I am one of the lucky people who got the chance to preview the new album Lig Amach by Irish guitarist Robert Doyle. So glad he agreed to this interview format. I gave him written questions and he answered them in video form and then I put everything together. Nothing fancy. And I think you would agree that simplicity is indeed a thing of beauty!
Lig Amach is going to be released on Friday 22nd of April. A live performance on the 28th will follow. This is a beautiful album! I highly recommend it as a 5 out of 5 stars!
Do you want to get a free copy of an Irish traditional record? Well you better hurry before offer runs out. According to Irish recording artist Michael McCague:
So grab your camera phones and make a video of yourselves playing one of his tunes. Hey it wouldn’t be hard even if you don’t have his album yet as you can always looked it up via YouTube.
As the extraordinary fiddler of the Canadian Celtic trio NUA, his projects don’t go unnoticed. As in the case of this Neknomination, where he shows his amazing instrumental excellence through guitar and fiddle. I did a brief message exchange with him and came up with interesting facts, including a forthcoming new album from NUA!
1. Can you tell us more about this project?
This isn’t so much my project as it is an interpretation or a reinvention of the original Facebook game called neknominate. Neknominations was originally when people consumed an alcoholic beverage in one gulp and posted the video of them drinking on facebook. You then nominated two other people to do the same within the next 24 hours and post it. More detail at this link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neknominate
2. What is this tune you are playing?
James M Law
The tune I am playing is one that I wrote in the last week or so as I was working on new material for an upcoming NUA album. It doesn’t have a name yet but I’m sure one will soon enough. Graeme McGillivray (guitar player from NUA) also assisted on composing this composition.
3. This is a musical side of you I haven’t seen before and I am impressed . Is there a solo project you are working on as of the moment?
I am not working on a solo project at the moment. This video came about because Kerry and Julie Fitzgerald nominated me to play a fiddle tune. The reason I picked the tune was because it was something new that I had just written and was inspired to try and put some chords to it and work on some of my DADGAD guitar playing. Before this video, I have never done a solo video of this nature with me playing all the parts. I enjoyed the new experience and think there might be a few more videos to come in the future.
4. What are the things you want to accomplish this year?
I am looking forward to the summer this year as I have a lot of exciting gigs coming up. I will be teaching the Trad Band at the Sunshine Coast School of Celtic Music during the first week of July. NUA is playing at Mill Race Festival for our second year in a row this August. We are also playing at Goderich Celtic Roots Festival this August which is very exciting. NUA is expecting a new album to be released early 2015. The other big project I am a part of is The Marwills. The Marwills have a tour coming up in late July out to the East Coast in Halifax. The Marwills are planing gigs in Barrie ON, Toronto ON, Ottawa ON, Montreal QC, Fredericton NB, Halifax NS and Tay Creek NB where they will be playing at the Tay Creek Music Festival. Other than that I am concentrating on my music / instruments as well as my production skills as I record other artists.
5. Thanks for the time James!
Thanks Baxter, let let me know if you want more info. Here are some links to things I talked about in the questions. I will upload the video to youtube just now and send you the link when its done uploading.
Traditional Scottish and Jazz. Those are the two styles that define the new album Esotero by Fraser Fifield and Graeme Stephen. It is a work layered in intricate textures. I encourage you to give it more than twenty spins before you say anything what the album.What I am saying here does not even define the whole album because, Esotero has MORE to offer as part of your listening experience. But we can agree that it is an impressive album with loads of surprises.
I like the how space is given emphasis between instruments and tracks. It is almost like stepping into this white room and seeing a few instruments on display. It is easy to get lost in the passion behind the making of tunes like the title track Esotero, The Bank of Time and Immigrant eyes among others.
These two artists go all the way back with an impressive array of albums to celebrate. I would like to unlock the secrets to the melodic alchemy of Fraser Fifield but it is hard. His approach is always unique and sometimes the way he plays with scales is uncanny. His delivery gives a sense of atmosphere and mystical qualities to each track. And yes, the guitar works of Graeme Stephen completes the alchemy, giving Esotero a timeless and satisfying listening experience for all.
For years now I consider Geantraí as one of the most important sources of traditional live performance in Irish music. For this week comes a surprise. I was going through my youtube stream when I found this upload of the latest performance featuring Enda Seery & John Byrne. These two made a tight breath-taking performance by making their two acoustic instruments feel like a full set. In most of Enda’s performances, there is that distinctive, delicate way of playing-his love for expression and texture over speed. The style where he shines. John Byrne compliments the tin whistle with his rhythmic guitar strumming and making sure that their sounds merge seamlessly.
He and John will be playing for Gael Linn ‘Siamsaíocht @6’ concert series next Tuesday, 19th November from 6-8pm in the Central Hotel, Dublin. His latest second studio album ‘Síocháin na Tuaithe:Peace of the Countryside'(2013) is available on http://www.endaseery.com/buy-albums.html
Video info:
Geantraí, TG4-Programme 3, 2013.
Enda Seery (Eb whistle) & John Byrne (guitar).
Reels: Day Trip to Galway (comp. Enda Seery)/The Golden
Celtic Music Fan 