NOTE: This is a May 16, 2021, edit to this welcome text.You are most welcome to my Celtic and British folk and trad music fan site - so glad you found it! This site is essentially a blog that features album reviews and some very occasional artist interviews. I also try to write a more … Continue reading Welcome to a work in progress…!
Pipes galore! Ross Ainslie & Brigdhe Chaimbeul, Fraser Fifield
There is no piper culture here in Finland. Some of our Middle Age stone churches have wall paintings that do feature pipers - I have seen them myself - but the instrument seems to have pretty much left our country during the 16th and 17th centuries. The reason is not known to me and it … Continue reading Pipes galore! Ross Ainslie & Brigdhe Chaimbeul, Fraser Fifield
What I listened to in the summer of ’22, part 2: Dave Sheridan, AVA
Two Irish 🇮🇪 artists that got my attention this summer are very different; one established and trad, the other fairly new and decidedly not trad.The master flautist Dave Sheridan’s two albums, Sheridan’s Guest House (2006) and Drivin’ Leitrim Timber (2010) were a great delight. As the Celtic scene is brim full of good trad music, … Continue reading What I listened to in the summer of ’22, part 2: Dave Sheridan, AVA
What I listened to in the summer of ’22, part 1: Shoona Mooney, Graham Rorie, Talisk
As middle-aged civil servants are entitled to their summer vacations and road trips, we spent most of my summer freedom travelling across Finland and relaxing in faraway corners and national parks of our country. Listening to music, the mandatory driving music notwithstanding, was really not a thing, except in a couple of Finnish folk music … Continue reading What I listened to in the summer of ’22, part 1: Shoona Mooney, Graham Rorie, Talisk
Listening Diary for June 6-12, 2022: Natalie MacMaster, Mishra, James Harper, the olllam, Eabhal
Master fiddlers are one of my favorite things in this world and Natalie MacMaster 🇨🇦 is one of the greatest. I love the energy in her playing; so much light and joy there. Her 2019 album Sketches was just the right soundtrack for a leisurly walk in the sunny and warm Finnish Saturday. I've never … Continue reading Listening Diary for June 6-12, 2022: Natalie MacMaster, Mishra, James Harper, the olllam, Eabhal
Listening Diary for May 30 – June 5, 2022: Liam O’Flynn, M G Boulter, Boxing Banjo, Faun
Not too many albums this time, been busy doing other things, but at least this much… The late master piper Liam O’Flynn’s 🇮🇪 two albums, The Green Note (1995) and The Piper’s Call (1998) were a great pleasure. Wonderful playing, excellent tunes, and the way he integrated electric instruments into the fabric reminds me of … Continue reading Listening Diary for May 30 – June 5, 2022: Liam O’Flynn, M G Boulter, Boxing Banjo, Faun
Hannah Rarity: To Have You Near
Oh wow… With her previous outings, Scotland’s Hannah Rarity proved herself an excellent singer and her 2018 album ’Neath a Gloamin’ Star was thoroughly enjoyable. But now, four years later, on this album we encounter an artist that has found a deeper voice, a more varied selection of songs (mostly her own with some truly … Continue reading Hannah Rarity: To Have You Near
Kinnaris Quintet: This Too
After Free One (2018), we now have This Too, the much awaited new album from the dazzling all-female Scottish ensemble. Can’t wait to find out what their third album will be called! And waiting will probably be worth it because this new release is, in my opinion, even better than the debut that was so … Continue reading Kinnaris Quintet: This Too
Listening diary for May 23-29, 2022
If anything here seems interesting, go to your streaming service and try it out. And if you really, really like it, go to the artist’s web site or Bandcamp or iTunes or Google Play or Amazon or wherever and buy it in your preferred format - musicians need food too 😉 The Halton Quartet: Based … Continue reading Listening diary for May 23-29, 2022
Pádraig Rynne special
I did some catching up on the brilliant Irish concertina wiz and composer, Pádraig Rynne and his output. His 2019 album, Conscious, was one of the best releases that year, a gem of Celtic Fusion, neofolk, whatever you want to call modern folk music that’s not exactly trad. I love that album to bits. That … Continue reading Pádraig Rynne special
Rory Matheson & Graham Rorie: We Have Won The Land
This one really made my day, I’m listening to it for a second time now. The guys from Orkney have put out an album full of great playing, tunes and lots of emotion and also variation - never a dull moment here. It’s one of the albums that stylewise rides on both trad and neofolk … Continue reading Rory Matheson & Graham Rorie: We Have Won The Land
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