Celtic

Enda Seery: Magic in the Tin Whistle (Interview)

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Traditional Irish Musician on Whistle/Flute/Keyboard from the heart of Ireland talks to CMF!

Passion affects people around you. When you love what you do, everyone will feel it. This awareness creates enthusiasm. And therefore in your own way, you affect the universe. It’s like magic: The ability to make people  hope..and even  dream…

There are artists who make you feel a certain way about how they play music. You don’t even have to understand what the music is about to appreciate it. Sometimes there are tunes that don’t need words to express that feeling. You just listen  and then you connect. Just like that. This transcends  everything. Today, a musician is going to make that example.

Enda Seery from Streamstown, Co. Westmeath, Ireland sets the standard for the tin whistle. His  album The Winding Clock (Traditional, Folk, Celtic)has 13 tracks that will serenade your ears with wistful and cheerful tunes. The sound of this instrument has never been sweeter or softer. When not involved with music, he is teaching Irish language . This passion in preserving  tradition  is reflected in his style of playing. His original compositions made there way, along with the traditional tunes in The Winding Clock. Between gigs and and working on a second album, I was able to squeeze the time for him to be our guest!

Hi Enda, you have been getting a lot of positive reviews regarding your playing style. I can tell that you are an instrumentalist who gives more emphasis on the beauty of playing rather than the speed . There is richness and grace in every note. How long did it take you to perfect this style of playing?

Thanks a lot for your kind comments. In my opinion too many trad players today try to place too much emphasis on speed rather than respecting the tune(s) they are playing. I like to keep the tune pure. Just last week at a show I noticed some young players trying to do too much with a tune, basically trying to be too fancy. Tradition shouldn’t be tampered with! I have perfected my style over a number of years by listening to all types of players, not just Whistlers. I always try to play for a few hours a day to keep perfecting my style and repertoire of tunes.

You play traditional tunes and you also compose. What are the challenges you undertake doing both?

To be honest I don’t see it as a challenge. Composing is something that I take for granted now. I love to mix and match old traditional tunes with my own compositions. I make sure though to keep my compositions in the traditional idiom. I was delighted to hear some reviewers and experts alike say that my compositions on ‘The Winding Clock’ album integrated well with the other traditional tunes.

‘The Winding Clock’ has received positive reviews. You are also recording your second album “High and Low”. What will listeners expect to hear in this second album?

I suppose the dreaded second album can be tricky after the first but I had a lot of material, especially new compositions left over after the recording of ‘The Winding Clock’. I am going to take my time recording the second album ‘High and Low'(a reference to my use of high and low Whistles). I am about to start a Masters in Trad Music Performance at the Irish World Academy, University Limerick so I won’t have a lot of time for recording. Listeners though can expect to hear a lot of new compositions between reels, jigs, hornpipes, polkas, airs and instrumentals. I am also going to record a few tracks on the Trad Flute and Low Whistle.

 You will play whistles, low whistle, flute and keyboards in this new album. Are there other musicians you will be working in this project?

Yes, John Byrne will again hopefully work with me on this album. Myself and John have started to do a number of gigs and performances as a duo recently. He is a gifted Guitar player as well as a talented Banjo player. I will provide a lot more Keyboard backing on this album too. I will be recording again at Black Rose Studio, Kilcock, Co. Kildare with Rob Laird as Sound Engineer. There might one or two other guest musicians in the pipeline too.

Tell us about your involvement in Comhaltas ‘Seisiun’ show .

The Comhaltas run ‘Seisiun’ show is a series of shows that runs throughout July and August in venues all over Ireland. This year I am playing but also producing in the show at Aras an Mhuilinn, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. I would hope that I have put my own personality on the show in Mullingar. I have added in Sean Nos Dancing and and new compositions to the show. Producing and arranging is something that I would like to do a lot more of in the future. I am lucky to be working with some great people in the resident group of Aras an Mhuilinn: ‘Ceoltoiri an Mhuilinn’. Audience attendances have been good so far. Aras an Mhuilinn is a beautiful venue in a prime location in Mullingar, a venue that is there to be used by Comhaltas branches of Counties Westmeath, Offaly, Laois and Longford.

 So what are the plans you have later this year musically

I’m starting a Masters in Trad Music Performance at the Irish World Academy of Music Limerick in September. Really looking forward to working with some fantastic people there. I hope to fit in a few recording sessions for the High and Low album too at Black Rose Studio. Also I am due to play on the main stage with a number of my friends at the new Green Village Festival at Castletown Geoghegan Co Westmeath on Sat September 24th.

 What are the best traditional albums you’d recommend to our readers?

Danny O Mahony’s new album ‘In Retrospect’. Liz Carroll and John Doyle ‘Double Play’. Steph Geremia ‘Open Road’ and of course ‘The Winding Clock’!

And lastly: what’s your message to our readers?

Traditional Irish Music has never been stronger so get out and buy or download the music. The music is part of what makes us Irish. It can raise the spirits of a nation. Finally for whistle players remember that it can become your main instrument and as we say in Irish cleachtadh a dhéanann máistreacht!(practice makes perfect).

Well said Enda!

Get your copies of The Winding Clock here

Additional info:  ‘The Winding Clock’ was released in November 2010. Recorded at Black Rose Studio, Kilcock, Co. Kildare. Accompanient on album provided by John Byrne on Guitar from Mullingar, Co. Westmeath and Colin Hogg on Bodhran from Castletown Geoghegan, Co. Westmeath. Ciarán Seery(Button Accordion), Siobhán Seery(Flute) and Pádraig Seery(Fiddle) all from Streamstown also feature on the album.

http://www.endaseery.com/

http://www.youtube.com/user/Mrwhistleman1000

http://www.myspace.com/endaseery/music/songs/the-winding-clock-80753714

I Will Carry You-Shishonnah

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(R) Jenne Lennon (L) Liz Madden Photo by Roland Labana

(R) Jenne Lennon (L) Liz Madden Photo by Roland Labana

Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.  ~Christopher Reeve

Hope is the physician of each misery.  ~Irish Proverb

The new single from duo Jenne Lennon and Liz Madden known as Shishonnah will definitely thrill fans of Loreena McKennitt, Connie Dover and Enya!  The song  “I Will Carry You” starts out with a gentle piano melody that builds up into a sweeping choral and chamber extravaganza. The classically trained  lush voice of Jenne, and Liz’s supple ethereal folk voice compliment each other well- like they’ve been born to sing together. This song talks about hope and healing amidst all the pains that life hands us. Listening it again and again is such a joy!

Their first single Dance with the River is so unique and powerful. Especially the chanting  and percussion part. This is a kind of song that I think Capercaillie wish they recorded.

Jenne Lennon:

Known as “The Janis Joplin of Celtic Music!”, Jenne’s mission as an artist is to become the first American singer/songwriter internationally known in the new genre of Celtic World Fusion music, and to use her music as a platform for social awareness of poverty, AIDS and Native American rights http://jennelennon.com/   and http://www.glencoerecords.com/

Liz Madden

“If a harp had a voice, it would sound like Liz Madden.  With a sound that flows through the air like rose petals through a wind chime…” Gregg Senko of Why So Blu?

A patron of the Irish charity Bee for Battens, Liz is also a supporter of the Children in Crossfire charity and recently performed at two events accompanied on guitar by Richard Moore, Director of Children in Crossfire. Liz had the honor of singing ‘A Price for Love’ written by the late Christie Hennessy, patron of Children in Crossfire. Liz is the first artist since Christie Hennessey, to sing this wonderful song. Along with various other charity work and activism, Liz has also just completed her first book entitled ‘Letters from The Ancients’. http://www.lizmaddenonline.com/

Celtic Music on the Run

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Tremolo Band: Bringing their music both on the road and the Web

Tremolo Band: Bringing their music both on the road and the Web

This piece is a tribute to music going mobile. I know of someone (you know who you are) who doesn’t like the idea of having an iPod-or in general making music mobile, believing that it is a private experience.

The good and the bad:

I read about  the time when music was an indoor experience. It was a family affair with people gathering  in front of their Victor turntable and listening to collections upon collections of music recorded on vinyl. I am talking about the 70s when bands used to have their songs on 45s and LPs.

Now music became a solitary experience. People listen alone. And sometimes people listen to the hum and not really to the music. They just splice the tracks as background music while most of their attentions are focused on the task. No wonder the recording industry is cashing out on young artists who can sing lines like ” baby, baby oh or I want your love oh yea” again and again with decent beats and pass it off for music. I can’t blame them. This generation has low attention span. And music like that caters to people with no special leaning to the arts.

But if you are an artist you know what you want and you care for what you want. More and more Celtic musicians are advertising and selling their music in different formats. You have iTunes, bandcamp and even rhapsody.

The web generation has taught artists to be resourceful . They no longer wait for execs to find their craft and sell it. They do the advertising and some even go as far as doing the album art. I know a few who do these things without sacrificing the beauty of their music.

back to my idea of the good and the bad:

The good:MP3 downloads are practical and also a fast way of getting the music our there with the click of the thumb.

The bad: Too many choices too many things to consider.

I love the way how the music industry is evolving and empowering those without access to major labels. Most of my discovery came from youtube. And I see myself posting more and more youtube videos in the future. And I also look forward to post from friends. let us all spread the beauty of Celtic music.

 

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.

***


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.

*          *         *

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/


Already and Upcoming!

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I have a bunch of news for you guys. Remember when I actually mentioned  a Christian Celtic band Eden’s Bridge last time? We had no input as to what’s up with them. I was surprised when I stumbled upon their site and learned that they released a Christmas EP last year. I Know it’s a little bit late for that but not for the music. There is something magical about this release which can withstand seasons. I think this is the kind of EP you’d listen to when you want inner peace.  Check out The Winter Sings on this link and listen to the songs.

http://www.edensbridge.net/

***

Our friends Phil Holland and Dave Palmley sent me a special gift in a form of a song .I want you to experience the kind of profound feeling I got when I heard this track. Adventurous- bordering on the Baroque with traces of Clannad and the duo’s personal styles; Steal Our Soul Away is a preview to what is going to be a future album.  Beautiful song, fantastic talents! We love you Phil and Dave.

***

Visual artist and musician Sharron McCulley has carved up a musical project with Jan Harris called Red Sonnet. The songs are wrapped up in keyboard sound scape that begs for more cinematic moments and water color tears. Christian , New Age, Folk- whatever you want to call them but the fact remains. The music of Red Sonnet is a perfect soundtrack to a tired night when you want to feel a little bit dramatic but enlightened. They’ve just finished recording their new album  Across The Bridge. They will be performing soon so watch out.

Member Since:

March 05, 2009

Members:

Jan Harris –
piano, guitars, keyboards

Sharron McCulley –
vocals

http://www.myspace.com/redsonnet