Month: July 2010

Great Big Sea, Need Fire, Denez Prigent and Future Events

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 1 Comment

July 13 marks a big day for Canada’s  Great Big Sea as they released a new album Safe Upon The Shore celebrating their 18th year in the industry.  The album is composed of 14 tracks . It has a wonderful cover artwork! “Nothing But a Song’ is the first single. There is something wonderfully bouncy about the song that reminds you it is summer.  Check out somewhere around 2:15 of this video where the fun really escalates..

Texas-based Celtic Rock band Needfire is also in the middle of a hectic tour. Their music is a combination of  straight ahead rock, Americana and celtic styles. Traditional instruments like bagpipes, fiddles and even didgeridoo are utilized both in recordings and live shows.   Check out the following schedules here: http://www.needfire.com/news.htm

Christian Celtic band Iona are preparing for their September tour this year. This band is fronted by Joanne Hogg who has one of the most beautiful voices since Moya Brennan and Karen Matheson. Watch out for latest updates here . Iona disappeared from the music scene for almost a decade and now it looks like they will sweep the scene once more.

I have been looking for a Tri Yann site in English because their official site is in French. There is however this one helpful link in English which lists their discography and videos . Check out NME’s Tri Yann page.

Galician culture finally has a home in The Galician Way, an online magazine that covers  topics from films, books,tunes, art and shows. Everything you need is there.

The official site of Breton singer Denez Prigent is now on construction. One of his musical highlights was having two  songs   featured in a movie Black Hawk Down with Lisa Gerrard (Gortoz A Ran is one of them). This song is entirely in Breton as you can see in this video. This is one song that is simply perfect when sang as a duet with former Dead Can Dance other half Lisa Gerrard.

AlzheiMelilla of YouTube provided a translation for this song:

Teuio en-dro an avel c’hlas
[Will come back the blue wind]
– Da analañ va c’halon c’hloaz’t
[To breathe my wounded heart]
– Kaset e vin diouzh e anal
[I will be pulled away by its blow]
– Pell gant ar red en ur vro all
[Far away by its stream to another land]
– Kaset e vin diouzh e alan
[I will be pulled away by its breath]
– Pell gant ar red, hervez ‘deus c’hoant
[Far away by its stream, wherever it wants]

Hervez ‘deus c’hoant pell eus ar bed
[Wherever it wants, far away from this world]
– Etre ar mor hag ar stered
[Between the sea and the stars]

Tour Info from The High Kings, Darren Holden and Brian Dunphy

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 3 Comments

Contemporary with a dash of traditional and country, Darren Holden (who is popularly known as one of the High Kings) is quite busy this month with his touring schedules. That is not surprising considering the fact that his career did take off after relocating to New York and working with important names in the business. He holds the reputation as not only a singer of a high order but also as a composer and instrumentalist. Hopefully you’ll get to catch Darren as he makes it near you. Check out these schedules…

http://events.myspace.com/134975287/Events/1

Speaking of The High Kings, hear them live at the sugar club. These guys never fail to dazzle listener with the energetic rendition of traditional materials and connection to the audience. Their anecdotes and humour create a relaxed atmosphere where they could explain the origins of each interesting pieces.

http://www.thehighkings.com/trellis/TOUR_DATES

Brian Dunphy started his musical career as part of the Riverdance. From then on everything is history. Blazing the trail as part of the Three Irish Tenors, Brian now tours with The High Kings and has released his first solo CD Timeless.

Brian Dunphy

Rewind: Clannad and Paul Young

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 6 Comments

The first time I heard this song was in the movie Switch starring Ellen Barkin and Perry King…somewhere around 1991 I think. From then on I searched for this Clannad track until I found a compilation album containing this beautiful song. I was a big fan of Paul Young as a kid and it was a surprise to discover this beautiful duet with Moya Brennan. Switch is a movie about the womanizer(played by King with a preference for blonds) who dies and as a punishment he is sent back to earth as woman(Barkin) . I remember having big laughs with this movie.

Lyrics – Both Sides Now (Duet With Paul Young)

Originally composed by Joni Mitchell and popularized by Judy Collins          (Wildflowers album)

Rolls and flows of angel hair,
Ice cream castles in the air,
Feather canyons everywhere,
I’ve looked at clouds that way.
But now they only block the sun.
They rain, they snow on everyone.
So many things I would’ve done
But clouds got in my way.

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now,
From up and down and still somehow
It’s clouds’ illusions I recall.
I really don’t know clouds at all.

Moons and Junes and ferris wheels,
The dizzy, dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real.
I’ve looked at love that way.
But now it’s just another show.
Leave ’em laughin’ when you go.
But if you care, don’t let em’ know
Don’t give yourself away.

I’ve looked at love from both sides now
From give and take and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall.
I really don’t know love at all.

Tears and fears and feeling proud,
Say ‘I love you’ right out loud.
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I’ve looked at life that way.
But now old friends are acting strange.
They shake their heads and say I’ve changed.
But something’s lost when somethings gained
Living everyday.

I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall.
I really don’t know life at all.

Celtic Woman,Celtic Highway,Scottish Web and Grada on Tour.

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 2 Comments


It’s kind of funny when people you don’t really feel an affiliation to suddenly talks to you about music. You realize that your pre conceived thoughts (negative they may be) seem irrelevant and powerless against the building enthusiasm. Sometimes, with the deception that the world around us builds, music is like this little port in a storm. You realize that there is really nothing impractical about music collection. It’s the kind of topic that really sparks up dinner table conversation. After all, music is like an archeological study. The more you collect, the more you gain insight into the culture and the times. Happy digging.

Fans of Celtic Woman will be excited to know about this one night concert Songs from the Heart. Expect to be enchanted and captivated with this group that made international headlines since Riverdance. See information below(and the link to purchase tickets).

BUY TICKETS

For those going to Scotland this year, Discover Scotland is a great site to bookmark. Information about  musical events supporting all genres can be found in this website. Very informative links to places to see, history, humor etc will help you a lot …..

I have been listening to Celtic Highway since I have become a VIP member of Live 365. For those who love both New Age and Celtic Music, this is for you. I was really surprised when The River Sings by Enya (Amarantine) gets a decent airplay. Golden Brown by Emer Kenny which is a remake of a nice song done by The Stranglers also gets exposure here. Of course, bands like 2002, Dagda and those with similar bend can be heard here. A DJ occasionally introduces a song . I will write more about 365 when I get to explore all of the stations.

Irish band Grada will be touring the rest of July in the Czech Republic. But before that they will be in Country Mayo as part of the Summer Music series at Aras Inis Gluaire, Belmullet, 8pm and ending the month in Italy.

Here’s the schedule for the rest of July:

10th – Mayo County Summer Music Series, Aras Inis Gluaire, Belmullet, 8pm

x Czech Republic ***

x July 22nd – Kurim (castle courtyard)

x July 23th – Keltska Noc Festival, Plumlov

x July 25th – Namest n/Oslavou (castle courtyard)

Italy ***

31st – Italy, Camerano (Ancona)

Who’s Who:Emer Kenny,The Mud Girls and Oona’s Teachings.

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 3 Comments

The Mud Girls ,have  been making a stir  these days as one of a kind group of women builders. They have built houses from cob, as well as other natural material such as strawbale, driftwood, adobe, cordwood and recycled materials like glass, car tires, glass bottles and more. I discovered  them through Oona McOuat’s website….

Speaking of Oona McOuat, this Canadian chanteuse has not only been making music but is involved in a lot of projects. Earth Keepers Faerie Camp and Ocean Wisdom Mermaid Camp (among others) draw a lot of crowd. Learn more by visiting http://www.oonamcouat.com/teaching.html

emer kenny

Emer Kenny

Who is Emer Kenny? Well myth says she is a fairy who stepped out of a Pre-Raphaelite painting and is now recording music in Dublin….

The truth?

Emer Kenny is actually the wistful, ethereal voice behind three acclaimed recordings, Emer Kenny(1997), Fades into Day (2001) and Parting Glass(2004). A graduate of  the College of  Music in Dublin and Trinity College of Music London, she started her hand in writing music for theaters. Her media appearances attracted the attention of Mercury records that led to her debut self-titled album in 1997. Musicians such as Fionuala Sherry of Secret Garden and the Chieftains percussionist Peadar Mercer guested in this album. From then on, two more remarkable albums followed. So I am sure you would be interested to know. Happy haunting for those Emer Kenny albums.