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www.celtic-connection.com
FEBRUARY 2009
Rogue Folk Club
Celebrating 21 Years of the best Celtic & Roots!
www.roguefolk.bc.ca
Friday, February 13, 8pm
Legendary Californian Folk I Blues I Country rocker
Dave Alvin + Martha Scanlan
Monday, February 16, 8pm
Nova Scotia-based Canadian songwriters supreme
Stephen Fearing Dave Gunning
Friday, February 20, 8pm
Stunning Gaelic singer from North Uist, w/ Jenna Reid, Tony Byrne & Eamon Doorley
i
Julie Fowlis
Friday, February 27, 8pn
David Essig & Rick Scott
St. James Hall, 3214 West 10th Avenue Tickets & Info (604) 736-3022
celx m a cuiisc
Celtic ruvoio
AM 1470, CJVB • WWW.AMl470.COM
"More Music, Less Malarkey" Sundays 4 p.m. on am 1470
Plus the Celtic Countdown & interviews with the top artists in the Celtic World, - With your host Patricia Frasor
Ancient Songs of Hebridean Islands to New Audiences
VANCOUVER - Bringing centuries old songs from the windswept islands of the Hebrides to a modern audience, Julie Fowlis remains steadfastly true to her roots in North Uist. If you haven't heard her before, be prepared to be surprised by her music and her "breathtaking vocal power."
Julie Fowlis is a talented singer and instrumentalist from Scotland. She is the reigning BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year and in a few short years she has taken the music scene by storm, gathering a small army of fans around the world.
She is somewhat of an enigma as she sings in a language only understood by around 60,000 people - which accounts for only approximately one percent of the population of Scotland. She sings in Scottish Gaelic and spends her time touring around the world bringing ancient songs form the Hebridean Islands to new audiences.
She is an accomplished musician as well - playing Highland bagpipes, smallpipes, whistles, oboe and cor anglais and is currently expanding her repertoire on the one row melodeon.
JULIE FOWLIS is a talented singer and instrumentalist from Scotland.
Recently Julie has delved a little into broadcasting, and has had the opportunity to present two flagship music programmes on BBC Scotland - the traditional music programme Travelling Folk and the world music show Global Gathering. A one hour documentary on Julie and her musical travels, entitled Bliadhna Julie/Julie's Year was also broadcast by the BBC in 2007.
She was publicly voted Gaelic Singer of the Year 2007 at the Scots Trad Music Awards and her second solo album Cuilidh, which has just been re-released as a three CD box set, including a DVD and live cuts from the Celtic Connections Festival in 2008 as well as her amazing cover of The Beatles' Blackbird -in Gaelic!
- was voted Album of the Year at the same awards.
Julie Fowlis will perform the only Canadian date on her short tour of North America this February with her husband, Eamon Doorley - of Danu, young Shetland fiddle diva Jenna Reid, and Dublin guitarist Tony Byrne.
Don't miss the Julie Fowlis Quartet performance in Vancouver on February 20 hosted by the Rogue Folk Club at St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue). Tickets 025 (022 members). On sale atHighlife Records, Rufus' Guitar Shop, and on-line at www.roguefolk.bc.ca. For information and reservations, call (604) 736-3022.
CELTIC CD REVIEWS
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Can't D paw the Curtain
THE WHEAT IN THE BARLEY
Can't Draw The Curtain
The music of The Wheat In The Barley has been described as a Celtic/Slavic brew of high-energy instrumental music. Actually, their sound encompasses many of the ethnic groups that make up our Canadian mosaic from the east to west coast.
Founding member Steve Gidora has a music heritage on both sides of his family.
He received his first mandolin from his Ukrainian grandfather at the age of 10. Since then he has played with many Vancouver artists and worked as a music teacher in Langley, B.C.
With The Wheat In The Barley, Steve provides vocals, mandolin and guitar. In recent years a passion for songwriting has overtaken him resulting in many new originals, some of which are now featured on the band's fourth CD entitled Can't Draw The Curtain.
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
Can't Draw The Curtain is music to dance to and I dare you to try and keep your feet still while listening to the infectious sound. The arrangement and array of instruments puts an exciting spin on the Celtic tunes, but their repertoire runs the gamut right down to Crawdad Fiasco.
The CD is aptly named - you wouldn't want to draw the curtain on this hooley!
The line-up for The Wheat In The Barley includes: Steve Gidora, acoustic guitar, Irish bouzouki and vocals; Mark Dowding, flute, harmonicas, soprano and tenor saxes, whistle; Victor Smith, accordion, guitar, whistle, Celtic flute, bodhran, vocals; Nicole Scoffield, violin, vocals; Mickey Hovan, electric bass, acoustic and slide guitar; and Fd Johnson, all manner of percussion.
For more information about The Wheat In The Barley, visit: www. wheatinthebarley. com.
SIMPLIFIRES Why People Make Countries
Simplifires is a unique four piece line-up: Three Mexicans (Shine, Rodrigo and Alex) and one Irish singer (Dave O). Formed through friendship and a musical connection, rather than any other ulterior motive, the unusual line-up brings with it an inherently different
perspective on the nature of music, rock and roll and its undeniable power to bring people together.
Why People Make Countries is a statement, not a question. It's putting up-front the idea that all humans share the need for relationship and the most demanding relations turn into empathy, which turns into the need to be together and form groups of people with the same interests.
The cover of the album is a drop of water over a table in front of an open window. This work of art by New York based photographer Muricio Alejo, to illustrate his interpretation of the idea Why People Make Countries. It's a political statement as well as religious, social and every other kind in which human relations shape the environment.
Simplifires has a U2 sound both in some of the vocals and in The Fdge-style guitar sound. One other U2 comparison is the message to the world in their vocals, and yet, Simplifires retain their own original sound and message. Why People Make Countries is a profound statement and deserves a listen.
The new musical collaboration of Damian & Shamma brings afresh new approach to the Irish music scene
Available for bookings: info@murphyslagh.com Tel: (604) 997-0611