Celtic Nations

Barbara Tresidder Ryan of Iona Speaks About The Music of the Celtic Nations

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Barbara Tresidder Ryan

Silver is the new album by Celtic band Iona. With amazing arrangements of tracks and interesting choices of materials, I am sure listeners would like to hear the ‘behind the scenes’ aspects of this album. And of course, the band as whole. It is quite an achievement to maintain that rush of creativity for decades.Barbara Tresidder Ryan, Bernard Argent, Chuck Lawhorn,  James K. Queen and Kathleen Larrick continue to make the music fresh and relevant in today’s generation. I am glad to be able to have a chat with Barbara Tresidder Ryan and the creative force behind the music. There is also a glimpse of her own musical life in the interview.  And oh, check out that video at the bottom of this post. She is an amazing player. So are the other members of Iona! So read along and enjoy.

 IONA as a band has been around for more than two decades. This is remarkable because it shows the member’s dedication to music! How does it feel releasing the new CD Silver?

Releasing “Silver” was just the natural progression of a long and passionate musical journey.  It has been bittersweet in some respects as the power of recorded albums has waned, giving way to the more diffuse acceptance of downloadable music, and the high tide of Celtic music, which peaked in the 90’s and early aughts, recedes.  CD sales, which were always a banner of success, are no longer the immediate gratification.  That being said, all of us in IONA are thrilled with the album as a production.

I love the music of the Celtic nations and I always make it a point to represent the many colors of the Celtic world. IONA is close to my heart being able to represent the music of the Celtic nations. Do you always make it a point to have this in mind every time you go to the studio to record new tracks for an album?

Celtic music, like Celtic design, has themes that resonate from one culture to the next.  Bernard Argent and I set out a long time ago to investigate and pursue the modal and rhythmic themes that wind through the music of ALL the Celts.  It’s freeing to launch into the ancient traditions where time signatures don’t have to conform to modern meters but to the movement of dancing feet, or sing a song that is in a mode that doesn’t even have a name!  When we choose our material, we do so by ear and what seems to fit together, borrowing from one tradition to complement another – rarely by intention: an Appalachian song just sometimes insists on being coupled with a Galician tune – we can’t argue!

 You have danceable tunes as well as ballads in Silver. I love IONA’s take on Dans les Prisons de Nantes which I iona silverfirst heard from Tri Yann. Will we be hearing more Breton music in your upcoming projects?

We always have lots of Breton music in our arrangements.  Many thanks to the fabulous Nolwenn Monjarret and her father, Polig, for introducing us to such a wealth of Breton songs, tunes and dances!

Manx music is really fascinating and the track 10 ( Moirney ny Cainle/Arrane y Guilley Hesheree/St. Ives Fer Moh ) is worth an applaud. How do all band members keep the authenticity of the language and a tune being from the United States where English is the primary medium of communication?

Having majored in languages and lived overseas all my young life, I’m attracted to all language sounds.  Jim Queen has also taken on language study more recently and has the ear.  We both speak French fairly fluently.  We are fortunate to have speakers of most of the Celtic languages in the Washington, DC area and are coached by them in the languages with which we aren’t familiar.  My background is Cornish and Scottish, and I traveled to Cornwall many years back to consult a Cornish bard on the re-emerging language of Kernow so I could sing with some authenticity.

 Your voice is unique because it sounds natural. How did you decide to maintain your vocal style while others want the more operatic, airy kind of voice?

I started out as a folk singer in the 60’s.  My mother was from Kentucky and I grew up surrounded by what we knew as American folk music which also happened to be the folk music of the British Isles.  A quick aside here to say it’s always been odd to hear, when we’ve toured in Scotland and England, that we’re singing “their” music when I’ve always thought of it s “mine”.  I trained for 10 years in my twenties and have used that training to keep my voice strong and healthy, not operatic.  At 63, I can sing 4 or 5 shows a day, even acoustically, for days and not tire.  I now teach these techniques to singers of all ages.

 Your live shows are not just appealing in the listening sense but you also have Celtic dance thrown in the mix. How is IONA different now compared to when you were all starting out?

When we started out, we were playing mostly Irish and Scottish/English music, since that was what we knew from childhood.  We traveled a lot and discovered that there was a whole lot more to Celtic music.  We played in sessions, contacted musicians from all the “nations”, founded a great Celtic festival, the Potomac Celtic Festival, bringing together all the elements, and just continued to grow as we absorbed all the amazing influences (as you seem to be doing as well!).  We have been fortunate over the years to have dancers, who have also been musicians, be part of the band, and to have learned Breton dances that are integral to our performances.  Highland dancer Susan Walmsley danced with us for 5 years, followed by Kathleen Larrick who grew up with Irish step dance and clogging, who has been with us for 6 years.

 Where can listeners buy Silver?

Silver is available on our website at http://www.ionamusic.com/silver.shtml and also from CDBaby and itunes.  We recommend http://iona.bandcamp.com for the highest quality digital downloads.

What are the exciting things waiting for all of you in terms of live shows this year?

We’re always working on new material that we’ll be introducing at our shows.  This year, we’re not touring too far afield, this being a time for developing arrangements.  Our schedule can be found at http://www.ionamusic.com/perform.shtml.

The DVD called Live! At the 333 has been released already. Do you have other DVDs ?

Not at this time, although there is an interesting compilation of 3 different performances of “Dans les prisons de Nantes” available on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALWFAR533oA.

 What’s your message to our readers?

Open yourselves to all the Celtic influences around you: listen for the commonality and rejoice in the differences.  We’re so lucky to be able to hear and experience such a broad range of music informed by the Celts worldwide!

Links:

http://ionamusic.com/

http://iona.us.com/

https://www.facebook.com/IONAmusic

Iona Celebrates 25 Years of Celtic Music with Silver!

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iona silver

IONA is THE pan-Celtic band iof the Washington, DC metro area: Barbara Tresidder Ryan (lead vocals, bouzouki, bodhran, pieds and guitar) Bernard Argent (flute, whistles, vocals and percussion), Chuck Lawhorn (bass guitar, vocals low whistle), Jim Queen (fiddle, banjo, vocals) and Kathleen Larrick (dance, vocals), formed in 1986.

Tracks:

1.Les Mardi Gras/Reuben’s Train/Le Reel Béatrice 04:23
2.  Willie’s Auld Trews/Fionnghuala/Tam Lin 06:22
3.Morwnad yr Ehedydd/Titrwm Tatrwm/Abergenni 04:28
4.Volviendo al Valle/Chouteira/Get You a Copper Kettle 08:37
5. Tail Toddle/The Morning Dew/The Ale is Dear 02:59
6. Seán Bháin/Chloë’s Passion 03:54
7. Les Poules Huppées/Ton Bal Eured/Tumbledown 05:58
8. Pachipi/Dans les Prisons de Nantes/Johnny’s Gone to France 04:53
9. The Trooper and the Fair Maid/Toddy MacPherson’s 04:43
10. Moirney ny Cainle/Arrane y Guilley Hesheree/St. Ives Fer Moh 04:08
11. Shetland Reels: Spootiskerry/Sleep Soond i’ da Moarnin’/Faroe Rum/Willafjord 03:58

Silver is the symbol of wisdom. It is also a term used in a certain type of voice to signify something pure and sparkling. For example, Judy Collins described the voice of Sandy Denny as ” Like Golden Silver’ because it is something you’ve never heard from anyone. Iona’s music reflects this maturity and the wealth of experience being in Celtic music for years. They have influenced other bands. And while their works are seminal, they never stopped breaking new grounds by creating fresh tunes which  celebrate global diversity yet still rooted in Celtic tradition.

Silver has eleven tracks of rich musicality that will continue to echo in your soul long after the CD has been removed from the player. The pieces are woven in such a way that the album sounds seamless . The tracks play in relation to each other while maintaining that diversity of arrangements all throughout the album. It celebrates the spirit of the Celtic nations as band members perform tracks varying between vocal and instrumental.

Silver is not just the joy of tunes but also of tongues. The multilingual approach of this project is  impressive. It is like being treated into a dinner of different flavours and aroma that your sense can’t help but be delighted. Throw in a dance number by Kathleen Larrick and you have a stunning live show. The DVD called Live! At the 333 has been released. note: The video was recorded live with no retakes or overdubs.

The tracks :

Les Mardi Gras/Reuben’s Train/Le Reel Béatrice which is the first track makes use of the percussive power of the French language based in Quebec.

Willie’s Auld Trews/Fionnghuala/Tam Lin is a Scottish medley of lively instrumentals and a puirt-a-beul vocal track based on the Hebridean tradition.

Morwnad yr Ehedydd/Titrwm Tatrwm/Abergenni takes us into the mystery of the  Welsh tradition.

Volviendo al Valle/Chouteira/Get You a Copper Kettle is a medley of Bolivian/Galician and Bluegrass music.

Tail Toddle/The Morning Dew/The Ale is Dear takes us into the marriage of Trad Scottish/Irish and of course Robert Burns.

Seán Bháin/Chloë’s Passion is a Scot tune along with a suggestive Irish tune. All translations can be found in the band’s website.

Les Poules Huppées/Ton Bal Eured/Tumbledown takes us into a buffet of French, Breton and Irish instrumental music.

Pachipi/Dans les Prisons de Nantes/Johnny’s Gone to France takes an adventurous dip into Breton and Irish tunes. This track tells of a prisoner of Nantes(which you might have originally heard from Tri Yann).

The Trooper and the Fair Maid/Toddy MacPherson’s  all Trad Scot divided between the first which is a vocal track and then segued into the second half which is instrumental.

Moirney ny Cainle/Arrane y Guilley Hesheree/St. Ives Fer Moh all frolicking into the Manx side of the Celtic musical culture. Impressive vocal harmonies there!

Shetland Reels: Spootiskerry/Sleep Soond i’ da Moarnin’/Faroe Rum/Willafjord celebrates the music of Shetland and Cape Breton fiddling styles.

It is hard to pick a favorite track because everything is impressive. I know trad music lovers must have heard some of these tracks performed by other artists but Iona gives them something refreshing and unique.

Links:

http://ionamusic.com/

http://iona.us.com/

https://www.facebook.com/IONAmusic

 

 

 

 

 

Yn Chruinnaght’s CD ‘The Gathering’

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Yn Chruinnaght’s CD ‘The Gathering’ is an exciting collection of Celtic music featuring twelve tracks donated by artists who have played at the festival over the years. The Gathering CD will raise vital funds for future events.

Those involved in the Manx music festival Yn Chruinnaght took a bold step with The Gathering. It is a compilation CD with 12 songs. These tracks were carefully selected and they all represent what is good, new and beautiful about the Yn Chruinnaght festival in the Isle of Man. Yn Chruinnaght (which also stands for the English word The Gathering)  was made up of tracks kindly donated by various artists who joined the festival throughout the years.

I have to be honest, it is hard to choose which is the best track. The Gathering is a CD that boasts wonderful tracks from bands that have been part of the festival through the years. From the enchanting hammer dulcimer of Cornish band Leski, to the perky accordion of Jamie Smith’s Mabon; everything in this album shines and enriches the soul.

The tracks and artists are:

Three spires/Tregajorran furry – Leski (Cornwall) Hammer dulcimer along with irresistible rhythm makes this the best choice as an opening track. Everything about Leski celebrates the beauty of Cornish music.

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Ah, que les femmes y sont betes d’obeir a leur mari – Trio Froger (Brittany) The tempo represents Breton dances. A trio of accordion, fiddle and lead vocals.

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Our ship did sail/If young men could swim – Sheear (Isle of Man) Meaning ‘West’, Sheear is an all girl band made up of musicians and singers who come together in between playing in other bands. Whistles, fiddles, piano, flute and vocals make this track a magical listening experience.

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Mae gen i fuwch – Never Mind The Bocs (Wales) The great thing about the Celtic language is that you don’t have to understand it, to appreciate the sound it makes. Such is the case of this Welsh track from this five-piece band. From Cajun to ceilidhs, via Blues and folk-rock, the contemporary approach of Never Mind The Bocs will charm lovers of Dougie McLean and Planxty.

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Just for Sean – Leo McCann (Scotland) What he can do with button box and tin whistle will find you tapping your feet and rocking your body. Leo has recorded over twenty albums. This track is an example of his fine musicianship distilled through years of playing in his own solo albums as well as other bands. Hands down! This is one of the great trad music I heard in ages.

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In with the bricks – Pipedown (Scotland) I wrote about them in my previous article and hearing this track proves my point that they are a force in the Scottish folk scene. In With the Bricks applies the skillful ease of poly-rhythms and the mellifluous sound of the small pipes.

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Kishtey ny yindyssyn – Staa (Isle of Man) A little bit on the groovy side with the infusion of reggae, bossa and vocal harmonies reminiscent of The Beach Boys, Staa will warm you to their music right away.

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Sumach – Scoot (Cornwall) Trad driven with hints of jazz and funk this Cornish band will enchant lovers of traditional Irish and Scottish music. The undeniable command of skill and technique are displayed in this wonderful track which is a duet between acoustic guitar and flute.

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Bonny broom – Imrama (Ireland) After thirteen years of playing, this track shows the refinement of this band. Influences of Planxty, Sweeney’s Men, The Bothy Band, and Steeleye Span are evident in their recordings.

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Kilmartin sky – Rachel Hair (Scotland) I became a fan of her music and I wrote about her band in my previous post. Rachel is the best Scotland has to offer in terms of harp playing. Delicate and haunting, this track celebrates the power of Celtic music through nuance and grace. A truly enriching and perky listening experience that made me tap my foot as the track gathers rhythm when it reaches the middle part.

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Derriere chez moi, ‘y a un etang – Chal ha Dichal, with vocals by Lors Landat (Brittany); The reason why I am crazy about Breton music is because of the energy and passion all Breton performers give when they sing or record albums. This track shines with so much positive energy that I end up smiling after.

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Fiddler’s despair – Jamie Smith’s Mabon (Wales) Well, introduction is not needed when you talk about this band. Energy and skill are consistent with their every track. Despite the title, Fiddler’s despair is a joy to listen to.

I think everyone who loves Celtic music should get this album. It only features the best and the brightest from the Celtic nations. The album features a beautiful photo by Dimitar Pentchev with a nice album artwork by Adam Rhodes. It also boasts an informative liner notes. I think liner notes are very important. Dave Rowles made a great arrangement in this compilation CD.

Special thanks to Laura Rowles for this wonderful treat.

You can buy the CD here: http://www.ynchruinnaght.com/cd/

Yn Chruinnaght Inter-Celtic Festival – 14-21 July 2012

2012 marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Mona Douglas, the founder of Yn Chruinnaght Inter-Celtic Festival. Throughout her life Douglas was passionate about promoting and supporting Celtic culture, and she was respected throughout the Celtic world for this. Douglas had a vision of a Manx national festival, and this resulted in Yn Chruinnaght being started in 1977. However, unfortunately she did not live long enough to appreciate the huge success of her legacy.
Yn Chruinnaght aims to foster cultural relations between the Celtic nations, whilst also working to promote Manx culture, both on the Island and further abroad. The festival features performers from all of the Celtic countries in various venues throughout the Island. As well as music and dance performances, the festival also includes language events, lectures, workshops, art exhibitions, and fantastic sessions.
This year promises to be a particularly exciting festival, with the line-up so far including Scottish fiddle supergroup, Blazin’ Fiddles, mighty Breton band, Forzh Penaos, progressive Cornish group, Pentorr, and the extremely talented Rua Macmillan Trio. Manx bands that will be appearing include new Manx trio, Barrule, Strengyn, and Nish as Rish, who had the honour of winning the Trophée Loïc Raison at Lorient festival last year.
The festival offers much to keep visitors occupied throughout the week; however, there is still plenty of time to explore the beautiful Island. The Isle of Man boasts fantastic beaches, striking mountains, and picturesque glens, and has attractions to suit everyone.
For more information on the festival, see www.ynchruinnaght.com or email ynchruinnaght@manx.net
For more information about the Isle of Man, see www.visitisleofman.com

Chat with Iolo Whelan of Jamie Smith’s MABON

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Jamie Smith’s MABON:  Concerts, changes and the new album.

I posted my first article about Jamie Smith’s MABON in May 5,  2010. Back then the band were known as Mabon. They  appeared in  posts as it is hard not to notice them. Everyone  was either tweeting about them or just posting status updates with youtube videos of the band.

The music is a mix of all the influences from the seven Celtic nations. That is why apart from being a Welsh band , they officially label themselves as playing  original, Interceltic, world music. To quote from the band: ” it draws inspiration directly from the traditional folk music of the Celtic countries. This is not Welsh music, nor Scottish or Irish; this is Interceltic music, a true exploration of forms and styles found in Celtic music and their forging into something bold and new.”

It is interesting to observe how this band continue to grow in their sound. After three albums(one is  alive concert)  they are working on the latest album. It is an honor to catch up with Iolo Whelan the drummer and official spokes person for the band to gather thoughts that very few know about yet. I am glad to know one thing and that is(sound of trumpets)……the name of the new album!

Band members

Jamie Smith – Accordion, Oliver Wilson-Dickson – Fiddle, Adam Rhodes – Bouzouki, Matt Downer – Electric & Upright Basses, Iolo Whelan – Drums and Percussion: Calum Stewart (special guest) – Flute & Pipes

Iolo interview answers for The Celtic Music Fan, May 2012.

 

Website: www.jamiesmithsmabon.com   FB: www.facebook.com/jsmabon

 

What’s the best part about touring with the band?

We are very fortunate in this band that we get to travel: as well as touring in the UK, which I love, we’ve also traveled in Europe, Canada, Australia and Mexico.  When we travel, we meet so many wonderful people, and see so many amazing things.  I always feel when you visit another country as a working musician, you see a very different picture than if you were a tourist.

As a brilliant example, I remember the first time we went to Poland: we were in the country for less than 24 hours, but by the time we left, I felt as though I had had an amazing insight into Polish life, Polish culture, Polish people’s lives, which will stay with me for ever.  It’s the same everywhere we go.

And apart from the travel of course, there are two obvious but very important things which I love about working in this band – the friendship and the music!  Playing with great musicians who are also your friends makes any performance a joy.

Tell us about the new project you are working on at the moment.

 

For us, this year is all about our new album, Windblown.  We were preparing  new material in the winter, and we’re recording it over spring and summer ready for an album release tour in the autumn.  Our last album was recorded live, so it’s a while since we were in the studio, and it’s interesting to see how things have changed.

The biggest change is the inclusion of songs in our repertoire now as well as the established instrumental aspect.  I was interested to see how the two things would sit side by side on the new album: and I think because we treat our songs the same way we treat our instrumental material, they form one unified collection very well.

We’re very excited about the way it sounds so far and can’t wait to get it out there for our friends and fans!

Has there been a change in the traditional Welsh music scene recently and what are they?

 

I think if there is a change in the traditional music scene in Wales today, it is a new confidence amongst musicians and bands.  I feel that more bands are happy to do their own thing and chart their own course.

Some are returning to the roots of the music and further exploring that material at its oldest sources; some are still mixing traditional material with rock and pop influences; others are exploring new realms of fusion with a broader palette of genres.  Our approach is to work without a specific niche or brief, and to make music as we fancy, taking in different influences from all the great music we hear, and seeking whatever sound we enjoy in our own original music.

Maybe that confidence in the Welsh folk scene is reflected in the appearance of more Welsh roots bands on the world music stage: Jamie Smith’s MABON, 9Bach, Calan, Burum, Catrin Finch and others are appearing more often on international stages now.  Indeed, I think some of these bands receive more attention on roots and world music platforms internationally than they do in Wales – maybe with time that will change too!

How do you define the music of Jamie Smith’s MABON and what are the things we will be expecting from the band this year in terms of concerts and collaborations, if there are any?

 

We describe our music as original, Interceltic, world music.  Original because, even though we work in a roots field and with trad music influences, our music is mostly composed by our accordionist and lead vocalist Jamie Smith; Interceltic because our primary influences are the cultures of all the Celtic nations; and world music because we do not feel we need to restrict ourselves to that field, and because our brand of original roots music sits so well on a world music stage.

Our main focus for this year is our new album, as I mentioned, and while that keeps us looking inward for a while, we will also be featuring several new and established collaborators on the recording.  Old friends Calum Stewart and Will Lang will contribute on wooden flute and on bodhran respectively, but our friend and recent collaborator Tom Callister will be guesting on the album too, as well as some other very special musicians yet to be revealed.

We’re hoping, after some festival appearances this summer and our album launch tour in the autumn, to be taking plenty of bookings for 2013’s festival season.  Hit our ‘Like’ button on Facebook or bookmark the concerts page of our website, and you can you can keep an eye out for a gig or a festival near you this year, next year and beyond!

You are the skins man and what can you tell us about the drums that we don’t know yet?

 

I often say that mine is the best seat in the house for any concert, but a Jamie Smith’s MABON concert in particular provides really interesting challenges.  For me, I feel my task is to support the melodies and the songs without getting in the way.  The sound of the accordion, fiddle and bouzouki is so full that it can be easy for the bass and drums to distract from that fullness, without adding anything special in its place.

So I tread a fine line between lifting the music and spoiling it, and I enjoy having to make those decisions from one moment to the next: I hope I get it right enough of the time!  There are many challenging roles out there for a drummer, but I’ve been doing this gig for twelve years now, and it’s still constantly stimulating, and fresh and somehow different every time.

One of our most faithful long-term fans told me last year that he can listen to us play a piece of music which he’s heard countless times before, but will hear something new or different in it each time he sees us perform – that gives me great inspiration for every concert we play.

You can buy albums of the band here: http://www.jamiesmithsmabon.com/shop/

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Today in the Celtic world….

New album from an American harpist!

Congratulations to harpist friend Scott Hoye for releasing the album called Black Rose today! Listen and buy the album here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/scotthoye

The Seven Celtic Nations

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The Map of the Seven Celtic Nations(courtesy of cwis.org)

The Map of the Seven Celtic Nations (courtesy of cwis.org)

I have been meaning to present this but it seems like a big task. Thank goodness I stumbled upon Celtic Cafe’s own presentation here: The Seven Celtic Nations.

If you have already studied your geography then this is a great addition. And don’t forget to listen to the bands from this regions. They make excellent music.