Phil and Johnny Cunningham

[dietmarbaer]

Excellent !

[thehomette]

That is a stunning moustache, Phil.

[MikeMcDonald1]

God I miss Johnny.

Absolutely one of my favorite people in this solar system....

[steveclinkscale]

Fantastic Phil >>> Those were the days !!! c U soon >>> Steve Clinkscale Melrose !

[darragh1980]

Does anyone know the trackisting for all these tunes? unreal music. Watching Johnny has inspired me to take up the fiddle again after all these years.

[Dayepipes]

@darragh1980 "Limerick Lasses," "Farewell to Erin," "Sandy Duff," bit of something deleted, "Laird of Drumblair" done as a reel, accordion tune whose title I forget, closing with "The Musical Priests." I heard them do this set with Silly Wizard live just a few feet away in a small pub concert setting. It's among those on the outstanding "Live in America" album.

[darragh1980]

@Dayepipes Thank you so much man. Your a gent.

[santiano42]

@Dayepipes I think the accordion tune around 4:00 is Jean's reel...? I might be going mad though. I'm not good with names, I just know it's one I play!

[Reeltimescot]

@Dayepipes Laird o Drumblair as a reel is called Angus Campbell I think. Tune @ 4 mins is Jeans reel yeah.

Absolutely stunning from both

[snarlacarla]

I saw Johnny in New Bedford, MA where he was living--at the Whaling Museum about 2 weeks before he died. Part of me died with him.

[scarnish1]

astounding stuff a bit like celtic duelling banjos!!!

[Islamfromallah]

thenoblequran (Ctrl+Enter)

[tlskeoch]

Johnny's gone, sadly. But Phil is very much alive and well, performing, composing, producing, teaching - he's only just barely 50! I saw them many times back in the day, and even this many years late they still amaze me...

[SuperPaulrose]

great brother love right there

[Bloodrush1961]

Absolute genius............both of them

[mulleck54]

amazing acordionist all together, amazing musicians

[SuperPaulrose]

@mulleck54 great guys alrigh, pitty there gone to god

[mulleck54]

amazing acordionist all together, amzing musicians

[thedeadscientist]

Einfach nur unglaublich... der absolute Wahnwitz! :-)

[JeanneRousseau]

Saw Johnny in Boston years ago along with Kevin Burke and Christian LeMaitre. They were all so outstanding that I'll never forget. I have many of Phil's cds as well. My daughters love them as well!

[HEADSUPBERKELEY]

Geezus so mighty you lads

[JeanneRousseau]

This music is awe inspiring!

Been to the Celtic Fiddle Festival and have many of Johnny and Phil's cds.

Peace

[Raqposus]

Simplesmente fantástico...

[jomaugar]

Who is the accordionist? He's goddam good too!

[Davccelion]

@jomaugar . he is Phil Cunningham, brother of Johnny Cunningham.

[jomaugar]

@Davccelion Thanks! I should have known... did'nt notice he had changed to the accordion...!

[grof2]

perfect

[windybaer]

Jean's Reel is on from 3:28>5:15, followed by Musical Priest.

[AryanScot]

Absolutely brilliant. These guys have a great sense of humour.

[condor5610]

Genau an diesem Tag bin ich 30 geworden - Zufall?

[heathenlore1]

actually not the last, thats musical priest i think, but the one before it.

[NoRefillsLeft]

I believe it is "Jean's Reel."

[heathenlore1]

does any one know what the last reel in the set is? its killing me.

[ProjectMaelstrom]

when u hear this songs... you want to do only one thing.... STAND UP AND DANCE your ass off :DDD (god forgive me for the ass xD)

[marsefredo]

This makes me very, very happy.

[JesperDingDK]

Hey:)

I have been looking forever for some kind of live show with them that you could buy on dvd.. Do any of you know if there was ever made some live fotage of them that later became a Video/dvd that you could buy?

[chanteysing]

Yes, JesperD, a 1988 concert taped for Atlanta, GA public TV "Silly Wizard Live," released on video by green linnett.

[mrsbaker007]

The memories, the rounds of continual dancing; makes my head spin. Great Video!

[thekelpielives]

Total legends!

Rest in peace Johnny.

[AndyK48]

wow. i've never heard a box bein played so fast and so clean lol. pure genius

[kirsty519]

Johnny Cunningham is the saddest loss to traditional music, RIP Johnny, sadly missed

[largocampo]

sono senza parole, questa è musica...

[Gairlochan]

It's not just their technique, although that is staggering in itself, but the fluidity, expressiveness and sheer musicality with which they imbue(d) their playing. Lots of musos play fast; it's the fashion. But a computer has technique: it will always be able to do it faster, cleaner and more in time and tune. It's the amount of music in your music that counts, and these two are/were real musicians in the only way that matters. Oh, and a sense of fun too ... music is all about good times!

[gonzotheblithe]

I've been a fan of Silly Wizard ever since I was really young. They rule so much! If you like really good accordion parts, a metal band called Finsterforst makes really good use of the accordion. May not be your thing, but it's worth a listen.

[dasadopeboy]

woot!!!!.....jhonny is the scottish malmsteen....

[gonzotheblithe]

Hahaha, YES!

[roma2662]

both brothersi consider then gennius, Johnny we miss you, wherever you are the angels wil enjoy with you

[trunkeight]

Phil sounds like a musical MG42!

[setaoca]

Andy M Stewart the lead vocal in Silly Wizard used to say that sometimes Phil played so fast only dogs could hear him.

[lescot2000]

Brill Billding ... this is class .... r.ip J.C.

[killiekentman]

saw them and silly wizard in the early years. how they played so fast and in tune always amazed me. brilliant.

[lescot2000]

Brav0

[Bodachin]

Impressing! It's the first time I saw Silly Wizard in my life sniff sniff and I want more :)

[trumpd52]

Captures energy that not many have. No sweat on their brows though. I guess they were that good. Great in fact...

[carrietide]

Jesus...Phil Cunningham is the Rick Wakeman of the piamo accordion.That speed!!!!

[nwartistic1]

By the way... Phil and Johnny most certainly played this fast and faster, and always with a smile on their faces. (God it's great to see them looking so young!)

[nwartistic1]

I was extremely fortunate to volunteer with a group that brought world class Celtic performers to our town. Over the years we hosted Phil, or Johnnie or both, many times. There is no other word to describe each of them except CLASS. The humor, sincerity and kindness that they treated all was astounding. There is still a big hole in my heart from Johnnie's passing. I'm so glad I have so many of his recordings to cherish, as he has certainly provided quite a bit of the sound track of my life.

[TomStHubbins]

amazing

[shaboo999]

i can't believe how FEW vids there are of the cunningham brothers on youtube, and especially my dear departed johnny, may he rest in peace

[X10SMS]

Johnny Cunningham was a brilliant player!!! I so admire his playing! Like you, I find it hard to believe that he is no longer with us!!

[Dayepipes]

I sat a meter back from them on this tour and recorded it.

And I've played about a meter away from Johnny in a live sessiun.

Including Phil's deliberate wrong notes. In front of about 29 people.

It was quite a relief later to hear the live in Boston double album where they had a decent sized crowd to appreciate them.

[TheChaplinLover]

@shaboo999

I'd love to see more. I love the Cunningham brothers so much. Had a couple of Phil's cds, and my daughter and I saw Johnny Cunningham in Boston years ago in the Celtic Fiddle Festival. Brilliant! Jeanne

[tarzanlordofthe]

@shaboo999

Not many but the few there are - breathtaking brilliance

[cheerydavie]

Well all i can say is you have remarkable taste...As for Phil doing a "Farewell Tour"

Hes still going strong I'm happy to say done a "Programme" for the BBC just last year tracing Scottish folk routes taking part were Babara Dickson/Ronnie Browne{The Corries)

 Aly Bain/Ian McCalman

[yafudye]

That was a brilliant programme. He travelled all over place tracking down Scots music.

[VasilicaCascaval]

phil is doing Farewell to ireland

[Dayepipes]

We saw just the 2 of them tour USA a year or 2 later with this exact set in their show, post-Phil-mustache evidently. I'm pretty sure it's on Silly Wizard's live from boston album.

I think this video is sped up, but it's pretty amazing how they were playing in this era at normal speed.

I was playing Irish pipes in a music workshop sessiun once when Johnny sat down one seat away from me. Trust me, I shoved my beer far far away and thought very carefully before joining in with any other tunes.

[Nadaef]

No...this isn't sped up. Phil's whistle is a blackwood Abel. They're made pretty much dead on to concert pitch and it seems in tune to me. Johnny plays Angus Campbell's Reel (a la "Laird o' Drumblair") in A. Pitch is right on all this so, no it ain't sped up.

[Dayepipes]

Ok it's not sped up in the way a tape would do it.

Digital time compression is another matter, doesn't need to alter the pitch --but I won't press the point. What's 2% among friends? I must be at least 10% slower than either one of them.

[mongorich]

Interesting point you make on the subject of the tempo. Looks sped up to me also, to the point of losing all rhythm and musicality. Just hectic.

[kroftwerk]

I saw them many times, jammed with them quite a few times. This is not sped up, this is how they played it.

[UISTMAN59]

This has not been speeded up. See my posts of Phil & Johnny Cunningham for comparison.

[nionaidh]

Thats what im talkin' bout