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Celtic, Chillout and Beyond..

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Louisa Maxwell:Dance dance dance to the jig!  

Somewhere around 2006, I was added by Celtic Conspiracy to their list of friends. I think the group brought something refreshing to the then blossoming online network for bands and solo artists. Well , we all know what happened to Myspace years later when facebook took over . But Myspace is still a great directory if you want to look for bands of any genre. Celtic Conspiracy only uploaded three tracks on their page which I think was too little considering that I really like their sound. Part chill out, part ambient and  unmistakably Celtic, I was expecting a full album. But until now nothing yet.

Louisa Maxwell’s voice is such a great instrument. There is that powerful optimism that flows to the track O’Neil’s March that makes you simply smile from ear to ear. This goes to show that having a classically trained soprano voice morphed with studio effects can create a new kind of sound and feeling. The reverb, delay-the ‘wet’ vocals can enhance a sound. And for layered vocals tracks, I think it is necessary to offer  atmosphere and ‘space’. And atmosphere is the strong point of any ambient music. A little electronic groove would not hurt either. I found myself dancing alone in the computer room with headphones during my break from. That was six years ago.

I did some research and found out that Louisa Maxwell released an album The Wedding Music Guide which is available for sale at Amazon.

http://www.myspace.com/celticonspiracy

Here is a little bio I got from http://www.rapidreactionrecords.com

Louisa started her career as a classical soprano at the Juilliard New York.
Her love of Celtic music brought her to the harp combining ethereal vocals with Celtic melodies. She has no qualms about moving outside the boundaries of tradition using a modern electro acoustic harp. She has performed all over the world: New York’s Lincoln Centre, Carnegie Hall, The Irish National Concert Hall, Bunratty Castle, Scotland’s Highland Festival, the Celtic Congress in Dublin, BBC radio and TV, Channel 4, Irish, French and American Television.

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Blast from the past: Dagda – Home Again in Eireann

Home Again in Eireann is taken from Dagda’s album Hibernia. It is one of those albums you’d like to listen to again and again after getting home from work. It teeters between being a dance album and one which New Agers love to relax to. Groove and electronic effects are the strong points of this album. Love it! You should try it too.

You can listen to the samples or buy the album at Amazon 

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Mortal longing, immortal music.

I am a big fan of Enya and Clannad. I am proud to say it. Somewhere around 2009 I met Justin Elswick online. He is better known as Sleepthief. His music, although heavily grounded on ambient and electro,  is very much influenced by vocal layering. He made sure that he gets this style across. He has been consistent too. After his  amazing Labyrinthine Heart, which I think if it was vinyl or tape would have worn out after a gazillion listens, he is now releasing a new EP to be due this summer. Mortal Longing is the new single off the album. Canadian Singer  Jody Quine provides the vocals her and she also worked with him in his previous releases. For those who haven’t read the interview I did for him, here is the link: http://celticmusicfan.com/2009/09/11/sleepthiefs-justin-elswick-talks-about-labyrinthine-heart-the-new-album/

Here is his bio:

Justin Elswick may be an anomaly in the music industry a full-time attorney who has found the tenacity and creative inspiration to create a lush new electronic/pop vocal project as “SLEEPTHIEF.” Originally from Southern CA, Justin became obsessed with music at the age of four when his parents bought him a Fisher Price record player for Christmas. Although his parents were unable to afford piano lessons, Justin would somehow always find a way to play his grandmother’s old piano. His love of music also translated into various DJ gigs during high school and college. For the last several years, he has also written reviews as a music critic for the popular website musicaldiscoveries.com.
As Sleepthief, he has released two successful albums “The Dawnseeker” and “Labyrinthine Heart” plus several singles and tracks included in compilations.
Now he is working on the new long-awaited EP, first single will be “Mortal Longing”(feat. Jody Quine), set for digital release on 11th June 2012, along with a video (released 4th June).

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The Voyager – XV by Gavern

The composer of Celtic Adrenalin is releasing a new album soon and he brought us this teaser. Beautiful ambient track !

Jochen Vogel: Highland Lounge

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No two wire-strung harpists/players are the same. This is obvious in the kind of style that Jochen Vogel has been developing for years. Like guitars, violins and other instruments, the Clarsach is a very expressive instrument owing its grace not only to the player but the way it was constructed. The wood, the conditions that it has been exposed to becomes the result. Then you add the temperament of the player and the kind of musical background he or she comes from. What you get is a refreshing sound that is not like any of those that play the same instrument.

His music is jazzy and ‘modern’ that proves this ancient instrument can find a new place in mainstream audience as well as those that are passionate about the musical culture that it originated from. His rendition of Cancro Cru  flows like waterfalls while  Fields of Gold along with his cool singing (reminiscent of Chis deBurgh) will send generations of Starbucks crowd playing this as piped in music. Jochen Vogel has mapped his domain ahead of the others and created a kind of music that listeners will chill to for generations.

http://www.jochen-vogel.de

http://www.myspace.com/jochenvogel

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I have been writing about the harp community lately and I think this link will help everyone who is interested in the history as well as evolution of the Clarsach. Thanks to harpist Scott Hoye for bringing this to my attention.

http://www.wirestrungharp.com/

Sophie & Fiachra

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From Quebec to Ireland.. 

The beauty of two worlds. No other effect is achieved like the purity of two distinct instruments merging together creating symmetrical patters of sounds…If there is an imagery I can take to describe the beauty of Sophie and Fiacra’s music, then it has to be the Celtic knot work. Elegance, confidence and free spirited warmth are all reflected in the four sample tracks you can hear in their audio and video gallery.

The two came from musical backgrounds. Sophie Lavoie, is from Quebec and she was introduced to music from a very young age. From piano, she moved to the violin incorporating both Classical and folk influences of her region. Fiachra O‘Regan,  from Connemara, on the West Coast of Ireland, released his own solo album and has been known in festival circuits playing and teaching pipe music.

These two musicians have something fresh to offer in the Celtic music scene. Not only that they play beautifully, but they also take their website image seriously. You can buy their albums here: http://sophieandfiachra.com/shop

and http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/SophieFiachra

Links and Contact:

http://www.myspace.com/sophieandfiachra

http://sophieandfiachra.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sophie-Fiachra/285584302986

Da blurb!

Since the start in 2008, Sophie & Fiachra have gone from strength to strength with performances in Canada and throughout Europe, and TV appearances on RTÉ and TG4 in Ireland, and Borio Channel in Germany.Sophie & Fiachra have just recently recorded their debut eponymous album (buy). Their concept is fresh and original; music from Sophie’s native Quebec blended with that from Fiachra’s home, Ireland. The result is pure powerful music.

Both band members are very much devoted and true to their traditions in terms of music, and each have been influenced by listening to recordings of Masters from previous generations as well as Current Masters. They share many tunes as their music shares its origins. The styles of these two musicians blends naturally and without compromise; their music is vibrant, rhythmic, and timeless. This Is Old Quebec meeting with Old Ireland.

Because of the Styles of these individual musicians and the nature of their instruments, the music ofSophie & Fiachra sounds like much more than a two piece band. This energetic music promises to entertain and astonish all Audiences.

Tylwyth Teg’s Lively Welsh Fusion

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Cardiff  based band make a leap into the national Welsh folk scene.

Foot stumping music from a band that started in 2009,  an album and now gigs all over the country.  Tylwyth Teg(which is also the Welsh term for “Fair folk‘ or fairies) have joined the ranks of  Celtic bands that represent the “Welsh sound”. Sleepless Streets off their self title album grabs you with is fusion of musical styles and male vocal that calls Larry Kirwan of Black 47.

They maintained a balance between  eclecticism and  their folk roots. The  influences make the music exciting  but they maintained that cohesive aspect of songwriting that agrees with everyone’s background and respects it. There’s that developed  sound that will tell you right away it is Tylwyth Teg.

http://www.tylwythteg.co.uk

http://www.myspace.com/tylwythtegcardiff

email: tylwythtegcardiff@gmail.com

facebook :https://www.facebook.com/tylwythteg

Band members:

Sally Wooldridge, Jo Marriott – Flutey-Tooties
Katie Marriott, Heulwen Williams – Fiddlers
Andy Taylor – Guitar
Dave Francis – Bass Boi
Anna Fonge – Cello
Ed Millington – Drums

You can buy the new album here: http://www.tylwythteg.co.uk/Tylwyth_Teg/Shop.html
In a small lecture theatre in Cardiff UniversityHere is a helpful blurd from their website:

music department, a session of about 30 people
started playing what can only be described as
a shambles of folk tunes! From there the numbers
dwindled to 8 members that became collectively
known as Tylwyth Teg.

With members ranging from welsh dance group band
members to classically trained to heavy metal headbangers,
these musicians began taking traditional folk tunes, combining them with all these influences into a unique sound.

Since this rabble meeting in October 2009, Tylwyth Teg have played at the International Pan-Celtic folk festival in Ireland and Lowender Perran folk festival, along with gigs dotted all over Wales. With instruments varying from fiddles, Irish flute, Cajon and various saxophones this is a group with unrelenting enthusiasm, which guarantees dancing by the end of the night!

Tune in to JazzSpec tomorrow afternoon between 1 & 3 Irish time

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Tomorrow afternoon, Monday 4th. Sean Brophy will be including a Wanman & Floyd track in his show Jazz Spec on Dublin City FM103.2 (also online stream) – Sean has a classic selection of artists lined up including Curtis Fuller, The Chieftains, Booker T & the MGD, Procol Harum and lots more. We are truly honoured to be played in such esteemed company.http://www.jazzspec.blogspot.com/-Tony Floyd McKenna.

I am putting up a little bit of promotion for my friend Sean Brophy (and Tony). He actually commented on my Sinead O’Connor video post. It is nice to see someone responding to your youtube post in facebook especially when it is about  Irish singers. Anyway, talking about his show Jazzspec, I have listened to it before. Very interesting and informative..and yes good music! More here: http://www.jazzspec.blogspot.com/

Here is the Sinead video: