Globe’s heart-pumping fusion of music, dance, and percussion

AMONG THE highlights of the upcoming Baboró children’s festival is the pulsating music and dance production Globe which has been put together by bodhrán-virtuoso Robbie Harris and Dave McFarlane.

Globe is a theatre of cultures and a celebration of rhythms which are universal to music, dance, and singing in almost every culture. A heart-pumping, acrobatic spectacle, the show features brilliant individual performances and the combination of different instrumentation, movement, and percussion from around the world.

Blurring the line between performer and audience, the show features 10 world-class performers, who trade and fuse their music, dance, percussion, and singing skills to achieve an extraordinarily original, fresh, and energetic spectacle that challenges you to remain in your seat.

Globe features Punjabi drummer Johnny Kalsi; Congolese guitarist and singer Niwel Tsumbu; samba from Brazilian dancer Kelly Baldonado; South African singer Nono Madolo; Spanish flamenco from dancer Bernardo de Barros; Japanese taiko drummer Kumiko Suzuki; and the Capeoira styling’s of Brazilian dancer Adelson Maia. The cast also includes Daire Bracken on fiddle, Robbie Harris on bodhrán, and Seána Davey on harp.

Globe’s heart-pumping fusion of music, dance, and percussion:

MHM Brings Scottish Folk To Town

Mountain Home Music will present a special concert on Thursday, Oct. 13, featuring the Scottish folk band, North Sea Gas.

The show will take place at the Blowing Rock home of Sarah Borders, at 134 Lyn St. The event begins with a potluck dinner at 5:30 p.m., and the music will start at 7:15 p.m.

Advance tickets are required, and admission is $18 per person.

Going for more than 30 years and stronger than ever, the band entertains with guitars, mandolin, fiddle, bouzouki, bodhran, whistles, banjo and vocals, featuring tremendous three-part harmonies.

Over the years, North Sea Gas have recorded 17 albums and are constantly adding new material to their show. Their show consists of traditional, contemporary and self-penned material, all put together with a style of their own.

Continually touring the world, their stops include America, Canada, Germany, Austria, Scotland and many other destinations, including Estonia and Turkey, every year.

TV and radio appearances on both sides of the Atlantic include “Late Night Saturday,” “Bound for Glory,” “Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour” (shown on PBS in the U.S. South) and “Song of the Mountains” (also shown on select PBS stations in the U.S.).

In 2008, North Sea Gas recorded for Chinese television with an estimated audience of 800 million, a highlight of any band’s career.

To reserve your seat, contact Sarah Borders at (sarahborders@aol.com) Email is preferred, but interested parties can also call (704) 929-6527.

Because of limited seating for this concert, reservations and prepayment are required.
Please bring “light supper” food for the potluck. The host will provide lemonade, tea, coffee and Scottish shortbread.

MHM Brings Scottish Folk To Town - Mountain Times

Accolade for centre near Broadway (From Evesham Journal)

"A BUSINESS near Broadway has been named Cotswold Leisure Break of the Year. Farncombe Estate, which runs a wide variety of leisure and study courses, scooped the business achievement award from the publication London & Home Counties Today.

Senior editor Joshua Holtom said: “Throughout the year, the directors at London & Home Counties Today select organisations that have best demonstrated a proven ability to go that extra mile in not only meeting but exceeding the needs of their clients. Our award programme recognises business excellence across a wide range of disciplines and the business achievement award is recognised both locally and nationally.”

Farncombe programme manager Mandy Morrison said: “We are delighted to win this award, which reflects our commitment to customer care and the many hours of work that go on behind the scenes.”

Popular programmes include Everyone Can Sing and Go Gospel and students can learn to be a guitar hero or play the Irish drum – Bodhrán. Other courses range from astronomy to the history of the Olympic Games."

Accolade for centre near Broadway (From Evesham Journal):

Standing ovation for Irish music legend (From Salisbury Journal)

THERE was standing room only in St Elizabeth’s Hall on Saturday night when legendary Irish musician Davey Arthur came to play.

Accompanied by his son Patrick on bodhrán and percussion and Steve Layton on guitar, he provided a great variety of music which had the crowd stamping and calling for more.

Many of the songs reflected the familiar Irish concerns of hardship, migration and homesickness, such as the Ralph McTell song From Clare To Here.

The sadness was leavened by some lively instrumental dance sets and some more romantic ballads including the Fureys’ popular success Sweet Sixteen.

Patrick Arthur’s bodhrán playing was sensitive and discreet, and he played a solo piece in which he almost made the traditional Irish drum sing.

Steve Layton’s guitar work was superb, from simple accompaniment to some lovely jazz-tinged frills which added contrasting colour to the songs.

There was no room to dance, but the rousing finale brought a standing ovation.

The evening opened with a short set from Salisbury singer Jadiie Pepperell accompanied by Ryan Whitston on guitar. Pepperell’s powerful soulful singing won the crowd over, and the duo were called back for an encore which they obviously weren’t expecting. They carried it all off with such confidence that it was a real surprise to learn that this was their first public performance.

The evening had been organised by Irish Music On Tour under Finbarr Sheehan, who swears that this will be his last Irish Music On Tour gig.

Sheehan has been bringing the best of Irish music to Salisbury for more than twenty years. The gigs have provided a showcase for many local musicians such as Pepperell and Whitston and have raised funds for several charities.

The beneficiary for the last few years has been the Salisbury Hospice, and Finbarr estimates that his concerts have raised more than £20,000. He is entitled to a rest after that, and this splendid evening with Davey Arthur was a fine way to bow out.

Review and picture by John Palmer

Standing ovation for Irish music legend (From Salisbury Journal)