This one goes to the fallen ones who are not spending what we call an ideal image of Christmas.
I know this is the season to be Merry. Yes I tried as much as I can to stay true to the spirit by having my Christmas Eve spent with family members and the practice of austerity. This greeting and salutation go to all my friends who are listeners and to the musicians themselves who made this page colorful, and without whom The Celtic Music Fan would not exist.
My heart goes to the FALLEN ones who are not celebrating Christmas like anyone else. These are those who are either spending their days contemplating the loss of loved ones due to tragedies or to circumstances beyond their control. My heart goes to you. Be aware that you are not alone. I too have my share of sad moments. And though I am not articulating them in this page we are all sharing the same paths in this crazy thing called life.
I think it is time to let go of what binds you. For when you feel anger and pain then change will never happen. It is time to close the door and let another one open. I think 2013 is a good year for us. It is a year of change and opportunities. Yes pain is great but love is also powerful and I think it is the one thing that can save us. For someone who has probably undergone so many let downs, disappointments and insane situations, I have become more patient and self-reliant. I will hold on the what gives me fulfillment, balance and clarity. Blogging has done this. And it is through the thought that I am speaking to each one of you, getting into your hearts and thoughts whatever part of the world you maybe, this is enough for me.
Honestly I didn’t know how to continue after my first sentence above because it seems fake. It seems pretentious to be pleasant and just talk about music when the world is falling to pieces. Music is what gives us joy and strength to go on. Without music and the humanity inside it then life would be mechanical. I believe musicians don’t just make music for themselves. They make music as a way to reach out to people. To touch strangers all over the world. And this is part of our humanity. Wither we like it or not, we are all connected. I feel your sadness as you feel mine.
With this year coming to a close and a new one beginning, I implore you to be more giving, more open, more sympathetic because we don’t know if the strangers we meet along the way are walking wounded or hollowed inside brought about by the chunks of wood in which we crucify people:WORDS. Or they must have experienced tragedy which you are not aware of .
Let us help one another to be more human. Thank you for your continued support and I promise to bring you more music news and love. Cheers!
Celtic music…what do you think will happen and how social networking can influence your ways of getting heard.
Featuring: interviews with Enda Seery and Calum Stewart. Featured performances: Enda Seery, Calum STEWART & Heikki BOURGAULT, bands and a documentary.
As 2012 draws to a close, 2013 promises to be more exciting with the arrival of new albums. There are new bands out there who will probably reach our awareness next year. But these young people are fierce. They are armed with both the musical knowledge and tech savvy necessary in getting their music heard.
With technology you have the power to make anything possible. But one must be aware that competition is all around. This is due to the sheer volume of music being released day after day. You have to work twice as hard than before. There are musicians who became friends and I found that without being ‘involved’ socially then nothing can really come out of one’s effort.
Whither we like it or not, music is a social activity. You don’t write music for your own personal enjoyment. Whoever argues with this please raise your hand. Because I don’t believe in such a thing. Artists write music to be heard. If you think otherwise then you have to ask yourself if you are in the right business. With that said let me get into the main course which is of course music.
Enda Seery and A New Album Next Year
Enda Seery is working on a second album which will be released next year. I am looking forward to it because I love the way he plays. He has that style of playing that is hard to find these days. I’ve had many pleasures interviewing and featuring his works. Right now, he is busy doing interactive teaching. He is also working on other projects. His cousin Colin Nea also released and album this year and he is supporting the album. I got questions about his new album. He answers them as best as he can. But before that, take a listen to this track!
An Luradán/Santa Cruz/Only for Barney (Jigs)
Final Performance for Masters in Traditional Irish Music Performance
Enda Seery-Sindt D whistle
Tom Delany-guitar
An Luradán composed by Junior Crehan
Santa Cruz composed by Enda Seery
Only for Barney composed by Josephine Keegan
Recorded live at Theatre at The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, September 11th 2012
Recording Engineer: Niall Keegan
Here is another version of the track above without the talking in the intro. For those who just like the music. In my case I like them all. Just saying 😉
Enda Seery talks about the upcoming album
How’s the second album doing?
Second album is coming along quite well. This is a big release for me with two years and a bit since The Winding Clock release and music being more or less my career now. Recording is finished. At the mixing and editing stage now and all the other details that come with releasing an album. Check out my blogs on tradconnect. Oh by the way, the album will be called ‘Síocháin na Tuaithe’ (Peace of the Countryside)!
You will be doing vocals in two of these tracks. This will be the first time I will hear you sing. Were you nervous?
Not that nervous to be honest but I suppose a little. I have been singing a while since being in my family’s céilí and pub band we had many years ago. I enjoyed recording the vocals in studio but singing live will be a different matter altogether! I spend so much time composing and researching other instrumental and dance tunes that I forget about looking for songs so this will have to change.
What can we expect on the second album?
Well more of my compositions will be included. Nearly 10 in total between jigs, reels, hornpipes and slow pieces. A good bit of material and new tunes was got from my time on the Masters in Trad Performance course at University of Limerick. I had an absolutely brilliant year there. Also some duet and trio tracks will be on the new album with some great musicians I met in Limerick. I have expanded the repertoire on this album too as to not focus entirely on jigs and reels. I suppose the big change will be the songs and also the flute tracks along with my regular whistle playing tracks.
Ahoy! can’t wait to get my hands on that new album next year!
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Calum STEWART & Heikki BOURGAULT – “L’heure avant l’Aube”
I had a pleasure putting Calum Stewart as part of my featured artist of the week. It is also amazing to see his project with Breton artist Heikki Bourgault take off. Calum drops by for a little chat about the video. Cool guy. But before reading that, check this video out.
Published on Dec 18, 2012
“L’heure avant l’Aube”
trad / Calum Stewart – arrangements Calum Stewart & Heikki Bourgault
Can you tell us the whole experience making this video?
We recorded this video in an amazing venue, called Amzer Nevez: Near Lorient, in Brittany. It’s a venue strongly associated with Breton music, and the promotion of the Breton language, dance and song.
Can you give us a little background about this track?
The track is a set of 2 reels. The first I picked up while in Belfast, Ireland. It’s normally played a little more layed back than the way we do it: but we like this groove with the 2nd reel. The 2nd was written at 4.30am during the amazing Shetland Folk Festival: “L’heure avant l’haube” (The hour before dawn)!
What’s upcoming for Calum STEWART & Heikki BOURGAULT this 2013?
2012 has been a really busy year for the duo, and we’ll keep things moving in 2013. We are working on an album release for late 2013, which features a new repertoire. It’s always great to move onto new ground and keep things fresh!
Hmm late 2013 seems like a long time when you think about the sheer artistry of these two! But yes let us enjoy the current repertoire and let the music enrich our souls.
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Featured trad video:The Steeple Session withConal Ó Grada, Dave Sheridan, Benny McCarthy and Colm Murphy
A nod to the past:
These songs appeared in my facebook status after fever hit me. I was getting all nostalgic and these bands and artists popped in my head . I realized that they are like anchor to the new bands I feature week after week and it is always great to look back and realize how music has evolved through the years.
Originating from Argyll, a region of western Scotland it’s Capercaillie with Waiting For The Wheel To Turn from LP Delirium (1991)
Karen Matheson — Vocals
Charlie McKerron — Fiddle
Manus Lunny — Bouzouki, guitar
Michael McGoldrick — Flute, whistle, Uilleann pipes
Donald Shaw — Keyboards, accordion
Ewen Vernal — Bass
Che Beresford — Drums
David “Chimp” Robertson — Percussion
“Coisich, A Rùin (Come On, My Love)”actually made it to the UK top 40 …lyrics in Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
I still listen to ” Hi How Are You Today” by Cape Breton artist Ashley MacIsaac.In this track he is joined by Mary Jane Lammond singing in Cape Breton Gaelic. One of the reasons why I want to see the East Coast of Canada one day.
From Brittany…beautiful place fin the North west of France ..The father of Celtic harp music Alan Stivell.
Also from Brittany Cecile Corbel. At 18, she went to Paris to study archeology, still dreaming of music. Concert after concert in Parisian pubs and cafes, she self-produced her album Songbook 1, soon noticed by the label Keltia Musique (Sinead O’Connor, Loreena McKennit).
From Manitoba Canada, Loreena McKennitt studied to be a veterinarian but Celtic music took her away.
And…last Clannad and Bono of U2: From the album Macalla which is Irish Gaelic for Echo. I think this is really cool in a sense that it’s the first time fans of New Wave music and Irish music got together in the mid 80s to cheer for this amazing song.
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Irish Folk Music Revival – Documentary (90mins)
I took down notes while watching this documentary. For those who think it is long, I list down the names of speakers and artists who appeared in chronological order…These are very familiar names that are in this documentary:
Ronnie Drew speaks(he appears all over), Bob Geldof(he also appears all throughout) the voice of Eamon Devalera, writer John Waters, Martin Hayes (also appearing many times),Paddy Moloney,….. watch the part around 7:15 ,Willie Clancy,Anne Briggs,Johnny Moynihan,Philip Chevron of the Pogues,Teada,Eamon Carr of Horslips,
writers:Brendan Behan appears with Patrick Kavanaghand Flann O’Brien, Paddy Glackin,The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem…
Sean Limmas, writer Joe Kennedy, The Dubliners, Christy Moore,Pecker Dunne,Sean O’Riada who added the orchestral movement to trad music in the mid 60s…
Johnny Moynihan, Donal Lunny and around 1968, the Troubles.
Terry Woods ofSweeney’s Men,Andy Irvine..this is the period when the bouzouki was introduced in Irish music….
Planxty, journalist Peter Lennon, ..the 70s was sweeped by the Planxty phenomenon, then Horslips happened in the mid 70s, Thin Lizzy followed, Then The Chieftains, Clannad, DeDannan and the rest…The Bothy Band took where Planxty left off, Paddy Glackin..
The 80s where irish music became prominent brought by the popularity The Boomtown Rats, U2 etc.
The Pogues, Neil Hannon of The Devine Comedy comments,the difference being London Irish and Irish Irish, Kristy Mccoll,
Then..the birth of Celtic Music spearheaded by Clannad through the evolution of their sound in the mid 80s…oh goosebumps!Maire Brennan appears in a clip. Also the lil bit about the Brennans.
Then came the 90s happened with sound clip from Sinead O’Connor,Mary Black, The Sharron Shannon Band,the rise of Irish women!
In the 2000s with Michael Flatley, Riverdance, Damien Dempsey the documentary closes with Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill playing a tune.
I hope you enjoyed this post as I did writing it..even during my fever. I am working on another interview article and more music.
Also in this edition: Fading Like The Sun by Slim, Hint by The Bombadils,a Christmas tune by Sarah Frank(fiddle)/ Gwen Bergman(Celtic harp) and The cover artwork of The Court of Equity.
“Most definitely artists get writers block. I have a lot of it. I think sometimes to overcome that obstacle you may have to try different techniques. Sometimes you just need to go see another artist play that you enjoy or that is better than you and you can become inspired again.”
Waking up one day and realizing you have nothing to write. You keep squeezing what’s left of your creativity but for some reason it isn’t there.
I have been having this on and off conversation with Canadian singer songwriter Tristan Legg. We sort of started this thread and fill it out when we are not doing anything on the side. This thread is weeks old but we keep at it and it is finally ready to be read by everyone. It is surprising when you just hang out and ask really random stuff without the pressure of a deadline.
Tristan answered as honestly as he can. And this interview article my friends is really an interesting thing to read. It is about what makes a song amazing and how you keep being inspired. Tristan addressed these questions which other artists can also learn from. The first part is a brief bio he wrote. Then I decided to ask more questions. Enjoy!
A Brief bio:
I’ll give my best shot at this but no promises and since you think Canadians are great I’ll try not to mess up that rep either, hahahaa.
I grew up in small town in Nova Scotia called Middle Musquodoboit on a mixed farm where i got a real understanding what hard work is and what is meant to do something you love and not doing something for the money.
My Parents are from England, so I grew up listening to a lot of Beatles, Rolling Stones, Buddy Holly and my dad. He played guitar and sang in a band for 13 years in England and always had a great ear for music and singing.
My parents have had a huge impact on my life for they are the ones who got me to join the High School music program, pushed me to do well in a good way, paid for private lessons, drove me to many shows, band rehearsals and never said I should look at doing something else for a career.
I’ll tell you one story that has stuck with me. My mum and dad sat me down and ask if I really wanted to do music after high school, I said “yes of course” then dad said “I’ve done this for many years and you’re gonna have really bad nights but your also gonna have some great ones too, and you probably be just as poor as you would be at farming, you may or may not make it but if it’s what you love then we will support you”
…To which I responded “Hey if I’m gonna be just as poor in music as I could be farming doing something I love then I’ll take the chance, plus getting paid to play music and drink on the job sounded better than early mornings feeding stock and busting my hump”
I studied trumpet in high school and did two years at ST FX University in Antigonish studying jazz music and playing jazz.
After leaving St FX, I moved to Halifax to try to figure out my life as most students do. I eventually started playing open mics and busking while holding down a full-time job. After some time I meet a few fellow musicians and we started a group which consisted of guitar, fiddle and stand up bass. We played a lot of bars and private gigs but eventually parted ways. This is where things got real fun as I started hiring different musicians to play with me to cover the gigs I had. In doing so I got to play with the best musicians in Halifax from Darren McMullen, Roger Stone , John Ferguson, Anthony Rissesco, Fluer Mainview, Dave MacIssac, Rosie Mackenzie and many others.
In doing this, it gave me a great name among musicians and it made me step up my game since I didn’t want to look like a fool in front of these guys.
Since then I have expanded the amount of venues I play and the amount of show in a year. I now have Bruce Timmins (guitar) and Shane Timmins (bass) in my group which is a God sent since these two know how to play and are stand up guys to be around.
I’m now in the process of trying to get more original material together and the courage to play it!! Hahaha. I still have a part-time job three days a week and the greatest boss who is very understanding about the whole music thing and has made a lot of this possible with the work scheduling.
Some days I get frustrated with the music/bar scene and have those “bad nights” my dad warned me about but when I calm down and put it into perspective, I’m a very lucky 27-year-old. I work a part-time job that is fun and works with what I love, my bills are paid.
I have the support of family, girlfriend and friends, I make most of my living doing what I love, which is playing music and not many people get that chance in life, so I’m grateful. Plus when you have that one great night of playing music, when everything feels surreal, perfect and you connect/feel more to the music then anything else in your life, that’s what makes it worth all those bad nights and keeps you striving to get back to that feeling every time you play.
As for my music taste, I love a lot of music and genres from blues, rock, country, folk to Celtic and Jazz.
I don’t have a favorite artist as I believe everyone I listen to brings something different and unique to the table.
But some artist that do listen to or have made an impression on me are the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Matt Andersen, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Roger Stone, Chris Thile, Miles Davis, My Father (Ambrose Legg) Blue Rodeo, Christy Moore, Nirvana, Dispatch, Bill Evans, Flogging Molly, Jimmy Hendrix and Stan Rogers.
I do enjoy good instrumental players but I really enjoy great singers that can sing a song with passion and depth in such a way that you think they bleed talent and soul.
I’m looking at doing my debut CD this winter if everything’s aligns right for me.
Also this October, I won an open mic competition for a $1000 and will be donating this money to my former High School to their music program to send students to jazz camps in the summer which I attended when I was in high school.
Will you be doing a couple of Irish/Scottish ballads in your album when it finally comes out?
I hope to do a real mix of songs/genres on the album but I’m still choosing at this point.
What can you remember about memorable jams with other musicians you have collaborated on live shows in the past?
I’ve had a few great musical moments.
One that sounds out is a concert we put on at St. Andrews church in Halifax and it featured my self and John Bogardus on fiddle, Dave Bradshaw on guitar and Darren McMullen on mandolin.
The concert went amazing but at the end we played this huge slew on tunes at a break neck speed, it was great it just kept getting faster & faster, building in tension, pushing the limits, and the you could sense the crowd feeding off every note and the energy was huge, when we finished the place just erupted into cheers and applause.
Other time I was playing a pub gig with two friends and we decided to end the night with a set of tunes on the fly, which turned into much of the same thing as the story b4 expect there was dancing and cheering as we played.
When we finished I was so hyped up I put earphones on, listen to this one song by Dolores Keane called “Ballyroan” (a favorite) packed up my gear and left without saying a word. I was on such a musical height that I didn’t want to say a word or talk with anybody. I just wanted to enjoy that moment of perfect peace and music.
The last musical experience was quite recent was when I played a gig with a buddy that was in a jam for a guitar player for a Nov 11 gig at the old folks home.
He asked early in the week if I knew a song called “Green Fields of France” which was one of my personal favorites but I never played it in public and it’s one of the few songs I remember my father playing when I was young. It’s a very sad song full of raw emotion about war and the tragedies that goes with it.
I started playing this song and a total hush fell over the room and about half way through the song I could see some of the seniors who probably served in the war or were a child back then either smile, have a tear in their eye or were full on crying.
Some left, others stayed but I could feel the emotion in the room and in that the moment I almost couldn’t get through the song because I started to get teary- eyed myself but I managed to hold on and finish the song and had several young people say great job but I had one older lady come up whom I knew and requested that I don’t play any more sad songs.
I wasn’t offended at all by this request as I knew it had caused some people to feel uncomfortable but to me that whole moment was magical because it showed just how much a song could affect a persons emotions and bring back either happy, sad or horrible memory’s even within my self and that to me is the true power or music.
To repeat a quote that I read that would sum this up nicely “Where words fail, music speaks.”
What makes a song amazing? I know people will say it is a combination of music and lyrics but being a singer/songwriter yourself, what is it about a song that takes your breath away?
It is true what people say, that it is a combination of the song and lyrics that catches a person attention or makes a song amazing but that’s not all of it.
You could have five different people play the same song separately in one room to an audience, but only one person’s version will be the one that people remember or steals the show so to speak.
Some of this is due to practice, key of song relative to person’s voice, style, but I think the most important reason is the presentation of the song. I find the more you study a song (lyrics, melody, playing a story line in your head to the lyrics/song) the more connected you are to it, the more you can put your body and soul into a song and commit your self.
If you were to go on you tube and search a song cover and listen to 10 different people I bet only 2 or 3 will really resonate with you and that I think the above reason is why.
There has been many songs in the music industry that people have written that was never made a hit until other artist performed it and then it is a hit. It’s all about presentation of the song.
It’s like if you go to two different restaurants and order meat, potato’s and vegetables, both taste exactly the same, now some restaurants will just throw it altogether on a plate and serve it to you. But the better ones will arrange the three ingredients into a nice presentation so instantly you are wowed by look of the plate and fact that it tastes great as well is a bonus, which one are you gonna remember more?
Also lyrics and the melody are very important to me they are like the spices that go into a great dinner, that make the difference between an ok meal and a great meal.
A good melody is important because that is what people will hum even if they don’t know the lyrics but lyrics are just as important as they are what can make a true connection to people as they may relate to what the song writer is saying or make those lyrics relate to their situation.
The are folk and traditional musicians making a crossover to mainstream audience. Do you see yourself making the same venture in the future?
I not really sure if I will be making that transfer myself to be honest.
Musicians can make a choice of what they play but if they really love playing a style or type of music and that’s what they decide to do, then the musician really doesn’t make the choice of crossing over to mainstream.
It’s more like if the audience likes/loves what the musician(s) is doing then they will make that musician/style mainstream just by popularity alone, and popularity means more gigs to follow, more money and eventually some body with more power or sway will make them main stream.
Thanks! There comes a time in an artist’s life when creative block happens. It could be boredom or anything. How do you continue being passionate with what you do. Any advice?
Most definitely artists get writers block. I have a lot of it.
I think sometimes to overcome that obstacle you may have to try different techniques.
Sometimes you just need to go see another artist play that you enjoy or that is better than you and you can become inspired again.
You can also listen to records of old and new materials, either of your own stuff recorded but not finished ideas or that of other artists songs and you may find a line, lick or chord progression that catches you or a spin-off ideas and then build something from that.
Other times it’s best to just walk away from writing, playing singing and just give your mind a rest and sometimes you may find it will work its way on its own, and your come back refreshed and ready to go back at it.
Some people treat it like a job, get up in the morning and start at 9am and don’t come out till 5pm and just work at a song/ idea/ anything until they have something even if it’s not great but you just force yourself to work through it.
A change in environment I find is a great one, going to the cabin for a weekend, friends, family’s place and just being somewhere else can spur ideas and get you to write because I find you can become to comfortable in your regular environment and complacent and maybe unmotivated.
Also, I find it hard to write sometimes because I try to hold myself to writing songs that are great because I play great cover songs that have sold millions but in reality, you have to maybe write 10 songs and you may find one out of those 10 that is decent and I’m sure the popular artists have much of the same issue but we don’t get to see that part because we only see the finished product, which to us seems well polished, put together and prefect with little or no effort.
Gallery:
Bluegrass jam with Luke Fraser of The Bombadils (right)
Bluegrass jam with Luke Fraser of The Bombadils (right)
A few months ago I reviewed Gallows Tree Tales. It’s an amazing album that’s steeped with Celtic rock tunes. Yesterday, Slim updated his site and posted this amazing tune. There are two versions of this song. One is a fast one and what you will hear is the piano version. A guitarist by training, he managed to play the piano in this track…and as always his beautiful voice is the warm blood of the song.
So what’s this song’s all about?
According to Slim: ” It’s about these guys who tried to climb the north face of Mount Eiger in Switzerland in 1936 and failed! Amazing story though. And it’s also a song about friendship.”
I hope you enjoy this tune as much as I do and I am listening to it right now while writing this article.
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It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
by Sarah Frank(fiddle) and Gwen Bergman(Celtic harp)
What is this issue without at least one Christmas tune? And what wonderful tune this is!
Here is Sarah Frank of The Bombadils with her friend Gwen. I love the way their voices blend and that harp is exquisite.
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The Bombadils – Hint
These Canadian musicians make music that’s both magical and challenging. They draw their influencess from classical, jazz, Celtic and folk.
Original tune written by bass player, Evan Stewart. Filmed and recorded by Denis Martin.
Scottish band The Court of Equity are releasing an album and this is how the album cover looks like. The band’s music is inspired by the compositions of Robert Burns. They will also include original tunes. My big thanks to Douglas McQueen Hunter for sending me the album cover in advanced so I can post it here.
Drawing on more than twenty years of experience in the Scottish music industry, ‘The Court of Equity’ incorporate descriptions, tales and original musical arrangements to the songs and music of Robert Burns.
The band perform many of their own compositions and many of Burns’s best loved songs as well as pieces less well known: The Deils Awa’ Wi’ the Exciseman, Tibbie Fowler, Rattlin’ Roarin’ Willie, My Luve is like a Red, Red Rose, Will ye go to the Indies my Mary, My Bonnie Mary, McPherson’s Farewell, etc …
Also in this edition: Marc Gunn, Celtic Twist/Holland and Palmley Duo and Jamie Smith’s MABON
Album Review: Together for Christmas(Various artists)
A CONTEMPORARY CELTIC CHRISTMAS COLLECTION’ with Larry Kirwan, The High Kings, Damien Dempsey, The Elders, Kyf Brewer, Cherish the Ladies + more!
What’s holiday without Celtic musicians coming together in one album
Together for Christmas CD cover
right? I am listening to Together for Christmas and I see great reasons to own this album. It contains eclectic sounds from rock, jazz to classical. I also noticed the huge efforts placed by the contributing bands, sound people and solo artists each track.
Songs from Together for Christmas is something you can listen to again and again because it is an amazing gift you want to unwrap and play either through your headphones or huge speakers. It has the great casting and track order. Lots and lots of surprises!
The Elders make perfect album opening due to the upbeat and catchy melodies of Christmas Day. Solid harmonies, strings and stirring chorus can get you up your feet. Ashley Davis moves me with her terrific voice. Fans of Sarah McLachlan and Loreena McKennitt will warm up to her haunting and captivating style in Nolaig Moon. Her voice is so good I sometimes overlook the craft placed in this song which is equaly amazing! I will definitely check more of her own projects.
John Munnelly adds that Beatlesque touch with the jolly Happy Christmas. Cherish the Ladies offers a fine instrumental track in Deck the Halls. Take it from the pros in the genre. A combination of traditional carol sounds and Irish jigs.
Kyf Brewer’s gruff vocals and upbeat pace of Whiskey for Christmas will keep you humming and tapping up to the end of the end..Emma Kate Tobia soars with her angelic soprano that adds a magical touch to this album. It creates a soothing balance like watching snow crystals fall slowly to the ground. Walking in the Air is true to its title in every way.
Track Dogs is a band with nice surprises. They do a kind of alternative rock with a touch of shoegazer sound. The Celtic Tenors top the bill with Silent Night. Those who got their album Feels Like Home will know what to expect. The Celtic Tenors are like the Three Musketeers. When they blend their talents they make powerful songs.
Happy Xmas is a popular tune originally done by Lennon and Ono. Sarah Mclachlan also covered this track. It is nice to finally hear it in another interpretation through Larry Kerwan and Ashley Davis.The Wild Colonial Bhoys surprise us with their punk inspired sound that has both the hint of The Beach Boys and Traditional Irish sound.
Damien Dempsey’s almost a capella rendition of Oh Holy Night showcases his robust voice while keeping true to the atmosphere of the song..The High Kings give us the new sheen to Driving Home for Christmas. It’s another classic! I was crossing my fingers when I saw this in the tracklisting. I didn’t want to be disappointed. And good enough, The High Kings add freshness to this classic. They make it very Irish yet preserving the spirit of the original composition by Chris Rea.
The Temple Bar Band feat. Dave Brown and Claire Pelo make a beautiful nod to 2000 Miles (originally done by the Pretenders). This time, you hear the choir of children.. And yes! Clair Pelo has a terrific voice. George Murphy Feat Emma Kate Tobia don’t need further intro with Fairy Tale of New York. This track was released as a single last year. I am glad that it finally made it to this compilation. Their talents are amazing together.
Tara O’Grady closes this compilation with her jazzy take on Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. Everyone’s style stands up. The range of artistry and genre covered by the artists who contributed their talents in this release are wide. You will enjoy it!
Mark has been a blogging buddy since I started this site in 2009. This fella is a huge volcano of creativity. He is a great example for those who want to keep the Celtic Music scene alive.
From Marc:
“In addition to fine tuning my Christmas playlist, I finished a Celtic Christmas drinking songs show for the Pub Songs Podcast. I also started compiling songs two shows exclusively for the Celtic Christmas Podcast. The first goes online today!
I invite you to listen to the Celtic Christmas Podcast. It features Celtic Christmas shows from many of the top Celtic podcasts online. I didn’t update it last year, but I’m bringing it back again in 2012. Subscribe at http://celticchristmaspodcast.com/”
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Christmas Track :Snowfall-Celtic Twist/Holland and Palmley Duo
This track reminds me of a little music box. The high bell sounds are really great to hear. The heavenly voice of Phil Holland is something you don’t want to miss here. The kind of feeling you want to have when you think of this season. I think more and more, the Holland and Palmley dou are transitioning into what I can only describe as breath taking sound! They have evolved in terms of artistry and so do we!
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Jamie Smith’s MABON – NEWS – NEW TOUR DATES 2013 ANNOUNCED
Fans of the amazing Welsh Celtic band Jamie Smith’s MABON will have something to rejoice this 2013. Tour dates are announced!
According to John Eeles (Facilitator / Sound Engineer):
“The band have just wrapped up a great year, with sold out shows during the recently completed tour and widespread critical acclaim for their new album.
2013 is already gearing up to be a busy year, both in the U.K. and abroad, with plans afoot to put a European tour in place, and dates in Canada and Scandinavia in the pipeline.”
For more information on the shows and the band go to the website :
Also in this epidsode:The Picts Of Scotland and Karen Matheson
Douglas McQueen Hunter
Douglas McQueen Hunter talks about The Picts and the new band,The Court of Equity inspired by the music of Robert Burns.
If you are a Scottish music insider then The Picts is not new to you. They proved to be very influential among Celtic fusion bands in Scotland. My curiosity was fueled after seeing the video of the song The peak. The haunting accordion intro and the dark blue lighting are captivating. Then, the music explodes into a traditional inspired fusion of drums, acoustic guitar and other instruments. The camera revolves and the music becomes hypnotic until it reaches the ending with a crunch..
Douglas McQueen Hunter joins us today. He is our featured artist and he talks to us about interesting points relating to his musical career and other things. I found interesting bits about his bio:
” He is the front man and founder member of ‘The Picts’ and ‘The Court of Equity’. Douglas is also a composer, song-writer and the co-author (Along with his father- artist Colin Hunter McQueen) of the world-wide acclaimed book on Robert Burns “Hunters’ Illustrated History of the Family, Friends and Contemporaries of Robert Burns” which was released in 2009 for the year of homecoming. He has produced albums with ‘Badenoch’, ‘The Picts’ and his first solo album ‘Ghosts’.
Instruments: Vocals, Six and Twelve String Guitars, Mandolin, Mandola, Bodhran and percussion.”
As you can tell this is a very relaxed conversation. We go back and forth in various topics but as any good conversations, everything has to flow naturally. He also helped me choose the pictures to go along with this interview.
I enjoyed this chat with Douglas McQueen Hunter and I am looking forward to the new album!
What do you do apart from music that very few know about?
Apart from music, I’m a jujitsu coach and run my own martial arts clubs…. also author of book on Robert Burns www.facebook.com/drumbow
What made you become a big Robert Burns enthusiast? What is it about the man that speaks to you?
I’ve been surrounded by the works of Burns since I was a child and was brought up singing his songs… Burns knew how to express every emotion in beautiful word… which as a song writer is something I strive for. If I could do it even a fraction as well as him then I’d be happy. Interestingly, my own Great great Grandfather James Gibb was a neighbor of Burns when Burns lived in Mauchline, Ayrshire and according to A.B Todd, a 19th century Ayrshire author, James Gibb used to debate religion with Burns and sell him lime for his horses.
The drumbow projects is fascinating because it goes back to the time or Robert Burns. I see that your bloodline is linked with his. How do you see the future of this illustrated book? What do you want to happen?
When I was researching the book (Hunters’ Illustrated History of the Family, Friends and Contemporaries of Robert Burns) I had to research lots of the history and genealogy of Burns, his family and friends. This led to me discovering over three hundred old parish records and documents, which allowed me to correct long standing errors and mistakes that had been compounded for decades by authors and biographers of the poet.
Doing this also threw me in at the deep end and created a real passion for genealogy which led me on to doing two years at Strathclyde University; studying a Post Grad Diploma in Genealogy. Not that I was particularly interested in gaining any academic qualification, but because I really wanted to get as great an understanding in the subject as I possibly could. I have lots of new projects and Ideas at the moment for new books, but I’m not quite ready to reveal them yet ha ha!! But music and song-writing still comes first in my heart.
Let us talk about your music especially The Picts which you founded . You have one single with an accompanying video called The Peak.It’s been gaining lots of viewers in youtube. Tell me the influences that shaped the sound of the Picts and also the Island itself.
I guess each of the guys who started the Picts and those with us who have played with us over the years all brought their own influences with them and help to develop the sound of the band. The Island like Moving sands our second album was a compromise between the band members to shape the sound. There are successes and failures on both albums. I’ve not listened to them for a long time. I think the Live EP we recorded a few years ago is the best representation of the band…
I still can’t get over the fact that you teach martial arts! That’s totally interesting.
Ha ha .. I’ve done Judo from the age of 7-17 then left martial arts for many years and finally took up Jujitsu 12 years ago … I enjoy seeing people happy and learning.. Great fun and keeps everyone fit (including me).
Is this Martial Arts family thing?
No … My folks just took me along to classes when I was a little and I loved it.
Do you think the jujitsu spirit carries itself into your musical performance? Especially when you play with passion ?
I suppose it depends on what I’m playing… It’s tricky because The Picts are a working band therefore have different setlists for different types of gigs… One gig may be a festival playing original material, the next gig may be a function doing more mainstream covers … All to keep the wolves from the door… So as a professional band we always need to look as if we are enjoying it, even though we are singing the same song for the 1000th time (laughs).
You mentioned you just finished the CD and your mind needs a little relaxation. Do you listen to music, meditate etc?
After a gig I generally go for a wander round the 24 hour shops to clear my head …. It can be hard to sleep after a gig. Especially after a far away gig when we maybe get back at 5 or 6 in the morning.
Wandering.. that sounds very zen
Yeah generally the second day after the gig is when the cloudy head and tiredness hits me and I can’t string two coherent thoughts together(laughs).
That explains why musicians need a ‘downer’ after a great gig. The adrenaline after the playing is there ..it doesn’t go away..and you need to do something about it.
Yeah although I suppose it depends on the gig… We’ve done that many that its sometimes hard to get a buzz from a gig… But yeah after really good gigs there can be lows.
After quiet a while being onstage..Do you still get moments of being surprised or overwhelmed when it comes to your audience?
Very rarely…
No stage freight…Nervousness..Cold hands?
I was trying to think of an example…No never.. Very rarely get nervous… maybe a wee bit anxious if I’m going to sing a new song but I do get very sleepy before I go on stage…. Maybe that is anxiety coming out in different ways.
How about strange acting audience…Did you experience awkward situations and how did you deal with them?
We’ve kinda had everything at some point… Girls fighting in front of us pulling hair, fights breaking out, you name it… But we just kinda get on with the music… Like any rock concert!
We used to play in pubs and bars in the early days …They can be rough. We don’t do that now.
Why The Picts?
Well its apart of our bloodline here and heritage …. It’s who we are
I’ve always been fascinated with the mysterious Pictish stone symbols etc and wanted to know more. Would you be exploring more of this in the future through your band?
I’d love to.. At the moment there has been talk about another Picts album, but I’ve no idea if it will happen… I’m sure it will at some point, the priority at moment is to focus on The Court of Equity with the new albums coming out. How do you describe your new project band The Court of Equity in terms of the sound. Will you be doing vocals there?
All the Picts are in The Court of Equity.. It’s really the acoustic version of the band which focuses mainly on the works of Robert Burns .. yeah I sing most of the songs.
So this is till your band only with a different moniker !
Yeah it was a long project but long over due… the first album (volume one) will be released this month and the second in the summer 2013.
Who did the album artwork,mixing,lyrics etc?
The album was produced by myself and Greg Friel, Tracy who does all of our artwork and covers done in this album too…. All the lyrics are traditional by Robert Burns. The music is traditional except for the modern arrangements and compositions by ourselves.
If you were to choose between singing and playing instruments which would you favour the most?
Honestly… I don’t mind.. But the passion even greater than performing live for me is song writing… So looking forward to finishing my new solo album next year.
The Court of Equity band members:
Douglas McQueen Hunter
Singer, guitarist, front man and founder member of ‘The Picts’ and ‘The Court of Equity’. Douglas is also a composer, song-writer and the co-author (Along with his father- artist Colin Hunter McQueen) of the world-wide acclaimed book on Robert Burns “Hunters’ Illustrated History of the Family, Friends and Contemporaries of Robert Burns” which was released in 2009 for the year of homecoming. He has produced albums with ‘Badenoch’, ‘The Picts’ and his first solo album ‘Ghosts’.
Instruments: Vocals, Six and Twelve String Guitars, Mandolin, Mandola, Bodhran and percussion.
Jeremy Stirling
Founder member of ‘The Picts’ and ‘Court of Equity’, Jeremy is a composer and arranger of Scottish music. He has played on all the band’s recordings and written compositions for each album. He has played with the band at all the major events like T-in-the-Park, The Interceltique Festival of Lorient and the Glasgow George Square Hogmanay Bash in front of 40,000 people. He has previously played and recorded with bands such as King Joseph’s Drum and The Laughing Phrogs.
Instruments: keyboards and Pianos.
Grant McConnell
An award winning multi-instrumentalist with ‘The Picts’, Grant is a champion accordionist and founder member of ‘The Court of Equity’. He has toured extensively with both bands at home and abroad since 2004 and contributes many of his own fine compositions and arrangements. Grant’s great passion and love for music is an inspiration to all who work with him. He is the primary lead player in both bands.
Instruments: Piano Accordion, Six and Twelve String Guitars, Bass Guitar, Vocals and Backing Vocals.
Dave Murray
Dave is well known for his enthusiasm for the life and works of Robert Burns and his family, performing recently in the new Andrew Dallmeyer productions ‘The Mother of All Burns’ and ‘The Cauldron’. He has appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on a number of occasions. Dave is the former Pipe Major with Haddington Pipe Band and as a leading member of the Grant’s Braes Burns Club he was responsible for the renovation and restoration of the grave in Bolton Kirkyard of Robert Burns’s mother, sister and brother who lived nearby at Grant’s Braes.
Instruments: Highland Bagpipes, Techno-pipes, Harmonica, and Whistles.
thats myself and grant at Edinburgh International Fringe festival
Greg Friel (co-Producer along with me) David and Neil McDonald (Picts / court of equity Drummer) recording the new album
Winterfest Festival at George Square Glasgow
T in the Park … Scotlands biggest music festival
Live at the Bruton Theatre, East Lothian
Video shoot with Bryan Leitch.. (that’s Bryan with his back to us)
Jeremy on Keyboards, David Murray, Grant McConnell, Guest singer Victoria Graham and myself
Grant
the whole band
Jeremy, Me, Neil, Grant and david
Douglas McQueen Hunter
Douglas McQueen Hunter
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The Picts Of Scotland – Last Of The Free(1/6)
Since we are into the music of The Picts, I think it is important to include this video. If you picked up the book by Anne Rice called Lasher then you will learn that she was writing about the myth of the Picts in Scotland. Look for the other parts of this video in youtube.
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My Love Is Like a Red Red Rose – Karen Matheson
A Red, Red Rose
A Red, Red Rose
by Robert Burns
My love is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June :
My love is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.
As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in love am I :
And I will love thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun :
And I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.
And fare thee weel, my only love,
And fare thee weel a while !
And I will come again, my love,
Thou’ it were ten thousand mile.
Celtic Music Fan 