Album review:Brendan Mulholland/ Brendan Hendry/Paul McSherry with Tuned Up!
Tuned Up is a project which lovers of traditional Irish music will love to collect. Energy, solid harmonies and top notch players in the trad scene are things that you will find here. From the start of track 1 (Reels: Fox in the town/In the tap room/The Belfast traveler) one can already say ‘ ah this is a trad album I have been looking for’. Big nod to Paul McSherry for kicking the tunes with his punchy guitar strumming that paves the way for all the wonderful tunes to come.
Plus points:
Liner notes. There is a comprehensive written by Kevin Crawford to introduce the trio. Kevin is known as the flute player and chatty man with Lúnasa. It is great to have his presence in this wonderful CD.
Tracks:
There are traditional and traditional sounding original compositions. There are ten tracks but there are divided into the following: reels, jigs, slow reels, air/hornpipe, waltz and polka. This is a great introduction to people who are trying to study traditional Irish music because of the description of the musical style in each track. Brendan’s flute playing really shines in track 7 with Air/hornpipe. Here you will really appreciate the round tunes produced by this wind instrument.
Sound quality:
I like spaces in between songs. They make the tracks breath and give you the time to get acquainted with the soul of the music. The sonic production is excellent. There is a balance of a really clean recording that reaches to the surface of the sound in each instrument. To cite an example, the warm fiddle sound of Brendan Hendry is captured really well in track 4(Slow reels/reels). There is that brightness in the instrument that calls to mind wood sprites dancing. There is also a good use of reverb in the midrange and it gives all tracks their natural warm sound.
Verdict:
They need to come up with another project like this one. There’s the undeniable chemistry between these three musicians and personally it was one of those satisfying and educational listening experience for me. Tune Up is the life of a party. Just crank it up and listeners will clap their hands and tap their feet.
New musical written by award winning singer/songwriter Dave Rooney and writer actor bill monks.
based on the life of a homeless temple bar character
Here is one musical even about an Irish unsung hero. This is a must see both for the music and for the story. I got to ask Dave about his involvement in the project and other important info:
“This musical started when I used to meet a homeless guy on the
street during my breaks on gigs in Temple Bar. He was homeless and we
got chatting. I only met him 4 or 5 times and we chat for about 15
minutes. He was in his eighties and he liked to reminisce. He told me
little bits about his life and and I listened with intrigue.
I didn’t see him for a few months and I asked some of the
homeless people where he was, and they said he passed away.
I was saddened by this and I decided to write a song about him.
and so was the birth of millionaire. This was to be the catalyst
for the whole project.”
About the production:
“I hooked up with Bill Monks who is a writer/actor and we set
about putting his life in a story, an adaptation, based on limited
info about him, and how his life unfurled from our perspective.
I’d like to tour this musical in the states because it has an
Immigrant side to it. I feel it would be a draw for any of the diaspora.
I’ve written all the songs for the play. I did some re-recording and a bunch
of new songs all woven into the story line.
It’ll be held at the merchants arch in Temple Bar starting next
Monday September 10th, and hopefully will be ongoing.
People are always asking (tourists) where they can meet real
Irish people and learn about real Irish life. I think this will
bring something real. It’s refreshing to be involved in something
new. I’ll be reaching a new audience and I think it’s a really good
angle to have the music exposed”.
Promotional videos:
Featured band: DÁN – making fine Irish music
I got a beautiful treat when I stumbled upon the tunes these musicians make. They are a trio called DÁN. The spare piano lines amidst the
DÁN – fine Irish music
traditional fiddling make them sound like no other. Groovy bass lines make that driving motion in the overall tranquility. I think I listened to them again and again because one time isn’t enough. And oh, they are from Germany. This isn’t the first time I featured German bands that make amazing Irish music. Check them out: http://www.myspace.com/fineirishmusic
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Flashback: Crowdy Crawn (Brenda Wootton) – No Song To Sing(1974)
Here is one relaxing track uploaded via a vinyl recording(You can hear the nostalgic scratches) by the late Cornish folk singer Brenda Wooten. This is a duet performance with Rob Bartlett.
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Dom Duff: From Brittany to Manchester
Singer/songwriter Dom Duff has traveled a lot lately. There is a warm reception towards Breton music these days and It is because of musicians like him who continue to inspire the awareness of Breton music and culture.
Introducing an amazing Canadian artist, A German record label, Album Review, Loreena McKennitt and Picture of the day.
“It was kind of cool to work the sound board for him, because my dad said that when he was in university Terry used to play upstairs in the student union building. Another really cool thing is that the choir I sang in, did one of his songs a few years ago but I didn’t know who he was so I didn’t realize it until he started playing the song. He sounded so good live.”-Layne Greene
Ever wonder how I got my fresh ideas for this site? Yes, I have good friends whom I spend hours and hours discussing musical stuff. So, apart from getting direct messages from bands themselves, I also get word of the mouth from this or that who knows this or that.
After one song I warmed up to Terry Kelly right away. Fans of Dave Gunning will love his music and yes he is also Canadian! You hear different influences in his music ranging from Bluegrass, Irish to Pop rock. In My Father’s House (the video you see above) has an amazing fiddle part and the video is also well done. His voice combines strength and tenderness. The music lifts the soul, casting your burdens aside. So, to all of you who are having a hard time, those who are trying to heal from a broken heart or a terrible situation, the music of Terry Kelly is a perfect remedy. Not too heavy on the sugar, good calorie count and full of goodness.
Merlin’s Nose records giving you ambient, pagan folk and other interesting releases
Those who love ambient sound with something medieval and folk then Merlin’s Nose Records have great stuff for you. The company is based in Germany and it sells records in various format. These tracks you hear are just samplers of the great things to come. Visit their site to browse through the catalog. http://www.merlins-nose.com/index_1.htm
Music sampler:
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Album Review: Mickey Harte: Forward to Reality
The music of Mickey Harte is easy to the ears and it goes down smoothly. There are enough hooks to appeal to both pop and rock listeners. His voice has the characteristics as Rod Stewart and Sting or a combination of both. The album booklet has a nice biography that will explain how this recording came into reality. It also shows black and white photos of the studio with the artist and crew during recording sessions. The album has 13 catchy pop rock songs , artfully crafted but they also made sure to retain that raw energy courtesy of sound Engineer Dave Hill.
The songs are typical adult alternative music that talks about relationships, the tragedy, redemption of love and things in between. There are folksy sensibilities in songs like Bordertown, Living in our town,Unstoppable train and my personal favorite Broken Love. Mickey Harte has a voice possessing a wide range of expression and layers. In I like the way you think, his voice go really deep and sensual in a Chris Isaak croon.
So what about the instruments? Expect to hear Hanson guitars, alto trombone and the usual mix of keys, bass and drums. The recording and mastering took place inside 1 Bit Studio in Chicago IL. Interesting results happen when artists from the Emerald Isle let American sound engineers do the final touches. All in all Forward to Reality is one strong album that is poised to satisfy a wide range of listeners from the musical spectrum.
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 …
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.
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:
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
“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
Plus: The High Kings and Festival Interceltique de Lorient
Timothy Des Roches: The invisible noodle(string)
The harp fascinated me since childhood. I owe that to the movies and also the late Japanese jazz harpist Tadao Hayashi (in grade school) who started me in this path. He made me realize that the instrument can create a lot of sound textures depending on the player.
With my journey to the discover of Celtic music, it was not hard to fuse the past and the present. Hearing the instrument gives you deeper meaning when you know its history and its construction. How or why does it make such sound? As what poet Lao Tzu says about traveling..”A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” And also “For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” –– Robert Louis Stevenson. Learning is a great journey -by knowing the harp more.
You have to realize this didn’t take place in one day. Tim and I just sent messages and ideas back and forth as we went along:
I got a brilliant idea for the interview. Why don’t we make a picture discussion. I will go ahead and post pictures from your picture gallery and let you explain further. We will make it as informal and chatty as possible.
Or if you prefer we will make it on the main conference with Scott(Hoye). Anything that makes you comfortable.
After sometime….
He said: This may be mildly interesting to you. I’ve been discussing the build of a traditional wire strung harp with someone for some time now. This person desires a replica harp with an English Walnut pillar and column (the sound box is to be carved from Linden/Lime ,latin: tilia. Our conversations started over a year ago. Well, after about one year I came upon a proper log for the carved sound box (the wood needs to be green/wet), and after countless hours of searching I just found the English walnut in the right thickness (rare) in Southern Poland. Enough for many harps and pleasantly priced – WAAAAY cheaper that it would be from a US vendor, even though the wood is actually more common here than in Europe. It’s very odd to me how these things seem to make themselves available when I’m close to being ready for them even if the odds are stacked against me. Money is always an issue – I have little and wood and transport are costly – and transport is always challenging as I haven’t a car.
In the picture the shorter lengths are about 1.5 meters long and 7 cm thick, the rest is 5cm thick and about 3 meters long. The wood has “seasoned” naturally for five years. Commercial wood is usually kiln dried, which is less desirable for musical instruments.
Now this is a great thread starter 😉
Hey, I know that pic (referring to the picture below).
Let us discuss about wood carving in this picture. How long did it take for you to finish this one?I am actually in your album now.
Hmmmm, 80 hours maybe. But “in the round” like that is a real pain and I never clamped that piece while working on it. Or rather, I clamped it with my left elbow while carving with the right and left hand.
You seem to take harp making a step further by adding intricate designs. How do clients react to your finished products?
The design took longer than the carving – I can take a long time to settle on a design. When it’s for me, as this harp was, I want something I can live with, something that fits the harp. If a carving is for someone else THEY decide; that makes things easier.
What clients? Thus far it’s all for my wife, except one small wire harp. They liked the carving a lot, it made the harp more personal. For myself, I enjoy finding what the wood has within and adjusting to the grain. Thankfully, every piece of wood is different so even if you’re making the same design over and over there’s always something new, but hand carving adds another layer to that.
Interesting!
I didn’t know you have so many” weapons” ( see picture). How did you get into harp building?
I like “les armes blanches!” There’s absolutely no such thing as too many chisels. Grab and air-sickness bag, love got me involved. It was my 5th anniversary that was approaching and I wanted to give Magda something special. The fifth anniversary calls for a wooden gift so I set myself to thinking. I remembered that she had once told me that as a little girl her dream was to play the harp, but in Communist Poland that was beyond the grasp of all but the luckiest of talented youths, so she opted for classical guitar. So, I researched and bought a harp kit from Musicmakers; it was a 26 string Limerick harp in walnut. I did some simple carving to to make it truly hers and found an interest in both harps and carving. Later I made a connection with the harp maker Rick Kemper of Sligo Harps and have been enjoying a kind of intl. apprenticeship with him. Rick’s harps are awesome and he’s been very patient and kind to me. It’s now four summers that I’ve been cluttering his shop with myself and one harp project or another.
That is the best gift I have ever heard in ages!Look at these gorgeous harps she got.These are wire strung harps right? How many of these are in your house now?
Actually Magda has an irrational preference for nylon or gut strung harps. Those floor harps in the picture are nylon strung (there’s no money in my piggy bank for gut). On the left is the second harp I “built” for her, a Muscimakers Voyageur (another kit) on which she wanted carved dragons. On her right is a cross-strung harp that was the result of my second summer spent in the company of Rick Kemper. So, that’s two, then there’s my little 19 string wire harp (bronze strung) of lime and cherry, a nineteen string wire harp of cherry and maple (strung in brass), the 32 string Lamont strung in bronze and silver, and a small 22 string nylon harp bought before I decided to build a kit harp. That makes 6, and I’m currently working on a triple strung harp (81 strings) for Magda because there’s still room to throw a cat in the music room. Oh, and we live in flat that’s right in the middle of Lodz.
That one is really tiny. I haven’t seen a size like that before.
Small wire-strung, that’s the lime/cherry – fruit flavoured! Except that lime/linden trees aren’t fruit bearing and the cherry is a wild and rather unpalatable fruit bearing variety – better for cabinet making than jam making. That is actually the first harp I made all on my own. The wood for the soundbox came from a tree being felled on my way to work.
Let us talk about construction. What are the yes and no of making levers and of the kind of materials you use?
Whoa! I don’t make levers and wouldn’t want to. Levers are made by elves and dwarves in unknown lands (I do fear that some of this activity takes place in China – at least component manufacture, but I may be wrong…I hope I’m wrong. I have installed levers, and shall likely do more of it in the future although it’s not my preferred way to spend time. The levers in the picture are Camac levers and are very popular for their quality of tone and ease of use – by the harpist. Other brands exist: Truitt, Delacour, Peter Brough, Loveland, Robinson… Each type has it’s advantages and disadvantages.
Nylon and steel strings…the difference in sound, construction and the challenges making each?
Wow, esoterica. Interestingly enough, nylon and steel strings both call for just about the same vibrating length. Wire harps are strung (usually) with brass or bronze. Brass and bronze call for shorter (significantly so) vibrating lengths for a given note than than nylon. Nylon, gut, nylgut (a synthetic), or fluorocarbon strings all produce a “typical” harp sound with some being darker, some brighter, some punchier… Brass and bronze strings sound closer to a harpsichord when played with great technical skill. The wire strings have a greater sustain and typically less volume from the harp although in some ways the sound carries better. Steel strings sound more like little bells, more tinkly.
Nylon harps are lighter built than wire harps and requiring a greater length of string material for any given note. Given a wire harp and a nylon or gut harp with the same range of notes, the nylon/gut harp will be bigger. Wire harps tend to be styled after existing historic harps or harps depicted in stone carving or period illustrations. There is a greater freedom of form and materials used that can be perceived in the nylon/gut strung harp arena. Many lever harp players cry out for lighter and lighter harps, one builder even builds in carbon fiber – ultralight. You’re more likely to hear wire harp types clamoring for archaic dry joinery (no adhesives) and specific woods. All types of harps have their merits and uses.
Tim, if people are looking for great harp manufacturers, where would you refer them?
Who are they? WHERE are they? What kind of music do they want to play?
Generally I’d tend to go with one woman/man operations. You get more of a dialog, more personal service. USUALLY a better instrument. Big name companies are more interested in NOT having to perform warranted repairs and that forcibly affects building strategies and sound. It’s nice to buy local. If not, make sure a competent luthier lives within a couple of hours drive. A floor harp can be expensive to ship for repair work!
Timothy Des Roches is the guy you might want to look for if you want a harp builder. His bio says:
I live in Lodz (woodge), Poland with my wife, Magda, my son, Mieszko (myeshkoh), and my dog. Life just keeps getting better.
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Featured video: The High Kings – “The Rising Of The Moon”
Check out the new video “The Rising Of The Moon”, from Ireland’s ‘Best Folk Group of the Year’ THE HIGH KINGS. Their new album “Memory Lane” is out now in the US.
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.
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.
are things that you will find here. From the start of track 1 (Reels: Fox in the town/In the tap room/The Belfast traveler) one can already say ‘ ah this is a trad album I have been looking for’. Big nod to Paul McSherry for kicking the tunes with his punchy guitar strumming that paves the way for all the wonderful tunes to come.
carved from Linden/Lime ,latin: tilia. Our conversations started over a year ago. Well, after about one year I came upon a proper log for the carved sound box (the wood needs to be green/wet), and after countless hours of searching I just found the English walnut in the right thickness (rare) in Southern Poland. Enough for many harps and pleasantly priced – WAAAAY cheaper that it would be from a US vendor, even though the wood is actually more common here than in Europe. It’s very odd to me how these things seem to make themselves available when I’m close to being ready for them even if the odds are stacked against me. Money is always an issue – I have little and wood and transport are costly – and transport is always challenging as I haven’t a car.
😉
take for you to finish this one?I am actually in your album now.
lime/linden trees aren’t fruit bearing and the cherry is a wild and rather unpalatable fruit bearing variety – better for cabinet making than jam making. That is actually the first harp I made all on my own. The wood for the soundbox came from a tree being felled on my way to work.
Celtic Music Fan 