Month: January 2012

Blast From The Past: Banba by Clannad

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Banba introduced me to the music of Clannad. From there I started digging their old albums and I am still anticipating any release from them. From the somber and haunting opening track Na Laetha Bhi, the movie theme I Will Find You(Last of the Mohicans) up to the rousing The Other Sside, Clannad made an album for all generations.

I  admit I thought they have two lead vocalists. Moya Brennan has a way of making her voice sound different depending on the arrangement of the tracks. In There For You, she sounds breathy and low that her voice sounds like Marianne Faithful. In I will Find You, she sings in higher pitch that she and her sister Enya  are almost identical.

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Speaking of Enya, fans would probably have mixed feelings upon knowing that her hit Orinoco Flow appears in The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo…um you may ask which part? Well, the ironic thing is that it is featured in one of the most violent scenes in the movie-at least that’s what people in Unity(Official Enya Forum) are talking about. Look at this trailer:

About Celtic Festivals and Sliotar’s New Album

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I am having my first cup of tea and it is midnight. Patience my friend. That is what my head is telling me. It is hard to resist when you just want to push the buttons and finish it up. But doing things in a hurry doesn’t bring out good results.

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I had a nice chat with Breton musician Dom Duff last night. This guy draws a lot of crowd. He is one of the most influential artists from Brittany. He mentioned that  The Lorient Celtic Festival in France is already being organized for August this year. His wife works with the organizers and if I am interested to come I will be included in the VIP list. Ha! You know how that sort of thing makes me feel  flattered. I have been interested in the Interceltique Festival since I started this blog. It is an event that gives opportunity for musicians to expose their talents. It’s like The Woodstock of Celtic Music. I wonder who will be on the list of performers.

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It says: Ouverture de la soirée par le bagdad de Lann Bihoué

The Interceltique is spectacular!

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I can’t believe that one of the most important event in Cornwall has been turned down. I am shocked beyond words. This is insane!

Golowan festival loses funding

by Tony Townsend

Friday, January 13th 2012 16:30

The application to Cornwall Council for funding was turned down for this year’s event.

Organisers of the popular Golowan Festival in Penzance have been left disappointed after Cornwall Council cut all of it’s funding.
The Council used to give the festival £12,000 a year to help put on the traditional Cornish celebration including the Mazey Day parade.
Last year it’s estimated the summer festival brought £1.5 million pounds to the local economy.
Penzance Town Council have said that the festival will still go-ahead but possibly on a smaller scale and are calling for the community and businesses to help out as much as possible.
A public meeting will be taking place at the Acorn Theatre 6pm on Tuesday 24th January.

Unacceptable!!!

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Siotar CD Launch  

    • When
      Wednesday, 25 January 2012
    • Time
      20:00 until 23:00
  • Where
    The Porterhouse, Parliament street, Dublin, Ireland
  • Description
    		 So the new year is here and with it comes Sliotar’s fifth album Fine Friends, which will be launched with an elaborate bash in Sliotar’s home venue the Porterhouse during the Temple bar trad fest. The event is free in and you are all welcome:-)

Mary Dillon and Déanta: Lullaby for Sad Hearts

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She and her sister Cara are blessed with sweet and otherworldly voices. If rainbows make a sound, then they would sound like Mary. I am inviting you to sing along with Mary and the wonderful Northern Irish band Déanta. I guess it is the mood of the night that made me seek out sad but beautiful songs. The name of the band is  Irish for done or made. Check out their Green Linnet discog.

Members are

Mary Dillon
Deirdre Havlin
Rosie Mulholland
Eoghan O’Brien
Kate O’Brien
Clodagh Warnock

Where Are You
Chorus:
Where are you tonight, I wonder?
And where will you be tonight when I cry?
Will sleep to you come easy, though alone I can’t slumber?
Or will you welcome in the morning at another one’s side?

How easy for you the years slip under
And left me a shadow the sun can’t dispel
I have built for you a tower of love and admiration
I see you so high I cannot reach myself

(Chorus)

I look through my window at a world filled with strangers
The face in my mirror is the one face I know
You have taken all that’s in me, though my heart is in no danger
My heart is in no danger, but I’d still like to know

(Chorus)

If there’s a silence, then it can be broken
If there beats a pure heart, it’s there I will go
And time will work its healing, and the spirit will grow stronger
But oh, in the meantime, I’d still like to know

(Chorus)

Where are you?
Oh where are you?
Where are you?

Answer To Jimmy’s Guessing Game: Annalivia

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I told you about last night, how Tim and I were having fun finding the answer to Jimmy’s mystery tune. After  looking for the answer using Google, Bing, Yahoo, Myspace, Daily Motion and even Amazon, we found the answer.  The singer of this version of When I Was in My Prime is  Liz Simmons of Annalivia.

I mentioned the band in one of my posts.  However, it’s Jimmy’s idea that made us listen closely and even take notice of their latest CD Barrier Falls. Their music has that Americana feel with traces of Bluegrass and Irish music. The band’s  name may also refer to the following:

*103.2 Dublin City FM (Previously: Anna Livia FM and Dublin City Anna Livia FM) is an Independent Local Radio station in Dublin, Ireland

*A bronze monument formerly located on O’Connell Street in Dublin, also a name of a bridge. Check out the details of Barrier Falls here.

Here are the band members:

Liz Simmons (vocals, guitar), Flynn Cohen (guitar, vocals), Mariel Vandersteel (fiddle, vocals), Emerald Rae (fiddle, vocals, stepdancing) Stuart Kenney (upright bass, banjo)

Among the band’s chief influences are: Capercaillie, Yes,Alison Krauss and Union Station, Emmylou Harris,De Dannan, Dervish, Clannad,Pentangle, Andy Irvine and Paul Brady, The Bothy Band,Fairport Convention, Altan,  Dolores Keane, Karan Casey, Deanta,The Corrs,XTC and Steeleye Span.

More info here : http://www.annaliviamusic.com This is where you can listen to that track too.

We won the new CD from the band. My copy should be in the mail in a matter of time. Thanks Jimmy. It was a fun game-and the perks.

Guessing Game

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My friend Jimmy sent a selected few in his email list an mp3 sample file of the song  When I Was in My Prime . Tim and I were rocking our brains as to who the artist is. Her voice is in the league of Alison Krauss and Cara Dillon…yet there is something about her timbre that is different.

Anyway I am in the game and according to Jimmy, I have until Friday midnight his time. I am sure he gave the same due date to the others. Because of this notice, my fingers got busy . I am posting the two versions of this song . It’s a traditional track and the earliest version was by Pentangle and then the other known version was by Celtic choir Anuna.

When I Was in My Prime When I was in my prime, I flourished like a vine. Along there came a false young man, come stole the heart of mine. Come stole the heart of mine The gardener standing by, three offers he made me. The pink, the violet, and red rose, which I refused all three. Which I refused all three The pink’s no flower at all, it fades away too soon. The violet is too pale a bloom, I think I’ll wait till June I think I’ll wait till June In June the red rose blooms, but it`s not the flower for me. It’s then I’ll uproot the red, red rose, and plant a willow tree. And plant a willow tree And the willow tree shall weep and the willow tree shall mourn. How I wish I were in my young man’s arms who stole the heart of mine. Who stole the heart of mine And if I’m spared young year more, and if God should grant me grace. I’ll weep a bowl of crystal tears, and wash his deceitful face. And wash his deceitful face.

And here is Anuna with Meav Ni Mhaolchatha..