Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh & Mick O’Brien have a new CD coming out shortly

This duo’s chemisty (here pictured at Cobalt Cafe in February this year) is about to be released again in a follow up to the masterful Kitty Lie Over CD of 2003 (a ‘must have’). Caoimhín says: “just listening through the final final final masters of the new album with Mick O’Brien. Really happy with it. Hoping to have it out for Miltown.” i.e. the Willie Clancy festival in July.

[From a LiveTrad.com recording >]

UPDATE:

It’s called ‘Deadly Buzz | Aoibhinn Cronan’ (boom boom!) and Caoimhín has designed the cover himself:

Eileen Ivers: virtuoso trad

If you think traditional Irish music is repetitive and not favourable to improvisation, you’re about to be disabused of the notion: check out Eileen Ivers’ playing here >>>

Planxty Arthur McBride

(Speaking of imitation, copying, flattery, Kenny, Obama etc.) this is Planxty doing Arthur McBride (covered, imitated & copied by birthday boy Bob Dylan?)

Birínbeo’s film of last working day for postman Tadhg Eugie Ó Súilleabháin

Soundtracked with the music of Peadar Ó Riada as featured on Triur sa Draighean CD with Martin Hayes, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, this short film celebrates the work of Tadhg Eugie Ó Súilleabháin upon his retirement as local postman:

What Irish music will Queen Elizabeth & President Obama be listening to?

Artists including Brendan Begley, Caoimhin O Raghallaigh and Emer Mayock if this reaches its ultimate listeners:

“IASCA and FMC in partnership with Culture Ireland are giving the gift of music from Ireland to dignitaries and the international press corps travelling with HRH The Queen and President Obama during their individual visits to Ireland this month.

The double CD entitled, Music From Ireland 2011 will be presented to over 1000 visitors and key national and international media who will be in Ireland for the visit of the UK and US heads of state. The main aim of the project is to promote Irish artists both at home (pr & streaming) and abroad (CD) and hope the artists involved benefit by being heard by the recipients, which include international press.

The artist selection process involved representative organisations Music Network, The Contemporary Music Centre, Improvised Music Company and First Music Contact, as well as Culture Ireland and The Arts Council, nominating artists they feel currently represent a snapshot of each genre.

The music is divided in to four chapters, each chapter representing two genres (and it can be listened to on the IASCA website here >>>):

Indie & Rock  - Lisa Hannigan, Ham Sandwich, We Cut Corners

Folk & Traditional  -  Mick Flannery, Ryan Sheridan, Fidil,

Classical & Contemporary  -  Irish Chamber Orchestra, Crash Ensemble

Jazz & World -  Metier, Justin Carroll, Niwel Tsumbu

Godbotherers & godpleasers

Olov Johansson is a Swedish key harp (nyckleharpa) player (“you push the frets to the strings, rather than pushing the strings to the frets”) who has developed strong connections with traditional Irish musicians. Traditional Swedish music I would describe as more formal, gentle and classical in its patterns than our traditional music, but last night’s concert was an exploration of the universality to be found in music through collaboration rather than about differences.

Conor Byrne has brought together Dervish fiddler, Tom Morrow; peripatetic guitar player and singer, Gerry O’Beirne; and Olov (who has also played with Dervish & many other Irish musicians) for a Music Network tour exploring music’s inevitable fluidity of form.

Olov’s ability to play traditional Irish music (ranging from mostly straight along melodic lines to occasional more adventurous harmonies) as well as the time he has spent here absorbing the traditions are bound to influence some of his playing of Swedish music and his compositions, and the same goes for the Irish players. In fact, I thought I detected something a little Swedish about one of Tom Morrow’s own reels, though I could be wrong. And surely Olov’s ‘Going Green’, which he wrote especially for his companions on stage, has some nod to the Irish tunes he’s been listening to and joining in on.

The arrangements of the Swedish polskas and waltzes that we heard were impressively handled by mostly trad-playing Conor Byrne and Tom Morrow (the latter employing a viola for the purposes), and, it seemed to me, particularly relished (as a new journey?) by the less easily ‘placed’ Gerry O’Beirne.

In a diagrammatic way, you could say the Swedish tunes were the ‘serious European’ element of the night, while the Irish reels were the ‘wild island’ element, and so Gerry’s cosmopolitan songs, instruments and playing were the ‘wayfaring vessel’ of this voyaging variety show, or the comedy! Chicken is Nice, an African fishing song had us singing along in the pews, for instance. But that artificially imposed structure completely falls apart when you think of Gerry’s serene Night in Ventry on solo ukulele and his beautiful Fergus River Roundelay; the weightiness of Conor’s TG4 piece, Faoi Lán Cheoil (“made up more than composed”); and the gentle jauntiness of many of the Swedish pieces.

Gerry’s versatile playing moved easily from chord-rhythm accompaniment to melody & harmonies and lead; and his compositions were thrilling. His wry sense of humour and profane sense of life come across brilliantly in his songs and introductory remarks. (He has also given me my first experience of slide guitar in trad music.)

Another first for me was to hear Conor Byrne singing live. He has a very strong voice (runs in family, clearly; reminded me most, though, of Dave Curley of Slide) and displayed lots of its character in nailing and putting his own stamp on both a Fionn Regan & a Christy Moore. Meanwhile his and Tom’s consistent lift and interplay in the reels that formed the backbone of the playlist was the icing on the cake of a fantastic night of songs, re-working of old tunes, and original tunes from many traditions.

Fair dues to Music Network & all who have put this together.

The Steeple Sessions

Wow, we are really getting spoilt these days for live traditional music. What with Conor Byrne on an unbelievably good run with the County Sessions, the revival of the Harcourt Hotel Monday nights, and the growing number of one-off gigs and tours being announced every month, what more can we hope for?

How about a “line up of renowned musicians/performers changing nightly throughout the Summer, ensuring each concert is unique and fresh” in the “beautiful surroundings of a candle-lit church in Dublin” – the Unitarian Church, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2.

Eileen Hassett is the brains behind it: “It is our pleasure to invite you to this great concert series, which starts May 10th 2011 and will run every Tuesday and Thursday during the Summer until the end of September.

The Steeple Sessions present traditional Irish music concerts in its purest form and are geared towards those who seek the genuine, elusive musical traditions of Ireland. Held in the beautiful surroundings of a candle-lit church in Dublin, the line up of renowned musicians/performers changes nightly throughout the Summer, ensuring each concert is unique and fresh.

Audiences will hear pin-drop unaccompanied sean-nós songs in the Irish language, alongside dance music and airs performed acoustically on traditional instruments including the uilleann pipes, fiddle, concertina and Irish flute. Many performers are Irish speakers who grew up in Gaelic speaking areas such as Connemara and West Kerry, where traditions passed down from generation to generation, are sacred and are faithfully preserved.”

The line-up so far:

May & June 2011 listings

Every Tuesday & Thursday

8pm (sharp) to 9.30pm at the Unitarian Church
(tickets at door from 7.30)

May 17th
Gay McKeown (uilleann pipes)
Conor McKeown (uilleann pipes)
Sean McKeown (uilleann pipes)
Saileog Ni Cheannabhain (fiddle/sean-nos singer)

May 19th
Noel Hill (concertina)
Aisling Hill (concertina & fiddle)

May 24th
Paddy Glackin (fiddle)
Donal Lunny (bouzouki)

May 26th
Peter Browne (uilleann pipes)
Gerry Harrington (fiddle)
Phil Callery (singer)

May 31th
Noreen O’Donoghue (harp)
Frank Cullen (mandolin)
Eileen Hassett (flute)

June 2nd
Pat O’Connor (fiddle)
Eoghan O’Sullivan (accordion)
Dave Flynn (guitar)

June 7th
Niamh Parsons (singer)
Graham Dunne (guitar)
Sonja Krzyzanowski (low whistle and vocals)

June 9th
Kevin Rowsome (uilleann pipes)
Steve Larkin (fiddle)
Roisin Chambers (sean nos singer)

June 14th
Seamus Ó Mongáin (concertina)
Oisin Ó Mongáin (fiddle)
Fiachna Ó Mongáin (accordion)
Ferdia Ó Mongáin (flute)

June 16th
John Regan (accordeon)
Edel McWeeney (fiddle)
Catherine McEvoy (flute)

June 21st
Tommy Keane (uilleann pipes)
Jacqueline McCarthy (concertina)
Pádraic Keane (uilleann pipes)

June 23rd
Niamh Varian-Barry (fiddle and viola)
Peter Staunton (box and melodeon)
Dave Flynn (guitar)
Eileen Hassett (flute)

June 28th
Dermy Diamond (fiddle)
Tara Diamond (flute)
Danny Diamond (fiddle)
Helen Diamond (fiddle)

June 30th
Mick O’Brien (uilleann pipes)
Ciara O’Brien (fiddle)
Eoghan O Ceannabhain (sean nos singer)
Cormac O’Brien (uilleann pipes and cello)

July 5th
Brendan Larrissey (fiddle)
John Faulkner (guitar & vocals)

July 7th
Seána Davey (harp)
Stephen Doherty (flute & accordion)
Maireád Ní Fhlatherta (sean nós singer)

July 14th
Liz Coleman (fiddle)
Paidin Breannach (uilleann pipes)
Mairead Hurley (concertina)

July 19th
Toner Quinn (fiddle)
Malachy Bourke (fiddle)
Gavin Whelan (whistle/uilleann pipes)
Alan Burke (Guitar/vocals)

July 21st
Desi Wilkinson (flute)
Gerry O’Connor (fiddle)
Brendan Hearty (guitar)

July 26th
Johnny Connolly (melodeon)
Caoimhin O’Se (flute)
Eileen Hassett (flute)

July 28th
Claire Keville (concertina)
Charlie Piggot (accordion)

August 11th
Eilish O’Connor (fiddle)
Donal O’Connor (fiddle)

August 18th
Tony De Marco (fiddle)
Aidan Brennan (guitar)

Tickets cost €15 (€12 concessions) and can be booked via >

TEL: +353 (0)1 678 8470FAX: +353 (0)1 678 8472 http://www.facebook.com/steeplesessions

McGoldrick, McSherry & Hennessy on tour

Michael McGoldrick, John McSherry & Donogh Hennessy!

Between them, they’ve played with such bands as Lunasa, Capercaille, Coolfin, At First Light, Flook, Clannad, Tamalin, Lumiere and more and now, for the first time in 12 years, they are getting back together again for this concert in Castlewellan and a one off tour!

The tour dates are:

14 May – Culturlann , Derry

15 May – Lyric Theatre, Belfast (with Session A9)

16 May – The Harcourt, Dublin (with Caladh Nua)

17 May – The Local, Dungarvin, Co. Waterford

18 May – Matt Molloy’s, Westport

19 May – Dolan’s, Limerick

20 May – Inec, The Gleneagles Hotel, Killarney

21 May -The White Horse, Ballincollig, Co.Cork

22 May – The Lodge, Castlewellan

‘Caladh Nua’ + ‘ McGoldrick, McSherry & Hennessy’ @ Harcourt

16 May · 20:00

A double bill featuring Caladh Nua and McGoldrick, McSherry & Hennessy (as in Michael, Donogh as in Lunasa).

Tickets at Harcourt Hotel Reception in advance Tel – 00353 1 4783677

The Sirens

“Their song, though irresistibly sweet, was no less sad than sweet, and lapped both body and soul in a fatal lethargy, the forerunner of death and corruption.” (Walter Copland Perry)

Triúr playing series of Galway gigs

Flagged as ones to watch already this year >>>, Triúr has a series of gigs coming up in Galway, mostly at Nuns’ Island Theatre. Triúr is Úna Ní Fhlannagáin on harp and vocals, Ger Chambers on accordion, and Brewen Favrau on pipes, whistle and vocals. The three members bring a mix of influences to their sound, including “the energy of the céilí bands, the rich heritage of the piping traditions of Brittany and Scotland, and the sean-nós of Co. Galway.

Gigs:

Club na gCulture Vultures

Date: Wednesday 11/05/2011
Venue: Templemartin Thatched House, Craughwell, Co. Galway
Start Time: 20:00
Cover Charge: 10 euro, 7 euro concession
Tel. No. 087 998 3089Date: Friday 13/05/2011
Venue: Nuns’ Island Theatre, Galway
Start Time: 20:00
Cover Charge: 10 euro, 7 euro concession
Tel. No. 087 660 0239

Date: Saturday 14/05/2011
Venue: Nuns’ Island Theatre, Galway
Start Time: 15:00
Cover Charge: 10 euro, 7 euro concession
Tel. No. 087 660 0239

Date: Sunday 15/05/2011
Venue: Nuns’ Island Theatre, Galway
Start Time: 15:00
Cover Charge: 10 euro, 7 euro concession
Tel. No. 087 660 0239

Date: Monday 16/05/2011
Venue: Nuns’ Island Theatre, Galway
Start Time: 20:00
Cover Charge: 10 euro, 7 euro concession
Tel. No. 087 660 0239

Donnacha Dennehy’s Grá agus Bás is as sublime as landscape

Apart from all its other more obvious merits (Dawn Upshaw, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Donnacha Dennehy, Crash Ensemble, Yeats poetry …!) Grá agus Bás has a thrilling ‘search for balance’ thing going on in it. The title of course, reflects it; and the cover, too, for instance, with its depiction of a fight for space between the landscape and something more abstract and man-made (gorse fires come to mind under present circumstances); but most dramatically for me in the voice-ensemble dynamic in Iarla O’Lionaird’s eponymous piece, where the instrumental music (more abstract?) is rightly given plenty of space to ‘feature’ before Iarla’s voice (more landscape?) asserts itself and starts to win over one’s ‘only-human-afterall’ ear. (Hey, come on, I’m trying here … you know what Elvis Costello said about this pursuit.) (It’s reminding me a little of episodic novels where you really don’t want one narritive strand to end and it takes you a little while to get into the other part but when you do you actually don’t want IT to end, and so on to the end!)

Anyway, I know it won’t be everyone’s thing, asking so much of us, as it does, but I think this is going to be a hugely significant item in Irish cultural history, and I’m just glad it’s got such an air of geology about it (- excuse the puns).

Shetland fiddle and harp duo Chris Stout & Catriona McKay

Conor Byrne presents Shetland fiddle and harp duo Chris Stout & Catriona McKay tonight in The Grand Social, Dublin, 5th May at 9pm. Special guests Eimear Quinn & Conor Byrne himself. Tickets now available from www.tickets.ie and at the door.