As well as being an Irish traditional flute player, Fintan Vallely is also a singer and writer. With regard to the latter, he has written for the Irish Times as a reviewer and correspondent and also had a regular column in the Sunday Tribune. He has authored a number of books on traditional music as well as a biography of Antrim flute player John Kennedy. He has a vast knowledge of Irish traditional music and has acted as a consultant for RTÉ and others and also lectures on the subject.
His family is well-steeped in the tradition with a lineage that includes eighteenth-century harp maker Cormac O’Kelly. His own path to music began with the whistle at fourteen before taking up flute and uilleann pipes.
His first flute album, simply titled “Traditional Irish Flute Music”, was described as a vintage album of exhilarating music on the concert flute from an original performer. It was recorded in October 1979 in Times Square, New York for Shanachie Records and was produced by Dan Collins.
The style was described as raw and fresh, yet rounded and solid. Joining him on the album is Mark Simos (guitar, who played on his second album Back to the Starry Lane – also available on Bandcamp), CB Heinemann (bouzouki) and Lori Cole (piano, English concertina).
For many, the name Vallely has become synonymous with the Armagh Pipers’ Club, founded by Brian (piper, flute player and painter) and Eithne Vallely (fiddle, pipes and song) in 1966. Brian’s cousin is Fintan and it is Brian’s son Niall that has re-mastered this album. Niall is an innovative concertina virtuoso whose tunes have been performed by the likes of Lúnasa, Sharon Shannon, Michael McGoldrick. His brothers are Caoimhín Vallely (fiddle, piano) Cillian Vallely (uilleann pipes).
Traditional Irish Flute Music is available to order via Bandcamp (CD/Digital) and keeps the same design that Nick Lethert originally produced on the LP & Cassette released in 1984 with notes by Jane Kelton. The album includes tunes by Junior Crehan, Sean Ryan, Tommy Peoples and Ed Reavy.
As well as Traditional Irish Flute Music, I strongly recommend that you check out Back to the Starry Lane with Mark Simos (guitar) which has been re-mastered from the original 1991 DAT masters.
This is a collection of old and new, Irish and Scottish Traditional music, a personal selection of Fintan’s which arose out of his playing in Scotland with singer Tim Lyons in the 1980s. The music looks both backwards and forwards – beginning in the 18th century Scottish composition period which had tunes that we still play as Traditional music today.
If you enjoy unaccompanied singing, then the satirical Big Guns and Hairy Drums is a joyful listen, featuring Tim Lyons and Fintan:
Comic and satirical lyrics of the modern time about hamburgers, politicians, murder, drink, sex, religion, statues, Jesus, Ben Dunne, Mary Robinson’s Presidential election, false teeth, the weather, the Ozone Layer and everybody’s scapegoat, that icon of ‘roots’ music – the bodhrán.
Also available:
Compánach (feat. Fintan Vallely, Gerry O’Connor, Tiarnan Ó Duinnchinn, Sibéal Davitt)
Guide to playing the Irish Flute, Vol. 1
Merrijig Cree
Buy them all, they each have their own personal magic.
Order via: https://fintanvallely.bandcamp.com/
More information: https://imusic.ie/