Also in this edition:Damien Mullane, The Tristan Legg Band, Paul Mounsey and Alalé.
Instagram pic of Frost at Midnight’s Happy Birthday
Album Review: Happy Birthday by Frost at Midnight.
Country: Wales
Band members:
Robert Atkins: guitar, bass, keyboards
Catherine Atkins: vocals
Catherine Handley: flute
Johnny Quick: vocals
John Tribe: harmonica
Record label: taff vale
Beautiful and uplifting, Frost at Midnight crafted an album that is determined to encourage repeated listens. Even the album artwork encourages a smile with its illustration of golden birthday cake framed in blue. The album title is Happy Birthday. Opening the cardboard case introduces me to a back cover picture of band members slicing that cake. There are references to Keats, Jacques Humbert, Jack Sinclair, Julian of Norwich and TS Eliot.
I can tell that songwriter Rob Atkins is somewhat into academic themes. This album is also traditionally influenced with classical frills. As for the vocals, Catherine Atkins and Johnny Quick both deliver superb singing styles. Catherine has pure soprano voice which is comparable to Judy Collins and fellow Welsh singer Mary Hopkins. Johnny has a faint folk roughness underneath the Broadway smooth voice.
A kind of high plucky sound is heard all over the album courtesy of Rob Atkin’s mandolin. The airy sounds of keyboards, bass and guitars almost slide into the border of indie folk and is only hold on a balance by the flute of Catherine Handley. The harmonica of John Tribe reinforces the band’s folk influence.
Happy Birthday opens with the lively A Birthday. It has a kind of 70’s vibes. The signing here reminds me a bit of Sally Oldfield and Maggie Reilly. Deep Open Chord follows with its heartfelt lyrics and pastoral melodies. Surprise by Joy opens with “Surprise by joy impatient as the wind I turn to share, I turn to share the rapture..” I am touched with the poetic elegance of this track. I love the mandolin playing in The Egg Timer. It’s one of those instrumental tracks that should be given more exposure for its delicate and atmospheric beauty.
Writ in Water has a renaissance kind of sound while All Shall Be Well reminds me of those Irish ballads performed by the Dubliners and Planxty. Love’s a Mystery is filled with magical bells which grow on you after repeated listens. Why Should I Care strikes me as something the late Sandy Denny would sing. At the same time the Jazz melodic flavor makes it a perfect lounge track. Percy Paves the Way burrows its melody from the Scottish song Ae Fond Kiss. The voice of Catherine Atkins soars like an angel.
Tambourine is a track that introduced me to the band after hearing it online. This is definitive Welsh trad style.The tambourine sounds trimmed down to give more emphasis on the flute of Catherine Handley. Sleep starts with an ambient keyboard style. This is the only track featuring a synthesized sound that works well! As the title suggests, it is a lullaby. Another Birthday(reprise) closes the album as an instrumental track.
My verdict: There should be more Welsh bands like Frost at Midnight that celebrates the beauty of combining the delicate styles of various genres. It is a must have album whither you are into indie folk, Celtic or easy listening.
Damien Mullane has just released 13. The carrier single is “The Orphan”. He’s just finished a tour with Fiddle player Colin Farrell and Lunasa’s Kevin Crawford. Big thanks to Cillian Doheny of Irish trad band Moxie for recommending this music.
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The Tristan Legg band
I discovered The Tristan Legg band last July of 2011. Since then I have been following their updates. Tristan Legg is based in Nova Scotia, the Celtic music capital of Canada. Below are videos that will give you an idea about his music. Enjoy!
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Paul Mounsey
My friend Paula who is based in Yorkshire England posted this man’s music on my facebook wall. I was captivated. There is definitely a strong Scottish identity in his music.This track is also very hypnotic. He was featured in the UK docu called Visit Scotland…
Video notes:
One picture video of Paul Mounsey track The Fields of Robert John
My friend Sacha Talens is a punk rocker who travels around the world. He lived for a certain time in Ireland. This is a band he witnessed performing live when he was in Galway.
Video notes:
Born out of the lively music scene in Galway in the West of Ireland, Alalé was formed in 2006. The band was formed by Fergal Walsh, David Cardona, Gabriel G. Diges and Ciaran O’Donghaile. They soon released the self-produced album Wo Japen, which has since gone on to sell over 4000 copies. At the moment the band members include, Flute, Whistle and Galician Gaita player, Gabriel G. Diges; Singer and Fiddle player, Stephanie Swanton, guitarist, Esteban Moreno; and Bodhrán player, David Cardona. Alalé have played and toured extensively in festivals and venues in Ireland and throughout Europe, returning regularly to Germany, Spain and the Netherlands and recently got their first television exposure playing on BBC Northern Ireland.
With the excitement of an upcoming album, Fraser Fifield talks to The Celtic Music Fan about music and what makes collaborative musical work interesting.
This week’s special attention is given to Scottish musician, composer and producer Fraser Fifield. I was captivated the first time I listened to one of his tracks. There’s sensitivity, intricacy and a sense of underlying elegance in his musical voice. I think I read and heard his music a couple of years ago, way before I even started writing about Celtic musicians. It is only now that I got an opportunity to communicate with him directly for this edition.
He plays the traditional instruments in a way a Jazz musician would, and then reverse the process with the Traditional instruments. It is like what happens when you put different people in different attires and situations and see how they react or how they look in that environment. This is what he did with music and instruments. I think his striking importance is being able to walk between different worlds and still maintaining the authenticity of his artistry in playing. This edition is about relationships: between different types of music, musicians and instruments.
I think you will enjoy how this interview turned out. I had fun making this one.
What’s keeping you busy these days Fraser?
What’s going with me? Well, the main thing just now is having eventually started recording an album with Graeme Stephen, guitarist and long term colleague – just duo, focusing on live performances basically – meaning played live together, not actual concert recordings..lots of electronics too but hardware boxes used in live performance on the whole as opposed to studio laboratory type of process – which is cool, but not what we’re doing here.
So we started that last week…and will be ongoing as time permits over the next wee while. Just had a flurry of CDs through the door as other projects I’ve recorded on came to fruition – Maeve Mackinnon, Sophie Ramsay and Wingin It…maybe you’ll hear some of these soon
Looking forward to playing London jazz festival with the Take 5 Europe ensemble plus a couple of gigs in Poland one with Maciej Obara 4tet and Take 5 again. Playing duo with Graeme in St Andrews Scotland in a couple of weeks…
Doing a recording session for Angus Lyon this week and hooking up for a small gig with an old friend – wonderful clarinet /sax player Dick Lee..
With John Surman and Tom Arthurs last week on Take 5 Europe. By Emile Holba
What can listeners expect from this new album in terms of style and sound?
I’m hoping folk will hear two musicians enjoying playing together who’ve built up strong dialogue between them (we’ve been playing together some 16 yrs I think). A general rule seems to be emerging – remember we’ve just started – to avoid layering performances/multitracking ourselves i.e. you’re essentially going hear two musicians playing live together, there’s no click track etc… that’s not too say sonically the record will be simple – early results suggest anything but…this is often just low whistle and guitar but like you’ve never heard.
A bold statement perhaps..but I’m being fairy serious… The live recordings on the soundcloud page hint at the sound of course, but I am enjoying working a little more on our recordings after the initial performance, resampling ourselves in a way, extracting small bits of audio and changing it’s function…I’ll say that much. Will it sound folk or jazz – I’m bound to be asked that… and the answer is I have absolutely no idea..a bit of both, or plenty of both actually. The compositions are mine but compared to my previous records I’d say improvised passages will turn out be more featured.
I think making music is also a relationship between you, your fellow musicians and your fans. What have you learned so far in maintaining this relationship since you started? What are the things you avoid now and what are the things you consider essential?
….Essential in regard to making music with other musicians, for me, is a sense of openness, trust and maybe some kind of mutual understanding of what it is we’re doing, not necessarily verbalized but that the feeling of all being well is present…all makes for a good starting point, at least musically; you could be having the worst week imaginable, but sometimes these things can twist around into good musical moments. Sometimes, hopefully not often, one can’t get into the right vibe to make music creatively for whatever reason, cat gone missing, who knows, but assuming all is fine there should be something you can switch on to be excited about what you’re doing, if you’re not already. Basically it helps to be in good mood is what I’m saying I suppose.
Musical situations I try to avoid are those where none of the elements to my previous answer are present. Also I’ve not been drawn into a ‘band’ situation for a wee while now, which is maybe down to my personality, I don’t know..I kind of miss it in a way, the band thing, but at the same time value the diversity of music I’m currently able to fit on my modestly sized internal drive.
Be nice to audience members if they’re being nice to you…i.e. paying to hear you play….would be a good general rule…
Try and have a relationship with the people that enjoy your music, if you want to that is…unless you have some Garbarek like qualities, and I try to mean that in a nice way, it’s a probably good idea business wise to interact a bit.. which I guess is what I’m doing right now..but I’m sort of enjoying the therapy of answering your questions. How’s this piece shaping up now by the way ?
Oh this is shaping my work nicely!
If you evaluate all the tracks you composed throughout your career, which one has an impact to you in terms of the manner it was composed and the inspiration behind it?
I’ve chosen the track called Psalm from my first solo album Honest Water as it’s perhaps the tune or idea which has had the longest and most interesting journey with me to date. The first idea was to try and imitate the sound of psalm singing from the Scottish Gaelic tradition – a most beautiful and peculiar art form in itself. My approach is a very simple one and one that has worked for me in many situations over the years, the more instruments playing together the better the effect, so great if working with groups of students of varying levels of ability for example.
Most recently I used this idea in the opening section of my piece ‘Playground Tales’ written for the group Mr McFalls Chamber with guests Corrina Hewat, James Ross, Aidan O’Rourke and myself – hopefully a recording next year. So the track Psalm from Honest Water began life as one of five parts of a suite for saxophone quintet titled Traditions – one of the first years of the ‘New Voices’ series of commissions made annually by Celtic Connections, and it’s still running – quite a body of work in there now. My turn was 2001, a long time back now!
I’ve never played the tune much on my own gigs for some reason, actually probably no reason, but have used it often in a variety of other settings, I recall…a group of 7 different European bagpipes at Rudolstadt Festival Germany, recently with Dutch trio the Nordanians, with the Take 5 Europe group this year, it’s served me pretty well, and I think it’s a nice melody.
With Corrina Hewat
If you have the time, the energy and the means to be an album producer, whom would you work with and what types of musicians would you help in producing records?
Well I’m doing that very thing right now in a kind of self-medicating manner along with Graeme Stephen in the making of a duo album together which is actually a bit overdue I feel, but at last is progressing nicely. I’ve always enjoyed being very hands on with every aspect of my own record making, from the engineering through arrangements, performance to mixing. I like having the freedom to work at my own pace with things and review/adjust at will…does end up taking forever sometimes though…and that’s not so cool always.
With other artists I’ve occasionally become involved in the role of producer or perhaps co-producer in some instances – for example where a group has developed a sound collaboratively and go on to then record. I’ve never been great at adopting a workmanlike attitude when it comes to making records. I think its quite a big deal. An example I can think of is with my friend Mick West, a traditional singer from Glasgow whom I first met whilst a student there. I’d played with him in various line-ups of the Mick West Band ever since, so when the chance to make his last album ‘Sark O Snaw’ came round I really wanted to do it, not least because having played with Mick for many’s the year he’d never properly captured the best of his music on record – I wanted to change that, and I think we did, to cut a long story short. It was a labour of love like most records I’ve worked on, probably ending up with a negative hourly rate or something close it, who cares, it’s a lovely document to have.
In terms of who to work with…if they can play well with heart and soul and give and take, and we can get along well, that’s the only ingredients required. I’m pretty happy doing a lot of the work I do for those very reasons.
Take 5 is an ongoing project you are involved with. Can you tell us a little bit about it and how’s it going so far?
It’s been a very nice experience. Firstly Take 5 then this year Take 5 Europe which is new extension of it. It’s about artist development essentially, through talks/discussions/networking (that mostly over one week) and making music with the other Take 5 participants you’re given tools or ideas at least aimed at perhaps focusing one’s career, taking a look over what you’re doing and what you might be doing…it’s positive certainly if anything at all.
This year the ensemble of musicians on Take 5 Europe proved to be a surprisingly cohesive group – not a typical line-up – 2 basses, vibes, drums, guitar, trumpet, 2 saxes + me. They’re a very nice bunch of people and amazing players, in late 20s or 30s – 2 each from Netherlands, France, Poland, Norway and the UK. We’ve been playing at the festivals run by partners of the scheme in Molde, Rotterdam, Coutance, with just 2 performances left to do in November in Poland and London. Playing and hanging out with John Surman on both these Take 5 weeks was certainly noteworthy, great musician and lovely chap.
I know you have played the bagpipes for a long time. But if you were a listener, what makes a bagpipe and amazing instrument?
There’s something primal going on with it that’s for sure. I can’t get into any physics that’s for sure too…I can but agree there is something about the sound that speaks to an enormous variety of people from every part of the world. Being very loud (if we’re talking the GBH here) is surely a bonus.
There you have it folks. Be sure to keep track of his schedules and keep him on your radars. The new projects sound amazing!
Fraser Fifield
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Pic of the day: Colin Nea-Between the Jigs and Reels
COLIN NEA will be launching his CD ‘Between the Jigs and the Reels’ at 9pm, Thursday the 8th November in the Temple Gate Hotel
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Enda Seery: Website updated and revamped!
The musician/composer of The Winding Clock has introduced a new feel and look to his official website. Visit :http://www.endaseery.com/
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Featured Video: Therese Honey: Paddy Cronin’s Jig – Jenny Pippin from ‘Summer’s End’
Yes yes! We have a new addition to our list of harpists to watch out for. Therese Honey creates a relaxing wall of strings with with the talent of Jenny Pippin. Have a listen 😀
Track 2 from the 2012 http://www.Waterbug.com release, Summer’s End. Photos of the Dingle Peninsula were taken in April 2011 by Therese Honey and Larry Mallette. Therese learned Paddy Cronin’s Jig from Gráinne Hambly. Jenny Pippin is from O’Neill’s “Music of Ireland,” 1903. www.theresehoney.net
In this edition: Damien McCarron of Mile High Celtic Radio, Karen Victoria Smith, Dan Coleman, Celtic Twist and Moxie!
Mile High Celtic Hour : You ultimate guide to Irish and Celtic music.
Got the feeling that you need to update you Celtic music collection? Work schedules and classes can sometimes take you away from what’s going on with the ‘scene’. Well worry no more.
Mile High Celtic Hour is guaranteed to put you ahead of things Celtic. This is a show based in North America, featuring a playlist that is diverse. You get to hear bands from all over the world and get to sample their best songs plus video via livestream.
Damien McCarron grew up in Howth outside Dublin and was immersed with Irish music and tradition. As a musician, he shared stage with amazing musicians in the field including members of Solas. This is a very exciting time for Irish music and the rest of the Celtic world. Damien is definitely in the right track and the right time, with the right crowd
Damien talking between music. .
Here is the page where you can watch and listen to his show:
The website of the duo Celtic Twist is updated! I met Phil Holland and Dave Palmley over a year ago and I have enjoyed their albums. They are doing interesting things with their diverse musical backgrounds by mixing them up with Celtic style.
They moved to Scotland from Italy around two months ago and Phil is taking her time drinking the sight of the beautiful Scottish landscape. This is where she grew up and Scottish music makes a huge part of her musical influences.
Dave Palmley’s pop rock influence creates a radio friendly balance for Celtic Twist. He likes experimenting with various instrument including the synths. Have you heard of a harp tune using the effects pedal?
This piece was originally inspired by the native north American people and their loss of land and cultural identity, but it is really in homage to all people of all races and creeds wherever they may be in the world, past, present and future, who suffer the indignities of invasion and oppression.
Phil: Celtic harps, Violins, Voices and Piano.
Dave: Guitars, Voices and percussion.
This will be on our forthcoming album, to be released later this year.
More news to follow. http://hollandandpalmley.blogspot.com/
Notes:
Dedicated to a dream come true,moving back home to the west coast of Scotland.This meditative and hypnotic piece of music is entirely written, arranged and performed by Celtic Twist (Phil Holland and Dave Palmley).We wanted to share with all our followers this beautiful place and its magical atmosphere.
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Dark Dealings Book Interview via Rock On Radio
Having a great time at the Draft House
Yes our musical culture has a literary friend in the form of Karen Victoria Smith. She wrote the book Dark Dealings which talks pretty much about Irish mythology, Wall Street vampires, shape- shifters and what they like to listen to in their ipod. You might think I am kidding about that last bit but I am serious. There are a lot of r references to Irish music in the novel and I think she is doing an amazing job pushing the culture and mixing it with the hip, the supernatural and how the money world works. I had to reread the book after it is done because I can’t part easily with the characters. They stay with you like long lost friends.
My friend Christi and I had a blast listening to her interview via Rock on Radio hosted by Dan Coleman and the gang. It was a wacky show and Danny asked a lot of interesting questions about the book. There’s a chat room where listeners can interact with the hosts. We also met Karen’s best pal Deedee who also happens to be part of an indie rock band Strumberry Pie. The internet made this world a better and smaller place. Christi’s in Michigan and I am in the Philippines. And we all had a blast!
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Introducing Moxie
Moxie
Genre: Irish Contemporary Music / Jazz / New Age Bluegrass / Folk
Darren Roche Button Accordian / Nylon String Guitar
Ted Kelly Tenor Banjo / Tenor Guitar / Mandolin
Paddy Hazelton Percussion
Hometown: Limerick / Sligo
What Lies Behind the Wall has notes tapping with suspense at the beginning of the track. It is like watching a flower bloom in hyper speed. Like all remarkable Irish bands playing traditional music, Moxie offers fresh approach to a tradition that has been around and is determined to stay.
Their sound is vibrant and the arrangements are intricate. This is traditional music with a cool twist. Sophisticated style blends with rustic simplicity making them one of a kind Irish band. In Elixir’s Walts, they took advantage to pauses and trance like melodies to create a dramatic effect that blends organic percussion with luminous instrumental delivery. This is the music of a butterfly’s wings flapping in a near flight.
Bug and Bear’s further showcase the hypnotic capacity of the banjo and guitar especially when it is given to the right hands. There are three tracks available for sampling in the band’s site http://breakingtunes.com/moxie. I am sure what’s on the site is just the tip of the iceberg.
Band bio: Formed in late 2011 as part of the annual folk festival, Sligo Live, Moxie are a Sligo and Limerick based band that formed through years of musical friendships from playing together at certain festivals around Ireland. The band incorporates Irish music with other genres such as folk, rock and new age bluegrass. A vibrant new band playing an exciting mix of traditional based compositions with richly developed layers of fantastic harmony. The band includes JPTrio members, Ted Kelly (banjo, tenor guitar, vocals), Jos Kelly (button accordion, keyboard, vocals), Paddy Hazleton (percussion, vocals) and Limerick based musicians, accordion and melodeon powerhouse Darren Roche and virtuoso banjo & guitar player Cillian Doheny.
In this edition: Sahara, Declan Sinnott and Dave Hum
A great weekend to all you readers of this page. We have great albums worth listening and I will tell you what I like about them. Enjoy and listen to the music samples.
Sahara: A New Beginning
Genre: Original Contemporary Celtic Rock Jazz Eclectic
Members: Dave Long vocals, guitar keyboards & sequencing
Trish Long vocals, sax, flute, flageolet, recorder keyboards & sequencing
Release date: October 2012
Sample track:
Fans of Bruce Hornsby, Van Morrison and Marc Cohn will certainly welcome Sahara’s A New Beginning with open arms. The duo of Trish and Dave long incorporate a broader spectrum of musical styles. There are hints of smooth jazz, pop rock and Celtic. In terms of instrumental delivery, I’d say hands down to both of them. Their years performing on stage and recording the way they want their albums to sound, ripened and made their music intoxicating like fine wine. It is the confidence brought about by the test of time, elements and LIFE that we all go through. There are certainly events that shake us rendering us incapable of moving. But it is the call of artistic desire that always brings us into a sense of purpose. This optimistic thought is present all over the album’s 10 tracks.
Sweetness, pain, laughter: these are emotions that surround A New Beginning. There are other atmospheric surprises like The Promise which possesses a definitive Celtic sound. The vocal layering and melody lean into Clannad and Loreena McKennitt. Other titles like Right the Wrongs and A New Beginning are songs that anyone who has gone through tough times can relate to.
The Sweetest Thing, track four, delivers the “get into the Irish pub” kind of sentiment. It has that relaxed atmosphere of being with someone you loved through the years. It says that you don’t have to hide anything because you can be who you are with the right person.
Let’s Unite affirms the belief that we can all get through our differences if we realize our similarities. I reflected on this and also remember all the natural disasters like earthquakes, famine, disease and poverty. We aren’t invincible. So why should we fight each other when nature is already fighting us and diminishing our numbers? Must we also contribute to the pain? The song has that Irish marching beat.
It Could be True is an example of someone continuing to “court” a beloved through the years in the relationship. I think it is telling us that winning someone’s heart doesn’t stop after marriage. It continues and there is never a morning when you wake up with a sense of wonderment and challenge to continue loving against all odds. The nice sound of the recorder glides throughout like a nightingale.
Renovating my Igloo is groovy. Fans of Talking Heads can relate to the 80’s New Wave style. Another tribute to being with someone through thick and thin and also the idea that nothing is constant but change. But love the a unifying and constant force.
Is it only Me has a rocking feel. Both vocal and instrumental arrangement set the example of musical excellence. Rainy Day At Shady Creek explores the world of Jazz and Bluegrass. It sounds like traditional Irish music gone crazy. I love it though. Such a nice ending for this album that needs repeated listens.
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Declan Sinnott: I love the noise it makes
Genre: Folk Rock
Players:
Declan Sinnott: Lead vocals, guitars and various instruments
Owen O’Brien: Keyboards, piano.
Release date: September 2012
Sun Shine In is the carrier single off this new album by former member of Horslips (before they became official) and Moving Hearts. He is associated with both sisters Mary and Frances Black. He currently plays and tours with Christy Moore. “ I love the noise it makes “( a quote he loved from John Lennon when asked whether in music it is the lyrics or the melody he prefers ) was released on 7 September 2012 in Ireland and on 10 and 11 September in the UK and USA respectively.
There are twelve tracks. They are on the easy folk rock style that’s catchy and groovy. Everything in this album sticks together. The sonic quality is amazing, partly through the efforts of Tim Martin and Ian Cooper courtesy of Metropolis Studios. The album has a nice packaging imitating the cardboard style CD. The liner notes are informative and excellent especially in terms of visuals. There are photos of Declan with co-songwriter Owen O’Brien in the studio. The consoles he uses for recording will make a record junkie drool. In one photo, there is a room filled with ethnic instruments (African), synthesizers, assorted guitars and drums.
This album feels like a bunch of hay stacked and tightened in great detail. Craftsmanship and art are combine creating a collection of songs that is timeless and also at home with today’s folk rock top 40. His voice is just the right combination of time tested roughness and whiskey smoothness that goes down easily. Sun Shine is bound to stay in your head for along time with its melody and easy breezy delivery.
Other tracks like Blood Rushing Through These Veins, I See the World From Here, Corrina, Corrina, Broken Glass and Circle Round the Sun beg for covers due to their amazing sentiments, and heartfelt lyrics. Other tracks like Me and My Dark Companion and Ocean are bluesy and finely executed that they will spawn more covers and jams in years to come. One sweet surprise is the ambient track called Orbit found at the end of the album. It is actually a remake of a traditional tune. I think it is an awesome way to close such excellent album. I like the fact that I won I love the noise it makes and yeah I love it…I love the music it makes!
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Celtic and Bluegrass 5 String banjo Album 2
Genre Instrumental – Celtic – Bluegrass – Old Time – Traditional – Original – Banjo Music
Banjo – Guitar – Mandolin – Bass – Harmonica – Keyboards – Percussion – Programming-All by Dave Hum.
Released Date: August 2011
Sample track:
Album two is a progress to album one of Dave Hum’s top notch banjo playing. I haven’t met anyone who plays like a deity. Expect tracks combining Irish, Bluegrass and Celtic music. Album 2 is composed of 21 tracks. Other artists would have released this as a double album. But you see folks, Dave Hum doesn’t boast his talents through promotion. He relies so much on the word of the mouth and social networking to showcase his craft.
He does everything here. But the star instrument is the banjo. It would be unfair not to mention his expertise in the guitar, bass, mandolin, keyboards, harmonica and percussion. Cluck the Old Hen is a track that has been around in youtube and never gets old. Check out his wild harmonica intro in this track. This is good bluegrass music. Other tracks really hardcore trad music because these are titles that are not familiar to me. He plays them all like he has known them all his life. One fine example is Nashville Blues which is track 15 in this album.
Everything in this collection has the polished sheen of expensive and worn pair of shoes. You could never go wrong picking up this album. I think it is the best banjo album I have heard in years. His artwork has also flourished. It shows bolder and deeper colors. The Irish Traveller has come a long way and is trying to explore new territories. Dave Hum has a wizard’s fingers and a chemist’s intelligence in merging and breaking apart the mystery of tunes. His playing is innovative yet rooted deeply in the past. Album 2 of Celtic and Bluegrass 5 String Banjo is a must have and it plays well in any season.
In this edition: The Pogues, Jamie Smith’s MABON, Atlantean and Gwenael Kerleo
I am sure you have notice the energy I placed on editing the pictures of the artists I posted here. It was a great practice of visual creativity on my part. At this point in time I am confident to say anything I can and post anything I want. It is fun discovering new acts and re discovering legends. Last time, I released an interview about Scottish percussionist/producer Dave Martin. It was an eye opener for me. It is inspiring to know that Scotland is a country of thriving Celtic fusion music. Music embraces all aspects. I think it is sad if we all think that Celtic music should only be about acoustic instruments and traditional songs. It is an expanding genre while it is also keeping in touch with its past. It is like an interesting person you met on a date. Someone who possesses a keen sense of culture but is also attuned to the current times. I think I’d date that person anytime.
It’s The Pogues and I am Doing Pogo Dance!
It’s been a while since I last visited the wonderful, explosive and punk inspired music of The Pogues. As always when you think of the Pogues always expect something unconventional both in the musical and also how they project their image to the world. You know, when I get depressed the Pogues are always reliable in cheering my mood up. This song is called Fiesta. My big thanks to Irish Music Forever for posting this video.
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Autumn Tour for Jamie Smith’s MABON
Their official facebook page has confirmed this news: “The first batch of Windblown pre-orders are on their way! Huzzah! UK orders should arrive tomorrow and internationals early next week. Any future orders we receive will be dispatched within 48 hrs. Get your copy now at www.jamiesmithsmabon.com/windblown
Cheers folks :)”
Check out this new single from this amazing band based in Wales!
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Atlantean: A Unique Documentary
Take a look at this folks. Other segments of the story can be found in youtube. It is amazing how much wealth of information is stored out there waiting to be discovered.
A segment from Irish filmmaker Bob Quinn’s four-part documentary on the maritime heritage of Western Ireland and it’s links to North Africa. This scene includes examples of Conamara dancing, called “Battering”, and it’s relation to Flamenco.
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Gwenael Kerleo – Brand new skies
The sound of the electro harp is always invigorating. A few days ago, Layne and I were discussing about cool harp designs and he said that the one on top of his list is the electro harp. It was right after I showed him the link to the Corrina Hewat interview I did. In this video we hear another addition to our growing collection of Breton artists. Gwenael Kerleo makes music that has that maritime appeal wrapped in haunting melodies. What I like about her voice is its tender quality that has an almost child like innocence and urban sensuality.
Une chanson extraite de l’album “QUAI N°7” de Gwenael Kerleo (distribution Coop Breizh). Musique : Gwenael Kerleo – Paroles : Louis-Jacques Suignard. Avec Kevin Camus à l’irish tin whistle et au uilleann pipe et Yvon Molard aux tablas.
Les photos ont été prises sur la plage de l’Aber à Crozon (pointe de la Bretagne) en mars 2012.
Celtic Music Fan 