Traffic

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.

The Elders:Have a Taste of Irish Americana

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 2 Comments

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What happens when an Irishman with the love of all things American meets a bunch of  Americans who love everything Irish? Well you get a band called The Elders. Fronted by Ian Byrne from County Wicklow Ireland, the Elders is composed of guys who are seasoned already before recording together.

If you are curious as to how The Elders  sounds like, then check out the official MySpace page. The music reminds me a bit of Traffic , Hothouse Flowers and The Pogues. I could not help but get goosebumps with The Lock of the Irish . It’s a tribute to St. Patrick and what makes Ireland what it is now. I think Ian Byrne gives you a glimpse into Irish history in this five-minute song.

Overall, the band is something  not to be missed. Quirky stage performance, excellent vocal and instrumental arrangements go hand in hand. And yes ,a slice of Americana thrown in the mix…which would make any Spin Doctors fan smile.

P.S.

Big thanks to Christi Broersma for introducing me to this American based Celtic band!