Hi guys. Just dropping by to greet you a Happy Lughnasadh.
…And there is a band that took the name of the same festival. Been listening to these guys for the past few days. I don’t have the new album yet. Do you have one already? If you do please feel free to share your thoughts.
The photos for the Hebridean Celtic Festival is here.
I spent my late teens listening to World/Medieval/Celtic/Fusion duo Dead Can Dance . I admit it’s the voice of Irishman Brendan Perry that really got to me. It’s a haunting baritone that reminds you of quiet walks on a cemetery during a faintly windy night. I almost own all of Dead Can Dance album (on audio cassettes) and most of them now on mp3s so I can bring them along when I travel.
You have to understand what it did to me when I heard that he just released a new album called Ark. This is closer to the sound ‘feel’ he did for Dead Can Dance. Recorded in his home studio Quivvy Church ( it’s really an old church in Ireland he bought and converted into a recording studio) this 8-track album will be something to treasure for years to come. A totally rewarding listening experience! Check out the latest news about Brendan Perry here.
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Mary Fahl is getting busy this year as two of her albums are about to be released : Mary Fahl: From the Dark Side of the Moon (to be released in 2010) and Gravity (Tentative Title) – 10-song album to be released in 2010…I love this update! Recently I chatted with Mary about the three tracks that was floating around : Ghost of Me, Red Sunset and White Bird. These are demos she made with Bob Riley of Grace Pool. Bob passed away sadly and they were left forgotten . Let’s hope Mary will consider re-recording them because they will blow your mind away with their beauty. Full discography here.
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If you love excellent Hurdy-Gurdy music, then you should never miss Nigel Eaton’s myspace page. He played with Loreena McKennitt (1996-2006) I love the sound of this instrument and I think it deserves more exposure.
About the Hurdy-Gurdy
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…She became a friend in facebook and wrote me a sweet message. As always Jenne will remain a favorite here @ Celtic Music Fan because of her wonderful talent and fresh approach in Celtic Music. How she sounds like? Here’s how she describes her music: A combination of Clannad, Lisa Gerard, Enya, Loreena McKennitt…plus let me add a passionate intensity close of Janis Joplin.
Listen to: http://www.myspace.com/jennelennon and read her blog. There’s also this interview I posted. Check out her rendition of Marble Halls from The Bohemian Girl, an Irish Opera by Michael William Balfe.
thanks to knoeful for posting this video and providing additional info…
(Jenne Lennon performs with Indiana University’s International Vocal Ensemble at the Mary Goetze farewell concert in April, 2007. Goetze founded both the IU Childrens Choir and the International Vocal Ensemble, giving performance opportunities and musical learning to youngsters as well as university students who are not music majors. Lennon is a Chicago based Celtic singer dubbed the Janis Joplin of Celtic Music! http://www.glencoerecords.com/ “I Dreamt That I Dwelt in Marble Halls” is also called “The Gipsy Girl’s Dream” It comes from the opera “The Bohemian Girl.”)
The new mission of the Commando Trad is online! With their weapons of mass tradition, 54 persons participated in this spectacular flashmob of traditional dance and music from Québec.
More Commando Trad videos here: http://www.youtube.com/user/COMMANDOTRAD
Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty from Darragh O’Connell on Vimeo.
I got this link to a new short film from Darragh’s site. I had to look for it on YouTube because Vimeo doesn’t work with WordPress. Thanks to www.weeklyinspiration.co.uk for keeping us updated!
Full Oscar-shortlisted film of ‘Granny O’Grimm’, directed by Nicky Phelan, produced byDarragh O’Connell , and written/voiced by Kathleen O’Rourke. Shortlisted for the 2010 Oscar for Best Animated Short Film
From the a capella verse of the first track Duthaich MhicAoid/Mackay County, one can’t help but be taken by the highland singing of Fiona J Mackenzie. The voice and Irvin Daguid’s piano are like two old friends who finally meet-complimenting with beautiful results. All musicians involved in this project are exceptional.
Fiona has the nuance and lightness of voice but with just the right weight to add an air of mystery and authority. There is a combination of sweetness, palpable hope and poignancy in her singing echoing the sentiments of the Scottish exiles all over the world.
According to her, A Good Suit of Clothes is a title taken from one of the best known emigrant songs ‘ Mo Duthaich’ from South Uist. I am aware how Uist in the Scottish Hebrides have been a continuing force in the Gaelic revival with archives of songs being recorded by artists such as Julie Fowlis recently.
The production is superb and polished to flawless quality. The sound is crisp and clear with minimal reverb to make the instruments sound lush and alive.
Some of the tracks like Oran a Chiamalais/ Song of Homesickness and Illean Bithibn Sunndach/Boys Be Happy are fast toe-tapping tunes with acoustic guitars . While tracks like Cuir Culaibh Ri Asante/ Leaving Assynt Behind has a melancholy atmosphere and a haunting melody.
A Good Suit of Clothes is what happens when exquisite talent meets excellent production techniques.The liner notes are very helpful. All Gaelic songs have English translations . Fiona is right when she suggested to me the importance of the liner notes beside the music. On top of that, she also provided her own explanation and the story behind each songs, the composers and the lives they led .
If the purpose of this album is a message in a bottle to those immigrants hoping they’d return…then it is a successful attempt wich will not only bring back long-lost friends but a cavalry of guests , the passionate new comers who are drawn to the beauty of this type of music.
Credits:
Irvin Daguid (Piano and harmonium)
Fraser Fifield (Whistle and pipes)
John Goldie (Guitar)
Mary Ann Kennedy (Clarsach)
James Mackintosh (Percussion)
Anna Massie (Cittern and guitar)
Ed McFarlane (Double bass)
Mr McFall’s Chamber-Clare Sterling (violin) Robert McFall (violin)
Jane Atkins (viola) and Su-a Lee (cello)
Ian Muir ( Accordion)
Guy Nichoson (Percussion)
Simone Welsh (Fiddle)
Singers: Darren Maclean, Katie Mackenzie, Sineag Macintyre and Cathy Ann MacPhee
All tracks produced and arranged by Irvin Daguid.
Greentrax Recordings Limited.
You can purchase Fiona J Mackenzie here.
http://www.fionamackenzie.org/Basket.html
Thanks to geekbynight for posting this video and added info:
Scottish singer and educator Fiona J. MacKenzie sings Abu Chuibhl’. She is joined by her Gaelic Singing and Language Student Doyle Raines. This is part of a concert Fiona gave in Jimera de Libar, Andalucia, Spain on May 2nd 2010.
…..I love New Orleans not just by giving us Anne Rice, Poppy Z Brite , True Blood and a lot more of exotica. What’s next? Maybe Mr Leprechaun will have his toe-tapping green humor on the beautiful side of the French Quarter. Here are some pics from facebook’s Irish New Orleans
…….The album teaser of Dom Duff is out. This should thrill fans of Breton music with language entirely in Breton. Expect more exotic sounds and energetic performance from the guy himself.
…..Catch Welsh band Mabon performing at Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Bretagne France , that going to be in August 6, 2010. For the performances in the month of August, check out their tour schedules link:
http://www.myspace.com/mabonband
……Another musician from Wales Oli-Wilson-Dickson combines the adventurous mood of Gypsy music and the Celtic music’s triumphant tunes . If you are into Balkan stuff, or anything Central European with a twist of jig then this is your music. You can also visit http://www.fiddle.org.uk/
Celtic Music Fan 