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?)

Review of Andy Irvine’s new CD, Abocurragh

Siobhan Long in Irish Times reviews Andy Irvine’s new CD, Abocurragh (purchase here >>>): “Liam O’Flynn and Dónal Lunny weave richly arranged skeins of light through Irvine’s eclectic song choices, and Máirtín O’Connor adds the subtlest of patterns on box… Although the arrangements on The Close Shave shimmy and slide on the back of Irvine, Lunny and O’Connor’s lithe playing, lyrically it lurches through a tale predictable in its denouement and plodding in its wordsmithery. Oslo is equally rich musically, with Annebjørg Lien’s hardanger fiddles conjuring a lost week in Norway, but it falters on the pedantic nature of its lyric.” (Times) >>>

Andy Irvine writing a song for MUI part in AARO

[A letter from the Musicians Union of Ireland (via Cormac Breatnach on Facebook)>>>]

To all Musicians,

In order to strengthen our position Musicians Union of Ireland have joined forces with actors, writers, directors, visual artists, composers, dancers and are glad to have been involved in the initiation of the recently formed AARO. This is the fist ever that all these practitioners have come together. AARO ( Association of Artists representatives organisations ) hope to draw attention to the situation of those who create all of the artistic endeavours in this country. AARO plan to hold their own lobby on Thursday September 16th in conjunction with The National Campaign for the Arts, yet as an independent voice of all practitioners at The Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport 23 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. From 1pm until 2pm.

The central demands are: The right to organise and negotiate minimum terms and conditions. The right to Social Protection. The right to share in the economic life of work we create. The right to hold positions on all relevant bodies. (Film Board, Arts Council, RTE Authority etc)

At the centre of the lobby will be a Flash Mob who with double sided placards in all the seven colours of the rainbow will do a routine that will go from colour to grey. The idea is for us to be colour coded with helium balloons. The seven colours of the rainbow. There will be live music from the MUI – all musicians welcome.

Andy Irvine is composing a song for the event.

We will perform Somewhere Over the Rainbow (the Israel “Iz” version) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I to tie in with Flash Mob colours of the rainbow routine. R

ehearsal in Liberty Hall 11am on Thurs 16th Sept before the event. All musicians welcome – vocalists and instrumentalists – to take part. We will have 10 to 12 placards that will be in black and white. Stating key facts and figures about each of our areas of the industry. These will be constant, so passers by will be able to read who we are and what we are about. We will hand in a letter to the Minister. We will organise a party in a close by venue where we can assemble afterwards. We need a positive imput from members and supporters to get behind this event. This event is open to anyone concerned about the arts.

Please spread the word and forward this notice.

Regards MUI Executive

Musicians Union of Ireland

See also SIPTU press release >>>

Andy Irvine’s new album

The splendiferous Andy Irvine’s new solo recording is out. Abocurragh, it’s called, a town in Fermanagh. Here’s what Andy has to say over on his website, where said CD can (& should) be bought now >>>

“Album of the century!” Well…my first solo album since 1999. Recorded in Dublin, Norway, Australia, Hungary and Brittany between February 2009 and April 2010. Thanks to all my friends who helped me record it. Especially Dónal Lunny who worked so hard in the prduction of it, let alone playing on every track bar one. I hope it won’t be my last album of the century!!”

Produced by Dónal Lunny
Musicians are :
Dónal Lunny, Liam O’Flynn, Máirtín O’Connor, Annbjørg Lien, Lillebjørn Nilsen,
Nikola Parov, Jacky Molard, Bruce Molsky, Rens van der Zalm, Rick Epping,
Graham Henderson, Paul Moore, Liam Bradley, Kate Burke and Ruth Hazleton

Track list: (click titles for 30-sec samples)
1. Three Huntsmen MP3
2. Willy of Winsbury MP3
3. Emptyhanded MP3
4. The Close Shave / East at Glendart
5. James Magee
6. The Girl from Cushendun / The Love of my Life
7. The Spirit of Mother Jones MP3
8. Victory at Lawrence
9. The Demon Lover
Encores:
1. Banks of Newfoundland
2. Oslo / Norwegian Mazurka

Here’s a fan interview he did recently down at the Kilkenny Arts Festival:

Andy Irvine @ Kilkenny Arts Festival

WHEN Thursday 12 Aug 8pm

WHERE St Canice’s Cathedral

Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, raconteur, Andy Irvine has been “one of the towering talents on the international folk scene” (Sydney Morning Herald) for more than forty years. Whether as a solo artist or as the linchpin of celebrated groups such as Sweeney’s Men, Patrick Street, Planxty and, most recently, Mozaik, his breathtaking musicianship has produced one acclaimed album after another and cemented his reputation as an unrivalled balladeer. (Kilkenny Arts website >>>)