http://www.ceolwind.com
https://www.facebook.com/CeolwindProductions
http://twitter.com/Ceolwind
Noah Smulkis and I have been in contact through the years because we’re both fans of Celtic music and we both like Clannad. He is a musician based in Chicago IL and plays the bodhran. His passion however is directed towards promoting Celtic music to a wider audience and that is how Ceolwind Productions was founded. The company overview says:
Ceolwind Productions is a booking and promotions company based out of Chicago, IL and was created to help promote Celtic, Folk, and Roots music and bring you the finest quality of concerts and musicians from around the globe.
Here’s the company outline and also the artists it represents right now:
Booking, Promoting, Social Media, Online Music Distribution, and Webdesign for innovative and ground breaking traditional Celtic/Folk/Roots music.
Here is what Ceolwind is bringing you:
Olov Johansson & Catriona McKay at Chief O’Neill’s
Public event · By Ceolwind Productions
performed beautifully in this new unique harp-duo by these awarded harpers. Catriona was appointed “Instrumentalist of the year” at “Scots Trad Music Awards 2007” Olov became “World champion in Nyckelharpa” in Österbybruk 1990. Olov is also a founding member in the Swedish folk band “Väsen”. The duo met in Stockholm at a concert they shared with their bands, Väsen from Sweden and the Shetland-based Fiddlers Bid.
Other Artists :
Baal Tinne
http://www.myspace.com/baaltinne
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Baal-Tinne/7739538655
Kasír
http://www.myspace.com/kasirmusic
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kasir/16507677649
Niamh Ní Charra
http://www.niamhnicharra.com/
http://www.myspace.com/niamhnicharra
The Sweet Maries
http://thesweetmaries.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TheSweetMaries
Contact: promotions@ceolwind.com
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Featured Band: Darhaou
Darhaou is a band very well-known in the fez-noz festivals. Their music celebrates Breton dancing and these guys not only rock onstage, they also put out quality music as you can hear in their myspace page. I want to mention my appreciation to Eliaz P for introducing me to this wonderful band from Brittany and the rest of the artists from that region. There’s a huge wealth of music over there and this site will showcase them here one by one. More about Darhaou’s music here: http://www.myspace.com/darhaou
Members: Ronan Bléjean, Christophe Le Menn, Ronan Le Dissez, Erwan Volant, Pierrick Tardivel, Olivier Urvoy
Bio:
Founded in 1998, the group Darhaou fest-noz animates and manages the challenge of satisfying both music lovers the best dancers. Olivier Urvoy and Ronan Le Dissez made a collaboration forging a sound both wild and precise. The ensemble isn’t complete without the participation of other musicians including soloists and dancers. There are two members from Jazz background that provide the rhythm section, Pierrick Tardivel Steering and Erwan. They are soloists known for their energy and sobriety, providing the groove yet with nuance. Ronan Bléjean the bi-chromatic accordion provides the “Irish” feel. His instinctive playing combined with his technique and sensitivity provide a distinct style in Breton music. Both the melody to the accompaniment, make the link between the rhythm section and soloists. After two albums and 10 years of instrumental music, Darhaou includes the young and talented singer kan ha diskan Christophe Le Menn. His presence leads to other tones, another total energy and thus requiring the orchestration. After two years of planning and work, the conclusion is unanimous: Darhaou acquired a new maturity and freshness that justify the need and desire to share their music to more listeners. A new album is being prepared in the excitement of novelty and looks in the minds of its creators, as a major event in the history of Darhaou.
Darhaou Photo: Sylvain Rocaboy
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Featured Trad: The Jig Set – Winnie Haye’s/Pat Walsh’s – The Fuchsia Band
Mick Heffernan – Whistle
Brian McGillicuddy – Whistle
Karl Nesbitt – Bodhran, Bouzoukis
Recorded and mixed by Donncha Moynihan
Produced by Karl Nesbitt
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Picture of the day: The Lyre Dragon with 15 stings
Lyre Dragon 15 cordes , petit DeLyre elctro-acoustique
Celtic Music Fan 
I don’t think that I have ever heard that instrument which Olov is playing before. It melds well with the Scottish harp! Oh, and I like Darhaou!
That last band with the two whistles and more is great! Almost a marching type of music!
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I think it is traditional Norwegian. Ceolwind is really doing great bringing quality celtic music to the United States. I am planning to ‘eavesdrop’ every now and then to see what Noah is up to. Yeah Darhaou is the latest addition to our growing library of Breton music. I think everything that Karl Nesbitt puts his hands on become total gems. Glad you like this post 🙂
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Adding a P.S. here I LOVE the shape of that harp!! It seems like something I’ve seen in my dreams, I bet it sounds fabulous.
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I found something for you. This is the best example of the harp/lyre sound
the real lyre sounds different. It sounds like this
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The first harp has a sound that is sort of like a Celtic harp, but almost more alto and earthy in it’s sound. (and a lyre!) The second video is definitely more “ancient,” in sound. Not sure I like it. I wonder if that was what the ancient Greeks heard, or if different strings or wood sound differently? Curious…
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Well if they created the instrument based on the materials used by the ancient Greeks then you are probably hearing the sound as close as possible to the original. I get the feeling that the ancient Greek lyre has a sound that is close to a bouzouki/balalaika …a kind of ‘open’ sound that is almost nylon like in nature. For people who are used to the mellifluous sound of the harp instrument(with the resonator) a sound like the ancient lyre can be very odd.And yes I like the first one better too 😉
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That does explains the sound a bit. 🙂
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