Music

Dòchas : Crystal Bright Music from Scotland

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Genre: Folk

Location Scotland, UK

Website www.dochas.co.uk

Record Label Macmeanmna Records

 

Ever wondered where Julie Fowlis was involved with musically before she became a huge artist of her own? The answer is Dòchas. Her crystal clear vocals are all over these recordings along with the amazing members Kathleen Boyle,  Carol-Anne Mackay, Eilidh Macleod, Martin O’Neill and Jenna Reid. They released two albums An Darna Umhail and the self titled debut Dochas. There has been no confirmed news since 2009 as each members pursued their own individual projects but who knows? One of these days we mght hear them together creating wonderful musical treasures.

Listen to samples of their works in myspace

http://www.myspace.com/dochasmusic

 

and their official site

http://www.dochas.co.uk/music.htm

 

BIOGRAPHY

Hailing from all parts of Scotland, this award winning and dynamic band are heralded as one of the country’s finest exports. Having delighted audiences from Achiltibuie to Austria, Copenhagen to Calgary and Vienna to Vancouver, Dòchas are fast becoming one of the most popular bands on the Festival circuit.

A well worn phrase, but Dòchas really amounts to much more than the sum of its parts. And this becomes all the more impressive when you consider the parts themselves – award winning individuals, and sought after session musicians. With two critically acclaimed albums under their belt, Dòchas have matured into a band who promise dynamic, virtuosic and varied live shows, with both “heart-melting vocals” and “barn-stomping tunes”.

Featuring the many talents of Kathleen Boyle, Julie Fowlis, Carol-Anne Mackay, Eilidh Macleod, Martin O’Neill and Jenna Reid.

The Indianapolis Ceili Band

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Do you ever get that feeling when you have  a lot of things to tell but you just have no choice but to it back and tell them bits by bits? That is what I feel with hundreds of bands I want to recommend but I have to take it easy because we can’t fit everything I  one page.

Today I am highlighting the Indianapolis Ceili Band.  The musicians in this group make music for the purpose of performing the songs in ceilis and also to show what it means to be American and Irish. Expect members to be just musicians and not a bunch of Celtic Woman or Celtic Thunder wannabes. Just guys performing together for the love of music.

Their album Every Wednesday Night is out. Now if you are curious to listen to sample tracks you can actually hear them for free through their official site’s music page . I heard few tracks and they are magnificent! You should check them out.

Members:   

Fiddles:
Maggie Davis
Samantha Stelting
Flutes:
Alberta Lathan
Dmitri Alano

Concertina:
Ed Delaney

Accordion:
Dianna Davis

Tenor Banjo:
Mario Joven

Keyboards:
Robyn Ton

Percussion:
Chris Deis

Visit their facebook band site

See also Ennis Clare Irish Band

Concerts, Festivals and Calendars

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Don’t have anywhere to go this month? Oh, please don’t sound like me whose life isn’t going anywhere as of the moment 😀  I have to let you in for something personal. Someone bought the domain I wanted. Remember I want this site to become http://www.celticmusicfan.com? I just found out last night that someone in the United States bought it. Now I just have to settle for a .net.  But so what! It is just a domain name. People can copy names and appearances but they could never ever replicate individuality. It just doesn’t work that way.  In the end it is the traffic that counts. Would you agree? As my  friend Donie  who is  a terrific Irish painter told me when I mentioned this to him :” CANT BE HELD RANSOM TO SOME STRANGER HALF WAY AROUND THE WORLD.”

 

 

Ready for the biggest Celtic Music Festival in the Czech Republic?

To those who have been following my posts since late last year would have known that there are really good bands in terms of Celtic music in the Czech Republic. Jeremy of the band Poitin confirmed this today in his facebook post. I think you might have to add that to your travel plan this July 20!

The biggest Celtic Music Festival in the Czech Republic. It’s going to be great. Our mates Sliotar from Ireland’ll be there and the Spanish band Street Wings, as well as us and all your favourite Czech Celtic bands.
http://www.keltska-noc.cz/GB.html

 

 

 

 

KILRUSH @ The East Durham Irish Festival and Shamrock house

http://kilrushband.com/

Can you still make it today? They will be playing live.

Memorial Day weekend in East Durham has been nothing short of an Irish Tradition for many years…as for Kilrush, it’s it’s our 7th year returning to the Irish Alps….we are playing Friday Night at

1 am at the SHAMROCK HOUSE following the Narrowbacks!
12:45pm on the COOR’S Music Pavilion (East Durham Mem. Irish Fest)
2:15 pm The KILLIAN’S Music Tent (also East Durham Mem.Irish Fest)
1 am at the SHAMROCK HOUSE folowing Shilelagh Law!!

Here is the map : https://www.facebook.com/pages/East-Durham-Irish-Festival/226458027379907

 

 

 

Troy MacGillivray in Concert!

Azarbe-Taking the Spanish Folk Scene by Storm!

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I am blogging using other people’s computer. Don’t ask me how this happened but I am on the run right now. However I could not pass an opportunity to present this interesting band.

Azarbe are a  folk group from Spain that are going to take the cultural music of Spain by storm. The music is nostalgic and caped with pure energy. The musical style borrows heavily from flamenco with traces of Galician flavour. The group was formed in 1999 composed of  the following members :

Emilio J. Mateos

Spanish guitars, lute, mandolin, and vocals guitarro.

Oscar Esteban

Cajon square tambourine, djembe, tambourines, dabúll and choirs.

Peter J. Lopez

Spanish guitar, acoustic guitar, tenor guitar and vocals.
Collaborators
Teresa Fernandez
Voice and chorus.

Alvaro Martinez
Violin.

Constantino Lopez
Low.

Paco Botia
Shakers, bongo, sabar, cajon, congas, triangle, square tambourine, tambourines, claps, a gogo bells, bells, mortar and effects. Botia Paco plays with instruments Percussion Chambo .

http://www.azarbe.com

http://www.surefolk.es/

Marc Gunn’s Music Revolution

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It’s a breeze for big record labels to push songs up the charts. They just open up their pocket books and wave a wad of cash around. Boom! They own the Celtic Top 10.

If you listen to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, you know that it’s not that big labels have better music, it’s that they have more money and expertise to promote the music they own. That is not the case for the indie Celtic musician… all we have is YOU!-Marc Gunn

I like Marc Gunn’s idea of breaking down the walls of major record labels. For musicians out there who might be having cold feet, this is the time to stop the hesitation and I’d say go for whatever musical ideas you have. Don’t be afraid to form a band or play solo, don’t be afraid to record and MOST of all don’t be shy to spread your music.

Talent is one thing but confidence is another. If we read the bios of famous bands or singers, we learned that they started like everyone else. They aren’t gods. U2 did not become U2 over night. So let us all start a music revolution and start recording whatever you got there. So get up, get on and get everyone involved. If you are a blogger and you are reading this, I hope this will help you start a chain of events in your community by helping out artists that you think deserve such attention.

Check this link out to learn about Marc Gunn’s Top of the Charts.

http://www.celticmusicpodcast.com/topthecharts/

***

Stetrice are a band from Nantes and they are making waves in the local scene right now. Time for giving these fellas a much wider audience.

www.stetrice.com.

If you have bands you want me to feature just email me and I will check them out.