Annotation:Bush in Bloom (The)
BUSH IN BLOOM, THE (An Tom Faoi Blat). AKA and see "Boil the Kettle Early," "Bush in Blossom (The)," "Reel (91)." Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (O'Malley, O'Neill, Roche): AABB (McDermott). The reel is identical with "Bush in Blossom (The)," printed by Glasgow publisher James S. Kerr (Merry Melodies vol. 4, c. 1880's). The reel was well-established with Irish musicians by at least the turn of the century as "Bush in Bloom," and Kerr gives no indication of its provenance; it may have originated in either country. Researchers Conor Ward and Fr. John Quinn find the tune and title in the c. 1900 music manuscript of Larry Smyth of Abbeylara, Co. Longford, and, as an untitled reel (for which see "Reel (91)") in Book 2 of the large c. 1883 music manuscript collection of County Leitrim fiddler and piper Stephen Grier (c. 1824-1894).
An early sound recording (1917) can be heard on Columbia Records E4877 by Brooklyn-born WWI vet and fiddler John Gerrity, who was, at least for a time in the 1920's a resident of Pacific Street, Brooklyn, N.Y., and active as an Irish dance hall musician. Gerrity recorded the tune again in 1922 with piper Tom Ennis (Gennett 5003-B).
