Larry Kirwan brings to his brand-new children's album, "Keltic Kids"
(Pirate Moon), the same sort of genre-blending sensibility he applies to
the songs he writes for Irish rock-fusion band Black 47 -- which comes
to the Studio in Pittsfield tomorrow night at 9. Celtic melodies dance
with reggae beats and folk rhythms on "Keltic Kids," and the songs are
imbued with the same strong narrative impetus that informs Kirwan's work
for Black 47. His bandmates lend musical support to several cuts, as do
"Saturday Night Live" guitarist G.E. Smith and country singer Roseanne
Cash, on an album that will appeal to fans of all generations. Call 1-800-IRISH-800.
As the title suggests, "So Far: The Eileen Ivers Collection 1979-1995"
(Green Linnet) gives an overview of Ivers' career, from her debut as a
teen-age, solo prodigy in her native land of the Bronx, through her
session work and membership in top traditional groups like Green Fields
of America and Cherish the Ladies, to the genre-defying experiments on
her recent solo albums. As such, the collection very much parallels the
evolution of the Celtic revival itself, and is as good a place as any
for the uninitiated to begin a survey of contemporary Celtic music.
For those wanting a taste of state-of-the-art Celtic fusion, Sharon
Shannon's new "Each Little Thing" (Green Linnet) is the best place to
start. Shannon uses traditional Irish music as a departure point for her
unique instrumental style, deep enough to be firmly rooted in Celtic,
but expansive enough to embrace touches of Chilean music, bluegrass,
tango, contemporary pop via Fleetwood Mac, and even -- gasp! -- a bit of
pre-programmed techno beats. Of the dozens of new Celtic CDs I've heard
over the past few months, this one is my favorite.
On "Loosen Up" (Green Linnet), Niamh Parsons and the (aptly-titled)
Loose Connections do just that -- they loosen up the strictures of
Celtic folk to embrace other styles on their mostly original
compositions. Songs veer from bluegrass to Calypso to Van Morrison-like
Irish soul, and the pop ballad "Seeing Things" suggests that Parsons is
the Celtic answer to Carly Simon. Still, even at its most adventurous,
there is no mistaking the music's Irish roots.
Since 1985, many of the top female Irish musicians have passed through
the ranks of Cherish the Ladies, the first and still the best-known all-
female, traditional Irish group. "One and All: The Best of Cherish the
Ladies" (Green Linnet) collects tracks from three of the ensemble's
previous albums. The band's versatility extends beyond its instrumental
talents to its vocal blend, innovative arrangements and even step-
dancing.
Listening to "Her Infinite Variety: Celtic Women in Music and Song"
(Green Linnet), it's hard to fathom that Celtic music was once the sole
province of men. This specially-priced, two-CD set features 30 tracks,
including female vocalists and instrumentalists such as Parsons, Ivers
and Shannon, and groups fronted by women, including Deanta, Altan and
Capercaillie.
The five-member Irish group Nomos is all about versatility and
virtuosity. On its latest CD, "Set You Free" (Green Linnet), the all-
male quintet mixes up jigs, reels and some original songs by
vocalist/guitarist John Spillane. Niall Vallely's concertina -- a small
precursor of the accordion -- lends the group's traditional blend a
unique patina, as fiddle, bouzouki and bodhran round out the ensemble,
which boasts a hefty rhythmic punch. Catch Nomos live at the Iron Horse
in Northampton on April 1 at 7.
One of Ireland's most popular groups, the Saw Doctors set out to
conquer America with "Sing a Powerful Song," a collection of songs off
the group's three Irish albums. Whistles, accordions and mandolins swirl
around the group's hard-charging rock music, but it is as much the
group's vocal arrangements -- which recall the lusty harmonies and call-
and-response of the Clancy Brothers -- that give the music its Irish
flair. The Saw Doctors perform at The Waterfront in Holyoke next
Thursday, March 19, at 8:30.
Widely regarded as one of the best traditional fiddlers of his
generation, Irish native Martin Hayes teams up with guitarist Dennis
Cahill on "The Lonesome Touch" (Green Linnet), a collection of duets.
Cahill's, soft, understated accompaniment lays down the bedrock atop
which Hayes's spare, lyrical, plaintive violin sings, cries and dances.
Hayes and Cahill are at the Iron Horse on Sunday, March 15, at 7.
"Celtic Fiddle Festival: Encore" (Green Linnet) is the second in a
series of recordings featuring a supergroup of Celtic fiddle talent.
This live CD, recorded last fall in Britain, teams all-star fiddlers
Kevin Burke (Bothy Band, Patrick Street), Johnny Cunningham (Silly
Wizard, Relativity, Nightnoise) and Christian Lemaitre (Kornog) with
Breton guitarist Soig Siberil. Together they weave a dizzying tapestry
of jigs, reels, waltzes, airs and marches.
Burke, along with a handful of other traditional musicians, lends a
hand to Laurence Nugent on the Irish native's second CD, "Two for Two"
(Shanachie). The selections bear the distinctive stamp of Nugent's
flute and whistle, but they also boast a strong rhythmic undercurrent
provided by bodhran and dumbek.
No survey of Irish music would be complete without at least one CD
devoted to the music of the uilleann pipes. Master piper Jerry
O'Sullivan's virtuosity has graced recordings by Sinead O'Connor, The
Story, Dolly Parton and James Galway. On "The Gift" (Shanachie),
O'Sullivan's repertoire is not limited to Irish music -- O'Sullivan
is equally at home with Scots, Cape Breton,
baroque, jazz, gospel, delta blues and American old-time music, to all
of which he brings his uniquely haunting touch.
Accordionist James Keane is a seminal influence on the contemporary
crop of Celtic revivalists. His latest CD, "With Friends Like These"
(Shanachie) -- featuring accompaniment by members of the Bothy Band,
Planxty and the Chieftains -- is proof that even the most traditionalist
Irish music boasts melodic invention and rhythmic dynamism worthy of
rock 'n' roll.
"Celtic Planet" (Hearts of Space) compiles Celtic-related tracks by
artists from all over the world, including American guitarist Ry Cooder,
Indian singer Sheila Chandra and Spanish flautist Carlos Nunez. The
emphasis here is on Celtic's dreamy, meditative side, as it is on
Oregonian harp guitarist John Doan's "Eire: Isle of the Saints" (Hearts
of Space), a song cycle or self-described "Celtic Odyssey" in homage to
St. Patrick and William Butler Yeats.
For more information on these groups, visit their respective record
labels on the Internet found below.
[This column originally appeared in the Berkshire Eagle on March 13,
1998. Copyright Seth Rogovoy 1998. All rights reserved.]
Seth Rogovoy rogovoy@berkshire.net music news, interviews, reviews, et al.
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(WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., March 13, 1998)
-- It didn't take the success of
Irish music/dance revue "Riverdance" to convince true fans of
contemporary Celtic music that the genre is in the midst of a full-
fledged renaissance. They already knew that young bands and musicians
are building upon the traditional forms while extending them through
innovation and experimentation. What with St. Patrick's Day upon us, it
seems an apt time to survey a bevy of recent Irish and Celtic-related
releases. 