Matt & Shannon Heaton

Home of the Tune of the Month Podcast

TOTM January 2012

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Happy 2012! To start off the New Year, Matt and Shannon tuck into an old chestnut: Morrisson's Jig. They experiment with ways to make this oft violated jig a bit more elegant, via melodic intrigue (just a touch) and a more restrained harmonic palatte. Do let us know what you think!

Dec 2011 TOTM

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This month Matt & Shannon take on Joe Cooley's reel. This is a well-known eminor chestnut for good reason. Matt shares ideas on harmonic accompaniment, while Shannon unlocks ornamentation secrets for the first phrase of the tune.

November 2011 TOTM

Welcome to the second month of the NEW Tune of the Month!
This month, Matt & Shannon offer ideas about rhythm, style, and harmonic accompaniment for "The Otter's Holt." 
Hope you enjoy; and please send along requests/thoughts to Shannon at MattandShannonHeaton.com--your input builds this podcast!


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Oct 2011 TOTM

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Happy Autumn from Matt & Shannon Heaton!

The October TOTM is a festival of information about "The Foxhunter's Slip Jig." 
A few basic thoughts about rhythm and ornamentation as well as Irish words and chords for backers!
Hope you enjoy our expanded TOTM format. TOTM is for YOU, so please be in touch with suggestions or thoughts.
Best wishes from Matt & Shannon

Matt & Shannon Heaton: Updated & Traditional Irish Music

September 2011 TOTM

Happy September, TOTMers. The Tune of the Month is going back to school with "The Foxhunter's Slip Jig."

For this month, I offer two parts of this nice old tune for you. Next month I will present two more parts; LOTS more about the tune, the rhythm, the ornamentation and breathing; and.... wait for it... ideas about harmonic accompaniment, with special guest Matt Heaton! 

Yes, in October the TOTM is getting a facelift with offerings for backers, and fun dialog/tidbits for non-players, as well as lots of juicy stuff for you insider tune players who have been following my podcast. I can't wait to share this with you. But you gotta learn these first two parts first: 

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Shannon Heaton: Irish flute, traditional singing, Sass
:: Send TOTM questions/comments along to Shannon at MattandShannonHeaton dot com

Swedish March June 2011 TOTM

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hello, folks!

Here is a Swedish March for June... and possibly July.
In between summer festivals (Catskills and Pinewoods "Harmony of Song and Dance"), Matt and I will be building an expanded Tune of the Month format for Fall. With a higher recording quality, same sassy--even poppier--delivery, and notes about chordal accompaniment, these monthly lessons will still be free of charge for all to enjoy.
Please be in touch at Shannon at MattandShannonHeaton dot com with requests, suggestions, thoughts... a great time to bring your ideas into play! Thanks, and hope to have tunes with you soon,
Shannon

May TOTM

Hi, gang! It's been a wonderful workshopping Spring for me. I have been hearing from a lot of you about the issue of learning by ear--how it is challenging, SLOW, frustrating for many of us. We had a lively discussion about this at http://www.facebook.com/mattandshannonheaton

This has invigorated me to revamp the TOTM. This summer I'll be woodshedding some ideas, skills of my own. And in September I will launch the new (still free) TOTM podcast! Even more goods for tune players, as well as juicy offerings for people just interested in our creative approach, the history of some of this stuff, etc. Please stay tuned. I'm thrilled to be working on this with such great input, and hope many of you will find it fun and useful.

For the time being, here is a sweet old G jig called the "Thrush in the Straw." I initially learned it from a recording by Seamus Ennis. It is also called the "Humours of Lisheen." I've played in a few more times than I normally do, a nod to the the fact that it often takes many relaxed listenings to a tune before you can get it in your bones. Wait til you've internalized the structure before you rush to try it on your instruments!! In the end, this will allow you to learn to play the tune much more swiftly. Enjoy. And please be in touch with any questions or suggestions.

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Shannon Heaton: Irish flute, traditional singing, Sass

April TOTM

This month's TOTM is a composition of the great Charlie Lennon, "Island Wedding Polka #2." Shannon performed this and many other tunes last month with the Indian Hill Orchestra in the US premiere of Lennon's "Island Wedding Suite." Remember: the more polkas you play, the more quickly spring will come! 


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Shannon Heaton: Irish flute, traditional singing, Sass

March TOTM

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This month's Tune of the Month is "As I Went Out Upon the Ice," a polka in the key of A. Play phrase by phrase and learn it lickety split. It's a fun tune to play. And the title is a good reminder to go outside, even when it is icy--and to be careful on those slick sidewalks so that when Spring DOES come around, we are all in good form to enjoy it!

Shannon Heaton: Irish flute, traditional singing, Sass

TOTM Feb 2011

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Happy February! 

I learned this month's TOTM from Matt Molloy's "Stony Steps" album, and I associate it with Brendan McKinney in Chicago. Back in the day, he and his wife Siobhan used to always start this set at Nevin's Pub--he played on the right and she was lefty. Often John Williams and I would join in, me playing on the right and John on the left. Such perfect balance! 

If your G rolls are already perfect, enjoy presenting them well in this lovely jig. If your rolls should need a bit of work, this is a good context in which to hone simple, straightforward, rhythmic rolls. And breathing (or pausing) AFTER downbeats is always a nice strategy, as an alternate to the rolls, when you need/want a break. Enjoy!