Seamus O'Dowd pays tribute to a true giant of Irish traditional music, accordion player Joe Burke, who passed away last month, aged 81.
The recent passing of Irish accordion innovator Joe Burke marks the end of an era if not an entire age in the story of traditional Irish music.
For generations of Irish music lovers and musicians alike, Joe Burke, through his musicianship, constituted a kind of musical north star.
Joe Burke ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ZvCwA27iZ4
— TG4TV (@TG4TV) February 21, 2021
He was a stable navigational aid for an innumerable amount of music lovers, musicians, and accordion players in particular, in their journey into the heart of the Irish musical tradition. In accordion terms, it can safely be said that almost all Irish accordion players playing Irish music over many decades have measured themselves against Joe Burke at some point in their musical development.
Joe was arguably the first musician of his generation to develop a personal following. And he did so quite literally. Crowds of people at Fleadh Cheoils used to follow him to see where he'd be playing next. And Joe’s generosity with his music towards those who were enthralled by his playing is as legendary as his playing itself. Joe could take the tunes that everyone knew well to a whole other level without compromising the spirit of the tunes and make it look, to quote one description of him "as if the accordion was a little toy in his hands."
Thankfully, Joe’s musical excellence is well documented in his recordings as a soloist, accompanied at different times by Charlie Lennon, Josephine Keegan and of course his wife, guitarist and accordionist Anne Conroy-Burke. His collaborative recordings with Sean Mc Guire, Andy Mc Gann, Felix Dolan Michael Cooney and Terry Corcoran have, like his solo work, become both classic recordings and valuable resources for emerging musicians.
Joe’s respect for traditional music and musicians was very much in evidence when he arranged for Andy Mc Gann, Terry Corcoran and himself to play in Gurteen, a central village to the world of south Sligo music, in 1983. The musical community of south Sligo in attendance were well aware of the many one-way trips to the US that Michael Coleman, Andy’s parents and others made from the area. Andy, though US-born, was welcomed as a returning emigrant that night.
And Joe knew how to let this take place without being central to it, despite being quite accustomed to centre stage himself. However, he still didn’t get away without playing The Bucks Of Oranmore as only he could!!
President Higgins has paid tribute to renowned traditional musician Joe Burke, who has died at the age of 81. pic.twitter.com/eJdrrIN5cs
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) February 21, 2021
For the decades leading up to his recent passing, "Joe and Anne" almost became a single word in the traditional music community. Anne’s understated but solid guitar accompaniment is no doubt strongly informed by the fact that she herself is a first class accordion player in her own right. And she therefore complimented Joe’s music perfectly. As both people and musicians their appearances wherever they played or taught music were eagerly welcomed for their music as well as their good nature as people.
Joe will be missed, but he will never be forgotten.
