Dave

Album Reviews and Happy Weekend

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In this edition: Dave Hum, Cormac O Caoimh, Frost at Midnight, Lignit, Kevin McKidd, Dave Martin and Gillian Boucher

Clockwise: Dave Hum, Cormac O Caoimh, Kevin McKidd, Gillian Boucher and Dave Martin

The midweek edition became a weekend post due to ISP issues. Now everything is back so we are back in business. How are you lovers of Celtic music and beyond? A couple of days ago, I had an interesting chat with Martin Tourish which turned into a nice interview. So you will see Gillian Boucher in this edition because I was reminded when he said he played with her along with other artists when they were in Asia specifically the Philippines.

Next you will see Kevn McKidd who recently starred in a critically acclaimed animation The Brave. It is great to see Hollywood stars being proud of their Celtic roots. We also have a featured MP3 from Roby Atkins who is part of Frost at Midnight and yes they play great Welsh tunes. You see the guy doing techno stuff in the pic with the penguin shirt? That is no other than Scottish producer and percussionist Dave Martin who will be our next featured artist. He is part of the Big Fat Electric Ceilidh. The two men above are in my featured reviews: Dave Hum and Cormac O Caoimh. I enjoyed their CDs and I am sure you will too! You will see a video by Czech Republic based Bluegrass band Lignit with Jeremy King on the bodhran. Please enjoy and drop me a message so I can improve this site further.

Album Review: Celtic and Bluegrass 5 String Banjo by Dave Hum

Depressed? Annoyed because you are having ISP issues and it has been more than a week and they were not able to fix the problem? Just crank in one of Dave Hum’s CDs and you will forget your frown. He has a happy way of playing that every track shines with optimistic vibes. I think he is the only one I know who plays the five string banjo as of the moment and he plays it like no other kind of master. Credit goes to the fact that he plays all the instruments including the guitar, mandolin, harmonica and percussion.

His years of busking and playing all over London with the band The Huckleberries have done him well and now he is gathering enthusiasts who love traditional Irish, Celtic and Bluegrass music. My experience listening to his nontraditional album Traveling Light made me aware that he is very much into the music of the times. Well in that one he experimented with a little bit of electronic music and reggae. Here, he is playing the standards which people who listen to this kind of music will surely love. We all know that traditional music is no longer traditional when it isn’t played in a certain way and Dave knows this path so well that he actually gave tribute to the tradition by coming up with a CD composed of 21 delightful tracks.

This is a perfect kind of music if you are having little bit of traditional music party over the weekend. Just put this in your player and you will be guaranteed with tracks that will last you a while. And after one listen, the album tempts you for another spin. That is how good it is-excellent playing but music that is not intrusive you can just talk while you let this play in the background. Tracks like Cripple Creek, Farewell to Erin, Mason’s Apron and the theme from ‘The Third Man’ (taken from the 1949 BBC movie) will put a smile on your face. There are other greats like his interpretation of Raggle Taggle Gypsy and Drowsy Maggie.

You also need to check out the artwork that Dave did himself. It show’s a traveller(as the cover is meant to depict the Irish travellers having to leave their country and head for America which is how a lot of the Irish and Scottish tunes merged with the blues, gospel, oldtime and bluegrass music-Dave) carrying a staff while running around with a kite. A dog runs before him carrying a stick. There’s a girl on near left playing a fiddle. There’s also a woman beyond riding a horse. On the right looks like a trailer house with a woman watering azaleas. Then there’s the 5 string banjo where the peacock is sleeping. The colors almost remind me of ‘flower power’. Well, this goes to show that the artist is an all around kind of guy. Makes you wonder more and wait for more recordings from Dave Hum.

First track off his 5-String Banjo CD1. Yes that is Dave without his disguise!

More about the artist here: http://www.davehum.com/

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Album Review: a new season for love by Cormac O Caoimh

Like water color painting still running and moist, the music of Cormac O Caoimh seeps into your heart rendering you speechless with emotions. His classical guitar style combined with other influences is a joy to listen to. It makes you feel filled up, like you’ve just eaten a good meal. The spiritual nourishment that his music imbues is no accident.

Being from Ireland and having shared the stage with such artists as Declan O’Rourke, Damien Rice and Damien Dempsy to name a few; made his music eclectic but never losing that Irish spirit that is all over this CD. His lyrics are heartfelt and reflective as in the case of the opening track There’s Gold There Somewhere” –Who am I? Who are you? Who do we intend to be? It’s hard it’s hard when we can’t stand on our two feet…A combination of poignancy and passion is exemplified in the title track: With every morsel of muscle, Molecule of mind, I’d try to justify new oceans and new tides and new seasons, a new season for love…

On this side of the world it is the season of rain. And his music is the perfect soundtrack for that. There is a balance of musical precision and inventiveness that pull you up from the introspective lyrics that at times seem to overpower you with sadness. His voice is a fine instrument. I like the kind of ease he puts in singing like he is talking to you-almost intimately, close to your ears so there is no need to sing loudly …but rather in a breathy style. The transparency of the vocals and the gossamer arrangement make A New Season for Love a truly luminous listening experience.

It isn’t the kind of CD you will grow tired as in the case of those with too much fireworks in the production. This is something that grows on you. A kind of music you want to take with you anywhere when you need something warm and introspective.

One of my favorite tracks of the album A New Season for Love. This one is called Heart Attack.

More about the artist here: http://www.thecitadels.net/

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Tambourin by  Frost at Midnight

Frost at Midnight is a project band led by Welsh musician Robert Atkins. It is nice to hear refreshing Welsh music based on tradition.

Robert Atkins, guitar, bass, keyboards; Catherine Atkins, vocals; Catherine Handley, flute with Johnny Quick, vocals; John Tribe, harmonica.

More here:http://soundcloud.com/frost-at-midnight/sets

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Featured Video: Lignit – Balada o Jenny (Official Music Video 2012)

Let us check out the Bluegrass scene in the Czech Republic with Jeremy King on Bodhran.

http://www.lignit.wz.cz
Režie: Pája Junek
http://www.junekfilm.cz

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Interesting Documentary: A Journey Home With Kevin McKidd

I am currently working on a feature with Scottish musician/producer Dave Martin. He is involved in a musical project with Hollywood actor Kevin McKidd and I thought this is a nice intro to a feature I am doing with Dave. I found this video really inspiring and I hope you feel the same way too. Enjoy!

Travel with Kevin McKidd to his hometown in the Scottish Highlands as he revisits his childhood, performs and records the Speyside Sessions Album with classic Scottish folk songs with his friends, and reconnects with his roots.

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Gillian Boucher, fiddle, plays a lively set

My interview with Michael Tourish brought me back to the music of  Canadian fiddler Gillian Boucher. She is currently residing in Ankara Turkey. More of  her music here: http://www.myspace.com/gillianboucher

Dave Hum,Les Ramoneurs de menhirs,Velha Gaiteira, Connie Dover and Celtic Cross Stitch

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Featured Video: Les Ramoneurs de menhirs – Bella Ciao

Ah Celtic punk from Brittany. Forget the fact they don’t sing in English..well actually that makes it very ‘rebellious’! Hey the bombarde overpowers even the electric guitar.

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Album Review: Traveling Light by Dave Hum

Dave Hum

I have other Dave Hum albums so I say Traveling Light sounds different from his other creations. I will bring each one of them to your attention in days to come. For now we are going to take Traveling Light apart and discover its artistic merits. There’s a lot actually.

Groove: Most of Dave Hum’s albums are about instrumental prowess and great atmosphere. This one is an example of music  that crosses genres. You hear African, Reggae, modern rock and classical influences thrown in for the good measure.

Great Melodies: Every track in this album are very satisfying. Dave Hum has a thing for melody which is always close to Celtic music. Whither he is trying to make something new out of something old, his music has that ’ring’ to it. If you are a fan of certain artists, it’s that quality that makes their music recognizable as theirs. It’s like DNA embedded inside the workings of rhythm, melody, arrangement and song structure.

No loose ends from beginning to end: The opening track Chesters Tune is ear-grabbing. From that track up to the end track which is Grandad in the Lift, Traveling Light  will put you up your toes.

The Future of Banjo Music: Dave Hum has made banjo music in this album  accessible to a lot of listeners.There are great tunes with great beats and variety. Tunes like Lulworth Mermaid with its New Agey female layered voices and the uplifting Riders are testaments of his amazing artistry. This is an album for all!

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Submitted: Velha Gaiteira – “Bate lavadeira e Helena” (tradicional do Paul/Beira-Baixa)

A friend of CMF Pedro Fulano Lourenço submitted this video. I am pleased that friends are very passionate about Celtic influenced music.The voice reminds me of Hungarian folk singer Márta Sebestyén. Very lovely!

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Flashback:Connie Dover – Somebody

I first read about her in CD review magazine. That was around 1991. This album was creating a stir in the Celtic music scene. Back then, the scene was different. No mp3s and very few people have access to ‘elite’ music like this one. She is one of the great artists who paved the way for Celtic music to have a broader acceptance.

My heart is sore, I dare not tell, my heart is sore for Somebody
I would walk a winter’s night all for a sight of Somebody

If Somebody were come again then one day he must cross the main
And everyone will get his own and I will see my Somebody

Chorus
Ochon, for Somebody, Och hey, for Somebody,
I would do, would I do not, All for the sake of Somebody

Why need I comb my tresses bright, oh, why should coal or candlelight
Shine in my bower day or night since gone is my dear Somebody

Oh, I have wept many a day for one that’s banished far away
I cannot sing and must not say how sore I grieve for Somebody

Music: traditional Irish; lyrics: traditional Scottish
Adapted by Connie Dover
From the CD, Somebody (Songs of Scotland, Ireland and Early America) by Connie Dover

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Today in Pictures: Celtic Birds Cross Stitch by Paula.

I could not let this article pass without introducing this wonderful musician who explored the world of Celtic designs.

Celtic glasses case sewn for my mother —Paula
From the real of electronic music, Paula moved to cross stitch. She made amazing images with her Celtic designs and CMF is a proud owner of a lot of her works!

Celtic 5 String Banjo Player – Dave Hum‏

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Plus:Featured mp3s: Dan Aston, New video by Cheers! and Nolwenn Leroy

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain. ”
–Bob Marley

Featured artist Celtic 5 String Banjo Player – Dave Hum‏

“An instrumental selection of traditional Celtic, bluegrass and old time tunes, featuring Dave Hum playing the five string banjo, guitar, bass, mandolin, harmonica and percussion.”

The  music of Dave Hum is like  a friend who comes to visit to bring you great news. It  overflows with an almost Rastafarian philosophy that is all embracing. It is a kind of feeling you get with when you take that time off  from the harsh realities of life . The seductive rhythm invites you to throw your worries and close your eyes. Imagine someone you have not heard for some time announcing he is dropping by. You don’t know what to expect. He comes marching in. Then he cracks a joke. Everything dissolves into a familiar warmth of old friendship and easy fun. That’s exactly what his music is like!

He sounds like no other. I’d call his music timeless, with the mood elevating qualities of dark chocolate.  In place of words, he uses his mastery of melodies and arrangements. There aren’t any stumbling block in his musical path…it is like a great river rushing, where everything flows so smoothly.

It surprises one to know that there is only one person behind this big sound. Yes he plays everything that you hear in the recording.

http://www.davehum.com

http://www.myspace.com/davehum

 

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This Edition’s Fresh Video: Cheers!

Finally, the most anticipated video from Celtic rock group based in the Czech Republic is out.  It features the band playing live interspersed with an old Czech film. According to  Pavel, the lead singer of “Cheers!”:

“We used this movie – to point out the culture in its roots. Even if we play something totally else”..

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Featured mp3: Dan Aston

If you are very active in the Celtic folk in scene in Cornwall, then you might have seen Dan Aston as  the guitarist of Cornish language band (with both his parents in it) An Derow. His music is inspired by artists like John Martyn, Nick Drake and Gary Moore. These are selections off his soundcloud page. Dan is a fine singer with a good range. His voice is in perfect shape and pitch. When asked about the possibility of releasing an album:

“I am currently working on my debut album which will hopefully be out in January 2013.”

That is a good sign. So what can we listeners expect from his debut album?

“The listeners can expect a selection of my original songs that have strong roots in folk, blues and jazz genres as well as possessing a Celtic touch. Working with local Celtic group An Derow and having played on Sue Aston’s recent album ‘Between Worlds’ has influenced me in this direction as well as my natural love towards renowned musicians in the folk/Celtic genre such as John Martyn and Nick Drake. Some of my songs will be expanded instrumentally for the album and will feature additional musicians to add further depth and textures to their musical landscapes. The expansion of my songs will also include myself playing lead guitar and harmonica which doesn’t currently appear on the soundcloud demos. The record will be musically diverse and will hopefully appeal in one way or another to listeners from all musical backgrounds.”

Dan has a live show and according to his status update:

“I will be playing at Goldsithney Charter Fair this Saturday, performing my usual mix of folk/jazz originals and covers with some new covers by Deep Purple, Bruce Springsteen and Blue Oyster Cult! Hopefully see you there should be a great event.”

Don’t miss this awesome artist live and have a listen to his recordings below.

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Today in Pictures: Nolwenn Leroy

Raphaële Beyssier / 11 Le Magazine

She brings sass and spice to Celtic music.

Here She Comes A Running by Dave Gunning

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My friend Jimmy, introduced me to the music of Dave Gunning through this video I posted today. Here She Comes A Running is a wonderful song.  Since then I have checked out sources of information about him. I have a friend who lives in Pictou Nova Scotia.  I sent him a message just now to see if I can track this guy down. I already posted this video on Irish Country Music Radio forum on facebook. So far there have been positive responses.  I like the fact that he likes to tell stories of musicians he met along the way. Holding the attention of the audience between songs is an added talent!

http://www.davegunning.com/

http://www.myspace.com/davegunning

Update!!!

I was able to chat with Layne. He is working on a summer job, so late nights are the best time to catch him.  Here’s the part of the conversation. I didn’t want to make too much  editing because this is how we talk:

Hi Layne are you familiar with Dave Gunning? It says he is from Pictou Nova Scotia. So you might have heard of him. I am posting a lil something about him.

Yes! I know Dave! I recorded some demos in his studio before. He’s probably the nicest guy on the planet.

OMG that is awesome! I posted a little tribute about his music. How was it like meeting the guy?

It was really cool, he’s really laid back, and he’s an awesome producer. Really knows his stuff. I run into him from time to time, and he always remembers who I am, and he always asks about how gigs are going and things.

You are both from the same place right? Do you think the place itself brings out the best in people?

This community has some of the best music teachers I’ve ever met. I think that it’s largely the support and the help that so many people have with making music. It’s awesome.

Hmm…any idea what else do we need to add?

Not any I can think of. :S He did win some awards recently, a producer award I think. 

Layne is currently putting ideas for his new EP.

http://www.myspace.com/laynegreene

Recent update from Dave:

Hello everyone,
There’s lots of stuff happening right now. Just finishing up my new recording called “No More Pennies” as well as a children’s book based on the song “These Hands”.

The Kerrville Folk Festival was amazing again this year and I found it hard to leave there. Tim Mason, who helped put together the history booth at Kerrville, played me some incredible sound bites of folks recounting their final night spent with Stan Rogers at the festival. It was very powerful.

This Stanfest is going to be an extra special one for me because we’re shooting a video at the festival for “These Hands”. The video is being professional shot and produced but we’re also going to have some fun with it by to asking folks in the crowd to record videos using their Smart Phones. We’ll provide a link where folks can upload their videos and we’ll use them in the final edit of the video that we’re creating. We’re hoping to end up with some really cool things like shots of the crowd singing along, kids playing, people huggin’ and dancin’ and whatever neat things get captured during the concert and the festival in general.
See you all soon.
xo
Dave

The Visit by Phil Holland and Dave Palmley

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New musical project will keep ears revisiting for more.


The music has that melancholy touch which is something you’d hear in most Breton music. Can’t wait for the album to come out.  Phil Holland and Dave Palmley are two stalwarts in the music business having drawn their own musical geographies all over Europe. Phil, with her gentle yet expressive playing which compliments Dave’s crystal clear strums. There is chemistry and -the right ingredients that make music work. Please share the beauty of this recording and visit their official myspace page:

http://www.myspace.com/philholland2

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Support Oona McOuat’s December Song

I heard it and it’s fantastic! Her story telling, harp and voice win the yuletide spirit. Please show your support by leaving comments here;

http://holidaychallenge.strutta.com/entries/90561?=e12kj1+#box-comments

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T with the Maggies @ Leo’s Tavern: Pics Available

Click to view details

Click to view details

See Moya Brennan and the gang.

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Meet Pablo Lojo Luthier, musician and a builder of instruments. For this album, it’s all about his glossy design of the new Athy FashionHarper’s harp. Very impressive. Everything is in Spanish but please enjoy the pics.

Click pic to go to the album

Click pic to go to the album

More here:  http://pablolojoluthier.blogspot.com/