Folk music

Scoil Cheoil na Botha(7th Annual Traditional Irish Music Festival)

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Scoil Cheoil na Botha

 Scoil Cheoil na Botha is here!!!

So I just got off from a skype interview with Dónal McCague who recently won the TG4 Young Musician of the Year and the award was presented by trad legend Matt Molloy of The Chieftains. I think it is quite an achievement because it is rare to get an award like that.

The skype interview will be available in my radio show on the 12th of October. Donal is down to earth and pleasant to talk to. I think this is also due to the fact that he teaches traditional music to aspiring artists. Like the festival I am writing about.

It’s going to be a big week for lovers of traditional Irish music as something exciting is happening. It is called the  Scoil Cheoil na Botha, the 7th Annual Traditional Irish Music Festival. This event is happening in the 11-13th of October 2013 in Scotstown, Co. Monaghan. It will feature artists like Laura Beagon (fiddle), Fionnuala Rooney(harp), Gerry Murray (piano accordion), Darren Breslin (button accordion), Stevie Dunne (banjo), Rona Denkin (concertina), Tommy Fitzharris (flute), Monica Beagon-Treanor (traditional singing), Maire Nic Thaidhg (cohmra gaelige), Michael McCague (bouzouki/guitar) and of course Donal McCague!

If you are near the venue please drop by and experience great traditional music. Also make sure you look at the poster carefully for instructions.

For past videos, here’s the youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ScoilCheoilnaBotha

For the official website: http://anbhoth.ie/

Méav – The Calling

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Méav The Calling

Artist: Méav

Album: The Calling

Sounds like: For fans of Anuna, Celtic Woman, Enya, Secret Garden and Loreena McKennitt

Tracks:

The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face/The Calling/Light Flight/Listen, Listen/The Songline To Home/Wayfaring Stranger/Sovay/Shenandoah/Once You Were My Lover/Glimmering Girl/Glasgow’s Burning/Black Is The Colour

Total time: 43.28

To be released on 26th August 2013

Released by:Warner Jazz

I am listening to The Calling by  Méav (Full name Méav Ní Mhaolchatha)on a cloudy afternoon. The soothing and spiritual atmosphere of the album is a perfect getaway. The twelve tracks take you on a journey which very few artists can do these days. Her fusion of world, classical and traditional elements really work in this project. She also incorporated a few nods to the direction of folk and jazz which you can encounter as you listen along. This isn’t the same as the full-blown, up front arrangements of Celtic Woman (which she was part of from 2004 to 2007). This is more of an intimate record with lots of intricate details and rich arrangements.

The album resulted in the meeting between Méav and  legendary producer Craig Leon in Abbey Road Studios, London while working together on the score of a space film in collaboration with NASA. They discovered the musical chemistry even in their different musical backgrounds ( pop and world music)and  they also quickly realized that they shared a love of song-writing and ethnic music.  The Calling is described as  a contemporary pop treatment of new songs and folk classics from Ireland, England, Scotland, Brittany, Galicia and America.

The album opens with The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face which was originally pinned by Roberta Flack and won her Grammy’s record of the year  in 1972. Méav gave a new sentiment to this song. Listen to how her voice sounds like she is imploring the forces of heaven around 2:25. Those high notes can get into your skin. I know because I got chills listening to that part.

In the title track The Calling, the choir voices are used to embellish the track which recalls the signature  sound of Anuna. This is also the carrier single of the album. The video features a studio session and the blur-to-detail effects of the camera is impressive.

My personal favorites are Listen, Listen(for the melody), the title track(For the arrangement especially the choral parts), Wayfayring Stranger, Once You Were My Lover (which contains the melody of Breton song Tri Martolod), Glasgow’s Burning( for the percussion and traditional inclusion of Alasdair MacColla  and Brian Boru’s March). The album closes with an interesting jazzy take on Black is the Color.

The Calling is perhaps the strongest solo effort of Méav. She is backed with amazing musicians. The generous amounts of spirituality and atmospheric beauty of this album promise to enthrall audience worldwide. Like she did when she was with Anuna, Celtic Woman and her solo albums.

You can stream samples of The Calling through this link: http://www.meav.com/music/

Trivia: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was originally written by the Scottish singer Ewan McColl  ( father of Kirsty) for Peggy Seeger- source of this info is Méav.

The Fatty Farmers: Refarmatory

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The Fatty Farmers

Band: The Fatty Farmers

Album: Refarmatory

Style: Celtic Punk /Rock/ Folk

Place of origin:Toledo, España

Members:

Rodrigo farmer — mandolin, banjo & lead vocals
Sweet Javato — Whistles & Bagpipes
Javito “Litlle Boy” — Fiddle
Goyo — accordion
Lalo — Acoustic guitar & chorus
Diego F. — Electric guitar, banjo & chorus
Lamber — Bass guitar & chorus
Juankar — Drums

Tracks:

No More Woman You’ll Kill
21 Black Jack
Rather Die than Forget
Next Sunday We’ll Be Back Again
The Way Back Home
With Head Held High
The American Dream
Hate Cannot Be Forever
At The Counter Bar
My Childhood Dreams
Fancy Prankster
Johnny Techno Ska

“Refarmatory” is am album by Spanish band The Fatty Farmers. This is straight ahead Celtic rock with nods to the musical styles of The Levellers and The Pogues. I love it when bands tell about the music through the album artwork. And yes I love what I hear. In fact, The Fatty Farmers left a sonic impact that distinguishes them from the current outcropping of bands of the same musical bent. There’s never a dull moment. Every track packs a wallop.

Listen to 21 Blackjack and Sraka Dupa and you will know what I mean about sonic impact. So yeah this is an album for the depressed. Listeners who are in search of something energetic and cheerful. The band gave a bit of tribute to their Spanish roots via Sraka Dupa and other tracks but the vocals are unmistakably Irish sounding. The Head Held High showcases the bands mastery of groove. Out of this 14 tracks, I can’t find any song that’s weak or bad. You can tell the choice of materials have undergone careful analysis prior to its studio release.

I enjoy funny album artwork . The lyrics are also interesting. The instruments are superb. Talking about lyrics there is one song that really caught my attention. It is called At the Counter Bar which pays tribute to The Mermaid and the Drunks by Pablo Neruda but with a twist. Like the music, the songs have explicit lyrics and I read a lot of F bombs there but it is ok. Music is supposed to express what you feel inside and what you meant to say in colors. I love what The Fatty Farmers did for Refarmatory and I hope this record gets heard by the majority of Celtic rockers.

You may get their humor or not. But they can surely draw reaction. And like what I told one of my friends. When people don’t react to you, then it means you are boring. Refarmatory is definitely far  from boring.

Bio:

At the start of 2009 a Group of farmers from different stables appear in the music scene in Toledo to bring us a music style never heard around here.
This group brings rhythm and fun with there different costumes and there hardly seen instruments.
From the banjo to the electric mandolin played by the wild Rodrigo Farmer, to the bagpipes and irish whistles by the sweet Javato, passing by “The little boy” Javito Farmers violin.
The group is completed with Lamber on the bass, Lalo playing the acoustic guitar, Fignani the electric guitar and Juankar on the drums. The last one to join the group has been Goyo, a crack of the accordion and another big push to the group.
Celtic Punk Rock Folk music that isn’t to be heard at home but to be seen in this groups great live show that will make you want to sing, dance, jump, party hard and forget about everything for a little bit.

http://www.thefattyfarmers.com
http://www.facebook.com/TheFattyFarmers
http://www.twitter.com/TheFattyFarmers
https://plus.google.com/1046510374735521..

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Huzzah!

Please check out my article: Book Preview: THE SPIRIT of IRELAND An Odyssey Home A Memoir by Emmy Award Winning Writer Alan Cooke via Expats Post:

http://expatspost.com/entertainment/books/book-preview-the-spirit-of-ireland-an-odyssey-home-a-memoir-by-emmy-award-winning-writer-alan-cooke/

If you haven’t yet, please check out the other version of my interview of Kevin O’Donnell that appeared in this month’s edition of Irish American News. That’s page 12 of the digital copy. Thanks to Noah Smulkis of Ceolwind Productions for mailing me the physical copy of the magazine!

http://issuu.com/irishamericannews/docs/0513_chicago?mode=window

Qristina & Quinn Bachand: Relative Minors

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Relative Minors by Qristina & Quinn Bachand

Album: Relative Minors

Artists : Qristina & Quinn Bachand

Genre:Folk/ Celtic/ World

Type: Instrumental

Place of origin: Victoria, British Columbia

Tracks:

1. Spootiskerry/High Road to Linton/Big John McNeil
2. Extra Bar in Paddyland / The Smirnoff Gigolo
3. Jigs in A (Rosewood Jig/Teviot Bridge/Who’ll be King but Charlie/The Canadian Club)
4. The Frenchies (Fil et Bobine / Les Poules Huppes)
5. Mabou Harbour Set (Flowers of Edinburgh / Miss McLeod’s / The Beached Whale)
6. Kathryn’s Castle / Lost in the Loop
7. Jigs in G (Old Favourite / The Roaring Barmaid / Out on the Ocean)
8. La Bastringue / St. Anne’s Reel
9. Kid on the Mountain / The Butterfly / An Dro
10. Gaelic College Medley (Memories of You / Please Scrape Your Dishes)
11. The Barn Set (Colin Rankin’s Strathspey / Kelsae Brig / The Holland Wedding/Predator Reel)
12. Jigs’n’Reel (Morrison’sJig / Swallowtail Jig / Lilting Banshee /Hobbart’s Transformation)
13. Wistful Daydreamer
14. Relative Minors (Fifteen Children / Snail Fever)
15. D Set (Haste to the Wedding / Banish Misfortune / Miss Susan Cooper/Virginia Reel/Silver Spear/MacLeod’s Farewall)
16. Polka Medley (Kenmare / Britches Full of Stitches / Bill Sullivan’s)

Total time: 59:07

With the instantaneous success of Family, Relative Minors seems to have been overlooked by the music crowd. But yes Relative Minors is the album that started it all. Siblings Qristina and Quinn Bachand (Q & Q)have created a collection of tunes woven tightly to create an exquisite listening experience. Although this primarily a traditional album , the two added their own styles.

Their bombastic exploration into the Celtic instrumentals is exemplified by the first track Spootiskerry/High Road to Linton/Big John McNeil. It’s a tune that makes you want to dance around the living room. A very happy tune. This is followed by the Extra Bar in Paddyland / The Smirnoff Gigolo in which Qristina’s fiddling shines through. In Jigs in A (Rosewood Jig/Teviot Bridge/Who’ll be King but Charlie, Quinn has mastered the art of light guitar strumming.

The amazing thing about Celtic music is that you don’t have to know what it is to appreciate it. This is in the case of tunes like The Frenchies (Fil et Bobine / Les Poules Huppes) where the melody takes a joyful turn amidst the interesting time signature. The music talks to you and this is what makes the Bachands amazing!

Everyone in the house knows how this CD has been played repeatedly. It’s that fresh quality that continues and doesn’t eat you just because the album has been listened to for a hundredth times already! Yes it doesn’t get old. Which is a feat considering that these two were literally very young when this one was released way back 2008. Big nod to the musicians who joined the project like Dave Klassen, Eric Reiswig, Russ Godfrey and Adrian Doland. These artists are huge in the Canadian Celtic music scene. The sound Engineering of Aaron Scoones maintained a raw but crystalline approach to the sound. It’s like witnessing a sunrise after a long rainy week. Design, layout and photos also gave justice t the music of this album.

I love the gentleness of Kathryn’s Castle / Lost in the Loop and its change of rhythm from slow to fast. But take note of the title track Relative Minors (Fifteen Children / Snail Fever) where they played at a breakneck speed while displaying the delicate style they are known for. Relative Minors is a flawless album and really deserves the best place in your music shelf.

Listen to the track and buy the album here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/qqbachand

Biography

“Qristina is a gutsy, fiery fiddle player – Quinn is nothing short of amazing!” – Fiona Heywood, The Living Tradition Magazine (Scotland)

“Qristina and Quinn Bachand are best act to come along in the world of Celtic music since…. anyone you care to mention.” – Tim Readman, Penguin Eggs (Canada)

“The Bachands have the Celtic fever in spades and play it superbly.” – Eric Thom, Roots Music Canada

Qristina and Quinn Bachand are creating quite a stir in the Celtic and Folk music world. In 2009 they were nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award in the Young Performer of the Year category. In 2010 they won the Irish Music Association’s award for Top Traditional Group and in 2011 they earned another two Canadian Folk Music Award Nominations, Instrumental Group of the Year and Young Performer of the Year, as well as an Irish Music Award win as “Top Duo”. Qristina and Quinn have released two independent studio albums, “Relative Minors” (2008) and “Family” (2011), co-produced by Juno nominee Adrian Dolan (The Bills).

Twenty-one year old Qristina Bachand is an expressive fiddler, with a unique personal style that is bold and edgy. Clearly at ease on stage, Qristina is a natural performer, consistently delivering a spirited performance that features her energy, enthusiasm and love of Celtic music. Qristina recently added traditional and original songs to the duo’s repertoire, and is already receiving rave reviews as a vocalist. Her singing has been described as “lovely and delicate, with a laidback sweetness.” (Roots Music Canada)

At just sixteen years of age, Quinn Bachand is a gifted multi-instrumentalist who already has a reputation as “one of the best Celtic guitar accompanists in the world” (Ashley MacIsaac). Although Quinn plays a range of guitar styles including jazz, it is his talents in the world of Celtic music that are drawing the most attention. Quinn adds a contemporary edge to traditional Celtic music. In particular, his creative harmonies, hard-driving strumming, inventive chord voicing and powerful rhythmic effects make even the most well-worn tunes seem new and exciting.

Qristina and Quinn have performed across Canada, the US and Europe, including European tours in 2008, 2009 and 2012, and North American tours in 2010 and 2011.

 

Ewan McLennan: Classical guitar was one of my foundations I’d say(Interview)

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Ewan McLennan, Scottish singer/songwriter,scotland,folk singers,celtic,scottish

Winner of the 2011 BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award and named FATEA Music Award’s ‘Best Male Vocalist of the Year.’

Meet one of  Scotland’s new breed of moving voices, Ewan McLennan. The elegiac and stirring combination of his voice earned him a massive following all over Scotland and the rest of the  Scottish diaspora. In the vein of Dougie McLean and Donovan, he can hold his own with a style that’s fresh and distinctive. If none of the songs from The Last Bird to Sing can move you, then you must have a wooden heart. Because these songs resonate what is spiritual and sensual in all of us. The things that make us human, sincere and loving. His singing is such a warm blanket in  the midst of familiar stirrings all around us. If we magnify the language of the leaves and flowers then listen to each bloom softly, then such is the music of Ewan McLennan.

The poetry doesn’t end in the sounds. They also lie deep in his lyrics which talk of longing for home, the love for tradition, people and places. And he sings with that Scottish lilt that we all come to recognize and love. In the midst of such expressive singing is his style of playing the guitar. He adds that intricate delivery to simple melodies creating a balance of simplicity and refined musical skills. Such richness of music is a blessing to weary ears. He is our featured artist and what an amazing exchange of messages resulted to this interview.

You sing with this distinct style. How did you develop your haunting and beautiful voice?

It’s always a difficult question to answer. I guess the singers that I’ve heard over the years are big influences on how my voice has developed – singers I, at one time or another, tried to mimic or adapt parts of their style. I sing a lot now these days, practice exercises and scales etc. but also sing a lot of songs. I stick to the opinion that technique is important but that it is only a means to express, not the other way round.

Your guitar playing is fascinating. Will you tell me more about it?

I began by playing classical guitar at the age of 18, though I’d already been playing music for years by this point. Classical guitar was one of my foundations I’d say. But after a few years I started playing steel-string guitar and more and more folk guitar. Someone who has been a real influence on me is Martin Simpson, who I have been getting tuition from for some years.

How did you decide to call the title of your album “The Last Bird to Sing”? This is your second album right?

The Last Bird to Sing is indeed my second album. The name of the album comes from a track on it that I wrote. I thought that it worked nicely as a title for the whole piece.

Let us discuss about song Architecture. How do you lay down the foundation of a song? What is the structure you base your songwriting to?

It really depends on the particular song I’m working on. But usually the first thing is when an idea for a song, a story will come to me – that sets the ball rolling. I then begin to put together a melodic line that reflects this story. And from there I begin, separately, to work words into the melody, sometimes changing the melody to fit the words, sometimes the opposite. Finally I begin to work on the guitar part, to arrange the melody and accompany the vocals.

Are you the type who records a lot of demos and then just filter the songs that make into the album or do you sit down and really work in the idea of creating songs that all make their way into the album?

For the first two albums I recorded I chose a specific number of songs that I knew I wanted on the albums. It was then a process of getting those songs sounding just as I wanted them to. But at the moment I am beginning to work, gradually, towards a third album and I am working in a slightly different way. I’ve been writing a lot of songs lately, as well as coming across, unearthing and arranging a lot of tradition material, so I already have too many songs for one album. I will carry on this process and then begin to whittle down the tracks to what I believe are the strongest individually and what work best together on the album.

Your status post says: “On the train home from London. You know you’ve been doing a lot of travelling when you and the conductor are on first name terms.” Musicians work hard(probably harder than people realize) and do a lot of travelling. What do you think can be done by the government, not just in the UK but all over the world to make it easier and better for every musician?

…I do do a lot of travelling. I guess being a musician, like any job, has its ups and downs. But overall it is a fantastic job to have the privilege to do and earn my keep that way. I think there are lots of interesting ideas around about how to make it easier for musicians to pursue their skills and talents and more generally to help develop a really vibrant national musical culture. The musicians wage, adopted to some degree in countries like France, is one such idea, but there are many. I think we should try to think of ways by which we can support musicians and develop strong and diverse musical cultures without continuing to turn music into merely another commodity.

Are you satisfied with the feedback that the second album is getting?

I’ve been really pleased with the feedback my second album, The Last Bird to Sing, has been getting. As well as the reviews, it was nominated for FATEA album of the year and I’ve also just been nominated for two Spiral Earth Awards – www.spiralearth.co.uk/spiralawards2013

The beautiful acoustic guitars that Ewan McLennan play are custom made, built by Ralph Brown. Below are pictures of the singer/songwriter and his guitars.

Notice: Ewan McLennan has  been nominated for Spiral Earth Awards ‘Best Male Singer’ of 2013. The voting for the nominees is all done online by the public. It’d be great if you would consider casting your vote his way! But also if you could pass this on to anyone else who might vote for him too that’d be much appreciated!

You can vote here: www.spiralearth.co.uk/spiralawards2013

Video

Video courtesy of Peter Simmonds

From the album ‘The Last Bird to Sing’
ewanmclennan.co.uk

  • Buy “The Last Bird to Sing” on
    iTunes

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Celtic Twist Game:

The Celtic Music Fan would  like offer a free copy of Twist in the Tale to the winner of a competition which will start now. This is how it goes. All you need to do is find an answer to a question which in the animated picture blow. all you need to do is go to their official website http://www.wix.com/hollandandpalmley/celtictwist to look for the answer. A winner will be announced at the end of this month.  Phil and Dave could send it directly to you with a short note of congratulations. How’s that? For those who are new to this album, here is the link to the review I did back in June 27 of 2012.

celtic twist,game,albums,

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Huzzah!

How is everyone this week?As of this writing I am still listening to The Last Bird to Sing by our featured artist Ewan McLennan. Like I said above, his voice simply gets to you in a way one can ever imagine. And there is such palpable beauty in his rendition of new and traditional songs. This week is kind of relaxed. As you see not much feature other then the ongoing game of The Celtic Twist which I hope you take part. They make awesome recordings!

My friend Paula made an amazing discovery. This artist is harpist Mark Harmer. She posted this video on my wall. The track on the video is called Sir Arthur Shaen Carolan played by Mark Harmer on Celtic harp. I am not sure if it is me who will convince Mark to have an interview for this site or Paula. May the lucky person wins. As always, I am grateful for Paula’s enthusiasm for Celtic music even though she makes a different kind of music which is electronic. She did cover a number of Celtic inspired tunes like this one. She also sewed me those amazing frame Celtic designs and send them all the way from Yorkshire England. They proudly  sit on my working table!

I am currently doing an interview with John Breen for www.67music.net. Yes yours truly is now affiliated with the amazing guys who run this wonderful site and its owner Skot Cranmore became my first interview artist for American Made Insider.

It is wonderful to know the lives of the artists who became part of this site. That discovery is a continuing process because I still get updates and they appear in this site every now and then. For me, a musical relationship is a lasting relationship. More lasting than anything I have known…other than my relatives hahahaha.

I wish you all an amazing week and watch out for my updates on the John Breen interview. I would suggest you check out my tweets which are found on the lower right of this site. That way you will see my retweets. I don’t really like to tweet about my stuff but I like retweeting relevant updates on my feeds. Take care and see you soon.