fire fighters, etc.), many headed West and South. They moved into Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania where they worked in the coal mines, and later with oil companies and steel mills. Then they spread out over the country, taking their fiddles and music with them.
I’m not a huge fan of country music, unless I can hear the Irish in the melody. It isn’t hard to recognize when you hear it. My father hated Irish music. I’m not sure why, but I never heard an Irish song or any Irish music growing up. After I got older and moved out on my own, I developed an affinity for Irish music and began to collect cassette tapes, and later, CDs. The strange thing was finding out that my sister and both of my brothers had also grown to love Irish music independently of each other. As unbelievable as it sounds, we discovered that all four of us had collections of the same Irish cassettes and CDs. It must be in the blood!
My godfather (dad’s younger brother, John) had an Irish tenor voice so clear it could cut crystal. At his house, Irish music was always on the menu. Whenever I stopped by my godparents’ house, Uncle John would sing Irish songs, and I would sing along. He got quite a kick out of that. He sang “Ave Maria” for every catholic wedding in the family. He even entered the “Danny Boy” competition in Cleveland, regularly.
Last Sunday, I noticed that Crawley and Sofranko were scheduled to play at Hundley Cellars. I grabbed a notebook and a pen and headed out for a dose of the Irish vibes. I’d seen the duo before, but it had been at least a year since my schedule allowed me to attend. If you get the chance, and they are performing near you, you really should go out and take in the tunes. They play more than Irish music. I’m quite sure I heard at least one Jimi Hendrix and a Stephen Stills! Something for everyone. They are wonderful musicians, and listening to them, with a side of cold Blond Ambition and a hot Pizza Neopolitana, made for a terrific afternoon.
You can catch Crawley and Sofranko this weekend at the 40th anniversary of the Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival, July 18, 19, and 20 at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds. It will be worth your while!