Conor Guilfoyle: Free CD downloads
I was digging through my archives and have decided to put some stuff up for grabs for anyone who is interested. It's recordings I have done over the years and are now hibernating in my attic. I think it's better to share rather than leave them there to gather dust.
I have had a pretty schizophrenic musical existence, playing everything from free jazz, to odd meters, straight ahead jazz, world music experimentation and Cuban dance music.
The first ones up are the Guilfoyle/Nielsen trio a groundbreaking guitar trio followed by Saoco my first salsa recording project. Both were running at the same time though as you'll hear completely different projects.
I'll need permission from members of the various groups before I can add more recordings, but as soon as have that I will update.
In the meantime I hope you enjoy.
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GUILFOYLE/NIELSEN TRIO - F**ked Up Classics
Is it really 15 years since we recorded this! It certainly doesn’t feel like it but in the winter of 1993 Mike, Ronan and myself went to Armstrongs’ barn a studio in County Wicklow to record a concept in odd meter playing which (even if I do say so myself), was and maybe still is ahead of it’s time.
I remember the feeling going to the studio on that cold winter’s day. We were excited, nervous but also confident that we were breaking new ground. Having worked so hard in the rehearsal, virtually all the tracks were first takes. We did some second takes anyway and then chose. The tracks were then mixed to DAT (remember those?). There were no fixes, just straight performances of the music we had prepared.
I made my tabla debut, playing on “Paper Moon”, and recorded my first odd meter clave track on “Love for sale”. When it was over, we transferred the DAT to cassettes and sent to a bunch of jazz record labels, that we hoped would jump at the chance of releasing our masterpiece. Of course we didn’t get any replies (maybe one), and while we continued to explore rhythmic possibilities, the trio changed to playing original material and eventually moved towards free concepts.
There is no doubt that we were extremely disappointed in the lack of response to our work. I suppose we were naïve, but it was that naiveity, that allowed us to spend the necessary hours rehearsing to create something unique. However there was also the need to move on, and move on we did.
Then sometime ago I discovered an old white cassette of the day in Wicklow that hadn't been sent to a record label. I searched around for a cassette player, and when I heard it again after nearly 15 yrs I was amazed. Amazed at how well it still stood up. Amazed at just how unique it was, and a little amazed that nobody had cared. I went in search of the original DAT, but to no avail. The studio was gone and all record of that day had been lost.
All I had to document our work was this cassette, so I transferred it to a digital format and wondered what to do with it. I knew it would never be released, but it seemed a shame to bury it in a box in the attic. So, I asked the guys what they thought of offering it for free download. So here it is, complete with imperfections, indulgences and less then 100% digital quality sound. Also included is, dedication, a unique concept and playing that I am still proud of 15 years later.
To download the recording
Ronan has an excellent blog on the trio which can be read
SAOCO - Descarga Saoco
My first mistake with this band was the name. Nobody knew how it was pronounced (Sah-O-Ko), so it was instantly forgettable. I started it in 1995 when for the first time we had Cuban immigrants to Ireland, among them pianist Danilo Karell, and singers Tony Oscar and Jorge Cuon.
Their arrival really was a great boost to me, as to that point I had been training mainly Irish musicians into the genre, even though my own knowledge was very limited. These gentlemen were steeped in the culture and even spoke Spanish :-)
We gigged for a year and recorded this CD which we called “Descarga Saoco”. This was the first Latin music recording ever done in this country, something I'm proud of. Listening back to it now 15 years later, brings back happy memories though there are many things I would love to fix.
The first, being the production. I, nor anyone else here at the time, had any idea how to get that separation between the rhythm section instruments. Or, for that matter the clarity in the sound of the brass section. Since the horn section was two trombones and baritone sax, the sound was naturally dark (something I like), but on the recording it’s muddy, and there is a lot of conflict with the bass.
Another thing I did wrong was to use a click. I decided on this as it was impossible to record all the musicians at the same time in the studio, and we found the rhythm section was rushing like crazy and this made overdubs problematic. The click solved the problem but made us all a little tentative and this shows on some tracks.
However, it’s certainly not all bad and there are some very good musical moments, such as the slow burn on “El fantasma del amor”, the authentic rumba feel on “Que vivan todo los rumberos”, the fun of the comparsa at the end of “Mi mulata espanola” (recorded without a click), Gerry Godley’s tipico flute solo on the pretty danzon “Dansonia”, or the excitement on the jam session that is “Descarga saoco”.
The final track is a percussion workout between me and Nigel. A composition we dedicated to our late friend Dave Earley, a great percussionist (he played drums on many of Sade’s big hits) who was tragically killed in a car accident shortly before the recording.
Danilo Karell did a great job on the writing and arranging, but that doesn’t diminish the input of the Irish crew who were essential to the development of the band’s sound.
My partner in crime in the rhythm section was Nigel Flegg, whose intense years, of practice and study shines through here.
Tony Steele on bass was always rock solid, as were the terrible twins Karl Ronan and Barry McBrien on the trombones.
Gerry Godley played Baritone, flute and sang in the chorus. He was the genial front man, but a real danger to be around on a tight stage.
As I said there are many things here I would like to change, but here is Descarga Saoco warts and all, a good snapshot in time of the young developing latin music scene in Ireland.
To download the CD