Celtic

Dòchas : Crystal Bright Music from Scotland

/ mrbaxteria2008 / Leave a comment

Genre: Folk

Location Scotland, UK

Website www.dochas.co.uk

Record Label Macmeanmna Records

 

Ever wondered where Julie Fowlis was involved with musically before she became a huge artist of her own? The answer is Dòchas. Her crystal clear vocals are all over these recordings along with the amazing members Kathleen Boyle,  Carol-Anne Mackay, Eilidh Macleod, Martin O’Neill and Jenna Reid. They released two albums An Darna Umhail and the self titled debut Dochas. There has been no confirmed news since 2009 as each members pursued their own individual projects but who knows? One of these days we mght hear them together creating wonderful musical treasures.

Listen to samples of their works in myspace

http://www.myspace.com/dochasmusic

 

and their official site

http://www.dochas.co.uk/music.htm

 

BIOGRAPHY

Hailing from all parts of Scotland, this award winning and dynamic band are heralded as one of the country’s finest exports. Having delighted audiences from Achiltibuie to Austria, Copenhagen to Calgary and Vienna to Vancouver, Dòchas are fast becoming one of the most popular bands on the Festival circuit.

A well worn phrase, but Dòchas really amounts to much more than the sum of its parts. And this becomes all the more impressive when you consider the parts themselves – award winning individuals, and sought after session musicians. With two critically acclaimed albums under their belt, Dòchas have matured into a band who promise dynamic, virtuosic and varied live shows, with both “heart-melting vocals” and “barn-stomping tunes”.

Featuring the many talents of Kathleen Boyle, Julie Fowlis, Carol-Anne Mackay, Eilidh Macleod, Martin O’Neill and Jenna Reid.

Concerts, Festivals and Calendars

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 5 Comments

Don’t have anywhere to go this month? Oh, please don’t sound like me whose life isn’t going anywhere as of the moment 😀  I have to let you in for something personal. Someone bought the domain I wanted. Remember I want this site to become http://www.celticmusicfan.com? I just found out last night that someone in the United States bought it. Now I just have to settle for a .net.  But so what! It is just a domain name. People can copy names and appearances but they could never ever replicate individuality. It just doesn’t work that way.  In the end it is the traffic that counts. Would you agree? As my  friend Donie  who is  a terrific Irish painter told me when I mentioned this to him :” CANT BE HELD RANSOM TO SOME STRANGER HALF WAY AROUND THE WORLD.”

 

 

Ready for the biggest Celtic Music Festival in the Czech Republic?

To those who have been following my posts since late last year would have known that there are really good bands in terms of Celtic music in the Czech Republic. Jeremy of the band Poitin confirmed this today in his facebook post. I think you might have to add that to your travel plan this July 20!

The biggest Celtic Music Festival in the Czech Republic. It’s going to be great. Our mates Sliotar from Ireland’ll be there and the Spanish band Street Wings, as well as us and all your favourite Czech Celtic bands.
http://www.keltska-noc.cz/GB.html

 

 

 

 

KILRUSH @ The East Durham Irish Festival and Shamrock house

http://kilrushband.com/

Can you still make it today? They will be playing live.

Memorial Day weekend in East Durham has been nothing short of an Irish Tradition for many years…as for Kilrush, it’s it’s our 7th year returning to the Irish Alps….we are playing Friday Night at

1 am at the SHAMROCK HOUSE following the Narrowbacks!
12:45pm on the COOR’S Music Pavilion (East Durham Mem. Irish Fest)
2:15 pm The KILLIAN’S Music Tent (also East Durham Mem.Irish Fest)
1 am at the SHAMROCK HOUSE folowing Shilelagh Law!!

Here is the map : https://www.facebook.com/pages/East-Durham-Irish-Festival/226458027379907

 

 

 

Troy MacGillivray in Concert!

Marc Gunn’s Music Revolution

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 4 Comments

It’s a breeze for big record labels to push songs up the charts. They just open up their pocket books and wave a wad of cash around. Boom! They own the Celtic Top 10.

If you listen to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, you know that it’s not that big labels have better music, it’s that they have more money and expertise to promote the music they own. That is not the case for the indie Celtic musician… all we have is YOU!-Marc Gunn

I like Marc Gunn’s idea of breaking down the walls of major record labels. For musicians out there who might be having cold feet, this is the time to stop the hesitation and I’d say go for whatever musical ideas you have. Don’t be afraid to form a band or play solo, don’t be afraid to record and MOST of all don’t be shy to spread your music.

Talent is one thing but confidence is another. If we read the bios of famous bands or singers, we learned that they started like everyone else. They aren’t gods. U2 did not become U2 over night. So let us all start a music revolution and start recording whatever you got there. So get up, get on and get everyone involved. If you are a blogger and you are reading this, I hope this will help you start a chain of events in your community by helping out artists that you think deserve such attention.

Check this link out to learn about Marc Gunn’s Top of the Charts.

http://www.celticmusicpodcast.com/topthecharts/

***

Stetrice are a band from Nantes and they are making waves in the local scene right now. Time for giving these fellas a much wider audience.

www.stetrice.com.

If you have bands you want me to feature just email me and I will check them out.

De La Basse Bretagne-Poitín

/ mrbaxteria2008 / Leave a comment

De La BasseBretagneis an album by Poitin, a Celtic band based in the CzechRepublic. Since the release of their first album in 2000, the band have gained a steady cult following around Europe and the UK. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, people don’t have to wait for music to get into their music store. They can just search the web and discover the kind of music they want.

De La Basse Bretagne is a fine example of a musicianship that has grown ripe with challenges, time and passion. The opening track  J’ai Une Bonne Amie a Quimperle defines the kind of consistency you can find in the album. The strong and at times silky delivery of the female vocals and also the tight execution of instruments  make you hope that there is a follow-up to this Breton flavored album.

They have other releases dealing with other styles around the seven Celtic nations. But what makes this one great for me personally is the dedication to the kind of music that are associated around the geographical the area. And not only  do they give justice to tracks like De La Basse  and Marv Pontkalleg with  mouth-watering instrumental execution but also because of the sensitivity that Jeremy King and the rest of the band  put to this recording. I have to say when you reach track 11 of this album called Son Ar Sistr, you would be rolling your eyes  and tapping your feet to the exquisite beat of the bodhran!

I learned that Poitin make their recording in a live way and  have to do it all over again when there is even a slight mistake. Now that is hard to see in current bands with all the comforts of studio layering and sound engineering. And this makes them the best live band ever.

Members:

Jaroslav “Oto” Machácheck – fiddle ; Jakub Siegl – guitars; Jan Brabets – bouzouki, banjo, tin whistle, backing vocals; Jeremy Marc King – lead vocals, bodhran; Sasha Shantorova- flute and whistles; Dick Savage- Didgeridoo, spoons, egg, backing vocals.

Tracks
1. J’ai Une Bonne Amie a Quimperle 4:11
2. Kan Bale an A.R.B. 4:16
3. Gavotte Des Montagnes
4. File La Laine 3:40
5. Ma Jument Hippoline
6. De La Basse Bretagne
7. La Blanche Biche 6:35
8. Le Loup 2:34
9. La Jument De Michao
10. Marv Pontkalleg 5:14
11. Son Ar Sistr 6:18
12. Lída, Lidunka 4:00

Amazon sells their album now: http://www.amazon.com/De-La-Basse-Bretagne/dp/B007Q1IXNC/ref=sr_1_9?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1337494578&sr=1-9

Also, check out http://www.reverbnation.com/poitin

Tartan Terrors to Tickle your Funny Bone.

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 4 Comments

Canadian Celtic Band Tartan Terror are  releasing a new album!

Now for something totally outrageous and amusing. The Tartan Terrors are releasing their eighth album. They have established themselves as North America’s well-rounded performers not only in terms of music but also in stage comedy. After countless shows around the world, amazing albums and cult following from Celtic music lovers, they bring something new to the music world.  Jimmy and I were  snickering to this video yesterday because they are so funny in a naughty way. He accidentally found them while checking out bagpipe music in the internet.  For those who already own their albums, you couldn’t deny that underneath the amusing stage antics lies the musical excellence of all the members . Check them out! Don’t say I didn’t warn you how amazing they are.

More info can be found here: http://www.tartanterrors.com/