101 Traditional Irish Dance Tunes composed by James Kelly

New Book of Compositions by James Kelly!

James Kelly is one of Ireland’s most renowned traditional fiddle players. In addition to his performing and recording career, he is one of Irish music’s most prolific composers, having composed over 1000 tunes to date.

A deep appreciation for the wide range of music styles in Irish traditional music has given James a unique insight for interpretation, and that insight has in turn, shaped his own compositions. The tunes in this collection are the natural outpouring of an individual completely immersed in the idiom of traditional music. This book brings together a feast of music – 6 barn dances, 1 highland fling, 2 hornpipes, 31 double jigs, 7 slip jigs, 3 polkas, 42 reels, 5 slides, and 4 strathspeys. James’s jigs and reels are influenced by the expressionist style of West Clare, while the happy lilt of his polkas, slides, and barn dances comes from long experience with the set dancing of Sliabh Luachra, West Cork, and North Connacht. In this collection, James also salutes the distinctive sounds of Scotland’s fiddle tradition with four strathspeys.