Another weekend has come after the wild partying during St. Patrick’s. Beautiful guys and gals around the world donned their greens. And I am green(with envy) but happy that Celticism is everywhere. Yes it is a way of life, it is a culture and just something you would like to keep yourself busy with after listening to too much war, insipid pop culture and same ol’ same ol’ stuff . Hey what do you know, I got news for you. Yes reliable sources are all around.
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Casinos were filled with the golden music of Ashey MacIsaac from the 16th to the 17th. Yes this Cape Breton fiddler extraordinaire gave our audience a show. Just to remind you folks that his new album is coming out this May. Yes , Amazon and the record bars across the US and Canada will be lined with Celtic Music Fanatics. More of this here: http://tickets.siga.sk.ca/eventperformances.asp?evt=283
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There are people who just don’t like coffee. They’d rather have tea. There are those who love tea only when it has milk on it. Then there are those who love both. This also happens in music. Bagpipes are really for bagpipe fanatics. And then there are those who tamper with modern technology, add a little bit of groove , pop sensibility and the mix is ready to keep the crowd going regardless of musical preferences. Young people love to dance. Mature people like me love music with something special on it. Sonic Impulse have both. What they need is a huge amount of promotion, word of the mouth enthusiasm and then we leave the rest to the audience.
Sonic Impulse is an Electronic/Celtic/Rock group based in Hollywood California. The band members are:
BLAKE PULLEN – Vocals, Bagpipes, Samplers
KELBY THWAITS – Guitar, Keys, Vocals
JON MCCRACKEN – Drums
FRANK RICHARDS – Bass
ERIC BOYD – Bagpipes, Keys
Buy the album “PIPE DREAMS” now on CDBaby. The band is currently working on a new album.
Flashback to 1963. English folk singer Anne Briggs recorded this traditional tune without accompaniment. There are a lot of lyrical variations to this piece. I had to do some editing because her’s is also different from what is known to most of us. More references here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She_Moved_Through_the_Fair
Been working like a rocket for the past few weeks now. But I will never ever miss this day which is like Christmas. This is the part of the year where everyone becomes Irish and everyone just love being green! I’ve seen films dedicated to this man and they all have different versions to tell. I discovered him after getting a copy of The Celts by Enya. In the liner notes it says:
The son of a Roman official, Patrick was captured by a raiding party of Celts when a boy, and spent six years in captivity. He escaped, became a priest and returned to Ireland. According to legend it is St. Patrick who is responsible for Ireland’s conversion to Christianity and the final loss of the old Celtic beliefs.
Traditional, Irish Gaelic
Tabhair dom ghrása,
Fíormhac Dé.
Tabhair dom do neartsa,
An ghrian gheal ghlé. Repeat
Give me your love,
true Son of God.
Give me your strength,
the clear bright sun. Repeat
Good news Moya Brennan fans(yours truly included). The event is titled Moya Brennan and Friends Live at the Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin. The date is on 11 March · 19:30 – 23:00.
Here’s an update from Moya’s Official facebook page:
“Just to let you know that Hazel O’Connor will be joining me on stage at The Pavilion tomorrow night. Also Aisling will be playing Guitar and Bouzouki Full line up will be: My band – Sinead Madden, Cormac De Barra, Ian Parker, Aisling Jarvis Guests – Maire Breatnach, Hazel O’Connor, Eamonn De Barra
Looking forward to seeing you there as we celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge and look forward to St Patrick’s Day”.
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I am sending my prayers of support to our Japanese brothers and sisters. They are experiencing grief due to the earthquake and tsunami that hit the coast today. Intensity 8.9 showed its destructive fangs . I also have two pals who have families over there and there is no news as of the moment because of communications and electricity problems.
This is a dark moment in history. It would be appreciated if you all offer a moment of contemplation, especially all of you who are reading this from around the world. As what my friend Jeremy from Poland said: It’s a reminder that the Earth is so much bigger than us, I suppose…
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For the taste of Irish music played in Shamisen. This is my favorite instrument and my interest on it grew after reading(and watching the movie version) of Memoirs of a Geisha.
Monsters of Shamisen with Mike Penny, Masahiro Nitta, Kevin Kmetz a remarkable group that is taking japanese Tsugaru Shamisen into a new direction. This time they perform Irish music on shamisen.
Tremolo is an act of creating a “shudder effect” in music as in the tremolo arm of a guitar. It is also a name of a group-four guys accomplished in their own solo projects. These are musicians from the traditional Irish music scene. Two tracks are available in their website that you can listen to. Technically they are amazing but couple that with their love for melodic and passionate sound -Tremolo becomes a dragon that breath’s fire into the scene that reminds us: this is how Irish music should sound like.
Violinist Eileen Ivers celebrates Celtic influence with music, dance, film and fiddle, of course(March 13)
Down the road: Eileen Ivers brings her show “Beyond the Bog Road” to Miller Auditorium March 13. It uses video, music and dance to explore the experiences of the Irish.
An unusual version of a Status Quo song, “Gerdundula”, arranged and performed by Phil Holland and Dave Palmley.
Phil: Celtic Harp, Fiddle, Vocals, Keys.
Dave: Guitar, Vocals, Bass, Perc.
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McPEAKE Irish Fusion Music Group in St Louis Missouri
March 11, 2010MCPEAKE
One of Ireland’s best known musical families coming to St. Louis!
March 11, 2011 – 7:30 PM
Union Ave. Christian Church
(Home of the Union Ave. Opera)
733 Union Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63108
MCPEAKE
One of Ireland’s best known musical families coming to St. Louis!
March 11, 2011 – 7:30 PM
Union Ave. Christian Church (Home of the Union Ave. Opera)
733 Union Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63108
“The McPeakes have been a musical force, resource and national treasure for nearly a hundred years.” — The Belfast Telegraph
“I could sit and listen to the McPeake musicians all day.” — The Irish News
For generations of folk music enthusiasts the name of the McPeake Family of Belfast has stood for one of the most distinctive sounds in Irish music. Francis McPeake IV, the fourth generation of this world-famous musical dynasty and one of the few authentic uilleann pipers in the world today, has put together a revived band, ‘McPeake’, which is unique in the world of music with its fusion of original Celtic compositions and contemporary rhythms and styles.
Ticket prices
$15 (Regular)
$12 (Seniors 65+ & Students)
Special Group rates for 15 or more
For Ticket Information please call 314-721-6556 or email us at gitana@stlouis.missouri.org
More info
Doors open at. 16, concert begins at. 17
Admission: DKK 120 for non-members / £ 90 for members
With over 100 concerts annually in Canada, USA and more than 15 European countries, it is with great pleasure that Copenhagen Folk Club now offers the Canadian band Le Vent Du Nord, welcome to the metronome.
…
Le Vent du Nord has since 2002 enjoyed great success and has received several prestigious awards including a Juno. The band is now one of the world’s most beloved bands Quebec people. ”
Le Vent du Nord consists of 4 Canadian singers and multi instrumentalists from Quebec. The highly acclaimed and award-winning band that complements the songs from the traditional repertoire with original compositions, is a cheerful and unpretentious concert experience with commitment, humor and energy. The instruments are guitar, violin, accordion and Hurdy-gurdy, and there are plenty of beautiful four-part singing in French.
The current lineup consists of Nicolas Boulerice, Simon Beaudry, Olivier Demers and Réjean Brunet. On stage manages these four friends to spread their contagious joy out of any audience. Le Vent du Nord knows how to deliver music that moves the audience – both the heart and the feet.
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Colm O’Snodaigh (Kila) & Mundy: ‘She’s Not There’ by The Zombies
Well no one told me about her, the way she lied
Well no one told me about her, how many people cried
But it’s too late to say you’re sorry
How would I know, why should I care
Please don’t bother tryin’ to find her
She’s not there
Well let me tell you ’bout the way she looked
The way she’d act and the colour of her hair
Her voice was soft and cool
Her eyes were clear and bright
But she’s not there
Well no one told me about her, what could I do
Well no one told me about her, though they all knew
But it’s too late to say you’re sorry
How would I know, why should I care
Please don’t bother tryin’ to find her
She’s not there
Well let me tell you ’bout the way she looked
The way she’d act and the colour of her hair
Her voice was soft and cool
Her eyes were clear and bright
But she’s not there
But it’s too late to say you’re sorry
How would I know, why should I care
Please don’t bother tryin’ to find her
She’s not there
Well let me tell you ’bout the way she looked
The way she’d act and the colour of her hair
Her voice was soft and cool
Her eyes were clear and bright
But she’s not there
Harper from Argentina talks to CMF about his music and upcoming projects.
I discovered his music while perusing the web for harp and harp players. Ever since I listened to Hilary Stagg recordings in the mid-90’s, I really wanted to explore the world of harp. I also enjoyed Lisa Lynne’s albums and the styles of different artists in Celtic music or otherwise.
Athy is from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He walks between the fine line of traditionalism and the avant-garde. It’s like discovering Andy Warhol and Woody Guthrie in the same room playing dice and having tea. .
This interview happened between his gigs. Here are the responses he gave me. They are in Spanish and then there’s the English translations. He asked me if it is possible to answer in his native language. I said that is OK. There’s Google translator after all, and little revisions from my end.
He descubierto este maravilloso instrumento cuando tenia 12 años, primeramente he descubierto al arpa a través del arpa paraguaya, la cual es más conocida en mi país (ya que mi país es un hermano de Paraguay)… y luego conocí al arpa a pedal en el Conservatorio de Música Alberto Ginastera, luego el arpa celta a través de Loreena McKennitt, a quien admiro muchísimo… Y posteriormente el arpa eléctrica que es la que toco actualmente a través de la compañía francesa Camac Harps, quien además de fabricar mis instrumentos es mi sponsor oficial.
I found this wonderful instrument when I was 12, I first discovered the harp through the Paraguayan harp, which is better known in my country (as my country is a brother of Paraguay) … and then I met the pedal harp at the Conservatoire of Music Alberto Ginastera, then the Celtic harp by Loreena McKennitt, who I admire a lot … And then the electric harp is the currently played by the French company Camac Harps, who besides making my instruments is my official sponsor.
Who are your musical influences?
Principalmente las diferentes músicas del mundo… tales como la música étnica: celta, italiana, árabe, marroquí, asiática, india, tango, flamenco… etc… Músicas contemporáneas como el jazz, el rock, el pop y el blues también han sido grandes influencias para mis composiciones musicales… Y por ultimo cantantes, bandas. arpistas y compositores tales como: Loreena McKennitt, Hilary Stagg, The Cranberries, Dido, Kokia, Damien Rice, Paco de Lucia, Lisa Lynne, Kim Robertson, Diego Torres, Yiruma, David Lanz, Grainne Hambly, Maire Ni Chathasaight, The Chieftains, Ulla Van Daelen, y otros más que han sido y son grandes referentes artísticos en mi vida musical.
Mainly the different musical styles of the world … such as ethnic music: Celtic, Italian, Arabic, Moroccan, Asian, Indian, tango, flamenco … etc … Contemporary music like jazz, rock, pop and blues are also big influences on my musical compositions … And finally, singers, bands. harpists and composers such as Loreena McKennitt, Hilary Stagg, The Cranberries, Dido, Kokia, Damien Rice, Paco de Lucia, Lisa Lynne, Kim Robertson, Diego Torres, Yiruma, David Lanz, Grainne Hambly, Maire Ni Chathasaight, The Chieftains Ulla Van Daele, and others who have been and are great artistic references in my musical life.
How do you describe your playing style?
Athy… Simplemente ATHY. Mi estilo es mi música, mis propias composiciones y mi propia técnica que es una fusión de todas las arpas que he tocado en mi vida: arpa paraguaya, arpa a pedal, arpa irlandesa y ahora arpa eléctrica…
Quizás me atrevería a decir que es como un “World Harp-Music” o un “Genero Cruzado”, donde podemos escuchar una música New Age hasta un Latin Jazz con sabor a Blues y toques árabes o de flamenco!
Athy … Just Athy. My style is my music, my own songs and my own technique which is a fusion of all the harps I’ve played in my life, Paraguayan harp, pedal harp, Irish harp and electric harp now …
Perhaps I would say it’s like a “World Harp Music ” or “World-Fusion” where we can listen to New Age music to a Latin-flavored Blues Jazz and flamenco touches or Arabs!
You are currently on tour…tell me your exciting on-the-road experiences
Cada viaje es una sorpresa para mi vida… cada viaje esta lleno de nuevas sensaciones y de nuevas emociones… y haber tocado en festivales internaciones de gran jerarquía como el “Festival Interceltico de Lorient”, el 26 & 27 Rencontre Internationales de Harpes de Dinan, el Festival Mundial del Arpa en Paraguay, el RioHarpFestival en Brasil, el Festival Internacional de Arpas de Sentmenat en España y otros ha sido realmente un regalo para mi alma y para mi carrera musical…
Uno cuando viaje, descubre nuevos amigos, hace contactos y enlaza corazones con la música… y eso realmente te reconforta el espíritu de una manera increíblemente colosal…
Ahora justamente viajare a Brasil nuevamente y de Brasil me voy a USA a trabajar en mi 3er disco, el cual lo grabare en San Fransisco y donde dare conciertos y workshops, y de allí me iré a Europa a dar una serie de conciertos y master classes… así es mi vida, con el arpa bajo el brazo, de avión en avión, de tren en tren, de bus en bus… pero con el alma llena de alegría y de amor de cada tierra que voy visitando a través de los sonidos de mi arpa eléctrica.
Every trip is a surprise for my life … Each trip is full of new sensations and new emotions … and have played in international festivals such high rank as “Lorient Celtic Festival” on 26 & 27 Harper Rencontre Internationales de Dinan, the World Harp Festival in Paraguay, RioHarpFestival in Brazil, the International Harp Festival in Sentmenat Spain and others has been truly a gift to my soul and my music career … One when you travel, find new friends, make contacts and binds hearts with the music … and that you really warms the spirit of an incredibly huge …
Now just will travel to Brazil and Brazil again I’m going to USA to work on my 3rd album, which it will record in San Fransisco, where I will give concerts and workshops, and from there I go to Europe to give a series of concerts and master classes … this is my life, with the harp under his arm, plane by plane, train by train, bus by bus … but with a heart full of joy and love that I visit every land through the sounds of my electric harp.
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Aengus are a musical group that introduced me to the amazing musician Robbie O’Connell. It was in 1998 that I got this CD and played it. It’s supposed to be a Christmas album but I found myself playing it all year-long. I love his voice. There is a clarity in his singing unmatched by any artist in the genre. I found this interesting press release sent to my email:
Irish Folk Music at Linden Place Mansion with Renowned Singer, Robbie O’Connell
Join us for a Night of Irish Music with renowned singer, Robbie O’Connell!
Bristol, R.I.— Robbie O’Connell, a Clancy family Irish folk performer, will grace the mansion parlors with an intimate performance on Friday, March 25, 2011 at 7:30pm. Robbie O’Connell began his career by performing with his uncles, the Clancy Brothers. Yet more recently, Robbie has been performing solo throughout the East Coast as well as in Ireland. With prior venues such as Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Linden Place Museum is honored to host a performance by the Irish folk singer in the historical mansion parlors.
Robbie O’Connell has achieved recognition as a talented songwriter who can compose and structure a song out of everyday occurrences. After moving from Ireland to Massachusetts to where he now resides in Bristol, RI, Robbie O’Connell has carried on the family legacy, continuing to amaze Americans with his lyrical expression. With songs about war and emigration, a live performance with Robbie O’Connell is an intriguing and enjoyable experience, especially when he sings his comedic songs.
Tickets are $20, $15 for Linden Place Members, free for Colt Circle members and includes a wine reception to meet the performer. Reservations are recommended and can be made by contacting Linden Place at (401) 253-0390.
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Friends of Linden Place is a non-profit organization responsible for the restoration and preservation of the historic house museum at 500 Hope Street in Bristol, Rhode Island, and for the promotion of cultural, artistic, and educational programs in the community. The mansion and grounds are open to the public from May to October, during the holiday season, and also by appointment.
Celtic Music Fan 