Music of Ireland

Interview with Gilles H (Daonet) for the album “Donemat”

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Plus: Lúnasa video and new releases fromAndrew “Slim” Black,  Michelle Mulcahy and Eliseo Mauas Pinto.

Gwendal Meillarec, Herve Briand and Gilles Bogzh-daonet.

I am glad to discover the band Daonet from Nantes. They are a fine addition to our ever growing collection of Breton artists. They play catchy rock oriented music using Breton language. It doesn’t matter if you don’t speak the language. The music is fun, catchy with just enough loudness to awaken your caffeine deprived family members. The lead vocals of Gwendal Meillarec (he also plays the flute) is strong but not imposing which is a good thing. He sometimes mimics the sound of the bagpipes with his guitar tuned in a unique fashion using great effects.

My guest Gilles H  mostly plays bass guitar. He explains : “I personally mostly play bass guitar except on O’surfin on which we play with 2 guitars (Gwendal on chorus me in rhythmic guitar and after we exchange the roles). On stage I also play synth sounds controlled by my bass (organ, guitars sounds etc.) or my guitar on “O’surfin” (upright bass sound) but on the CD, I’ve used this sounds on “Marv Ponkalleg” intro and one effect on “Nerzh-kalon”. The drums of Herve Briand make the crunch! If you read further,  Gilles gives us an in-depth look at the Celtic music scene in the whole of France not just in Brittany. Here, Gilles uses the terms Breton and Celtic to differentiate the specific from the general.

You made a different treatment of Tri Martolod..it has a  more energetic and punk feel. What are your expectations in terms of people’s reactions to this song and those who are loyal with Alan Stivell’s version?

Yes we play Tri Martolod on stage in our way since 2003, 2004 I think. The reactions to our interpretation of this traditional song are always good, never any complaints 😉 people sing and clap their hands every time 😉

Daonet means Damned in English. Why did you choose that name for the band?

We are from the town of Nantes = Naoned in Breton language and there is an expression from Brittany “Mont da Naoned da c’hortoz bezan daonet” = going to Nantes waiting being damned, an expression referring to people from west part of Brittany who had to go to Nantes to get a job in the 19th century. The 12th track of Donemat album, “Mont da Naoned” is a folk-rock style song based on this expression with a parallel on  nowadays people who have to migrate to find a job … Paris or elsewhere on the planet …

 How about giving us a brief background of each band member?

Gwendal founded the band in 2000. He is an electric and acoustic guitarist. He also sings, and plays tin whistle. He writes lyrics mainly in Breton or in French.

I (Gilles) have joined the band in 2002. I play bass guitar, upright bass, synth guitar, and I also sing.

I’ve played in the late 80’s and early 90’s in a Celtic rock band from Vannes called Tan Flam. I’ve also played, wrote and sung in rock, rock’n roll, blues-rock bands  ….for example Bogzh ! with Hervé on drums …

Hervé has joined Daonet in 2006,  he plays drums, derbouka, djembe, cajon etc. He played in different music styles band before Daonet : rock, punk-rock, blues-rock …

 What can we expect from the band this year?

We have recorded “Donemat” with guests’ participation on violin (Frédéric Bouley) and bombarde (Olivier Arz). We have played some concerts with Olivier. We also played in acoustic configuration (acoustic guitars, upright bass, cajon and voices). These different configurations may be developed in the future for live and recording events …

Booking / tour +33 628 362 994

 Where can listeners purchase their copies of Daonet CDs and mp3s?

The latest album “Donemat” is distributed by Coop Breizh, so dealers may have access to this record. It is also available on Daonet’s website http://www.daonet.eu/ as the previous CD “Rok a raok”, the different albums are also available in numeric version on http://daonet.bandcamp.com/ .

Donemat is also available in MP3 on itunes, Amazon platforms … It is also possible to discover the album through Deezer, spotify …

What are the festivals around France that you guys have been to?And what  memorable things  happened during these shows? 

We played for the “Festival des filets bleus” in Concarneau (Brittany) 1 year ago opening for Gilles Servat with 10 000 people attending, we were announced as the “coup de coeur” of the festival… It was great. We’ve also played for “Celtival on the rock” in Guemene-Penfao with Dom Duff and Muray Head, for Festival des nuits salines in Batz-sur-mer …

It is not a festival, but a fest like the St Patrick fest for Ireland, in Brittany around the St Yves day / Gouël Erwann may 19th there is Brittany Fest organized since several years and promoted by Brittany region, we play during this period in different contexts. We played for example, few years ago in Rennes with traditional music bands, “Les Ramoneurs de menhirs” with their special recipe mixing traditionnal music and punk music and also a punk-metal-fusion band singing in Breton … This year we played for one of this concerts for the Brittany Fest in Nantes for or the first Breton language fest in Loire Atlantique. We are also asked for playing every year for the St Patrick day with Irish music bands (traditional or rock bands). We also play sometimes our music in concerts with no Celtic, or folk theme, with rock, blues-rock, punk bands etc. for concerts organized by bikers that sometimes are a little afraid of songs in Breton but when we ask if they understand the lyrics of English singing bands this stops their fear and they often recognize that  even some French  singing bands are not so easy to understand ;-).

Tell us about making the album Donemat. How do you gather materials etc. Can you tell us the procedure down to the final mixing?

Most of the songs were played on stage several years before they were recorded but in the beginning of the new record project, we’ve selected the songs (with 2 traditional songs “marv pontkalleg” and the Brittany anthem “Bro gozh ma zadoù”) and we stopped playing others songs, new songs replacing the previous ones. We worked the titles adopted in studio versions exclusively with the strict tempo of a metronome on every rehearsal during at least one year. We recorded with Arthur Lauth, who manages when this is possible our sound on stage, in a one day captation + mix, a pre-production recording of the 12 titles. With this pre-production CD, we met several sound engineers to find the studio allowing us to get the recording we were expecting with an agenda matching ours ;-).

At this point of the project, we had the agreement of Coop Breizh for the distribution of our album in France. We also had a contact with a painter / illustrator Brucéro to order him a drawing for the CD.

We chose to work with a brand new studio : Woodbox Studio near Nantes – managed by Jeff Ferrand that worked before in others studios.

We began the recording in the end of may 2011 with drums and bass tracks (electric basses and fretless bass) in 2 week-ends.

Followed later by Gwendal during a week electric and acoustic guitars parts, a keyboard track on the slow song, tin whistle, and we recorded voices.

Two guests recorded after then theirs parts in other sessions :

– Olivier Arz (we played together in Tan Flam group long time ago) played bombarde on three tracks, we worked together for several rehearsals with Olivier with the complete band, or with guitar, bass and tin whistle/ bombarde.

– Frédéric Bouley who plays violin in numerous bands (Breton, Irish music) recorded on the song “Mont da Naoned”, we worked with him and Gwendal in rehearsal (acoustic guitar, upright bass, violin), and with a first mix of the tracks already recorded of this title.

We finished the choirs, Hervé recorded Derbouka and Djembe, I recorded upright bass licks with the bow on “Mont da Naoned”, synth guitar on “Marv Pontkalleg” intro and my rhythm and chorus guitar parts on O’Surfin …

Jeff did the mix with some adjustments after listen sessions with the band. We defined the final order for the titles and then the mastering process was done in a specialized company.

My brother Lionel took pictures of the band for the CD and newspapers, he also did the graphics of the Digipack including the booklet with lyrics etc. with the character Brucéro drew for us.

The CD was then manufactured in the first week of January 2012 and sent to stores in February by Coop Breizh, we also sent CD to fans who pre-ordered and organized a concert in Nantes to invite fans for this disc availability.

Do you think Celtic Breton is stronger now than before?

I suppose that you ask the question of Breton music . Is it stronger ? It is always present. In Brittany there are many bands playing traditional music : bagadoù created on the model of pipe bands. There are fest-noz bands (fest noz can be translated in night fest) and they play music to make people dance traditional Breton dances. They are very active. There are also Celtic rock bands and some Breton rock bands. They play songs written in Breton, in Gallo with or without traditional, Breton or Celtic music influences. The success of Celtic music and of Breton music for masses is cyclic in France. Alan Stivell, Tri Yann, Soldat Louis, Manau (Celtic rap), Armens, Dan Ar Braz, Matmatah (their first album), Merzhin etc. had a very good success in some periods, Nolwenn Leroy with her cover album of best of traditional songs in Breton had been a big success recently.

The scene for Celtic music and Breton music is always present here, especially in Brittany, where the festivals are very popular and numerous (Festival interceltique de Lorient, Nuits salines in Batz sur Mer, Filets bleus in Concarneau, Festival de Cornouaille etc. In the Festival des Vieilles Charrues in Carhaix-Plouguer  it is much more rock and pop oriented,  but a stage is reserved for Breton music). But bands playing Breton music are not only present in Brittany. In every region of France there are Breton associations including a bagad, a “cercle celtique” (breton dance group) promoting Breton music and Breton learning in the region where they live. There are also Celtic rock, folk-rock bands in the different regions playing Breton, Celtic inspired music…

A band like Daonet mostly plays rock sung in Breton language to promote its use, its learn that was in the past reduced in use by the action of France (interdiction in French schools).

Daonet band is based in Nantes, a town that officially is not a part of administrative region Bretagne, the department of Loire Atlantique was in fact removed from the historic Brittany to create an artificial region called “Pays de la Loire”. Numerous songs of Daonet are based on Brittany and Nantes history, and the use of Breton language for a band from Nantes in this context is of course a  symbol. Others bands from Nantes that don’t still exist played Breton rock sung in Breton, EV and Tri Bleiz Die for example, (EV guitarist-singer Gweltaz ADEUX plays now pop-rock songs in Breton), the band Tri Yann that exists since the 70’s, plays Breton and Celtic music with some songs in Breton language is also based in Nantes.

https://www.facebook.com/daonetrock

http://www.daonet.eu/

http://www.myspace.com/daonet

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Featured Video: Lúnasa”The Merry Sisters of Fate”

Called “the hottest Irish acoustic band on the planet” by the Irish Times, Lúnasa performs live from the intimate confines of The Burren Irish Pub in Somerville, Massachusetts. Named for an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honor of the Irish god Lugh, patron of the arts, Lúnasa is made up of some of the top musical talents in Ireland. The current lineup includes:

Seán Smyth — Fiddle, Whistles
Kevin Crawford — Flutes, Whistles
Trevor Hutchinson — Double Bass
Cillian Vallely – Uillean pipes, Whistles
Ed Boyd – Guitar

The Burren Backroom Series is hosted by Brian O’Donovan of A Celtic Sojourn on WGBH Radio.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel WGBH Music: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=WGBHMusic

Audio Engineer: Antonio Oliart
Camera/Editing: Greg Shea
Camera: Annie Shreffler
Producer/Host: Brian O’Donovan

My big thanks to Greg Shea for this one.

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New Releases:

Slim’s forthcoming LP, ‘Gallows Tree Tales’, is a barn-storming folk-rock romp through tales of love, loss, booze, laughter and madness. With big productions, there’s everything from americana rock, celtic folk, country balladeering, and even a gospel choir thrown in for good measure. Once the record’s released, you’ll be able to buy it here, and there’ll be a full band tour, gigs-aplenty, and of course, a fair few ‘Gallows Tree Tales’ to tell. Get it here: http://www.slim-music.com/tcms/home

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Michelle Mulcahy, Suaimhneas (Cló Iar-Chonnacht)

Read the wonderful review here: http://www.robadamsjournalist.com/index.asp

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The Celtic Harp  By Eliseo Mauas Pinto

“The Celtic Harp” is a very interesting quick guide not only approaching to questions regarding the origins of its name, its history and revival, but also to the surviving types, suggested Celtic Harpists, and a list of related external links. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/210054

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Stephen Ducke: “A Complete Guide to Playing Irish Traditional Music on the Whistle”

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Plus: The Stride Set, Brian Femming and the late Maeve Binchy

Learning of an instrument as a journey, rather than a destination..

286 pages with illustrated examples and also audio materials accompanying this book should  be a joy to those trying to learn the tin whistle.

I have a brief background in the recorder and it isn’t hard for me to understand the notation as well as terms that Stephen Ducke used in this book. I should tell you that even though you don’t have a musical background and have just picked up the instrument, this book is straightforward and free of any cumbersome words that might hamper the learner.

It will also give you a complete understanding why Irish music sounds that way. Learning through this book will reward you in twofold: playing the tin whistle and understanding Irish Celtic music. The rest is up to you to find out. I cached up with Steve and popped him few questions: .

I see that you are managing 9 blogs all and all. How do you find the energy to teach and blog at the same time??!!

The author: Stephen Ducke

 

Actually, my Blogger blogs are mostly collections of videos, and Irish traditional news stories found online (with links to the original articles) It’s a way for myself to keep abreast of the news, and there does seem to be a readership too. My principal site is Tradschool, and this is all my own work: In the blog I regularly post tune recordings on flute and whistle, band profiles and other information. There’s also a news section that I update when I can, although less so in summer for example, when there are more gigs and workshops and I’m not often at home…

You play other instruments apart from the whistle:concertina, uilleann pipes, fiddle, flute, guitar and bodhran. Man, do you even sleep? What are the challenges of playing the tin whistle for beginners?

I play the flute and whistle, and am lucky to have some colleagues who participate in sending me recordings for the website, so I am able to post concertina and fiddle tunes also, and sometimes uilleann pipes.

Please tell us more about this e-book tutorial that you are selling on your site right now.

The tutorial came from my teaching of flute and whistle, in Ireland but especially over the past 10 years in France. Many of the questions my French students have about the music and the instrument were not the type of question I was used to answering in Ireland – technical questions about the music, style and interpretation, for example. As a teacher, I feel a responsibility to at least try to answer the student’s questions, and this called for a lot of reflection on my part, and a closer examination of the music than I was used to; I realized how many things I had been taking for granted as an Irish player.

The tutorial’s format will be familiar to anyone who has taken my workshops – I adapt what I like to call a “layered” approach to playing the music, beginning with the rhythm and adding each new element little by little. I believe that, as an orally-transmitted folk music, Irish traditional music is necessarily based on a simple system, and to properly appreciate and play this music, an understanding of the system is necessary.
I feel that this tutorial is different in that I try to bring the student to an understanding of the musical style, not so he can imitate the recordings provided, but so that he can go o  to interpret new tunes and form his own style and repertoire. Where I feel many other tutorials miss out is that they provide repertoire, and descriptions of ornamentation, but very little explanation of how it all goes together. I try to examine the logic behind the music, so the student can feel confident in his understanding of the style, and confident enough to make his own choices in style or interpretation.

If I am in my 60s, do you think it is too late to master the instrument?

It depends what you mean by “master” – at 37, I’ve been playing the whistle almost 30 years and don’t feel I’ve mastered it yet; however the journey to where I am today has been immensely rewarding and gratifying. At sixty, it’s definitely not too late to start, and it’s not too late to take pleasure in playing this wonderful music. I prefer to look at the learning of an instrument as a journey, rather than a destination…

You can get your own copy though this site: http://irishwhistletutor.blogspot.com/

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Video of the day: Beginner Bodhrán: FREE Lesson No.1 of 2 from OAIM.ie with Brian Fleming

It is nice to be enlightened from various sources. Even though you are not going to be a serious musician, looking at these tutorials can enhance your appreciation of the music. I think that knowledge and esthetics go together. You can’t enjoy something you don’t understand right?

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Today in pictures: The Stride Set

Meabh O’Hare (fiddle)
Jani Lang (fiddle)
Patricia Clark (fiddle)
Michael McCague (bouzouki)
Josie Harrington (guitar/vocals)
Kevin Jones (drums)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Stride-Set

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People: The Late Maeve Binchy

An undated handout image provided by Christine Green Authors’ Agent in London, Irish novelist and playwright Maeve Binchy passed away after a short illness at the age of 72 on 30 July 2012. Photo credit: EPA/Liam White

Her  book Circle of Friends introduced everyone to Ireland in the 50s. I like the fluidity of her prose. She can be subtle but also funny. Books like Tara Road, The Lilac Bus, The Glass Lake among others, stayed with me and I can still remember how the characters are. I think all Irish people have the gift whither it is musical, visual or literary. Their passion speaks in volumes and it can me be contagious. She will always stay in our hearts.

Clannad kick off world tour next week

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Clannad is touring!

I got this from the Donegal News. The fab Celtic band Clannad is going on a world tour. At last they have disprove rumors that Landmarks was the last album. They are definitely giving everyone another dose of their haunting brand of Celtic music. Countries they will be visiting :USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Their European tour will be extensive. Here’s the detailed news:

FOLLOWING their sell-out 40th anniversary concerts at the 2011 Temple Bar TradFest and a year of dipping their toes back in, Clannad are all set to kick of their world tour at the National Concert Hall in Dublin next week.

On Wednesday and Thursday July 25 and 26, the famous group from Dobhar will performing all their hits that span over four decades as part of the third ESB Live Festival.

Ciarán, Pól, Moya, Pádraig and Noel have been very busy rehearsing as their prepare to go on a tour that will see them through right until Christmas travelling to USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan before going on an extensive European tour in early 2013.

Since announcing their US dates, tickets have been flying out the door Stateside with thousands of fans not wanting to miss their opportunity to see Clannad back on tour.

The Grammy Award-winning band has been busy writing new material over the past year and are in the finishing stages of completing their first album as a five piece since 1989.

Clannad have given a unique voice to modern Irish music. They have combined a deep love of traditional strains with a bold approach to writing and recording.

Clannad will appear Saturday Night with Miriam tomorrow night at 9.30pm on RTE. For concert tickets log onto http://www.nch.ie

http://donegalnews.com/2012/07/18/clannad-kick-off-world-tour-next-week/

 

Naymedici : The Single Paddy McGee is Getting Good Raves!

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This band is getting a lot of attention in the UK. The video off their single Paddy McGee  is also gaining viewers from all over (The single was released on 14th July) after its release. Naymedici (pronounced Nay-Med-Ee-Chee) fuses Balkan and Irish music seamlessly that it becomes an original sound. You better hear the drums somewhere around 1:34. It is just mind-blowing!

The band describe their music as: “A mix of Balkan and Irish music in a gypsy-folk style”. Because of the attention they are getting, would you believe that Irvine Welsh (author of Trainspotting, and Glue) even tweeted them saying “F**k yes! I like that one, Tony. These guys are on it.”

Members: Mike King (Vocals & Guitar) – Ronnie King (Drums) – Joshua McClurg (Vocals, Guitar & Harmonica) – Mike Hill (Bass) – Bob Goodman (Fast as Folk Fiddle)

Look for them in facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naymedici

The video debut and new single from Manchester’s Naymedici – Paddy McGee. Single availble now! http://www.hmvdigital.com/artist/naymedici/paddy-mcgee
Video by Cosmic Joke https://www.facebook.com/pages/CosmicJokeUK
Post production by Gee Studios https://www.facebook.com/GeeStudios
Very special thanks to Fosshey Stables http://www.fossheystables.co.uk/ and St Matthews Church Stretton without whom none of this would be possible!

‘Seisiún’ show at Áras An Mhuilinn, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath tomorrow night, Wednesday 18th July @8 30pm

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Are you in Ireland, or visiting Ireland? I got this from Enda Seery. I featured him before because  his style of playing the whistle is fascinating. There is an amazing show he is producing. I am a snoop so I have to know more. The resident group at the centre is called ‘Ceoltóirí an Mhuilinn’. I asked him for a bit of info:

Seisiún provides a unique entertainment experience for holidaymakers and local communities alike at various CCÉ Seisiún nights all over Ireland. Seisiún Áras an Mhuilinn is staged in the ‘Teach Ceoil’ in Áras an Mhuilinn, the Comhaltas Regional Centre in Mullingar. The setting in Áras an Mhuilinn is ideally suited to a Comhaltas Seisiún Show, an intimate setting of formal and informal traditional Irish entertainment of the highest quality. Light refreshment is offered as part of the very reasonable entrance charge while bar facilities are also available. Seisiún concludes with an informal traditional session where visitors are encouraged to participate as they so wish. Seisiún Áras an Mhuilinn is staged in the historical town of Mullingar, the town in which Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann was founded in 1951. Seisiún audiences return year after year- Bígí linn ag Seisiún Áras an Mhuilinn!

Seisiún’ show at Áras An Mhuilinn, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath tomorrow night, Wednesday 18th July @8 30pm. lLots of talent on display! Artists from Offaly Comhaltas on stage for the second half. First half line-up as follows:
Enda Seery-MC, Producer, Whistles, Flute
Sarah Hennessy-Button Accordion
Sharon Morgan-Flute
Hilary Gaffney-Fiddle
Seamus Kelly-Guitar
Niamh Glynn-Dancer
Thomas McCormack-Dancer
Doreen Farrelly-Singer
Mary Hughes-Storyteller

www.arasanmhuilinn.ie