If you don’t know Gjermund Larsen, you perhaps should. A master fiddler from Norway, with a sound and style that’s easy to love. Since I was at his excellent gig this summer, I have returned to his albums and recalled why I instantly liked his music the first time I heard it. Gjermund has a … Continue reading Gjermund Larsen and the beauty of the Nordic fiddle
Tag: contemporary folk music
Beinn Lee: Deò
The band full of still quite young Hebridean talent released their second album a year ago already but for reasons I cannot explain, I only listened to it now. This is weird because Osgarra, the debut album from 2018, was so ready and together for a young band’s opening salvo and I really liked it … Continue reading Beinn Lee: Deò
Galician discoveries: Riobó
Since last year, I’ve been dipping my toes into Breton and Galician (and very recently Northern Portuguese) folk music; in other words, the more southern regions of Celtic music. I have been a fan of the Galician master piper Anxo Lorenzo for years now but have never really taken a closer look at that region’s … Continue reading Galician discoveries: Riobó
FARA: Energy Islands
It's a very sunny and not too cold November’s day in Finland and I have just been for a walk outside in the sunshine, listening for the second time to the new FARA album, Energy Islands. Me and my wife have been lucky to have witnessed the band live at least a couple of times … Continue reading FARA: Energy Islands
Niamh Dunne: Tides
The name Niamh Dunne did not ring any bells with me before I discovered her new album Tides - but I will definitely remember her name from now on. And, as it turned out, I had heard her playing before, as I learned that she is a long-standing member of the Irish band Beoga, which … Continue reading Niamh Dunne: Tides
The Magpies: Undertow
So… Today is October 24 in the strange and scary year of 2022 and I have decided to begin writing this blog using a dictation app, a speech to text app, which probably makes it a lot more fun and easy for me to say something about the music that I listen to. The album … Continue reading The Magpies: Undertow
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
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