Mo Ghille Mór Foghain'each
Traditional/Arrangement: Rob Piltch

[listen: mp3] [read english version]

Mo ghille mór foghain'each
Mo ghille mór gaolach
Mo ghille mór foghain'each
Mo bhuachaill' nan caorach

Mo bhuachaill' a' laochan
Mo bhuachaill' nan caorach
Mo bhuachaill' nan gobhar
'S mo bhuachaill' nan caorach

This lively port-à-beul (mouth music) is from the recitation of the late  seanchaidh Eòs Nìll Bhig (Joe Neil MacNeil) of Middle Cape. (That’s Joe’s voice you hear, courtesy of the Beaton Institute, at the University College of Cape Breton) While Joe was most widely recognized for his story telling, he was also a major source for song and other Gaelic lore. I was interested  to find out that Indian classical music has a kind of mouth music called ?  which accompanies the teaching of tabla. And Ravi Naimpally helps us incorporate the two traditions here. East meets East!!

Guitars: John Gzowski, Gordie Sampson, Phil Strong
Bass: John Kanakis Tabla/?: Ravi Naimpally
Fiddle: Ashley MacIsaac
Percussion: Phil Strong
Archival Recordings: Joe Neil MacNeil, Dougie MacPhee recorded by Kay
MacDonald for the Beaton Institute, University College of Cape Breton,
(Tape 26) Recorded at: Soundpark Studios (Irish Cove, N.S.) by Jamie Foulds and at Somnambulab by Phil Strong

My Big, Able Lad (traditional mouth tune)
(Charles Street Reel)

Turn one:
My big, able lad.
My big, darling lad.
My big, able lad.
My herder of the sheep.

Turn two:
My hero is the shepherd.
My hero herds the sheep.
My hero herds the goats.
My hero herds the sheep.

This lively port-à-beul (mouth music) is from the recitation of the late seanchaidh Eòs Nìll Bhig (Joe Neil MacNeil) of Middle Cape. (That’s Joe’s voice you hear, courtesy of the Beaton Institute, at the University College of Cape Breton) While Joe was most widely recognized for his story telling, he was also a major source for song and other Gaelic lore. I was interested to find out that Indian classical music has a kind of mouth music called ? which accompanies the teaching of tabla. And Ravi Naimpally helps us incorporate the two traditions here. East meets East!!

Guitars: John Gzowski, Gordie Sampson, Phil Strong
Bass: John Kanakis Tabla/?: Ravi Naimpally
Fiddle: Ashley MacIsaac
Percussion: Phil Strong
Archival Recordings: Joe Neil MacNeil, Dougie MacPhee recorded by Kay MacDonald for the Beaton Institute, University College of Cape Breton, (Tape 26) Recorded at: Soundpark Studios (Irish Cove, N.S.) by Jamie Foulds and at Somnambulab by Phil Strong