Athy

A fantastic essay from Fraser Fifield and more updates.

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Here is an interesting update that musician Fraser Fifield posted on his Facebook page. I thought that it would be great to share this post for everyone (with his permission of course) to read. And yes he gave his approval:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v77PHyULoU&list=UU3zm0M_KOO4-qO1cqAiyWbw
“A jig with no melody per se, perhaps.a wee pre referendum musing, feeling pensive at the time I think, but optimistic, stupidly. audio a bit a low side, but you can just turn it up, a fair bit. hope you like. it’s optimistic with a hint of certainty of getting done in and overtones of despair. ”

http:www.fraserfifield.com for more

My newsletter, to show unsubscribers just what they’re missing out on…

Welcome. Enough has happened in the life of this freelance musician, I feel, to warrant sharing an update for any vaguely interested, muse upon an existence which is pretty varied if not opulent, recount some highs and lows of the past year and so draw a line in the sand.

Then step over it and into the future. 2015 looks interesting, but first a non-chronological look at some of what was has been so far, 2014.

(Why? Because I like my work to remain current and vaguely in people’s consciousness at times, it’s healthy given my job, plus there’s good music involved which I’m genuinely happy to advertise).10387424_790070994388029_5241127912082493114_n

I’m happy to have contributed to a variety of nice recordings. Still unreleased, but soon to be, are 2 lovely records by Inge Thomson ‘Da Fishing Hands’ and Sophie Ramsay’s 2nd solo album, respectively. Already filtering through to discerning ears are records by Patsy Reid ‘The Brightest Path’ and Jim Sutherland aka Struileag aka Children of Smoke and one by me and Graeme Stephen lest I forget – Esotero, released this time last year, and still flying off the shelves. And there’s an unmixed record by David Milligan, Graeme Stephen and I, resting on a hard disk for some months now, quite happy, look forward to share that in due course.

A pleasure to play alongside and learn from (and travel, rehearse, eat, drink etc) Angus Lyon/Duncan Lyall Band, Gavin Marwick’s Band, Corrina Hewat’s Band, Graeme Stephen, Dave Milligan, Mr McFalls Chamber, Red Note Ensemble, Allan MacDonald’s ‘Bruce 700′, Big Big Sing, Jerry Donahue and crew, and all others..Thank you all, very much.

And the Eurovision song, for Montenegro, glorious, I didn’t see that one coming. Thanks Slobodan. A lovely song too… No, no I didn’t appear in the final, just the singer and a rollerskater did. I didn’t even leave my own flat…been doing a few bits of remote recording this year – just last week on a cover of You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC for a musician in USA. And also last week, in another studio right enough, a kind of sultry Marilyn Monroe version of the Proclaimers’ 500 Miles kind of gobsmacked me momentarily, but I regained composure and pitched in with everything I could blow or squeeze no problemo. They won’t mind me mentioning, it’s not meant for folks like you.

My week in Gavoi, Sardinia, in June, courtesy of the British Council, collaborating and making friends with fellow European musicians, was a small sunny highlight and felt perhaps like something of a holiday whilst being allowed to pursue an interest in making experimental music, without guilt. I’m not an experienced holiday-maker, some would argue a professional one, but they don’t know.

Sad news came regarding the untimely passing of Georgi Petrov this year. He’s missed. A virtuoso player of the Gadulka, he kindly played along with Nedyalko on my 2008 record Traces of Thrace. His warmth of character, stories, good company and the music which resulted was loved by all who knew him.

The musical year started with a chance to play on a couple of songs with Capercaillie on their 30th anniversary gig in the Glasgow Concert Hall. Having gone through teenage years listening to them a part of me felt a tiny bit fraudulent being on stage.. For the 15 mins on the night and only a day or two of anticipation beforehand in typical, loveable, Shaw style, this was really exciting. Later in the year if I hadn’t missed his call I could have got to play my whistle with Kylie Minogue.

The musical year actually started bang on the 1st with Graeme and I playing our part in Lau-Land Edinburgh, which was perfect, my guitarist colleague almost managed to sleep in, but didn’t.

What else…became increasingly politically charged re the Scottish referendum for a while, insulted quite a few people with contrasting views probably, got crushed, returned to normal.

The Martyn Bennett Prize for composition happened for the 2nd year in Edinburgh. This time I had the job of trying to play the finalist’s pieces along with 4 other musicians – fun and challenging. The standard was great but I would urge more composers to have a go – it’s restricted to Scottish based composers (I think) but that’s pretty much the only restriction. It’s got a 1st and 2nd prize of 2 and 1k respectively. It’s a kind of high-brow X factor, not to be taken overly seriously as competitions shouldn’t, but an event that can help motivate new ways to integrate elements of our traditional music in composed music. Fingers crossed it’ll run next year.

Now, looking over that line and beyond the approaching festival of consumerism, is Celtic Connections Festival 2015 and my pal Greg Lawson’s work to arrange Martyn Bennett’s great last album, Grit, for a large bespoke acoustic ensemble. As you do. To be performed in the festival’s opening concert, January 15th. All being well it will (must surely) be quite epic I imagine.

Inge Thomson’s Da Fishing Hands – Celtic Connections 23rd January, Glasgow. Inge and I are also beginning to play as a duo which I’m chuffed about. More info about this soon. But the Celtic Connections gig is a 5 piece and will surely be lovely. The 1st gig of this collection of music/song, on the tiny island of Fair Isle, May 2014, was one of my favourites. Inge and I also play Dec 12th in Kilbarchan, nr Glasgow.

A great opportunity has come along for me to join the tabla maestro Zakir Hussein’s ‘Pulses of the World’ project which will tour in Dubai and India at the beginning of February and in the USA in March. With Rakesh Chaurasia and Jean-Michel Viellon on flutes… shelves of my CD collection just came to life. Not that often I can reel off a tour list like this, so I’ll take this opportunity to:

13th March – Pabst Theater, Milwaulkee
14th March – Purdue University, Fort Wayne IN
15th March – Cullen Theater, Houston TX
17th March – Lisner Auditorium, Washington DC
20th March – Moore Theatre, Seattle
21st March – Chan Centre, Vancouver BC
22nd March – Boulder Centre, Boulder CO
27th March – Painted Bride Arts Centre, Philadelphia
28th March – Carnegie Hall, New York
29th March – Somerville Theater, Boston MA
31st March – Rio Theater, Santa Cruz CA
2nd April – Jazz Centre, San Francisco, CA
3rd April – Jazz Centre, San Francisco, CA

Audiences in the Scottish Highlands (mostly) will get a chance to hear my collaboration with Red Note Ensemble and Kuljit Bhamra (tabla) at the beginning of March. It was nice to meet and try some material out at the recent Sound Festival in Aberdeenshire. The Highland dates will be posted in due course.

I’ll leave it there, just before I begin to tell of a big bit of news, good news, which I had to read a few times when it arrived the other day. But that perhaps would turn this simple newsletter into something else, a short story at the least so, back soon on that.

Nice to write to you. Nothing to sell you directly but perhaps some CDs for Christmas presents, always an option, always a tenner.

Any correspondence always welcome.

All the best,

Fraser

 

www.fraserfifield.com

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ATHY “The Electric Harper”

Athy from Latin America.He’s got style, he’s got the funk. He plays the harp like no other. Mix the Spanish soul with Irish tradition and you get Athy Electric harper. He is passionate in propagating the harp as popular instrument and not confined inside the doors of classical standards. I made an interview with him before and he is down to earth and filled with a great sense of humour. It is good to see how his fans are multiplying year after year. He has toured around the world ad have performed with the greats in the world of traditional and contemporary music.He is embraced by fans of Jazz, World, Classical and Folk. Irish musicians hold him in high regard and well, hearing his recordings myself made me a fan!

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Moya Brennan and Cormac De Barra – Sailing

For those who missed this track the day it came out, here it is. So lovely! Enjoy your weeks ahead friends.

 

Athy:The Argentinian Harper Talks About Musical Fusion

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Harper from Argentina talks to CMF  about his music and upcoming projects.

I discovered his music while perusing the web for harp and harp players. Ever since I listened to Hilary Stagg recordings in the mid-90’s, I really wanted to explore the world of harp. I also enjoyed Lisa Lynne’s albums and the styles of different artists in Celtic music or otherwise.

Athy  is  from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He walks between the fine line of traditionalism and the avant-garde. It’s like  discovering Andy Warhol and Woody Guthrie in the same room playing dice and having  tea. .

This interview happened between his gigs. Here are the responses he gave me. They are  in Spanish and then there’s the English translations. He asked me if it is possible to answer in his native language. I said that is OK. There’s Google translator after all, and little revisions from my end.

His website: http://www.myspace.com/athycontemporaryharpercomposer

http://www.myspace.com/athyharper

How did you discover the love for harp?

He descubierto este maravilloso instrumento cuando tenia 12 años, primeramente he descubierto al arpa a través del arpa paraguaya, la cual es más conocida en mi país (ya que mi país es un hermano de Paraguay)… y luego conocí al arpa a pedal en el Conservatorio de Música Alberto Ginastera, luego el arpa celta a través de Loreena McKennitt, a quien admiro muchísimo… Y posteriormente el arpa eléctrica que es la que toco actualmente a través de la compañía francesa Camac Harps, quien además de fabricar mis instrumentos es mi sponsor oficial.

I found this wonderful instrument when I was 12, I first discovered the harp through the Paraguayan harp, which is better known in my country (as my country is a brother of Paraguay) … and then I met the pedal harp at the Conservatoire of Music Alberto Ginastera, then the Celtic harp by Loreena McKennitt, who I admire a lot … And then the electric harp is the currently played by the French company Camac Harps, who besides making my instruments is my official sponsor.

Who are your musical influences?

Principalmente las diferentes músicas del mundo… tales como la música étnica: celta, italiana, árabe, marroquí, asiática, india, tango, flamenco… etc… Músicas contemporáneas como el jazz, el rock, el pop y el blues también han sido grandes influencias para mis composiciones musicales… Y por ultimo cantantes, bandas. arpistas y compositores tales como: Loreena McKennitt, Hilary Stagg, The Cranberries, Dido, Kokia, Damien Rice, Paco de Lucia, Lisa Lynne, Kim Robertson, Diego Torres, Yiruma, David Lanz, Grainne Hambly, Maire Ni Chathasaight, The Chieftains, Ulla Van Daelen, y otros más que han sido y son grandes referentes artísticos en mi vida musical.

Mainly the different musical styles of the world … such as ethnic music: Celtic, Italian, Arabic, Moroccan, Asian, Indian, tango, flamenco … etc … Contemporary music like jazz, rock, pop and blues are also big influences on my musical compositions … And finally, singers, bands. harpists and composers such as Loreena McKennitt, Hilary Stagg, The Cranberries, Dido, Kokia, Damien Rice, Paco de Lucia, Lisa Lynne, Kim Robertson, Diego Torres, Yiruma, David Lanz, Grainne Hambly, Maire Ni Chathasaight, The Chieftains Ulla Van Daele, and others who have been and are great artistic references in my musical life.

How do you describe your playing style?

Athy… Simplemente ATHY. Mi estilo es mi música, mis propias composiciones y mi propia técnica que es una fusión de todas las arpas que he tocado en mi vida: arpa paraguaya, arpa a pedal, arpa irlandesa y ahora arpa eléctrica…
Quizás me atrevería a decir que es como un “World Harp-Music” o un “Genero Cruzado”, donde podemos escuchar una música New Age hasta un Latin Jazz con sabor a Blues y toques árabes o de flamenco!

Athy … Just Athy. My style is my music, my own songs and my own technique which is a fusion of all the harps I’ve played in my life, Paraguayan harp, pedal harp, Irish harp and electric harp now …

Perhaps I would say it’s like a “World Harp Music ” or “World-Fusion” where we can listen to New Age music to a Latin-flavored Blues Jazz and flamenco touches or Arabs!

You are currently on tour…tell me your exciting on-the-road experiences

Cada viaje es una sorpresa para mi vida… cada viaje esta lleno de nuevas sensaciones y de nuevas emociones… y haber tocado en festivales internaciones de gran jerarquía como el “Festival Interceltico de Lorient”, el 26 & 27 Rencontre Internationales de Harpes de Dinan, el Festival Mundial del Arpa en Paraguay, el RioHarpFestival en Brasil, el Festival Internacional de Arpas de Sentmenat en España y otros ha sido realmente un regalo para mi alma y para mi carrera musical…
Uno cuando viaje, descubre nuevos amigos, hace contactos y enlaza corazones con la música… y eso realmente te reconforta el espíritu de una manera increíblemente colosal…

Ahora justamente viajare a Brasil nuevamente y de Brasil me voy a USA a trabajar en mi 3er disco, el cual lo grabare en San Fransisco y donde dare conciertos y workshops, y de allí me iré a Europa a dar una serie de conciertos y master classes… así es mi vida, con el arpa bajo el brazo, de avión en avión, de tren en tren, de bus en bus… pero con el alma llena de alegría y de amor de cada tierra que voy visitando a través de los sonidos de mi arpa eléctrica.

Every trip is a surprise for my life … Each trip is full of new sensations and new emotions … and have played in international festivals such high rank as “Lorient Celtic Festival” on 26 & 27 Harper Rencontre Internationales de Dinan, the World Harp Festival in Paraguay, RioHarpFestival in Brazil, the International Harp Festival in Sentmenat Spain and others has been truly a gift to my soul and my music career …
One when you travel, find new friends, make contacts and binds hearts with the music … and that you really warms the spirit of an incredibly huge …

Now just will travel to Brazil and Brazil again I’m going to USA to work on my 3rd album, which it will record in San Fransisco, where I will give concerts and workshops, and from there I go to Europe to give a series of concerts and master classes … this is my life, with the harp under his arm, plane by plane, train by train, bus by bus … but with a heart full of joy and love that I visit every land through the sounds of my electric harp.

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Aengus are a musical group that introduced me to the amazing musician Robbie O’Connell. It was in 1998 that I got this CD and played it. It’s supposed to be a Christmas album but I found myself playing it all year-long. I love his voice. There is a clarity in his singing unmatched by any artist in the genre. I found this interesting press release sent to my email:

Irish Folk Music at Linden Place Mansion with Renowned Singer, Robbie O’Connell

Join us for a Night of Irish Music with renowned singer, Robbie O’Connell!

Bristol, R.I.— Robbie O’Connell, a Clancy family Irish folk performer, will grace the mansion parlors with an intimate performance on Friday, March 25, 2011 at 7:30pm.  Robbie O’Connell began his career by performing with his uncles, the Clancy Brothers. Yet more recently, Robbie has been performing solo throughout the East Coast as well as in Ireland. With prior venues such as Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Linden Place Museum is honored to host a performance by the Irish folk singer in the historical mansion parlors.

Robbie O’Connell has achieved recognition as a talented songwriter who can compose and structure a song out of everyday occurrences. After moving from Ireland to Massachusetts to where he now resides in Bristol, RI, Robbie O’Connell has carried on the family legacy, continuing to amaze Americans with his lyrical expression. With songs about war and emigration, a live performance with Robbie O’Connell is an intriguing and enjoyable experience, especially when he sings his comedic songs.

Tickets are $20, $15 for Linden Place Members, free for Colt Circle members and includes a wine reception to meet the performer.  Reservations are recommended and can be made by contacting Linden Place at (401) 253-0390.

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Friends of Linden Place is a non-profit organization responsible for the restoration and preservation of the historic house museum at 500 Hope Street in Bristol, Rhode Island, and for the promotion of cultural, artistic, and educational programs in the community. The mansion and grounds are open to the public from May to October, during the holiday season, and also by appointment.

More info here: http://www.robbieoconnell.com/