It’s the Best of “TIMES” for Irish Music

 

There is an interesting, new music ensemble that has formed recently called the “Irish TIMES Band.”  What makes it interesting is that its music repertoire changes with each performance because its players change with each performance. 

 

Irish TIMES Band is the brainchild of Jigsaw member Ken Fleming, and its sole purpose is to combine some of the area’s best talent to raise money for the Traditional Irish Music Education Society (TIMES), a non-profit organization founded by Fleming that produces the O’Flaherty Irish Music Retreat in October and other educational programs year-round.

 

“We are fortunate to have some very gifted musicians in Dallas and Fort Worth who are donating their performances in support of TIMES,” says Fleming.  “Several of the pubs have said they’ll hire us, so we’re busy forming the ensembles and getting the music ready.”

 

Fleming says it’s likely that members from several bands as well as solo performers at any one time will perform on stage together which should give their music an exciting new sound.  “Many of the songs and tunes we’ll play will be familiar to our audiences,” says Fleming, “but they’ll hear the music performed in a whole new way.”

 

The band is following in the footsteps of another successful ensemble with rotating members – the Trinity Hall Session Players.  For more than two years, five traditional Irish players have met every Sunday afternoon at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant to perform.  It’s members, currently 25 of the area’s veteran players, recorded a CD in 2004 called “Live at Trinity Hall” of which all the proceeds from its sale has gone to support the O’Flaherty Irish Music Retreat.  That experience led Fleming to consider a performance ensemble to raise funds for the retreat and TIMES, its host organization.

 

“The wonderful thing about this band, besides raising money for a good cause, is that it gives us a chance to perform with friends,” says Fleming.  “We have developed over the years into a close community of players, and we love to play together when we have the opportunity.  This is going to be a lot of fun for us.”

 

All of the proceeds from the performances, including the band’s compensation, CD sales and any donations collected, will be donated to TIMES.  Fleming hopes that the band, in its various forms, will book several gigs a month. 

                                                                                                                       

To book the band or inquire about its performance calendar, send an email to irishtimes@irishtradmusic.org.    

 

Performance History

 

2005

 

Friday, April 22, private party
Brink Trammell (hammered dulcimer), Peggy Fleming (fiddle), Kevin Alewine (flute/guitar), Mimi Rogers (fiddle), Rick Holt (bodhran)


Saturday, May 21st, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant
Christy McLeod (guitar/vocals), Gordon McLeod (fiddle/guitar/vocals), Betsy Cummings (piano accordion/vocals), John Delaney (flute/whistle/vocals), Peggy Fleming (fiddle/vocals), Ken Fleming (banjo/accordion/vocals)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, May 28th, at Tipperary Inn
Mimi Rogers (fiddle/vocals), Peggy Fleming (fiddle/vocals), Ken Fleming (banjo/accordion/vocals), Kevin Alewine (guitar/flute/vocals)


8 pm-midnight, Saturday, June 16th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant
Kevin Alewine (guitar/flute/vocals), Michael Harrison (guitar/vocals), Jason Huntley (fiddle), Lewis Case (fiddle)

 

8 pm-midnight, Friday, July 8th, private party
Mimi Rogers (fiddle), John Delany (flute/whistle), Emily Bryant (guitar), Jeff Gard (bodhran), Ken Fleming (banjo/accordion)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, July 16th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant
Michelle Feldman (fiddle), Mark Kenneth (piano accordion), John Burleson (guitar), Ken Fleming (banjo, accordion, vocals)


8 pm-midnight, Saturday, August 20th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Emily Bryant (guitar, vocals), Gordon McLeod (fiddle, guitar, vocals), Kevin Alewine (guitar, mandolin, flute, vocals), Ken Fleming (banjo, guitar, accordion, vocals)
 

11 a.m.-2 p.m., Sunday, September 4th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant -- Chieftains Concert Brunch
Peggy Fleming (fiddle, vocals), Ken Fleming (banjo, accordion, vocals), Kevin Alewine (guitar, flute, vocals), Jeff Gard (bodhran)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, September 17th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Mimi Rogers (fiddle, vocals), Peggy Fleming (fiddle, vocals), Jeff Moore (guitar, vocals), John Delaney (flute, whistle, concertina, vocals), Ken Fleming (banjo, guitar, accordion, vocals)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, October 15th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Peggy Fleming (fiddle, vocals), John Burleson (guitar, vocals), Ken Fleming (banjo, guitar, accordion, vocals)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, November 19th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Michael Harrison (guitar/vocals), Peggy Fleming (fiddle, vocals), Jason Huntley (fiddle), Jeff Gard (bodhran, vocals), Kevin Alewine (guitar, vocals), Ken Fleming (banjo, guitar, accordion, vocals)

 

2006

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, January 28th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Jeff Moore (guitar/vocals), Peggy Fleming (fiddle, vocals), Mimi Rogers (fiddle, vocals), Ken Fleming (banjo, guitar, accordion, vocals)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, February 26th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Jed Marum (guitar, bouzouki, banjo, vocals), Mimi Rogers (fiddle, vocals), Gordon McLeod (guitar, fiddle, vocals), Ken Fleming (banjo, mandolin, guitar, accordion, vocals)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, May 27th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Jed Marum (guitar, bouzouki, banjo, vocals), Mimi Rogers (fiddle, vocals), Kevin Alewine (guitar, mandolin, flute, vocals), Ken Fleming (banjo, mandolin, guitar, accordion, vocals)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, June 10th, at Tipperary Inn

Michael Harrison (guitar, vocals), Peggy Fleming (fiddle, vocals), Jeff Moore (guitar, vocals), Ken Fleming (banjo, mandolin, guitar, accordion, vocals)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, June 24th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Emily Bryant (guitar, vocals), Jason Huntley (fiddle, vocals), Mark Kenneth (piano accordion), Ken Fleming (banjo, mandolin, guitar, accordion, vocals)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, July 22nd, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Christy McLeod (guitar, vocals), Gordon McLeod (fiddle, guitar, mandolin, vocals), Gysy Youngraven (guitar, bodhran,  vocals), Ken Fleming (banjo, mandolin, guitar, accordion, vocals)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, August 26th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Jed Marum (guitar, banjo, vocals), Heather Gilmer (fiddle, vocals), John Burleson (guitar), Ken Fleming (banjo, mandolin, guitar, accordion, vocals)

 

2007

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, January 27th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant
Christy McLeod (guitar/vocals), Gordon McLeod (fiddle/guitar/vocals), Betsy Cummings (piano accordion/vocals), John Delaney (flute/whistle/vocals), Ken Fleming (banjo/accordion/vocals)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, February 24th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Michael William Harrison (guitar/vocals), Mimi Rogers (fiddle, vocals), John Burleson (guitar), Ken Fleming (banjo, guitar, accordion, vocals)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, March 31st, at Tipperary Inn

John Burleson (guitar, bodhran), Mimi Rogers (fiddle, vocals), David Lovrien (whistles, sax), Jeff Gard (bodhran, vocals)
 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, March 31st, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Michelle Feldman (fiddle), Gypsy Youngraven (guitar, bodhran, vocals), Chris Arterburn (guitar, vocals), and Michael James (guitar, vocals)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, April 27th, at Private Party

Mimi Rogers (fiddle), Emily Bryant (guitar), Rachel Stribling (fiddle), Michael Stribling (uilleann pipes/whistle), Daniel Stribling (bouzouki/bodhran), Ken Fleming (guitar/tenor banjo/button accordion/mandolin)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, April 28th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Mimi Rogers (fiddle), Rachel Stribling (fiddle), Michael Stribling (uilleann pipes/whistle), Daniel Stribling (bouzouki/bodhran), Ken Fleming (guitar/tenor banjo/button accordion/mandolin)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, May26th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Jed Marum (singer/guitarist), Peggy Fleming (fiddle), Ken Fleming (guitar/tenor banjo/button accordion/mandolin)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, July 21st, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Jason Huntley (fiddle), Kevin Alewine (guitar, mandolin, flute, vocals), Gypsy Youngraven (bodhran), Ken Fleming (guitar/tenor banjo/button accordion/mandolin)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, August 4th, at Tipperary Inn

Michelle Feldman (fiddle), David Lovrien (sax, whistle), Candace Winship (fiddle), and Gypsy Youngraven (bodhran)

 

8 pm-midnight, Saturday, August 25th, at Trinity Hall Pub & Restaurant

Mimi Rogers (fiddle, vocals), Peggy Fleming (fiddle, vocals), Russ Alvey (guitar,vocals), Gypsy Youngraven (bodhran, vocals), Ken Fleming (guitar/tenor banjo/button accordion/mandolin)