Christmas

The Baxteria Podcast #16

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The Elders-Christmas Day
Michael Londra-Beyond the Star
Celtic Twist-Looking for Moss
Lisa Lynne-Fields of Gold
Celtus-Strange Day in the Country
Cherish the Ladies-Thady Casey’s Fancy/The Ladies Pantalettes/The Monaghan Twig/The Linen
Samuel Smith-Next to You
Storm Queen-Look Right Through (MK Vocal Edit)
Peter Gabriel-Red Rain
Hozier-Take me to Church
Rachael McCormack-I am Still Breathing
Joe Zymes and the Loving Kind-Where Do I belong
FPS (For Pete’s Sake)-Friends

 

Here’s another podcast for you as heard via www.radiohappy.eu yesterday. To those who are very dependent in their mobiles to listen to music, Mixcloud isn’t available on Windows phone yet. But if you are using an iphone ar an android device then this one works. All you need to do is download the mixcloud app from Google play and you are set to go. I am not sure if it works using a mobile browser but you can try.

I have not posted on Soundcloud because my paid account has run out so I need to give them another $25 so I can increase my usage. Not bad as long as they don’t block some of the songs I post there-which they do unfortunately. The same thing goes for Youtube. So these days I am only uploading my interviews with musicians that way I won’t receive comments about the songs I am including in the show. I have no issues with Mixcloud so I am using this as my primary medium of uploading my radio show.

The DJ mix is interesting as you will get to hear new bands and new music. An hour of great music! The show lasts an hour. It is divided into two sets. The first is about Celtic music and the next is indie variety. I know musicians from different genres so I need to have two sets to make sure I represent other genres other than Celtic music(which is the primary reason why I got into blogging and doing DJ work).

Feeling It’s Really A Winter Gathering by Shauna Burns

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A Winter Gathering by Shauna Burns ~ now available at www.shaunaburns.com  ~
Winter Star
Carol of the Bells
White Christmas
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Luma
The First Noel
Silent Night
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
The Gathering
What a Wonderful World
Carol of the Bells (Instrumental)
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (Instrumental)
I’ve always been picky when it comes to holiday albums. The holiday or Christmas albums I like should contain the following:
1. It has to possess a haunting element that makes your hair stand.
2. It if isn’t haunting , at least it has to sound jazzy,  traditional or classical to show that the musician is really into deep stuff.
3. It must contain at least one track that has a long history that goes back to the Medieval times(Gabriel’s Message for example) so I can say that the artist has done his or her research and is not making a Christmas album just to hand out something to the consumerist culture that makes Christmas music dull. It has to have SOUL.

Priestess of the Piano: Shauna Burns

Priestess of the Piano: Shauna Burns

A Winter Gathering by Shauna Burns made it to my list must listen to albums because of the three things I noted above. If she’s not singing in any track I really admire her talent with the piano. I know comparison to artists like Tori Amos might be common. But what makes her stand out as an artist in her own right is where she bends musically in terms of style and origin. I hear uilleann pipes and Celtic harps in some of her tracks. I think she is schooled well in the tradition of mystical sounds as she incorporates this imagery in her music. She even goes further as ‘wearing’ this style in her album artwork.
Ms Burns is also keen on layering her voice and doing experiments with her vocals so fans of ambient music can relate to this. I will take Luma as an example. She only sang few words and left  the rest to the piano to communicate the emotions. O Come, O Come Emmanuel is another stirring track. I love this tune. I  heard this version in And Winter Came by Enya. Loreena McKennitt also covered this in her A Midwinter’s Night Dream album. I am pleased that the version of Burns version is unique as it incorporates the use of uilleann pipes and the piano takes center stage again.
There are two instrumental tracks like Carol of the Bells and God rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. They make me travel through the mind when I listen to them.

Looking for something really seasonal-sounding and unique this Christmas? Try A Winter Gathering by Shauna Burns and it will be a good introduction to her other recordings.

An Irish Christmas to Keep Us Floating

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Moya Brennan – Vocals, Harp, Keyboards
Paul Byrne – Drums, Bodhran, Timpani, Tubular Bells, PercussionMoya Brennan an Irish Christmas
Fionan De Barra – Guitars, Bouzouki, Keyboards, Vocals
Cormac De Barra – Harp, Vocals
Éamonn Galldubh – Uilleann Pipes, Whistles, Flute
Yoshinobi Izumi – Electric Bass
Sam Jackson – Piano, Keyboards
Sinéad Madden – Fiddle, Vocals
Frances Mitchell – Keyboards

Additional musicians

Máire Breatnach – Viola, Fiddle
Anthony Drennan – Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Dobro
Úna Ní Chanainn – Cello
Tim Jarvis – Keyboards
Aisling and Paul Jarvis – Vocals on Oíche Chiúin

I can understand why some people get allergic to Christmas songs. It’s because these artists come up with the same old thing. And people get tired of it. I mean, I imagine those vocal acrobats that can make any reindeer suffer vertigo. Give me a break! This season is all about Christmas songs-of a different kind. And I think no better December it is than to celebrate  it with An Irish Christmas by Moya Brennan.

I love the way the Carol of the Bells was arrange to give that ‘suspense’ and haunting feel. Then the song explodes into choir and percussion-plus of course, Moya Brennan’s amazing harp. Some tracks are in Gaelic so it works for me. My favorite is Gabriel’s Message. It’s a track covered by such diverse artists as Sting but none had the impact as this arrangement of Moya Brennan has. This tune has a long history that goes all the way back to the Basque. Read the full history here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel’s_Message

The reason something like this works again and again is due to the style. Celtic music styles will never go old. Because it is already old. Go figure 😉

This Christmas doesn’t promise us happiness.  Personally, I am dealing with few tragedies myself and I know some of you are too.But music is there to keep me afloat. I love this and will play this every year!

Together for Christmas- FUNDRAISER FOR THE PHILIPPINES

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Last year I posted something about Together for Christmas(read my full review here: http://celticmusicfan.com/2012/12/14/a-holiday-album-for-all/). This year, the album is back but with a greater goal. There is a fund raising concert this December 16. It’s called  HOST ‘TOGETHER FOR CHRISTMAS, A CELTIC COLLECTION’  A FUNDRAISER FOR THE PHILIPPINES – ARLENE’S GROCERY, DEC 16TH 6PM NYC.tfc-cd-cover

The album was produced by Anita Daly and on Cosmic Trigger Records, the CD was launched in December 2012 at a
Fundraiser in NYC to raise funds for those in the local NY area affected by Super-storm Sandy. Now the event will help the victims of the hurricane Haiyan/Yolanda in the Visayas region of the Philippines. Artists involved in this recording are The High Kings, Damien Dempsey, Larry Kirwan, Kyf Brewer, The Elders, The Celtic Tenors and more. If you attend this event, not only will you hear amazing tunes but you will also be helping the victims of the super storm in the Philippines.

Here’s the rest of the important things about this event c/o Anita Daly:

December 2012 at a Fundraiser in NYC to raise funds for those in the local NY area affected by Super-storm Sandy.  This year a few of the artists featured on the album approached us to do a Fundraiser for the people of The Philippines devastated by the Typhoon that destroyed so much of that country.    So, this year we are partnering with Concern Worldwide to raise funds for that organization that has people working on the ground in The Philippines with a show on December 16th at Arlene’s Grocery, NYC.

Joe Cahalan CEO of Concern Worldwide US says, “The immensity of Typhoon Haiyan and the tragic loss of life and destruction it caused shocked us all.  Concern’s response in times like these is immediate and decisive, and though we had not been operating in the Philippines, our emergency response team was on the ground quickly, and they’ve launched a response in some of the poorest, most remote fishing communities.  We’re helping more than 10,000 families rebuild their homes, replenishing essential household supplies lost in the storm, and ensuring that boats can be repaired quickly so that livelihoods are not lost.   We could not do this life-saving work without the seemingly bottomless support of the New York Irish community, and the latest manifestation of that support will be set to music at the Together for Christmas concert fundraiser.  Both artists and audience that night will be directly touching lives in the Philippines through Concern.  You won’t give a better gift this holiday season!”

It will be a night of great music. Artists performing include Kyf Brewer (Barleyjuice) , Tara O’Grady, John Munnelly and The Wild Colonial Bhoys.  As Larry Kirwan says about this album come on out and, “Turn up the volume! Kick out those December jams…!”

NOW is the time to come TOGETHER FOR CHRISTMAS!

FUNDRAISER, MONDAY, Dec. 16th, Arlene’s Grocery 95 Stanton St, New York, NY $20 at the Door only and cds will be for sale with a portion of cd sales going to Concern.
If you can’t make the show you can donate to Concern at: http://www.concernusa.org and/or buy the cd at: www.togetherforchristmas.com , on iTunes or by calling in the US 1-800-714-3272.    Together for Christmas: A Contemporary Celtic Christmas Collection” is on Cosmic Trigger Records .

Something Unorthodox: Finnegan’s Hell – Drunken Christmas (An Irish Christmas Song)

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It is always a good time to introduce Christmas tune way before the actual holiday! Because during the actual holiday there will be saturation of Christmas songs! Now this tune say an Irish Christmas but before you go ahead and watch the video, Finnegan’s Hell is based in Sweden. So the video will tell you that. The music is definitely Irish-inspired. This is what makes fusion music exciting. Artists always bring many flavors in their music by talking their local style and fusing it with international styles. The combination is always refreshing to hear!

I am just glad they are from Sweden as I love the Swedes..and the Irish. If you are into music videos depicting dysfunctional families enjoying the holidays while drowning their miseries in alcohol and gorging on food, then you will relate to this. And I know you have a sense of humor to get this video. Yes those kids look really sad. The parents are terrible but the show must go on. Just like all of us here.

Additional info from Pablo Rautenberg

“Drunken Christmas” is a single from the band’s forthcoming album, which is yet untitled. The new album will be released in 2014, as soon as Finnegan’s Hell finds a new record label. The band recently decided to leave Hell On Wheels Records.