Cooley & Keegan Recordings From Chicago
Joe Cooley, Kevin Keegan, and Seamus Cooley in Chicago, early 1960s
Download Zip Files:
Cooley & Keegan in Chicago -- Part One (63 MB)
Cooley & Keegan in Chicago -- Part Two (84 MB)
These recordings were made in a Chicago pub and given anonymously to me and Jeremy Kammerer when we were living in the Bay Area learning from and playing with Joe and Kevin in the early 70s. I recently recovered two cd discs each containing one long track. The fidelity is low — the music is superb. WB Reid was able to identify the non-existent spaces between tunes and insert numbered tracks and apply some noise reduction. I researched tune titles with help from Becky Deryckx and WB. Becky provided research and editorial advice. Both WB and Becky provided much needed encouragement to finish this project. Casual though they are, these recordings are the largest and most animated store of live playing by Joe and Kevin and Seamus that I have heard so far. We hope this adds to the fine recordings of Joe and Kevin (see below). My sense is that Joe, Kevin, and Seamus are mostly playing together here. Sometimes Joe plays solo on the box
and you can hear his clear phrasing and lonesome sound. Seamus, a highly accomplished flute player, also plays solo on a few tunes. We hope you can enjoy these tunes and fragments of tunes in the spirit in which they were played, freely and with great heart.
Seamus and Joe Cooley were from a musical family in Peterswell, Co. Galway in Ireland. Both parents played melodeon and there were dances most every evening at their home, where Joe learned accordion and Seamus learned flute. Both joined The Tulla Ceili band, which toured America in 1958 and brought Seamus to Chicago where he joined Joe who had emigrated to the US in 1954. They became fixtures in the music scene performing on radio and regularly at clubs and founding the Glenside Ceili Band. Joe Cooley came to San Francisco in 1965, and Seamus remained on in Chicago performing with his wife and other musicians at festivals, pubs, and fleadhs.
Kevin Keegan was born on his family farm in Tiernascragh, East Galway in 1924, the same year Joe Cooley was born. A close friendship with the great Tipperary accordion player Paddy O'Brien was a major early inspiration. His passions for music and hurling created a huge reputation for him in Ireland, where he mastered the two row B/C accordion. Kevin was a founding member of The Aughrim Slopes ceili band and when they toured the US in 1956 Kevin stayed on in Chicago. His old friends Seamus and Joe Cooley welcomed him into the thriving music scene of clubs, performances, and contests.
Kevin moved to San Francisco in the early 70s where his friendship and music association with Joe Cooley continued. In the Bay Area they introduced Irish music to a whole generation of young musicians who were infatuated with their musicianship, wit, and stories, and with Joe's articulation, lift and the lonesome quality in his playing. Dancers loved the music. Kevin was a powerhouse driving the sessions. Joe and Kevin with fine Bay Area Irish and American musicians created The Graineog Ceilidhe Band, a popular performing band with a flexible membership. Joe died in Ireland on December 21, 1973 and Kevin died in San Francisco on December 20, 1978. They left a permanent void in the San Francisco Irish music community. For more information about the San Francisco years of Joe Cooley and Kevin Keegan, including photos of each of them and a collection of home recordings of Joe Cooley, see www.joecooleytapes.org
Kevin has an excellent CD The Music of Kevin Keegan
produced by Joe Burke & Charlie Lennon with assistance from Vincent Keegan, providing helpful biographical information. Joe's CD Cooley
produced by Tony MacMahon, is a splendid tour of the earlier playing of Joe, highlighting his power and drive.
Tune titles are a slippery business, so for suggestions, corrections, or even more stories contact me at cathiewhitesides@comcast.net
Cathie Whitesides, July 2020