As dedicated and committed as Ireland is to her traditional music, Irish folk and trad musicians do move with the times. It’s been a great couple of days listening to two very different albums by Irish artists with their own vision. Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and the Irish Chamber Orchestra’s Róisín ReImagined was released a few … Continue reading An (almost) epic Irish double feature: Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Seo Linn
Tag: Irish folk music
Double Irish: The London Lasses, Seo Linn
A quick one this time. Just so happened over the weekend that two Irish albums - one brand new, the other almost six years old - floated into my headphones. Both are much fun so I bundled them up here. I had never heard of The London Lasses but as their new album is called … Continue reading Double Irish: The London Lasses, Seo Linn
The Bow Tides: Sailing On
This is the debut album by the Irish-American quintet of three fiddles, bass and guitar, formed in 2020 practically by accident. But the musicians are anything but spring chickens: the band history on their website mentions Gaelic Storm, Grammys, music academies and what have you - not beginner stuff, this. Which explains why Sailing On … Continue reading The Bow Tides: Sailing On
Celtic Connections 2023: Carty & McGoldrick, Ryan Young, Sarah Markey
Tuesday night, Jan 31, saw a feast of fully acoustic Celtic music at the RCH Strathclyde Suite. The excellent flute player Sarah Markey opened the evening with a solid set of Irish and Scottish tunes - very nice! The headliners, John Carty and Mike McGoldrick, were as good as you’d expect; it’s always a pleasure … Continue reading Celtic Connections 2023: Carty & McGoldrick, Ryan Young, Sarah Markey
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
Album Review / Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh: Neadú (Nesting)
Ah, Muireann… One of the most beautiful voices and presences in the Celtic scene has returned with this five-track EP. At 21 minutes, it’s just long enough to immerse yourself in her aural atmosphere. She openly states this is a lockdown creation and the album title reflects that as well. It’s a very intimate affair, … Continue reading Album Review / Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh: Neadú (Nesting)
Album Review / Rowan Leslie: Escaping the Dawn
One thing that keeps astonishing me about the Celtic music scene is the way it produces brilliant young musicians who refresh and vitalize the culture. Some do it by expanding and experimenting and stretching the limits of the music, while others own the old traditions and recharge them as if they invented them. Young Irish … Continue reading Album Review / Rowan Leslie: Escaping the Dawn
Album Review: A John Doyle Double Feature
John Doyle, Ireland’s great gift to guitar in folk music, has obviously been a busy guy lately. His latest solo effort, Path Of Stones, came out in the spring and the collaboration album with a certain Mr. McGoldrick was released just a wee moment ago. Since I was not writing here too much during spring, … Continue reading Album Review: A John Doyle Double Feature
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