Sunday, December 19, 2010

May I join the Irish Music session

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Celtic Connections 2011 Opening Concert to Feature Zakir Hussain « World Music Central.org

"he Celtic Connections Opening Concert: The Pulse of World featuring Zakir Hussain
will take place Thursday, 13 January, at 7:30pm at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium.

In a glittering, groundbreaking embodiment of Celtic Connections’ commitment to fostering international artistic collaboration, this year’s festival launches with The Pulse of the World, a brand new cross-cultural performance featuring the globally renowned Indian tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, together with a stellar array of Scottish and Irish traditional musicians including Patsy Reid (fiddle/viola), Charlie McKerron (fiddle), Ross Ainslie (small pipes/whistle), Matheu Watson (guitar, mandolin), John Joe Kelly (bodhran), Michael McGoldrick (flute, pipes and whistles) and the beautiful Hebridean singing of Jenna Cumming."

Holidays off to a musical start

"NEW BALTIMORE — The McKrells, a well-known Capital Region Irish-Bluegrass-World Roots style group, brought their own unique flavor to last Friday evening's concert at the New Baltimore Reformed Church.

Performing a selection of Christmas standards arranged with a McKrell twist, along with other songs, the band's warmth, humor and authenticity staved off the cold outside.

The New Baltimore hamlet is a quiet little place and as one entered the church doors and stepped into what is normally the chapel, it felt like being enveloped in a cocoon of good tidings and cheer."

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Little Windows Light Up Page-Walker

"Cary, NC – Mark Weems and Julee Glaub of Little Windows performed at the Page-Walker Cultural Arts Center this past Sunday (Nov 21).
The duo perform a blend of traditional Irish and Appalachian songs. They tour together nationally and abroad with a focus on the art of the pure voice and traditional songs. Instrumentation includes guitar, fiddle, banjo, flute, piano and bodhran.
Weems has been playing music of the old time tradition for years while Glaub’s specialty is in the traditional Irish genre. Together they bring a beautiful blend of both traditions with a unique harmonic sound that is rare and often beckons the response from audience members, “I’ve never heard anything like it!”"

Rwandan Passion

Dorothee Munyaneza (Luminary Records LUM001, 2010)

The name may not sound familiar, but fans of Afro Celt Sound System will recognize her passionate voice from the album “Volume 5 – Anatomic“. Dorothee Munyaneza’s debut album is a collection of 14 pieces sung in her native Rwandan language as well as a DVD. Afro Celt’s Martin Russell is heavily involved as a musician and producer and this is the first release on the new Luminary Records label.

The music is a mix of laid back soul, pop and some world music elements. The lyrics reflect Dorothee Munyaneza’s social conscience, focusing on themes sucvh as Rwandan reconciliation, oppression, and AIDs.

The musicians who participated in the recordings include Tim Stone (acoustic and electric guitars), Richard Marcangelo (drums and percussion), Kaz Kasozi (bass guitar), Andrew Cronshaw (zither, marovantele, ba-wu and jawharps), Nasher (additional guitars), Faith Tatou (backing vocals), Philip Achille (chromatic harmonica on “Godeliva” and “Iteka”), Simon Fielder (didjeridu on “Akaririmbo”), Martin O’Neill (bodhran on “One Minute”) and Antonia Russell (backing vocal on “Njyenyine”).

Dorothee Munyaneza participated on the soundtrack of the 2004 feature film “Hotel Rwanda“. Her ensuing collaboration with Afro Celt Sound System as a guest singer on their 2005 Real World Records release, “Volume 5 – Anatomic” gave her worldwide exposure.

The innovative two-disc set features 5.1 surround versions in MLP high-resolution, dts 96/24 and Dolby Digital, Stereo LPCM and a dvd-rom folder containing every song as a 320kbps mp3, each with artwork derived from the DVD’s trackslides. All images are included as desktop wallpaper. The DVD-A offers a bonus track and a credits movie which is presented over a specially-commissioned remix of the opening song. The DVD artwork and photography is by Dorothee Munyaneza’s sister, Faith Tatou.

Dorothee Munyaneza’s debut album is a mesmerizing performance by a beautiful and passionate young Rwandan voice.

Rwandan Passion « World Music Central.org

Bodhran And Accordion

Funky Pattern on Bodhrán

Monday, October 11, 2010

Marching to the beat of a different drummer

"EMC Lifestyle - Drumming is more than just a hobby for Jake Desjardine - it's a passion which has spanned nearly 30 years and evolved from typical rock-style drumming into his own version of an eclectic reggae-style of music. For Desjardine, taking the next step into drum building seemed like a natural next step in his musical progression.

Desjardine first began drumming at the early age of nine, using what he laughingly describes as 'an Animal Muppets drum kit' and his interest took off from there. Although in his early years, his interest in drumming was reserved to the typical teenage heavy metal music, he says that as he matured as a musician he became more involved in what he calls 'world rhythms' such as calypso and reggae."

Great Scot in house concert

"A house concert in Merville in July was a huge success, and organizers are once again reeling in some young musicians from the Glasgow folk music scene for another house concert Oct. 9.

Campbell River girl Marissa Vachon began her musical career at the age of 10 as a founding member of the Celtic band The Island Girls, who were very popular locally for quite a few years. Their work included extensive touring around Canada, two European tours, and the production of four CDs.

Accepted into the BA program at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Vachon graduated with a degree in traditional music in 2009. She currently lives in Glasgow and plays with four Scottish groups including the award-winning band Tyskie, as well as teaching bodhran and flute."

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Former Island Girl returns for evening of Scottish music

"One of Campbell River’s prodigal daughters returns for a house concert in Merville on Saturday at 7 p.m.

You’ll have the great pleasure of hearing the music of two young musicians from the Scottish music scene, who will entertain you with songs and an assortment of instruments including pipes, flute, whistle, guitar and bodhran.

Marissa Vachon is originally from Campbell River and at age 10 was one of the founding members of The Island Girls, who you may remember as a lively band of girls playing Celtic music locally for quite a few years. During that time they put out four CDs and toured extensively in Canada and Europe."

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Harvest Moon Festival bows out in style - Midulster Today

"AFTER 13 years providing the people of Mid Ulster with some of the best in folk/traditional music, the Harvest Moon Festival, formerly the Mid Ulster Folk Festival, is bowing out, not with a whimper, but with a bang.
The first committee, headed by the inspiring and knowledgeable Lorna Niven, and guided by Geoff Harden, met in 1996 with the first festival the following year.

It took place in the barn and grounds of Springhill House. During the day various artistes performed and gave workshops, including lessons on playing the bodhran and the lambeg drum;"

Monday, September 20, 2010

Bodhran Tutorial, 3 of 3

Bodhran Tutorial 2 of 3

Bodhran Tutorial, 1 of 3

Jig Solo With FREE Downloadable Drum Notation | BodhranExpert Bodhran Lessons and Videos

Please click here to get the pdf of the drum music for page one of this bodhran solo. I thought you might like the visual aid. I am still tweaking my music notation format so I would really appreciate any feedback from you.

Would you also like to see it in proper music notation (eg. eighth notes, etc)?
H = High Pitch - Pushing In / Shortening Distance Between Back Hand And Tipper
M = Medium Pitch - Gentle Hand Pressure / Medium Distance Between Back Hand / Tipper
L = Low Pitch - Hand Just Touching But Without Pressure / Furthest Distance From Back Hand / Tipper

Enoy.
Michelle

Jig Solo With FREE Downloadable Drum Notation | BodhranExpert Bodhran Lessons and Videos

Bodhrantutor.tk - Click 1

The Bodhrán Lesson

Bodhran Lesson at Causey Farm

Bodhran Lessons

n DonegalMind games: give your brain a break - The Irish Times - Sat, Aug 28, 2010: "Have you always been that person at parties without a party piece? Change your tune and learn the participatory pleasures of the bodhr�n. Oideas Gael in Gleanncholmcille, Co Donegal, offers beautiful scenery, an immersion in An Gaeltacht way of life and a series of cultural courses for anyone interested in their Irish heritage.

The one that will make you popular at parties is their beginner’s guide to the bodhr�n. You get to study the various techniques of bodhr�n playing, from how to accompany solo and group musicians in a seisi�n to how to play the various beats required for hornpipes, jigs, reels and other musical styles.

After class you can practice your new-found skill in the local pubs.

When�September 10th-12th.

Where�Oideas Gael, Gleanncholmcille, Co. Donegal.

Contact�074-9730248, oideas-gael.com.

Price�€60."

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

No wonder the billy goat's gruff -

King Puck statue in Killorglin, County Kerry, ...Image via WikipediaNo wonder the billy goat's gruff - The Irish Times - Fri, Aug 13, 2010: "IRA plots, bad weather, sinister bodhr�n rumours – King Puck has put up with a lot over the years. This year’s king, Ois�n, fared a bit better, but the revellers 60ft below had all the fun, writes KATHY SHERIDAN�
YOU’LL FIND no flies on a Killorglin goat. Or his handlers. A historian once described the Puck as the original tourist gimmick."
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Thursday, June 3, 2010

Trad' legends for Cavan's County Fleadh in Kilnaleck at weekend - Entertainment - Roundup - Articles - Anglo Celt

Trad' legends for Cavan's County Fleadh in Kilnaleck at weekend - Entertainment - Roundup - Articles - Anglo Celt: "'A NATIONAL treasure, a national champion and a national monument. Legends, all three. Cork cool and Cavan class...'
This is how the Cavan County Fleadh concert with Sean O Sé this Friday in Kilnaleck is being billed - and what more could you ask for?
Cavan Arts office presents Cork singer Sean O Sé, Cavan lilter Seamus Fay and Martin Donohoe on accordion, together with Savannah Donohoe on flute, Kavan on harp and pipes, Fintan McManus on bouzouki, Trevor Bury on bodhran and bones with MC Jim Teevan CCE England, as part of the Mortas an Chabhain (Pride of Cavan) Tour.
Come join some of the best in trad' circles in the cosy surroundings of Realtog Centre Kilnaleck for a night of music and song. The show is to be recorded for NYAH and the Cavan County Council Arts Office archive DVD collection."

Grada’s natural angle on American folk

Gr�da’s natural angle on American folk - Galway Advertiser - June 03, 2010.: "By Kernan Andrews

THE SCOTS and the Irish emigrated in droves to the United States throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, bringing their music, customs, and whiskey distilling techniques with them.

From this ‘Gaelic invasion’ came the American folk musics known as bluegrass (from the Irish) and Appalachian and hillbilly (from the Scots and Scots-Irish), a rich tradition that resonates still to this day.

It is a tradition that has inspired Irish trad band Gr�da for their new album Natural Angle (Compass Records), songs from which they will play at the R�is�n Dubh on Sunday June 13 at 9pm as part of the Stirling-Galway Sessions 2010 music festival.

“The Stirling-Galway Sessions festival is very much about the links between Ireland and Scotland,” says festival organiser Mick Crehan. “Gr�da explore that on their new album and how it developed into American folk music. The new album is a lovely mix of Irish and Scottish songs and how they influenced American folk song.”

Gr�da are Nicola Joyce (vocals/bodhran), David Doocey (fiddle/concertina), Stephen Doherty (flute/accordion), Andy Laking (guitar/vocals/double bass), and Gerry Paul (guitar/vocals)."