celtic woman

Gentle As Morning Dew: Listen to Orla Fallon’s New Album.

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Orla Fallon’s newest album Sweet By and By dropped around March last year and it is making its way into international ears. I highly recommend it for those who are following the Nashville music scene because this album is very much close to that flavour of music. What strikes me as interesting is that, although Celtic Woman is a show that showcases the powerful vocals of Irish singers, Orla Fallon took the different route in her solo effort. I was intrigued if she’s going the Sarah Brightman path of grand operatic style or the Moya Brennan path. I am glad she took the latter and added her own twist to the soft rendition of classics and new songs.

My personal favourite is her version of Love Me Tender by Elvis Prestley. I think she really delivered the songs how it is meant to be sang- gentle as morning dew.

Sweet By and By has twelve tracks and these tunes will take you on a journey from Ireland to Old America. Feet Of A Dancer is a potential single. That is one track that like playing again and again because it is so beautiful. Everything about the album sparkles with superb production. Her harp skills are always present and this album is a joy to listen to.

Get your copy of Sweet By and By here: http://orlafallon.com/?product=sweet-by-and-by

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Celtic Woman: The Best of Christmas

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I love obscure tunes and the history behind them. For example I learned that Coventry Carol has a long history that dates all the way to the 16th century. And learning about one song will also encourage you to look at the wide vast of knowledge that covers holiday tunes.

Once in Royal David’s City is not something you get to hear in mainstream recordings(of pop and non pop singers). But Celtic Woman took the chance to pin this wonderful gem. So and I learned something about this Christmas carol. Here’s an interesting info from Wikipedia:

Originally written as a poem by Cecil Frances Alexander. The carol was first published in 1848 in Miss Cecil Humphreys’ hymnbookHymns for little Children. A year later, the English organist Henry John Gauntlett discovered the poem and set it to music.[1] Cecil Humphreys, meanwhile, married the AnglicanclergymanWilliam Alexander in 1848 and upon her husband’s consecration became a bishop’s wife in 1867.[1] She is also remembered for her hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful.

Since 1919, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at the King’s College ChapelCambridge has begun its Christmas Eve service, with Dr Arthur Henry Mann‘s arrangement of “Once in Royal David’s City” as the Processional hymn.[1] Mann was organist at King’s between 1876 and 1929.[2]In his arrangement, the first verse is sung by a boy chorister of the Choir of King’s Chapel as a solo. The second verse is sung by the choir, and the congregation joins in the third verse. Excluding the first verse, the hymn is accompanied by the organ. This carol was the first recording that the King’s College Choir under Boris Ord made for EMI in 1948.[3] Among others who have recorded it are Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Chieftains, Daniel O’Donnell, The Seekers, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Petula Clark, Jethro Tull, Sinéad O’Connor and Sufjan Stevens, St. Paul’s Choir School and most recently by the Irish group Celtic Woman in their album Voices of Angels.

Now this blog is not just about that one song but about an album that contains twenty Christmas tunes from Celtic Woman. I think this is also a ‘practical’ approach because when we are hosting a party, we don’t want an album to end too soon and then we are forced to put a new album in (I am an albums kind of guy as opposed to playlist) and this is it!

The Best of Christmas has a more Classical Pop appeal than Celtic. For Jazz lovers there are swinging songs like Let it Snow. I love this song so much as I always associate Christmas with something Jazzy.

Yes twenty songs will not disappoint you. Better grab this album while it is hot!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur0wGuoDg_s

All About the Celtic Woman USA tour

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Screen Shot 2017-04-15 at 3.56.28 PMIf you’ve been keeping track of Celtic Woman this month, then you know that there have been changes.In fact there is a lengthy article about it in the Chicago Tribune. A harp has also been added to their list of instruments in studio and live. Voices of Angels is the new album that they are promoting in their current US tour. The album was also nominated for the recent Grammys in the category of Best World Music Album. It also entered the Billboard Classical chart at #1. Quite a feat for a group that has undergone so many changes and continues to be a force Irish music internationally.

They will be performing in many places across the United States from this month up to June. So if you haven’t bought your tickets then it is time to do it! Celtic Woman is such a phenomenon like Riverdance. The current lineup are: Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin, Éabha McMahon and introduces the breathtaking new Celtic violinist Tara McNeill.

2017 VOICES OF ANGELS NORTH AMERICAN ITINERARY
3/2
Lakeland, FL
Lakeland Center
3/3
Orlando, FL
Bob Carr PAC
3/4
West Palm Beach, FL
Kravis Center
3/5
Tampa, FL
Straz Center
3/7
Fort Myers, FL
Barbara B Mann Hall
3/8
Melbourne, FL
King Center
3/9
Gainesville, FL
Philips Center
3/10
Jacksonville, FL
Times Union
3/11
Charleston, SC
Gaillard Center
3/14
Savannah, GA
Johnny Mercer Theater
3/16
Columbus, GA
River Center
3/17
Greenville, SC
Peace Center
3/18
Augusta, GA
Bell Auditorium
3/19
Charlotte, NC
Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
3/21
Salisbury, MD
Wicomico Youth & Civic Center
3/22
Asheville, NC
Thomas Wolfe PAC
3/23
Durham, NC
DPAC
3/24
Baltimore, MD
France Merrick PAC
3/25
Roanoke, VA
Berglund Center
3/26
Newport News, VA
Ferguson Center
3/30
Indiana, PA
Kovalchick Convocation Center
3/31
Lancaster, PA
American Music Theater
4/1
Lancaster, PA
American Music Theater
4/2
Binghamton, NY
Forum Theatre
4/4
Kitchener, ONT
Centre in the Square
4/5
Albany, NY
Palace Theatre
4/6
Providence, RI
PPAC
4/7
Hartford, CT
Bushnell
4/8
Greenvale, NY
Tilles Center
4/9
Portland, ME
Merill Auditorium
4/11
Worcester, MA
Hanover Theatre
4/12
Bangor, ME
Collins Center
4/13
Manchester, NH
SNHU Arena
4/14
Philadelphia, PA
Academy of Music
4/15
Rochester, NY
Auditorium Theater
4/18
Buffalo, NY
Shea’s PAC
4/19
Erie, PA
Warner Theatre
4/20
Cincinnati, OH
Aronoff Center
4/21
Dayton, OH
Schuster PAC
4/22
Columbus, OH
Palace Theater
4/23
Cleveland, OH
State Theater
4/25
Toledo, OH
Stranahan Theatre
4/28
Rockford, IL
Coronado PAC
4/29
Dubuque, IA
Five Flags Center Arena
4/30
Peoria, IL
Peoria Civic Center
5/2
Topeka, KS
Topeka PAC
5/3
Tulsa, OK
Mabee Center
5/4
Memphis, TN
Orpheum
5/5
Cape Girardeau, MO
Show Me Center
5/6
Richmond, KY
EKU Center
5/7
Louisville, KY
Louisville Palace
5/9
Huntsville, AL
Von Braun PAC
5/11
Pensacola, FL
Saenger
5/12
Montgomery, AL
Montgomery PAC
5/13
Bossier City, LA
Horseshoe Casino
5/14
Biloxi, MS
Belcher Center
5/17
Little Rock, AR
Robinson Center
5/18
Lake Charles, LA
Rosa Hart Theatre
5/19
Grand Prairie, TX
Verizon Theatre
5/20
Houston, TX
Smart Financial Center
5/21
San Antonio, TX
Majestic Theatre
5/23
Mesa, AZ
Mesa Arts Center
5/24
San Bernardino, CA
California Theater
5/25
San Diego, CA
Civic Theatre
5/26
Costa Mesa, CA
Sagerstrom Center for the Arts
5/27
Thousand Oaks, CA
Civic Arts Plaza
5/30
Fresno, CA
Saroyan Theatre
5/31
San Jose, CA
Center for the Performing Arts
6/1
Sacramento, CA
Community Center Theater
6/2
Reno, NV
Reno Events Center
6/3
Boise, ID
Morrison Center
6/9
Des Moines, IA
Civic Center
6/10
Green Bay, WI
Weidner Center
6/11
Rochester, MN
Mayo Arena
6/13
Minneapolis, MN
Orpheum
6/14
Kansas City, MO
Kaufman Center
6/15
Springfield, MO
Hammons Hall
6/16
St. Louis, MO
Fox
6/17
Springfield, IL
Sangamon Auditorium
6/18
E. Lansing, MI
Wharton Center
6/21
Syracuse, NY
Crouse Hinds
6/23
Elmira, NY
Clemens Center
6/24
Springfield, MA
Mass-Mutual Center
6/25
Lynn, MA
Lynn Auditorium

Celtic Woman new video and more new music!

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 2 Comments

 

The great thing about the human voice is that it can be honed to stretch its register or to improve its quality. An instrument (a saxophone for instance) can be singular in its quality. You know it’s a saxophone because of its characteristic. But a human voice can have many variations even in the same register. For example, it can be a fuller, bright or powerful soprano. It can be a soft, throaty or smoky contralto.

This is the musical romance that is showcased in the latest recording of Celtic Woman, a new version of Danny Boy. What’s stunning is the utilization of Capitol Records’ Studio A.

Studio A is our largest recording space. Originally built in 1956, Studio A has more than 1500 sq ft of floor space with over 50 years of audio recording heritage. Not only one of the best sounding orchestra rooms in the world, Studio A holds up to 50 musicians comfortably. The combination of timeless history and modern technology is a special feature of this room. Studio A has a variable decay time that can be tailored to your needs, this is accomplished by adjusting the louvered wall panels. Studios A and B can be combined by removing the retractable wall separating the two. The studio additionally features two isolation booths. Ideal for both acoustic and electric instruments, Artists have their choice of a Yamaha C9 or New York Steinway “B” piano. It also has a large private artist lounge above the control room.-Capitol Studios website.

More about the song below:

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Press Release from CELTIC WOMAN
Record “DANNY BOY” for the series, 1 mic 1 take, at the Iconic Capitol Records’ Building

The GRAMMY-NOMINATED GROUP is currently on a 91 city tour of the US
CELTIC WOMAN have recorded a stunning new version of the classic Celtic ballad “Danny Boy ” at the Capitol Records’ Studio A in Hollywood.  Utilizing Frank Sinatra’s microphone and Nat King Cole’s piano it was taped when the multi-platinum international music sensations were in Los Angeles for the Grammy Awards.  The track features Celtic Woman’s exciting new line up of Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin, Éabha McMahon and violinist Tara McNeill. The song and accompanying video are the latest in the 1 mic 1 take series recorded at Studio A. The series is described as “what happens when you take one artist, one mic, one iconic recording studio and give them one chance to show their raw talent.”  Previous artists who’ve recorded 1 mic 1 take sessions include Niall Horan, Gregory Porter, Emeli Sandé, Calum Scott, Halsey, Pete Yorn, Broods, and A Fine Frenzy.  Check out the 1 mic 1 take video, https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=_7RdcZFYx-U&feature=youtu.be
CELTIC WOMAN are currently out on their extensive US Voices Of Angels Tour in support of their latest album of the same name.  They are accompanied by an ensemble of Irish dancers, bagpipers and a full band playing an array of traditional Irish instruments. The 91-city trek kicked off March 2 in Lakeland, FL and will take Celtic Woman across the country before wrapping June 25 in Lynn, MA. VOICES OF ANGELS, on Manhattan/ Caroline Records, contains some of the most popular songs from the Celtic Woman repertoire, along with several previously unrecorded tracks, all with stunning new orchestral arrangements recorded with the 72-piece Orchestra of Ireland. Celtic Woman has a remarkable 12-year-legacy of introducing the most talented singers and musicians from Ireland onto the world stage.

ABOUT CELTIC WOMAN
Following its debut on PBS in 2005, Celtic Woman has achieved massive success encompassing twelve chart-topping albums, nine DVDs and nine public television specials leading to sales of over ten million albums, with platinum success in nine countries. Each of the twelve CDs–including 2016’s Voices of Angels–has reached #1 on Billboard’s World Albums chart. The group has been named Billboard Magazine’s #1 World Albums Artist six times.  Celtic Woman received its first-ever Grammy-nomination in the World Music category for its 2016 release Destiny. As a touring powerhouse, the group has performed for over four million fans across 23 countries and six continents, with an especially devoted following in America. Their shows are renowned as high quality entertainment with exceptional musical performances and stunning visual productions, enthralling audiences of all ages.

For full tour and more info go to www.celticwoman.com

Media Contact: Anita Daly / Daly Communications /2127720852 / anitadaly@yahoo.com
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The Crazy Rogues – Fleet (EP teaser)

 

Check this band out! They are from Hungary and they admire the music of Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, Paddy and the Rats, Firkin and Dubliners. Their unique style is heavily influenced by Irish punk and celtic punk music, as well as country and other folk music.They also like heavy metal and rock music.

They are happy doing concerts in Hungary and also abroad.
“From small pubs to big venues, our own shows as well as festivals, public events.”

Band members are:

Biermann Teo – flute |
Verrasztó László – lead vocals |
Fellegi Krisztián – banjo, mandolin, backing vocals |
Faragó Dániel – violin, backing vocals |
Fazekas Gábor – guitars, backing vocals |
Öcsi Levente – bass |
Nagy Ákos – drums |

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/TheCrazyRoguesBand

https://www.instagram.com/thecrazyrogues/

https://thecrazyrogues.bandcamp.com

 

 

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I Think I posted this video already but it is worth seeing and hearing again 🙂

Celtic Woman Q & A with Máiréad

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I’ve been playing Destiny by Celtic Woman many times. New voices and new songs. And lots of magical listening experience. Check out my entry regarding the album in my previous post.

It is a great honour to finally get to talk to one of the artists, notably my favourite violinist Máiréad Nesbitt who took the time to write the answers to my questions. You are probably wondering what it’s like to be part a powerful musical ensemble that continue to make music after a decade right? Well here’s your chance to know.

 

1. The new lineup brings something exciting to the music. What happened to the previous members?

As with most women we have desires to go off and start families and get married! Most of the beautiful women that have passed through Celtic Woman decided to leave to come off the road and settle down. Some have also gone on to have solo music careers too.

2. I love many tracks in Destiny. My personal fave is How Can I Keep From Singing? What made you decide to record this song?

I love that song too but as a listener from the wings! We love Clannad and Eabha was taught by the lead singer Moya Brennan so it seemed ideal for her to sing it. 

3. I See Fire (for me) threatens to be better than the original. What’s the story behind the inclusion of this song?

We wanted to move towards the future whilst not forgetting what made people love the group in the first place. Ed Sherran has deep Irish heritage so his music is heavily influenced by that- especially this song. It’s very Irish folk in style and is also a modern one so it seemed like the perfect fit. I also love story telling and this song has such drama in it. 

4. You are back with your US Tour. Wow 85 Cities! How are you preparing mentally and physically for this marathon tour?

Well, personally I follow a plant based (vegan) lifestyle to keep myself healthy of mind, body and spirit and I also work out every day to keep my immune system strong. Lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, water and sleep when we can! 

5. Can you give young women tips on how to sing beautifully like Celtic Woman?

Just be yourself. Don’t try and mould yourself into who you think you should be. Accept yourself from within and sing from your heart. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman who is happy in herself. 

6. What’s next after the US Tour?

We have lots planned including a hopeful trip to Asia-then onto Australia and back to the states for our Christmas symphony tour where we get to perform gorgeous Christmas songs with a different orchestra every night. I am also recording a solo album with Celtic Woman in the summer when we get off the road which I’m super excited about! 

There you go 🙂
-Máiréad Nesbitt
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