My peers have already their 2013/reflection up so I guess I have to add my own. A brief one. I started this site around 2009 as a way to relieve boredom. I was working on a night shift in another part of the country. I remember that my first article was all about Planxty. Back then I had no idea as to what kind of direction this blog was going to take. But I knew I need one in order to connect to the world. I knew back then that there’s a big world out there. All I needed to do was to tap into that energy and things will just happen.
And things happened. Good and bad. But they are part of the bigger picture. They had to happen so that life can unfold. That way, things will be set in motion. Bands come and go. Friends arrive and leave. But it’s just the natural order of things. We ebb and flow…and strangely find our paths to each other again. All we need was to have patience and to have a sense of detachment and trust that things happen so that they can set our destinies in motion.
It is beautiful to devote one’s life to music. Be it as a performing artist or a chronicler of the music. There are many wonders to be found. There are blessings that await us. Celtic music opened doors for me. Because of this site I got recommended and now I have other affiliations. www.celticmusicfan.com
It is good to be part of bigger things. But it is also great to remember where we came from. I think that naïve, provincial and awkward part of us is that part what we should always hold close. The world will always try to shape, pound and level us into something that’s acceptable and ‘normal.’
But to be like a sponge requires good memory and persistence. They can confine us, hold us and put us in a box for a moment. But we will always return to our original form. And this is what makes us who we are. Happy New Year.
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For those who missed my radio show this Saturday Podcast #18 is up!
Playlist:
Robert Doyle-Flags of Belfast
Michael (Blackie) O’Connell and John Joe Kelly – Traditional Medley
Eamon Murray- Bodhran Solo
Paddy Keenan-Uilleann Pipe medley
Tri Yann-L’Irlandaise
The APRILL-Fun Times
Nouvelle Electro-Radio
Sean McCarthy-Anami ( A prayer for Earth)
Joel Sarakula-I Will Deliver
Sarah Vaughan-The Man I Love
Gavern-Crystal Clear & Light is Passion (Incantation)
Samuel Smith-Bantry Bay
Nick Burbridge – lead vocal
Molly Burbridge – backing vocal
Ben Paley – fiddle
Tim Cotterell – mandolin
Dil Davies (Oysterband) – drums
Jeremy Cunningham (Levellers) – bass
Clare Sanders – whistle
Al Scott – guitars
McDermott’s 2 Hours has given us an antidepressant with Anticlockwise which is their ‘Best of’ compilation album. It signals the band’s creative growth up to the new track Erin Farewell. The cover art with the devil and a bunch of naked people should give you a hint what’s to come. Songwriter and guitarist Nick Burbridge (who also formed this band) has a kind of creativity that I would describe as erratic and explosive. He is the type of artist who is fearless in executing his ideas whither you like them or not. And that spontaneity coupled with raw energy can be found all over Anticlockwise. Newcomers to their music will find great stuff to be remembered here, now that the best songs in their entire catalog are here-and new ones too.
Nick Burbridge
Instrumentally, Anticlockwise is as lush as a good harvest. Vocally it’s blessed with his good vocal range ( and smooth tenor) that can be fiery one moment and then restrained the next. World Turned Upside Down is a personal favorite with its Gregorian inspired intro. The contrapuntal singing style gives us that renaissance feel.
So what can I say about this new release of Nick Burbridge’s band? I’m a fan of Nick and it is hard to be objective when you are a fan. And it is a good thing because music is a personal experience and I think whatever touches can never be questioned. The over all vibe of Anticlockwise is live. The order of the tracks are well-chosen to suit the progression of the mood. The mix is also warm. It’s like after every song, you can hear the audience applauding. Tod the Ranter is another favorite because of the steady hypnotic rhythm. A Fable from Aigge falls into the sean nos style of singing. It shows how flexible the voice of Burbridge is. It also displays the eclecticism of this album.
Molloy goes back to the times when Ireland was struggling for independence. This reminds me of a lot of songs by Planxty in their earlier albums. River is a foot tapper. I love the beat and the way these fiddles create a sort of wispy cloak of sound that transports you into a beautiful and dreamy place. it is true that the word save the best for last applies to great albums. All In Your Name closes Anticlockwise with such intensity that I felt my neurons were being assaulted by blue lightning.
Anticlockwise is a sensual trickster of an album. A playful devil with an immaculate smile. Beautifully conceived, exquisitely performed by the musicians involved and yes….embellished by artistry of Nick Burbridge.
Plus our picture of the day featuring Maura O’Connell and Flashback video from Equation!
Clanú: Dee McIlroy, Niall McIlroy, Damian McIlroy and Barry Skeffington.
Great Irish music comes pouring in with Clanú.
I have no doubt that this band is going to create more great albums in years to come. I think they are in the right track with their music. It is always inspiring to have a kind of music that not only lets you look back at traditions but also makes you FEEL inside. Clanu is one of the finest examples how Irish music is flowering, taking other influences and spreading awareness to both national and international listeners. Thanks to cyberspace one can keep track of these things which would be impossible offline. The little article I did became an agreement with Dee McIlroy (singer / guitarist/ producer) for an online interview which took sometime due to the band’s rigorous touring schedule. If you are not aware yet, Dee(Dermot) runs a great company called McIlroy Guitars http://www.mcilroyguitars.co.uk It was worth the wait because they are the featured band for this week.
How do you describe your band and what’s in store for your listener this summer?
Dee McIlroy talks to CMF about Clanú
Clanú is a combination of several members of two very different Irish bands, Outta Folkus who are the Folk / Bluegrass combo (usually a 3 piece) and Torann who are a young 5 piece playing Irish Trad. Both Outta Folkus and Torann are very busy playing in venues and festivals around the country. Outta Folkus average two or three gigs a week, while Torann can fit just as many into one weekend.
Torann have just finished a stint as the “3rd class passenger folk group” in the stage musical version of The Titanic.
They will be supporting bands such as Lunasa throughout the summer months.
Outta Folkus just returned from Switzerland after a series of gigs there and have already secured gigs there for 2013.
Because two members of Torann and one member of Outta Folkus are part of the same family (father and sons), the project to create something blending the two was something that we talked about many times. Hence Clanú was formed in 2010 and we set about writing the music for the album Ancient Walls which was completed in 2011.
What’s the recording process for Ancient Walls?
Many of the tracks on the Ancient Walls album are original, either written specially for the album or selected from a back catalogue of unrecorded material. Most tracks had been chosen before we started but there were one or two which just seemed to need to be part of the project, “Slow Whiskey” is one example.
The core of the recordings were recorded over the course of a few sessions. We have recording studio at home, so that allowed us the freedom to experiment.
“Once I had the foundation of the recording, i.e. the main tune and instrumentation which was recorded live so to speak (all major parts playing together), I would then add the orchestral pieces, bass, pads etc at a later date. Some I would do myself and other pieces would be done by the other band members where necessary and then layered into the sound. So the rest of the production and mastering took six months to complete. With that in mind, I was conscious that we must be able to recreate the sound as much as possible when playing live. Because we are all multi-instrumentalists we can swap instruments to suit the individual track and we can indeed produce the album tracks exceptionally well.
Dee, What is it about Clanu that is unique from the rest of the bands cropping up these days within the musical culture?
Irish music: It’s a family thing.
There are few, if any, bands who manage to create a mix of old and new folk songs with the fast paced modern Trad that you see in the likes of Grada and Beoga. It’s like The Dubliners meet Lunasa with a bit of Planxty thrown in for good measure. The beauty of this is that we tend to please both camps. There are many people who think an evening of pure Irish Trad would be made even better with a spattering of songs, some new and some old favourites. That’s what we do.
Torann and Outta Folkus came head to head with an event last 11th of Aug, not as Clanú but individually, with all members, when they will appear at the 3rd International McIlroy Guitar gathering in Ballycastle, Co Antrim, N. Ireland.
Do you think there is a fierce competition within the Trad scene these days?
There is little or no competition within the Trad scene other than when it’s an actual competition like the All Ireland Fleadh http://www.fleadhcheoil.ie/ .
There is a tradition within Irish music that you teach the music to the next generation and this keeps the culture alive. So it’s not a case of keeping your music to yourself but spreading it as far and wide as possible, even if that means that there is less work for musicians. But we don’t look at it that way, we simply try to be the best we can and maybe offer something a little different or special.
What are the bands that were supportive of your works(recording and getting the word out there) and what are the bands that have influenced you musically?
There are certainly many bands and musicians who have influenced us over the years, such as Planxty, The Bothy Band, Boys of the Lough and more recently Gráda, Sharon Shannon, Beoga, the list goes on.
When it comes to support for getting albums recorded and distributed, while there may be a little arts funding for the few, the vast majority of musicians dig deep into their own pockets to produce their albums. I started my own label called Stubborn Ass Music. The idea was to make studio, production and mastering time available ourselves and friends (or friends of friends) who would not in any normal circumstances be able to afford to get an album to market. So far I have produced 5 albums (not all folk / trad), the latest was An Turas by the Glengormley school of traditional music, of which all the members of Clanú have taught at.
There was an incredible amount of work put into all these albums and all in our spare time as we’re not professional musicians. But hopefully the work put in is reflected in the quality of the Ancient Walls album as well as the others.
On performing live, what are the things artists should consider especially when it is a big crowd as opposed to intimate gatherings?
Clanú are a four piece band spanning two generations and the influences of each generation comes through in their music. From the fast paced modern Trad of Damian and Niall to the even faster contemporary folk and bluegrass sound (or greengrass as we call it) of Dee and Barry. With the wide range of instruments they play, they manage to produce a sound which enthrals crowds around the country and beyond. Add to this the song-writing and tune-writing capabilities that all the members possess and you have a unique yet familiar trad / folk sound that will have you dancing, singing or crying and sometimes all at the same time.
When performing in front of large crowds it’s more than likely that all the sound, lighting, running times, etc have all been arranged, so it’s best to just relax and enjoy. The main thing to remember is “Never turn up late”. You won’t make any friends with the organizers, crew or other musicians on the bill.
What’s your message to people who have just stumbled upon Clanu?
I would say to all those who hear our music, I hope you enjoy it as mush as we did making it. Support live music by buying the CD, downloading it or streaming it on Spotify or similar. And please spread the word. We hope we can come play in your town sometime, wherever in the world you are.
And thank you Baxter for inviting us to take part in this questionnaire.
Dee, thank you so much for talking the time to talk to CMF and also for sharing your ideas that will benefit musicians of all genres. Friends, don’t forget to check out the music of Clanu and also get yourself a copy of their new album Ancient Walls.
Here are links to their videos:
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Our picture of the day: Maura O’Connell
Maura O’Connell
She has a big Celtic voice that resonates through your soul. This picture tells us how this this Irish artist sees life and uses that inspiration to heal our hearts.
Yes this is Cara Dillon and gang in the age of grunge music and fashion. Who would have thought that years later individual members wouldlead successful solo careers…and continue to inspire us with their great music. It is great to look back and marvel at how Irish music has evolved and influenced the younger generation.
Cara Dillon and Seth Lakeman, two of the leading acts in the UK and Irish folk scene, were both formerly members of Equation, a folk supergroup signed to Warner label Blanco y Negro in 1995 by Geoff Travis. They recorded one album, Return To Me, which was shelved by the record company just before its release (but was released by Rough Trade Records after Travis bought the masters), but the lead single, He Loves Me, got a release in 1996 with a full promotional video. The video became available on Ebay recently and with a stroke of luck I had the winning bid. Here it is in all its glory. Seth appears to be a bit of a spare part, but Cara is glowing in all her youth and mid nineties fashion! Enjoy…
Hello American readers in the Midwest. The band Athas is making rounds around Milwaukee this month. You should not miss the amazing talents of each member. I stumbled upon them last March 2010. I am excited to hear that they are spreading the joy of Celtic music around the United States and the world. Thanks to harpist Scott Hoye for posting the updates of the band.
This is an aside but I am amazed to learn that guitarist Jeff Ksiazek played jazz on saxophone for two decades before switching to guitar! Amazing.
áthas lights the dance floor on fire with a combination of traditional and newly composed Irish dance tunes. Fierce fiddle, driving bodhrán, and funky guitar riffs come together to lift listeners’ feet, drinks, and spirits.
Although approaching the tradition from various musical backgrounds, the band found each other and their voice as an ensemble while playing in Irish sessions around Milwaukee throughout 2005. Spending their time between tunes laughing and joking inspired them to make music together and their name, which is the Irish word for joy and happiness.
The band’s blend of exciting music and fun-loving attitudes quickly earned the admiration of Milwaukee’s Irish set and ceili dance communities, as well as audiences throughout their hometown stomping grounds. áthas has become a favorite act at Irish music’s premier event, Milwaukee Irish Fest, gathering praise for the excitement of their stage shows and the energy they display playing in the dance tent.
áthas is a band firmly rooted in the traditions of Irish music, constantly seeking inspiration from the past masters and passing on their knowledge by teaching throughout Milwaukee. The band remains receptive to new influences, and continues to impress audiences with their new compositions as well as their
passion, energy, and love for making music.
Influences:
Comas, David Munnelly Band, Teada, Different Drums of Ireland, Dervish, Planxty, John Whelan, Leo McCann, Seamus Begley
Paul Taggart is a Scottish painter who recently became my contact in facebook. He uploaded and provided a link to this video, and now you have it. Look at his WORK in the middle of this video. One day I am going to ask questions from this artist and have them posted here. I listen to Hank Williams and this is a wonderful surprise.
Paul:
A further video from Northern Roots Festival 2010 featuring Dean Owens, Bruce MacGregor, Lorraine Lucas, Bob Massie and others at the “Are you sure Hank did it this way? tribute to Hank Williams. A wonderful Saturday afternoon had by all in the Musicians’ Snug & Bistro.
My friend from Ireland Donie Ryan ( also a painter sent me a link to a Christy Moore video. As you might remember, Donie became our guest last time when I ask him about his art. Here is the Video. Enjoy!
I finally got Fiona J MacKenzie’s new(autographed) CD A Good Suit of Clothes (songs of the immigrant gael) and I tell you, I am so moved by the beautiful arrangement and her voice! I will write more about it here soon.
Celtic Music Fan 