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.
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.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about all my years watching Earth, is that people aren’t what they may seem. There are shop boys, and there are boys who just happen to work in a shop for the time being. And trust me Tristan, you’re no shop boy. You saved my life. Thank you.
-Yvaine( from the movie Stardust a story by Neil Gaiman )
There are people who define themselves through the kind of work they do. It is dangerous. People sometimes lose their sense of who they are when they get caught up with the kind of employment they lead. For instance, when one becomes a manager of a company, he or she thinks that he or she is indeed a ‘ manager’ in all aspects of life. And that person could no longer discern which role ends and which one begins.
I always think we are more than what we do. You can be silly which is fun. You can be a teacher, a student of life or a Philosopher. It is great to look at the world with our many selves instead of one eye.
I guess when one is done with work,one should leave everything behind. The feelings of hurt, the things that you heard said about yourself, or even the displeasure of exchanging unpleasantness with someone. One should try to put on the other self- the real you. That is another part of you that your real friends enjoy so much.One should no longer talk about work.
We live in a world where too much information is available and young people are not made aware how to deal with that power. There is no longer a sense of responsibility towards what we can do. Knowledge is power but the sad thing is that a lot of people use it to destroy others. In Nova Scotia, A 15- year old girl took her own life because she was bullied. The same thing happened sometime ago to an Irish immigrant in Massachusetts. It looks like schools could no longer protect children. We are sending them to the jungle. Teachers who have the power and influence are stymied by this. Principals could not do anything but watch young people shoot each other. Whats the world turning to?
***
While the world is looming in darkness, let us check out music news to keep us warm
***
Winston Scottie from Cape Breton
***
Someone tweeted this and I think it is a beautiful piece . Music from Galicia Spain. Luar Na Lubre-Canto De Andar
Hi folks, From April 1st I will be giving one to one tutorials via Skype! For those who are in far flung corners of the globe we can now connect for a tutorial where you can pick my brains. These are for any level of experience from total beginner to advanced. Follow this link for more information-
Holland and Palmley, Celtic Duo.
Per la prima volta in Italia.
Dal vivo al Calisto cafè.
Presentando anche il loro CD “The Visit”
Venite per una serata di buona musica e buona compagnia.
Speriamo di vedervi.
July 13 marks a big day for Canada’s Great Big Sea as they released a new album Safe Upon The Shore celebrating their 18th year in the industry. The album is composed of 14 tracks . It has a wonderful cover artwork! “Nothing But a Song’ is the first single. There is something wonderfully bouncy about the song that reminds you it is summer. Check out somewhere around 2:15 of this video where the fun really escalates..
Texas-based Celtic Rock band Needfire is also in the middle of a hectic tour. Their music is a combination of straight ahead rock, Americana and celtic styles. Traditional instruments like bagpipes, fiddles and even didgeridoo are utilized both in recordings and live shows. Check out the following schedules here: http://www.needfire.com/news.htm
Christian Celtic band Iona are preparing for their September tour this year. This band is fronted by Joanne Hogg who has one of the most beautiful voices since Moya Brennan and Karen Matheson. Watch out for latest updates here . Iona disappeared from the music scene for almost a decade and now it looks like they will sweep the scene once more.
I have been looking for a Tri Yann site in English because their official site is in French. There is however this one helpful link in English which lists their discography and videos . Check out NME’s Tri Yann page.
Galician culture finally has a home in The Galician Way, an online magazine that covers topics from films, books,tunes, art and shows. Everything you need is there.
The official site of Breton singer Denez Prigent is now on construction. One of his musical highlights was having two songs featured in a movie Black Hawk Down with Lisa Gerrard (Gortoz A Ran is one of them). This song is entirely in Breton as you can see in this video. This is one song that is simply perfect when sang as a duet with former Dead Can Dance other half Lisa Gerrard.
AlzheiMelilla of YouTube provided a translation for this song:
Teuio en-dro an avel c’hlas
[Will come back the blue wind]
– Da analañ va c’halon c’hloaz’t
[To breathe my wounded heart]
– Kaset e vin diouzh e anal
[I will be pulled away by its blow]
– Pell gant ar red en ur vro all
[Far away by its stream to another land]
– Kaset e vin diouzh e alan
[I will be pulled away by its breath]
– Pell gant ar red, hervez ‘deus c’hoant
[Far away by its stream, wherever it wants]
Hervez ‘deus c’hoant pell eus ar bed
[Wherever it wants, far away from this world]
– Etre ar mor hag ar stered
[Between the sea and the stars]
Hello Celtic people. After a few days of rest, I am back to spin the latest news of what’s happening around in terms of music , concert as well as social networking sites these artists have. We can’t deny the influence of networking sites like MySpace and facebook in terms of music marketing. Gone are the days when artists had to tour just to get the music out there. Now, through YouTube, music video channels and even twitter , they can reach millions and court listeners. But there is a downside to this.
Though the internet is a good medium in spreading music, there is a huge competition that artists have to go through in order to be heard. Even amateurs with horrible stuff can make it out there. I am not really an expert or authority here but what I do is, I highlight bands and individual artists who are already generating the buzz. When this happens (the buzz), it means that these artists have already built a following and a credible sense of musicianship that set them apart from the rest. And yes we already have established and successful acts like Carlos Nunez, the Chieftains, Clannad, Altan, Ashley McIsaac, Capercaillie and Solas (among others) that make the headlines These headlines are important in keeping our community visible and alive. But it is also through these new acts that make all this writing about music all worthwhile, don’t you think?
Moving to Spain…..
You can now listen to the official Carlos Nunez MySpace page. You can check out pictures, latest news(however I warn you this is in Spanish) and also listen to the artists he is associated with. www.myspace.com/carlosnunezoficial is now playing tracks from his latest album Alborada do Brasil (Sony Music). Fans in Morocco can catch him this 26th of June at the Festival Tarab de Tanger . Here are the details(in Spanish) of his concerts taken from his official website www.carlos-nunez.com (the bottoms is the latest up to August at the top):
28/08/2010
Metz – France
Parc de Seille 21:30
Metz
France
::
27/08/2010
Neuchâtel -La Tène Festival – Switzerland
La Tène Festival
Grande scène 21:30
Neuchâtel – Suisse
+ info: www.latenefestival.ch
::
12/08/2010
Gijón – Spain
Semana Grande de Gijón
Playa de Poniente 23:00
Gijón
::
7/08/2010
Pleuhiden sur Rance – Brittany
La Chapelle de Mordreuc 20:30
Pleuhiden sur Rance (22)
Claustro de la Catedral de Santa Maria 22:30
La Seu d’Urgell
venta de entradas:
Precio de las entradas: 20 € a taquilla // 17 € en venta anticipada.
Sitios de venta anticipada:
Turisme Seu (Avda. Valls d’Andorra s/n) 973 351 511
Turisme del Consell Comarcal de l’Alt Urgell (Passeig Joan Brudieu, 15) 973 353 112
Y, si no se agotan las entradas, el mismo día en taquilla desde las 21 horas en la entrada del Claustre de la Catedral de Santa Maria d’Urgell (C/ Santa Maria s/n)
Santiago de Compostela (Special guest with Jordi Savall) – Spain
San Domingos de Bonaval 20:30
Santiago de Compostela
+ info: Lamentos e folías célticas, das fisterras atlánticas ao novo mundo
Festival Via Stellae www.viastellae.es
JORDI SAVALL viola soprano & lyra-viol
ANDREW LAWRENCE-KING arpa céltica & salterio
PEDRO ESTEVAN percusión
invitado especial :
CARLOS NÚÑEZ gaita e frautas
ENTRADA LIBRE previa recollida de invitación dous días antes do concerto no Punto de venda de entradas do Festival Via Stellae (Teatro Principal, rúa Nova, nº 21, Santiago de Compostela). 981565027.
Os posuidores do abono completo do Via Stellae terán prioridade para retirar a súa invitación a partir do martes 29 de xuño.
::
26/06/2010
Tanger – Morocco
Festival Tarab de Tanger
Borj l-Hajoui 21:15
Tanger
From Casas del Monte – Extremadura, Cáceres Spain, The band combines passionate acoustic guitars mixed with flamenco flavor and irresistible beat that borrows from all sources. Beautiful, melodic and distinctive, the music takes you on different landscapes and cultures yet distinctly Spanish. Band members are(In Spanish because I got this from the band site http://www.aulagafolk.com) :
According to this article The music of the region of Asturias in northern Spain has more in common with Brittany, Wales and Ireland than Spanish music from Castille or Andalusia. Traditional Asturian instruments include bagpipes, called the Gaita, the harp loom and Asturian drums.
Brenga Astur is Celtic music fused with Spanish influences.Laced with beautiful melodies , hypnotic rhytms and evocative voice of the female vocalist, here is your chance to experience the landscape, the people, the thoughts and feelings that shaped the music. Brenga Astur is composed of 10 band members with two Asturian pipers, bouzouki, bodhran, flute, electric and acoustic guitar, accordion, mandolin, drums, keyboard, vocals and more. Cekc out http://www.brengaastur.com/ for details and updates. Information and pics courtesy of http://www.ndoylefineart.com/index.html
Llan de Cubel is a popularname in Asturian Celtic music . The band has released seven albums, the last UN TIEMPU MEYOR was released way back 1999. According to official website: During the last years the band has been making a big database with Asturian traditional tunes. The members of the band have been investigating old songbooks, field recordings by ethnographic groups, old recordings from the begining of 20th century and even recordings by Asturian exilées after the Spanish Civil War. The band has also been writing new tunes in the traditional style that together with the music compiled in the database will be the alma mater of the new studio work that Llan de Cubel intends to record and release in 2010. Please refer to http://www.llandecubel.com/ and for updates about the band http://www.llandecubel.com/concieng.html . No I can’t find their MySpace page but if you have the address, please give it to me and I will post it here.
CMF pays tribute the spirits of Carlos Redondo and Igor Medio, members of the Asturian Celtic band Felpeyu, who passed away on 2006 from a car crash.
This is an article from World Music Central released in 2006:
Spain – Carlos Redondo and Igor Medio, members of Asturian Celtic band Felpeyu, died today in Zuya (northern Spain) in a vehicle accident. The group was traveling from a gig in Corvera (Asturias) to another venue in Barcelona. Felpeyu’s van exited the road and overturned. Two members died and four are severely injured. Firemen were called to rescue the injured passengers from the wreckage.
The untimely death of the two well-known musicians from the Asturias region of Spain has shocked the Spanish folk music community, specially the Celtic music scene.
Carlos Redondo joined Felpeyu in 1994. He played guitar, bass and lead vocals. He was the member of the band with more professional musical experience. He worked intensively as a rock musician, teacher, producer and sound engineer. He was mainly known in Asturias as singer and bass player of the legendary Asturian pop-rock band Los Locos. He got into folk music in the early 90’s by producing some Asturian bands; Felpeyu was one of them, and he joined the band right after producing its first recording, Felpeyu, in 1994. Carlos was born in Gijón (Asturias, Spain).
Ígor Medio had a heterogeneous background. He grew up into an atmosphere of choral and Asturian singing -which both his parents and family developed- and was also into classical music studies and blues/rock experiences before being introduced to folk music. As a folk musician, he developed a personal and eclectic way of arranging and performing Asturian traditional music. He played guitar and mandolin in the band, choosing the bouzouki as his main instrument afterwards. He played bouzouki, guitar -only on studio-, bass pedals, and sang lead and harmony vocals. Ígor was born in Gijón (Asturias, Spain).
Felpeyu recreates Asturian traditional music by combining both the Asturian orchestration and the more general and current Atlantic European types without losing its distinctiveness.
The band was formed by a group of students with similar musical tastes in 1991. Felpeyu initially performed at folk pubs and small venues. Later, it played at large stages and festivals in Asturias. In recent years, the group has performed at numerous international Celtic and world music festivals in Europe, Australia and North America.
Felpeyu has recorded four CDs: Felpeyu (Fonoastur, 1994), Tierra (Fonoastur, 1997), Live Overseas (Urchin, 2000/Tierra Discos, 2003) and Yá! (Tierra Discos 2003).
[Photos: 1 – Carlos Redondo, 2 – Ígor Medio, courtesy of Felpeyu].
From Asturias we go to Wales…
Mabon has started their UK with a blast. They have four appearances this month and 10 for August! Mabon is originally formed by Jamie Smith’s father Derek . The band has released two albums Ridiculous Thinkers (2004) and OK Pewter (2007). The beauty of Mabon is that the band infuses the influences from all the Celtic nations and yet making the sound distinct with Jamie shaping the musical path and doing the research. If you haven’t heard of them yet, well you can isten to the samples at www.myspace.com/mabonband. Here’s the list for their major appearances this month and beyond(See all here):
Wow something really exciting is going on here. To solidify Galicia’s place in the Seven Celtic Nations, there is an effort to revive an old language known as the Gallaic Q-Celtic language spoken by the ancient peoples of this part of Spain. We have witnessed the importance of Galician music in the scene but most of us probably didn’t even know until now that they have their own language which I am sure when realize, will sound as beautiful as the rest of the Celtic languages. So it is all about evolving and interweaving just like the knot work itself that represents the culture. Read more about article by Vincent F. Pintado,
Founder of the Gallaic Revival Movement http://gallaicrevivalmovement.ning.com/
P.S.
First of all , I want to thank Claudio of The Celtic World for providing this wonderful link. He is from Brazil and is an avid supporter of all things Celtic from the Seven Nations. Not only that he is passionate about the art of music, he is also doing his best to push the awareness in his own personal blog which I urge you to visit.
I also want to thank Christi for the support she has given me , which tells me why I need to write more. She is from Michigan and the Irish blood in her veins is the reason she is so passionate about Gardening , writing journal and supporting Celtic music. She tells me she is now drawn to Galician music.
Lana who has a lot of Irish in her, is a painter. And her great sense of beauty is also the main reason she drops by and supports beautiful music. I really recommend that you visit her beautiful blog, and the visual stuff she created..
Celtic Music Fan 