Music

Happy Breton Weekend

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 7 Comments

Some Breton music as the week goes to a close…

As weekend is here, I will be away from the Internet(I hope so but after getting a smart phone that would be hard to resist but still… ). I was trying to figure out what to post to cover my weekend of absence. I always make it a habit now to avoid checking even social networking sites like facebook or myspace. maybe I’d be with a nice book or be somewhere having an interesting conversation with someone at Bob’s Cafe. Whatever the case I will be away.

It’s usually important to detach oneself from the virtual world and enjoy the sunny outdoors-even for just two days! So what will I post here? I don’t have any interview with a Celtic musician yet…or album to review. And then it hit me. I have been posting videos from youtube on my facebook profile today. I have been inspired once again by the music of Brittany. So our ears point to the West of France this week 🙂

Take for instance this beautiful presentation with the music of Dan Ar Braz “Borders of Salt”….

More scenes with the band Tri-Yann..

 

Have a nice weekend!

Sahara:Soulful and Uplifting Sound from Australia.

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 8 Comments

One of the great success stories of the Australian music scene.

When you are needing something to spice up you morning cappuccino, or a companion to your Earl Grey tea at night Sahara is the perfect music for your best moments. With musicianship that has been distilled by time and space, you are an audience to the best duo  in this music category. Dave Long has one of the rare gorgeous male vocals in the tradition of Sting and Steve Winwood. I swear I could go on for hours and hours being hypnotized by tracks like  No Man’s Land, Higher Than High, and Make My Day.  I’m sure no one would question Trish long’s expertise with the sax and other instruments apart from the fact that she has a voice that could rival Celine Dion’s yet has the Irish gorgeousness.

According to their bio:

Sahara is the award winning singer/songwriter team Trish and Dave Long who met in their hometown Dublin in the eighties before migrating to Australia where they have toured extensively performing to sell out audiences. Before leaving Ireland they had performed in many of Dublin’s music venues eg. The Baggot Inn, The Meeting Place, Slattery’s, Dame Tavern and Trinity College, and alongside some of the Irish household names such as Brendan Grace, Red Hurley, Linda Martin, Errol Walsh, Freddie White, Declan Sinnott and Kieran Halpin.


I hear traces of  Van Morrison, Bruce Hornsby and Traffic. If you love something that teeters between classic folk/rock, Celtic and jazz then Sahara is a perfect soundtrack.
Trish Long: Sax, Vocals, Flute, Flageolet ,Recorder & Sequencing.
Dave Long: Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards & Sequencing.

This Year’s Michigan Irish Music Festival

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 1 Comment

My friend Christi has a lot to share in this year’s Michigan Irish Festival headed by great bands such as Gaelic Storm, Leahy…among others. Read more here: http://journalingmylifeaway.blogspot.com/2010/09/8-hours-of-heart-pounding-celtic-heaven.html

Scenes and Music from Galway

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 4 Comments

(On the video: American plays the banjo on the streets of Galway Ireland
hey i found out that this guy is Felix Sonny Boy check out his website
http://www.felixsonnyboy.com)

American music is owing Irish tradition for importing the style through the immigrants that helped shape America as it is now. There is something magical upon knowing that everything is related and that universal appeal not only means that people recognize the music; it also means that we do speak a common language through the heart.

Another travel video about Galway

Dean Wipperman’s Photos – Galway/Craiceann 2010

Scenes including a gig by Liam O’Maonlai

Album Covers Tell You About the Music Inside

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 5 Comments

Let us go back to the days before social-networking sites like MySpace or facebook got around-or just the Web for example. Record buyers have to rely on their visual interpretations in buying albums. I mean it’s there on the shelf, with its glossy cover ; but you didn’t know back then what to expect.   There were even record stores that won’t allow you to listen unless you are willing the buy the album(the process of removing the plastic cover was and still is not really something a sales person welcomes). I live in Asia and perhaps, the situation here was different compared to the States.

An album cover was the only telling sign of what the music’s about. Even now. I mean there are those who still prefer physical media over downloads. Album cover plays a big part in marketing. In the music business, building an image is as crucial as making music. The image that can also make or break album sales upon release.

I remember picking up my first Clannad album Banba. I didn’t know their music back then, but I KNOW what to expect. And I was right. The blue , gray and black did say something about the mood of the album. The logo as well as how the photo shoot was done convinced me that the music was that of a haunting, somehow gentle kind with a folk appeal.

Celtic artists do put out beautiful album overs. Bands like Altan, Capercaillie, The Chieftains or Lunasa tell you something…

Here are my examples of album covers that made me buy the CDs:

Something about that light caught my fancy...

Something about that light caught my fancy...

I was convinced by the sea, rocks and sky...