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www.celtic-connection.com
DECEMBER 2011/JANUARY 2012
Rogue Folk Club
Celebrating 25 Years of the best Celtic & Roots!
www.roguefolk.com
Thursday, DEC 8, 8pm
An Old Time Music Spectacular!
Pharis & Jason Romero
Riley Baugus & Kim Sutphin
Sunday, JAN 15, 8pm
Belfast songwriter
Andy White
Thursday, JAN 19,8pm
Louisiana Zydeco quintet
Jeffery Broussard Creole Cowboys
Tuesday, JAN 24, 8pm
Acoustic Folk I Rock from Nfld
Sherman Downey
Friday, JAN 27, 8pm
CD Launch Concert
Tim Readman's Out Of The Green
St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Ave.) Tickets & Info (604) 736-3022
I Holiday Sale
^25-50% off
Dec. 15-29th
Guitars, Books, Amps & More
"The world of Peace and Joy is at our fingertips. We only need to touch it."
Thick NhatHanh
PRUSSIN MUSIC
3607 W. Broadway,Vancouver
Celtic Traditions
3754 West 10th Ave. Vancouver. B.C. 604-222-2299
www.celtictraditions.ca
t
£1
Vancouver* s Best Sweater Store.
Celtic Jewellery: Donegal Hats: Mohair Blankets: Scarves:
Christmas Gifts!!
Music School
All Ages : All Levels :
All Fun : Fiddle: Harp: Whistle: Voice: Flute : Bodhran:
Looking Back at 2011 and Looking Ahead to 2012
Albums of the Year
Slightly better than a Top 20 Albums of the Year, may I humbly present my 21 Favourite Celtic (and Celtic-related) CDs of 2011?
1. LuarNaLubre-iSMsft'cio(Warner, Spain) - a beautifully-packaged collection of songs and tunes from Galicia by this excellent Celtic band from the region. I picked this up in Madrid last December, on the day it was released.
2. June Tabor & Oysterband -Ragged Kingdom (Topic) The second time the English song diva has teamed up with the electrifying Celtic rockers. A great collection of songs.
3. The Once - Row Upon Row Of The People They Know (Borealis) Fabulous vocal harmonies and some very moving songs from Newfoundland.
4. Qristina & Quinn Bachand -
Family (www.qbachand.com) These young Victoria prodigies made a great second CD this year. Every track is a gem.
5. John Doyle - Shadow & Light
(Compass) Former Solas guitarist moved from Dublin to North Carolina a few years ago.
This CD has some outstanding new songs. Really powerful tales of the Irish in North America.
6. Caladh Nua - Next Stop (www.caladhnua.com) Fine young band from Eire, starring Lisa Butler on fiddle and vocals.
They were amazing at the Mission Folk Festival in July. Watch for them at The Rogue in March.
7. Stephen Fearing & Andy White
- Fearing & White (Lowden Proud) Two songwriters raised in Ireland in the 1970s combined their talents on CD for the first time.
Some great melodies and lyrics here. Andy White will open The Rogue's concert year on January 15.
8. La Bottine Souriante-Appelation D'Origine Controlee (Borealis) Monster Quebecois band is now an 11-piece combo. More trademark foot-tapping crooked reels and call and response songs. Plus some Basque txalaparta for added spice!
9. Battlefield Band - Line Up
(Temple) The new Batties came up with a brilliant new CD this year, and were in fine form at Cap Uni last month.
This includes Otis Redding's That's How Strong My Love Is and some amazing fiddle and pipe medleys.
10. Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas
- Highlander's Farewell (Culburnie) The third CD by Scotland's # 1 fiddler and the incredible young cellist from California, this one has some stunning long medleys.
11. Beoga - How To Tune A Fish
(Compass) Every album from this young Irish band comes replete with innovative arrangements and unusual -but highly successful - choices of material (and crazy titles!) Very fun!
12. Genticorum - Nagez Rameurs (www.genticorum.com) Marvellous Quebec trio, whose vocal harmonies and instrumental skills are brilliant, innovative, and highly infectious.
THE Rogue Folk Club will kick things off in 2012 with Belfast songwriter Andy White on January 15.
13. Martin Simpson - Purpose & Grace (Topic) with guest vocals from Dick Gaughan and June Tabor, and backed by his excellent trio, the English guitarist displays exemplary good taste on every CD.
His version of Lakes ofPontchartrain is a highlight here.
14. Oliver Schroer & Nuala Kennedy - Enthralled (Borealis) The late, lamented fiddler, Oliver Schroer wrote and recorded heaps of new tunes in his final weeks on the planet - many of them written in his hospital bed.
This collaboration with Belfast flautist Kennedy is surely the final instalment of his remarkable canon.
And it's a wonderful epitaph for him -and a very promising introduction for her to Canadian audiences.
15. Tim Readman - Out Of The
Green (Big City) Vancouver songwriter Tim Readman teams up with ace fiddler Jennie Bice for a fine selection of traditional and contemporary songs.
Nice blend of familiar songs and rarities. The band were in great form on The Edge On Folk during CiTR's Fundrive the other week.
16. Paul McKenna Band - Stem The
Tide (Greentrax) Excellent young Scots band with the instrumental chops and fiery, passionate songs that have already made them one of Scotland's premier Celtic bands.
17. T With The Maggies (Compass) A sort of Irish Women's Supergroup that puts all those hideous Celtic Women CDs to shame! This is what it's all about.
Altan's Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh teams up with Maighread and Triona Ni Dhomnaill and Clannad's Moya Brennan to present 11 songs - mostly trad, but including Richard Thompson/Sandy Denny's immortal Farewell, Farewell.
18. The Unthanks - Last (Rough Trade) Two sisters from Newcastle Upon Tyne and their special backing band. Remarkable music; contemporary and traditional at the same time, this is the future of traditional song NOW. Stunning stuff!
19. Oliver Syvain-InABig Machine
(www.oliverswainmusic.com) Victoria bassist/banj oist and vocalist with a three
octave range assembled a great band to record this CD and launch it at the Rogue last February.
Not strictly Celtic, or even strictly anything, just superbly played and sung Roots music that touches on all genres from Celtic to Old Time, Bluegrass, Folk/Rock, and more!
20. Kate Rusby - Make The Light
(Pure) The Yorkshire singer has just put out another Christmas CD. The one before this one was also a Christmas album. This one came out last Christmas, but you can - and undoubtedly will - listen to it all year round. What a voice!
21. Loreena McKennitt- The Wind That Shakes The Barley (Quinlan Road) A return to herCeltic roots from the Winnipeg harpist
No sweeping arrangements bathed in exotic world rhythms, yet still quintessentially her own, inimitable style, this is a beautiful record.
We've had a great year at the Rogue, with highlights including the return of Solas after a seven year absence, Laura Cortese's wonderful Acoustic Project, Paul McKenna's debut appearance, The Bat hands remarkable CD launch, and a fine show by The Outside Track at CBC in July.
Leonard Podolak's Celtic/Old Time Music Megashow on Stage 3 at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, and the wonderful Irish bands at Mission (Caladh Nua, Lorcan MacMathua's Northern Lights, Patrick Ball's midnight stories, etc.) were among the festival highlights this summer, but the award for most memorable Irish band of 2011 must go to Dublin rockabilly diva Imelda May. An incredible singer with a fabulous backing band!
Looking Ahead
In 2012 we kick things off with Belfast songwriter Andy White on January 15. In February we have the long-awaited return of Co. Clare fiddler Martin Hayes and Chicago guitarist Dennis Cahill, in March we hope to present Dervish and will definitely bring in Caladh Nua, amongst others.
In May watch for the return of the amazing California septet Wake The Dead, who blend Scots and Irish tunes with the songs of the Grateful Dead, and in June watch for the return of the wonderful Afro-Celtic combo Baka Beyond.
We're also very excited about the young Newfoundland acoustic folk/rock combo Sherman Downey & The Silver Lining, who will make their Rogue debut at St. James Hall on January 24.
Meanwhile, to round out 2011, don't miss the Rogue's final concert of the year with Old Time music legend Riley Baugus from North Carolina and B.C. duo Pharis & Jason Romero at St. James Hall on December 8.
Then it's the 10th annual Danny Burns Feed The Hungry Benefit at the Wolf & Hound on West Broadway on December 11 from 4 PM onwards.
Entertainment this year include Blackthorn, Rogues 'n Tinkers, The Streels, Ballyhooley and loads more; all for a great cause (Union Gospel Mission and their food programs) and in memory of a truly great man and a good friend, Danny Burns.
Have a great Christmas! Wassail!