Music

Cillian Doheny: My Life as a Member of a Traditional Irish Band(Interview)

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Also in this edition: The Picts and Flutatious

Cillian Doheny; All Ireland Champion.

Riding the thunder: Apart from jamming with U2’s Bono and The Edge, Cillian Doheny gives us an insider’s look at the life of a musician in a traditional Irish band.

Cillian Doheny is based in Limerick Ireland. He plays the Tenor Banjo, Nylon & Steel String Guitar and  Mandola for Moxie. The band will release their first music video in January of 2013. They will also release their debut album next year. We will see the future of this amazing trad Irish band taking off and wowing listeners in both sides of the Atlantic.

What is it like to be a young musician playing in a trad band? Especially for someone who has bagged an All Ireland Winner title on Tenor Banjo under 18 years at the All Ireland Fleadh Ceoil held in  August 2009? Ha! You shall find out. His recordings can be found in his Myspace music page.

Music is created through friendships with other musicians. This how the trad scene  continues to flourish. I notice more and more young ones getting into the music, performing and creating them. I see a bright future in the traditional Celtic music scene. It is a world that continues to blossom with such vigor that will make even those who don’t normally listen to such music stop in their steps and listen.

I appreciate this interview with Cillian. He is down to earth, enthusiastic and he also loves promoting other musicians. These qualities make him such a great asset to those whom he collaborates with. So other than the terrific banjo playing, with fingers that move like lightning, this young man is in the right and exciting path.

Your bio says you started playing music since you were 11. Now you have mastered theTenor Banjo, the Guitar (nylon and steel), Bouzouki, Bodhrán and Mandolin. What is your main instrument now and why?

My main instrument would have to be the tenor banjo. The reason for this is my love for the sound of the instrument. I’ve also found that it’s very adaptable in most genres of music as well as traditional Irish music, which is great news to my ears.

In one unique occasion you jammed with U2’s Bono and The Edge. How did this happen and how was the experience?

This experience was one of a kind and a great opportunity to catch up with the U2 members and see what they were like. Although they had a hectic day of travelling with their flight having to be rerouted to Shannon from Dublin due the bad weather at the time, they were very friendly, good fun and loved the music.

You have a new band called Moxie. Can you give us a brief timeline of the band’s activities up to the release of the debut album next year?

We formed the band at the annual Sligo Live festival in 2011 and since then we’ve been getting on great. At the moment we are looking at releasing our new EP, recorded and mastered in Big Banna Studios,Co. Antrim by Seán Óg Graham which will hopefully be available before Christmas. We have played at festivals such as Celtic Fringe Festival ( Jun 2012), North Atlantic Fiddle Convention ( Jun 2012), All Ireland Fleadh ( Aug 2012 ), Tuam Traditional Festival ( Sep 2012 ) and of course we just made our second appearance at Sligo Live this year which turned out to be a huge success for us a year on. We have plans to bring out our debut album in late 2013 but we’re not rushing with anything yet as there is plenty of time to perfect the sound and we are also waiting on a band member to finish out his exams.

What is so great being in a trad band composed of young people your age?

Tenor banjo master

I suppose the best thing about it without a doubt is the craic that we have. We grew up with each other playing music while having great fun all down through the years, to all of us that means a lot and without that it wouldn’t be what it is.

Do you have a kind of routine when you start recording with the band? And also, what do you do to make sure you give optimum performance both in recording and playing live?

Well I am going to use the overused and sometimes overlooked statement, “practice makes perfect”. Once the music is tight and everyone is comfortable with the arrangements, that’s when we can relax and work on the sound as a whole.

If given a power to change the music scene, what are the things you want to happen?

If I was given the power to change the music scene I would make undiscovered artist’s / band’s music widely available to the worldwide public. There are so many amazing musicians out there that don’t get the recognition that they deserve due to lack of funding or funding authorities making it difficult for up and coming artists to get recognized.

Please complete this sentence: When I am not playing music I………..

When not playing music I am usually writing music, listening to music, practicing or going to see gigs with friends. I also enjoy photography and I am a bit of a technology freak too.

What is something you can’t live without when you go on a tour?

Well I’ve had a long think about this and the answer would probably have to be my hair straightener… Kidding! My iPod would definitely be one of my prized possessions on tour, as I would most likely go insane without it.

Moxie on stage

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The Picts

Members:

Grant McConnell- Accordions, Guitars, Bass, Vocals and anything else he can get his hands on..Douglas McQueen Hunter – Vocals, Guitars, Mandolins, 5 String Banjo and things that need plucked….Jeremy Stirling- Keyboards, Pianos and things that need plonked….

David Murray- Pipes, Whistles, Mouth-organ and things you blow.

Neil McDonald- Drums, Percussion and thing that need hit

Tracy Carmichael – Technical advisor, lighting and sound, driver and stage manager and anything that requires sorting.
Hometown Glasgow & East Lothian

Hypnotic,energetic and stunning! The Picts are a part of a New Wave of Celtic bands hailing from Scotland.   According to the band’s bio:

Formed in February 1997, The Picts have become one of the most popular live acts on the folk rock and concert scene. They have reached out with their unique brand of celtic rock and captivated hundreds of audiences both at home and abroad. There is a considerable influence of original material combined with the traditional. The songs and instrumentals are upbeat, powerful and irresistible for dancing, yet retain their original sentiment, feeling and intimacy.

A lengthy bio can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/thepicts/info

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A new album out by Flutatious!

I am in the process of writing a review of this album by UK based Celtic fusion band Flutatious. Watch out for that one. You can purchase the album here: http://www.flutatious.co.uk/store/

Review over Cappuccino

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 In this edition: Nua,
Jonathan Kershaw and Eclipse

NUA

Making waves: Irish/Scottish Traditional Music, Experimental, Fusion trio from Toronto Canada.

NUA came up with an auspicious debut in a form of an EP. It gives us the taste of what this trio can offer not just today but also in future releases. These are clean, crisp tunes  that sparkle with precision and showmanship. The audio quality is something get excited about. The surface sound of every instrument is captured giving us a degree of nuance and atmosphere.

The EP starts with Fizzbuzz which showcases the thunderous bodhran playing of Jacob McCauley and the invigorating strums of Graeme McGillivray on guitar. These sounds are sliced up with James M Law’s luminous playing on fiddle. That fiddle simply sparkles in all of the tracks.

The Draw is perhaps what one would call a ‘carrier single’ due to its upfront rhythm and fast paced characteristic that draws influences from Jazz, Folk and even World. Here, Jacob McCauley’s bodhran becomes emotive, giving us an impression that this percussion has finally reached its tonal height and is capable of being a lead instrument. We have to remember, Jacob plays different types of bodhrans including those custom made by Christian Hedwitschak. This is a tune that’s guaranteed to get you dancing.

Martin’s Yellow Tea Pot has that folk pop quality that waltzes on you like a sunny  afternoon. We hear exquisite chord structures as well as interesting changes of rhythms. The guitar has a crunchy sound that really keeps everything together.

The Hijack is a perfect track to close the EP. It has all the elements of how ripe talents should sound like. Confidence, experimentation and cohesiveness are traits of what a good album should possess-and they are all here. If they are able to come up with a full  sound  in this 4 track EP, just imagine what a complete album would be like. You would be missing a huge part of your musical life if you don’t get this EP!

About NUA:

NUA is an innovative new trad trio, bringing a fresh and unique sound to traditional music, creating their own distinctive flavour with both original and traditional compositions from Ireland and Scotland. Based in Toronto, Canada, NUA consists of three award-winning members: fiddle player James M Law, guitarist Graeme McGillivray and bodhrán player Jacob McCauley. The interaction between the three
e is what really makes the music shine, whether it be their soaring melodies or tasteful grooves. The trio is also well known for their exciting incorporation of odd time signatures and polyrhythms, which give the music an electrifying lift and spontaneity.

Each member adds their own distinctive sound and influence to the music. Although they are a trio with a sole melody player, the brilliant multi-tasking of each member is demonstrated countless times with perhaps a guitar-driven flat-picked melody, rhythmic fiddle playing, or melodic bodhrán playing to add to the mix. The ability for each member to take on multiple roles is one of the staples of NUA. This adds to a thrilling live experience, and a “you just don’t know what’s coming next” approach!

NUA released their first EP on November 12th 2012 and they are currently beginning work on their full-length debut album to be released in 2013.

Helpful links:

http://trionua.bandcamp.com/album/ep

https://www.facebook.com/TRIONUA?fref=ts

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“Bizarre Tales”

 

Now for something dark and Celticky…

If you are ready for something seductive, atmospheric and emotionally charged Celtic fusion music, then you better give  Jonathan Kershaw a listen. Everything he does points to Renaissance music in the vein of Dead can Dance. There are also Celtic folk  and Viking influences embellished with subtle atmospherics. The guitars are gentle and the female vocals are mysterious. There are other instruments like the cello.This album kept me up all night while I did my usual blogging and it has that quality of being un intrusive but at the same time with the right volume, creates a full-house of soundtracky experience.
Band personals:

Jonathan Kershaw – guitars, percussion
Laura Fauvel – vocals, some flute
Karina McGrath – vocals
Chris Jones – other instrumentation

In the words of Jonathan Kershaw:
The sound of this album was (in it’s inception) clearly supposed to be sat firmly in the traditions of Celtic folk music. Evident in the rich, flowing guitar lines intertwined with flute and violin, ringing pedal sounds and the sometimes rather ominous bodhrans.

However, somewhere along the line, the link was clearly stretched beyond its traditional boundaries. Jonathan’s love of music from outside this area becomes apparent with strange colourings from elements of classical, baroque music and dare I even say it, hard rock!

As a result, the album maintains a curious, ethereal feel of mysticism throughout as it moves through pieces in a variety of emotions:
Album Details
Artist:     Jonathan Kershaw     From the dark, pounding introduction of “The Demeter” and “Crossing the Third Sea” to the sensual stories and thoughts of “Never Love an Angel”, “Sandwalkers” and “Clocks & Mirrors” (with vocals courtesy of guest vocalists Laura Fauvel and Karina McGrath); the light, joyful melodies of “Lotus Corset” and the jig-like “The Green Man” to the comedy of “Rat Run” or “The Alchemist’s Penny” and the ever- increasing power of the centre piece “Andrasta”.

New album “Bizarre Tales” available now!
Celtic folk – Traditional – Acoustic rock

Here is the link to the music store where you can listen to samples: http://www.jonkershawmusic.co.uk/region_select.htm

Web: http://www.jonkershawmusic.co.uk
Email: mailto:jon@jonkershawmusic.co.uk

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Eclipse

It’s Christmas Now!

They  are singer/songwriters originally from Edinburgh, Scotland but currently live in CT, USA .  They call themselves Eclipse:twin sisters Nell and Trish and their brother Matt Wilkie.

The strong vocal harmonies and percussive arrangements make this holiday album a joy to have. It has an almost African, Mid-Eastern and Reggae vibe to it. There are modern and traditional tracks. Oh Christmas Now is traditional but this is the first time I’ve heard of this one.It seems the artists behind Eclipse have this thing for the obscure. They also have this characteristic of delivering strong and crisp vocal mixes.

There are four official members but a total of eleven people contributed their talents in creating this album. The mixing is amazing because you can even hear the surface sound of every instrument. That is how crystal clear It’s Christmas Now ! is. I am really choosy when it comes to holiday albums because I like my music loud. And I like to bring it anywhere too. And I am a total show off!

I like a holiday album that doesn’t sound ‘like Christmas’. You know what I mean? It has to be something that you can play for all seasons and doesn’t sound out of place. It’s Christmas Now! is one example of an album that can be at home in any part of the year. And yes, listening to this one makes you feel warm and cozy.

Trivia: According to the band, they were particularly proud of “ Christmas in our Hearts “, (track 6), which they wrote for their family back in Edinburgh and their arrangement of “Auld Land Syne” (track 12)

Here is the link to the store where you can buy the CD: http://www.celticmusicradio.net/eclipse-its-christmas-now/

You can also listen to the samples here: http://www.eclipse-bandllc.com/

Helpful links:

The CD is available at:

Patrick D’Arcy:Pure Pipes (Interview)

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Also in this edition: Eve Mctelenn, The Whistling Tree and Will Tun & The Wasters.

 

From Dublin Ireland to California, Patrick D’Arcy maintained the soul of the uilleann pipes and other wind instruments …making one realize that it is innate passion , not geography that keeps the spirit of the music alive.

Patrick D’Arcy

This week’s featured artist is the smooth man of the uilleann pipes, Patrick D’Arcy. I was literally captivated by his album Wallop the Spot that I had to get his ideas into cyber print for everyone’s pleasure. The album cover shows the charismatic musician grinning away from the camera to his left. The immaculate  instrument is poised ready to be played. Oxford Dictionaries define Wallop as : to strike or hit very hard(verb) or a heavy blow or punch (noun). The title speaks for the album. I think the notes are given more volume and mass with the absence of other instruments. You can literally feel as if each note  is being punched out of the instrument. He made the pipes very intimate giving a lot of angles to be appreciated including the drones. I enjoyed this conversation with Patrick and I hope you do as well.

The uilleann pipes became a star instrument in your hands. What kind of techniques have you developed so far after years of playing?

Thank you Baxter! I don’t think I do anything unusual as far as technique on the instrument goes. I use traditional techniques I’ve picked up over they years from other players and teachers by attending schools like The Willie Clancy Summer School in Clare, Ireland, and also by attending Tionól all over the US. These techniques would include cuts, rolls, triplets, crans and various other finger manipulations to trick the reed into believing that it’s supposed to be playing music and not standing dead in a marsh in California somewhere. Where these techniques are placed in relation to the beat would effect greatly the feel of the tune being played. Also the tempo at which the tune is played. I enjoy a less hurried pace to the music, trying to find feeling in tunes rather than just the thump on the floor.

You are very active in terms of networking with other musicians and creating piping sessions all over California. Has there been a dramatic change in terms of audience attendance now that it is so easy to network with listeners all over the web?

Not that I’ve noticed. When I began it was just before the onslaught of the internet anyway, the early 90’s, so I’ve always been able to email with other like-minded psycho’s. There was a great message board called The Uilleann Pipes Information List where everyone with access to a computer from complete beginners to pipemakers could share thought’s, ideas and opinions and gather information. I suppose people don’t seem as far away as they used to. Nowadays everything is available online. Every rare bit of footage and recording is there to be found and downloaded. It’s overwhelming really the amount of material there is out there. It is a matter of finding what you like and learning it intensely which will lead on to other musician’s and styles. Everything leads to something else.

What has been most memorable experience you had making Wallop the Spot?


Wallop The Spot album
by Patrick D’Arcy

Going for taco’s with Bryan Dobbs, my producer. I like food, but he is intensely into traditional Latino food. A place close to him is a small chain called Rigo’s Taco. After a day of recording we would refuel there and return to the studio for the rest of the night. Also, the recording got me back into listening to music. I hadn’t consciously been listening to traditional music for a while apart from the CD’s I have in my car on rotation at all times. Tommy Peoples, Tommy Reck, Bobby Casey, Willie Clancy and Darach Ó Catháin.
Every time I drive they are playing.
And as I live in Los Angeles, California, that would appear to be quite a bit!

 What’s your favorite track(s) off the album? And why?

I like tracks 2 (The Hag with the Money, The High Part of the Road,The Girl from the Big House ), 3 (The Green Fields of America) and 12 (My Bonny Blue Eyed Lassie). I love playing airs on the pipes and particularly these two. They seem epic to me. I also like track 4, (An Buachaill Dreóite), on the C whistle. It has a nice skip to it that I like. I was very happy with how the pipes recorded, especially the B set… there’s some whack off them! We spent a lot of time getting the sound right. I wanted to reproduce an authentic sound that allowed the listener to experience the pipes in a way that the player usually only gets to enjoy, like you are inside the instrument feeling the reeds buzzing all around you.

 Being Irish and now residing in the United States, do you keep a strong bond with your friends and fellow musicians in Ireland?

I like to think so. It is hard enough due to the distance but, like we were talking about earlier, the internet helps. Everyone is on Facebook so at least we get to see, silently sometimes, what each-other is up to. It is always nice to get together with people when I go home on holiday or on tour. Time can be limited but it’s an important part of those trips.

Having a tune at the Grand Ole Opry. — with Ricky Skaggs and Keith and Kristyn Getty at Grand Ole Opry.

 If you were given a chance to collaborate with another musician for a side project, whom would you like to work with and why?

Wow! … Liam Howlett of The Prodigy! … I think there could be some mad music made in that collaboration 🙂 I have so much admiration for other traditional Irish musician’s that I would be reluctant to impose my musicianship on them! I’d love to get a good trad band together though. It’s very hard thing to do in Los Angeles as there aren’t that many players and they’re all doing their own thing. Having said that though we do have a nice couple of sessions each week that I enjoy. Particularly the one at Timmy Nolan’s in Toluca Lake, my regular Tuesday night session. It is so important for publican’s to be enthusiastic about the music. The owner there is and takes very good care of us. It makes the atmosphere better and the music too! I love it when traditional musician’s from other cultures get together and come up with a hi-bred. Like Spillane, Irvine, Whelan and Parov did with Eastwind or Caoimhin O’Raghallaigh does with Swedish music. Liam O’FLynn also did it with Carlos Nuñez and the Galician tradition. I think Indian music would be a great combination with Irish music, maybe because of the drone commonality? I have had a the great pleasure of playing with Vikash and Prabash Maharaj from Varanasi, India. They are a father and son duo on sarod and tabla. They are consummate musicians – it would be very interesting to record something with them. I also like playing with bluegrass musicians and have had the privilege of playing with some of the best in Nashville like Ricky Skaggs, Ron Block, Andy Leftwich and Ross Holmes. It just grooves in a different way that can be interesting sometimes.

Pat that’s really a good idea…collaboration keeps creativity flowing! So what will we see you doing in the next few months?

I have a Christmas tour coming up with modern hymn writers Keith & Kristyn Getty http://www.gettymusic.com – It begins the end of November and runs until just before Christmas. There are rehearsals between now and that beginning. I am promoting my CD “Wallop The Spot” like crazy and it’s going very well. If you are a radio show host or write album reviews please contact me!
The official website of modern hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty
www.gettymusic.com

In January I will be reassessing what to do next. Possibly a house concert/folk club tour? Any venues interested please contact me also.

Please complete this sentence: Music is………………………………………………………..

…what I am. All my life I’ve been eaten up with it… I’m just happy it’s not a disease… or is it!?!!? I wonder if there’s a generic medicine I can take to help cure it 😉

Parting words to your readers and fans?

Thanks for all the support! It is always so nice to meet people when I am out playing that know of my music. Please come up and say hello when I am in your town. And spread the word! <subtle hint>You know Christmas is coming up 😉 </subtle hint>

 Patrick is performing all over California. If you have the time please visit his sites below and also buy Wallop the Spot as a step in getting to know the uilleann pipes.

Other resources

Please visit his bandcamp page : http://patrickdarcy.bandcamp.com/

Video samples:

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Featured video: Will Tun & The Wasters live @ the Baz Bunker, Norwich.

Ok these guys are crazy! I mean crazy as in fun and amazing. A big thank you to Will Tun and The Wasters for sending me the link to their live video via twitter. It made my morning. Yes yes yes good spirits.

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Post Halloween Amusement: JACK O LANTERN STORY by Eve Mctelenn – jack à la lanterne

Those who frequent the Celtic Harp Facebook page aren’t strangers to Eve Mctelenn’s music. This one is a fine example on how story telling and music can enchant and inspire. Yes this is done in French but it doesn’t matter if you don’t understand. Just Listen…and listen..and you will love the sounds and the music. I am serious.

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Featured site: The Whistling Tree

This is a new site devoted to those who want to learn and share the music of the tin whistle. The creator of this page is concentrating more on twitter feeds for now. But with more members, things will definitely change. Better hit the ‘like’ button 😀

https://www.facebook.com/TheWhistlingTree

https://twitter.com/WhistlingTree

Bards, Composers, Folk Singers and Concerts

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In this edition: Máirtín de Cógáin, Karl Nesbitt, Richard Trethewey, Great Big Sea and Blue Rodeo

So what makes fascination and inspiration happen? I think these two go together. First you get fascinated with someone’s talent. Then you get inspired to do what you do. Musicians are artists who help fuel inspiration. Give me a moment in a day listening to music and I will start typing away. Do you also get inspired by musicians?

I have to admit, the past few months were tough but it was music that pulled me out of the labyrinth. I want to share that enthusiasm and passion to you all. We are all connected in a way that we can’t imagine. I am glad for musicians! You are what makes the world a better place to live. And yes, we the listeners get to do a LOT of things because of you musicians. We paint, design software, build buildings and write novels because of the music. It is a symbiosis of goodness!

The Bardic Hypnosis of Máirtín de Cógáin

Máirtín de Cógáin has a way of getting you engaged when he is onstage. Whither he is playing music or talking, there is something about him that is charismatic. His anecdotes never fail to bring out giggles. He draws the magnetism from the long line of Irish bards since the time of the High Kings. I think Máirtín can talk about anything all day and I will definitely listen sipping my hot tea! Enjoy the videos below folks.

Check out his various projects

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/165748154/from-cork-with-love-a-travelogue-of-the-beautiful

http://www.thelanterntheatre.co.uk/whats-on/de-bogman-monday-12th-thursday-19th-november/
Facebook http://facebook.com/mairtin

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Another achievement from Karl Nesbitt:

Karl Nesbitt

“ I’m thrilled to be writing/performing some music for this new film entitled Blind Pass, directed by Steve Tatone. Thanks Fintan Lucy and Edel Sullivan “:)

-Karl Nesbitt
Hmm..looks like our favorite instrumentalist/composer/producer and arranger is out to make waves in the Irish movie scene. I would love to see this movie. I am sure if the music is from Karl then it will be amazing.

And what’s a Karl Nesbitt article without his music?

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New Releases from Cornish Music label Kesson feat: Richard Trethewey

I love the music of Cornwall. It has its own identity and beauty. Cornwall has its own folk and  traditional scene and its new representative is Richard Trethewey. He sings, and plays  fiddles, mandola, triangle,and other brass instruments. A man of good vocal range and perfect pitch. You can listen to samples of “ Dig Where You Stand” off Cornish music site Kesson: http://www.kesson.com/album.php?account=1&album=134

http://www.richardtrethewey.co.uk/

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Exclusive video: Great Big Sea and Blue Rodeo performed “What Am I Doing Here?” at CBC’s Glenn Could Studio.
Canadian  bands The Great Big Sea and Blue Rodeo perform in this beautiful video. Check this link out:
http://music.cbc.ca/concerts/CBC-Music-Exclusives-The-Blue-Rodeo-Silver-Anniversary-Concert-VideoAudio-2012-10-29/videos/What-Am-I-Doing-Here-by-Blue-Rodeo-and-Great-Big-Sea

Visual Artist and Musician Eva McCauley: The Power of Light and Air (Interview)

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Also in this edition: NUA

Eva McCauley & InVisible

A painter’s paradise: Eva McCauley talks about how in Ireland, “the air is infused with moisture, and because of that, there is a luminosity to the light  that is very unique, and an incredible thing for a painter to experience.”

Technology has a way of bringing visual artists and musicians together. Art has become multimedia. Eva McCauley explores the mystical side of painting and print making with her installation works. Inspired by technology’s ability to create something new and her love for evocative spirit of the Irish landscape, she created haunting and beautiful artworks. These are hanging illustrations rendered in a way that light and occasional wind play tricks on them. If musicians like Loreena McKennitt, Moya Brennan, Enya and Connie Dover have talents that can transport you with their voices and melodies, then Eva McCauley is the visual counterpart of such power.

Hi Eva, welcome to The Celtic Music Fan artist of the week edition! Your prints are fascinating. Can you give us a brief background on the things that inspire your work…these are beautiful ‘ghostly’ creations of paintings printed on scrims of fabric (silk oraganza) and hung from the ceiling in multiple layers to create an installation.

My recent print media installation “In/Visible”  was exhibited in Cork, Ireland this past August/September at the beautiful Wandesford Quay Gallery . As you say, the images are larger-than-life faces printed on transparent silk-like fabric (42” X 96”),  making them appear almost ephemeral, wafting in the breeze as people walk by.

The images are originally created as hand-pulled prints (monotypes & lithographs)  and then are digitally captured, enlarged and printed on fabric (PolyVoile) using a wide format Agfa Aquajet printer. The faces came to me as a result of my experience living in a pre-famine stone cottage on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on the rugged southwestern coast of Ireland, where I was taking part in an artist residency in a very old village  called Cill Rialaig, which has become  an internationally renowned artist retreat, created by Noelle Campbell-Sharpe Although I wouldn’t consider myself to be superstitious, after  living and painting  in this  stone cottage  every day for a month,  I became aware of the invisible but tangible  presence of human beings, who may have lived in these stone dwellings in the past.

My show, called “In/Visible”, gave these “ghosts”, or apparitions,  a larger-than-life presence in the exhibition. The large faces were interspersed with large photographic images of the skies and water, so that they melded with each other, creating a multi-layered layered effect, so that the viewer could see through each ghostly image to what was behind.

 Your travels to Ireland inspired most of your artworks. What was the most memorable thing about your travels there.

As a a painter I was struck by the quality of the light. Since Ireland is an island, and it rains almost every day, the air is infused with moisture, and because of that, there is a luminosity to the light  that is very unique, and an incredible thing for a painter to experience. It really is  a painter’s paradise.  And the people in Ireland are the salt of the earth…incredibly kind, generous, always have time to talk and tell stories, in spite of the incredibly stress they are experiencing as a result of their tanking economy.

The other aspect of Ireland that influences my art is the music—I play traditional Irish music on the fiddle, mandolin and concertina, and when I’m in Ireland I become totally immersed in the local music session scene, and the local people who play the music have become great friends. I listen to the music continually when I paint, and it’s become an integral part of my work.

You have a strong affinity for things Irish/Scottish …. this is a strong influence in your art. Even your son Jacob is a world renowned Bodhran player. What was the earliest memory you have being exposed to the Celtic culture.

My father, Robert McCauley,  is the Irish side of my family. He plays the harmonica and Irish tin whistle by ear (and incredibly well!), and I grew up listening to him play. He took me to Ireland for the first time in 2002, and I was instantly smitten! Since then, I have been back to Ireland 4 times (and my son Jacob often flies over with me, and then takes off on his own travels in Ireland and Scotland) in 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012 (for 6 week visits), and am looking forward to returning next summer for another artist residency in Cill Rialaig, Kerry. I then hope to return to the little village of Glendree (near Feakle) in East Clare for the music and to visit friends.

 You are presently the Founder & Director of Riverside Celtic College, Guelph, Ontario. What can students learn going to this place?

We offer classes in traditional Irish and Scottish music (Irish Fiddle, bodhran, Irish Flute, Scottish Smallpipes, Mandolin and Tenor Banjo, Guitar accompaniment, Tinwhistle, Introductory Violin and Celtic Song) as well as Irish Language and Irish Ceili & Set Dancing.  We also host  trad sessions for students, as well as traditional music concerts with musicians, (both internationally renowned and emerging), from all over the world. Often we’ll offer trad music workshops in conjunction with the concerts.

In 2012 we’ve had concerts with musicians like renowned fiddlers Tony Demarco & Patrick Ourceau, brilliant Galway fiddler Maeve Donnelly with guitarist Andy Hillhouse,  the amazing Irish flute player and singer Nuala Kennedy with fiddler Dana Lyn and guitarist Andy Hillhouse, and  look forward to upcoming concerts with the new trad trio Nua (fiddler James Law, guitarist Graeme McGillivray and bodhran player Jacob McCauley)  as well as a joint concert in December featuring Bua and North Atlantic Drift.

We have 52 mutual friends in facebook. And you are also very active in networking. But tell me, how effective is social network sites in terms of getting people to attend shows…especially in terms of those you invited within Ontario. 

I think that it’s a great way to get the word out, as more and more people are on Facebook.  And it’s an excellent way to keep people informed of what going on in one’s life and career, especially if you’re travelling, and touring around Ireland and having shows!

The Riverside Celtic Society is turning lots of heads these days. Can you tell us more about it?

I founded Riverside Celtic College in the village of Elora Ontario, in 2003, when I was first getting into learning how to play the fiddle. I was instantly addicted to the instrument, and traditional Irish  music, but was having trouble finding instructors to teach Irish fiddling.

I started the school, partly because I wanted to learn how to play, but also wanted to turn other people on to the music. I also found that after my trips to Ireland, I would come back to Ontario and crave the intimacy and richness of the Irish culture that I’d left behind me, and had a desire to create that same feeling of community in Ontario.

So, in addition to starting the school, my close friends and I started a traditional Irish pub session at the Shepherd’s Pub, in Elora, Ontario, Canada, that has been going for almost 13 years! Since then, the school has evolved into a really special and unique non-profit organization that seems to attract the most wonderful folks to its classes and events.

Riverside Celtic Society has recently received a major catalyst to its growth and evolution as an organization: we received a generous two year grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, which has proven to be a  very positive development, allowing us to offer  a new educational outreach series of  music/dance performances called the “Kitchen Party”, as well as hosting an exciting new concert series (including music  workshops),  called the RCC Traditional Music Concert Series “Live Trad at the Albion”.

We have also recently received generous donations from a group of former students, to create a a new traditional music scholarship, in memory of a dear former student who, sadly, passed away in June 2011, the Tom Kelly Music Scholarship.  Ar RCC, we’ve essentially put our energy towards creating a community of like-minded people,  who love the music and culture of Ireland and Scotland, and want to share that passion.

What albums are you listening to these days and what music would you recommend to us?

After spending time in East Clare this past summer, and going to the Feakle Festival (and spending time with my good friend Maeve Donnelly), I’ve been immersing myself in the music of Clare: “The Thing Itself” with Maeve Donnelly and Peadar O’Loughlin, “The Shores of Lough Graney” with Martin Hayes and P. Joe Hayes, the albums of Dennis Liddy and Michael Hynes “Waifs and Strays”, and “Spectacle Bridge”,  and I love John McEvoy’s album  “Traditional Irish Fiddle”, as well as the album “The Kilmore Fancy”, recorded with his sister, the brilliant Irish Flute player, Catherine McEvoy.

The most recent recording I’ve been excited about is the soon-to-be-launched EP of the new trad trio, NUA (full length CD to released in 2013), with fiddler James Law, guitarist Graeme McGillivray, and bodhran player, Jacob McCauley, which features some really exciting original music that, while grounded in traditional Scottish music, is really innovative and experimental in its approach.

Who is Eva McCauley as a mom and as a friend?

An artist and musician…equally addicted to both!   www.evamccauley.com   www.riversidecelticcollege.ca 

Art samples:

Eva McCauley: Invisible

Eva McCauley:Invisible

Cill Rialaig Sky

Night Swimmers III

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NUA

A addictive traditional brew is being served courtesy of  award-winning fiddle player James M Law, versatile & tasteful guitarist Graeme McGillivray and award-winning bodhrán player Jacob McCauley. Stylish, delicate at times and mostly energetic, Nua is a trio that’s sure to captivate and please listeners. I am a big fan of Jacob McCauley’s drumming style as he brings layers of expression to the bodhran. Graeme McGillivray’s wispy strums create an envelope of steady rhythm to the laser preciseness of James M Law’s fiddling.

NUA live in Guelph, April 2012. Original composition by NUA

NUA is an innovative new trad trio, bringing a fresh and unique sound to traditional music, creating their own distinctive flavour with both original and traditional compositions from Ireland and Scotland. Based in Toronto, Canada, NUA consists of three members: award-winning fiddle player James M Law, versatile & tasteful guitarist Graeme McGillivray and award-winning bodhrán player Jacob McCauley. The interaction between the three is what really makes the music shine, whether it be their soaring melodies or tasteful grooves. The trio is also well known for their exciting incorporation of odd time signatures and poly rhythms, which give the music an electrifying lift and spontaneity.

Each member adds their own distinctive sound and influence to the music. Although they are a trio with a sole melody player, the brilliant multi-tasking of each member is demonstrated countless times with perhaps a guitar-driven flat-picked melody, rhythmic fiddle playing, or melodic bodhrán playing to add to the mix. The ability for each member to take on multiple roles is one of the staples of NUA. This adds to a thrilling live experience, and a “you just don’t know what’s coming next” approach!

NUA is currently preparing for the release of their first E.P and their debut album to be released early 2013.

More of Nua here: https://www.facebook.com/TRIONUA