r AGE 4
lwww.celtic-connection.com
CELTIC MUSIC REVIEWS
SEPTEMBER 2002
Celtic tenors
PRYDWEN Off The Deck
Prydwen is the name of the vessel on which King Arthur sailed to Annwyn - the land of creativity, light and magic.
Now, the local Vancouver group called Prvdwen has recently released a'CD entitled, Off The Deck. Their music is a combination of the different elements of roots music. Jennie Bice who is the lead vocalist and fiddle player combines many genres of music along with Celtic styles, including Cuban latin, jazz, rockabilly, classical, country and cajun, which accounts for her unique style of playing.
The music on the CD includes some recognizable traditional music that has been creatively treated to a unique Prydwen arrangement. There are 14 tracks on the album and some of my favourite are: The Mission which starts the journey off slowly as Prydwen pushes off to the open water. Wayfaring Stranger is traditional folk featuring Jennie on vocals. Driving Me Darby is a selection of jigs and reels. Ballydesmond features Jennie leaning into the bow, fiddling furiously.
Straightleg is folkey with Jennie on vocals. Two Ways To Get Famous has a country sound and features Greig Cairns. Black Is The Colour is a traditional favourite featuring the vocals of Greig Cairns. Silver Dagger is a folkey Joan Baez favourite. Angus features the fiddle music of Jennie.
The Mission-Vineyard Reprise features Jennie on fiddle and Taurus Biskis on percussion and brings the journey to a pleasant finish. Prydwen provides a broad range of talent and you can be assured of entertaining listening.
Members of the group are: Jennie Bice, vocals and fiddle; Joe Samorodin, fretless, fretted and upright basses; Greig Cairns, vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, e-bow; Tauras Biskis, kit drums, percussion.
For more information visit their website at: prvdwen.com, or call (604) 814-3430.
ALAN & JOHN
KELLY Fourmilehouse
To the musical question of our time, "0 Brother, Where Art Thou?," Alan and John Kelly can each answer, "Right here." The pure drop-playing of Alan on piano accordion and John, his younger brother, on flute and whistle can be likened to the impact of that movie soundtrack.
Fourmilehouse is traditional music served straight up, with no need for studio sweeteners or sleight of hand, and harks back to
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
the time when Irish music, like American old-timey and early country music, had a backporch ease belying considerable skill.
Alan and John Kelly were born in Roscommon town. Their grandfather was a fiddler; their grandmother a melodeon player; their father Frank Kelly, a piano accordionist from Fourmilehouse in southern Roscommon who won the All-Ireland senior title in 1964; and their mother, Mary Kelly, an adept pianist and saxophonist.
From the late Fifties to the early Sixties, Frank and Mary Kelly were members of the Killina Ceili Band, a gifted ensemble also featuring fiddler Paddy Ryan, a first cousin of Mary and a music instructor to both Alan and John.
The repertoire that Alan and John have chosen for Fourmilehouse is a deft blend of ageless standards, such as The Duke of Leinster reel from Sligo fiddler Michael Coleman made popular in 1927, and more recent tunes destined to become standards, such as Liz Carroll's Diplodocus reel, Pat Crowley's Harp and Shamrock hornpipe, and Billy McComiskey's Palm Tree reel.
Other musicians on the CD who support the Kellys are Arty McGlynn, guitarist; percussionist Jim Higgins; organist/pianist Rod McVey; bouzouki player Cyril O'Donoghue, banjoist/pianist Brian McGrath and bodhran player John Moloney is exemplary.
Tracks on the CD are: Mrs Crehan's/ Quinn's/The Boys of Portaferry; The One That Was Lost/The Hag's Purse/The Black Rogue; Caucus Reel/Lady On The Island/McGettrick's; Jer Quigley's/The Bunch Of Green Bushes; The Sporting Pitchfork/ The Diplodocus/ Charlie Mulvihill's; The Parting Glass/ The Duke of Leinster; The Bush In Bloom/The Old Road To Garry/ Captain Kelly's; The Mountain Ranger/The Harp and Shamrock; The Four Leafed Shamrock/Con-
cert Reel/Larkin's Beehives; The Pleasures of Hope/The Palm Tree/ Ah Surely; Castletown Connors/ Old .John's Jig/The Green Fields Of Woodford and Sonny Brogan's/ Easter Sunday/The Glentaun.
If you like traditional Irish music then there's none better than Fourmilehouse. For more information visit: www. compassrecords .com.
EAMONN COYNE
Through The Round Window
Through the Round Window is the solo debut CD of renowned tenor banjo player Eamonn Coyne. Coyne builds a musical bridge between the traditional Irish sounds of his upbringing and other more international influences.
The high esteem Coyne commands in Irish music circles is reflected in the clarity, precision, and impeccable timing of each note he plays. The result is a remarkable album that explores new terrain for the Irish tenor banjo while radiating the warmth and integrity of a centuries-old musical lineage.
One of the threads unifying Through The Round Window is the interrelation between different cultures. That give-and-take is demonstrated on the tune Nine String Susannah, a trio of American old-tyme fiddle tunes played as a duet with Grammy-winning five-string banjoist Alison Brown. Kevin Doherty, of the acclaimed eclectic Celtic band Four Men and a Dog, contributes two original compositions that combine the soulfulness of classic balladry with a contemporary edge.
Guest artists on the CD are Alison Brown, Dermot Byrne, Ethna Coyne, Ciaran Curran, Kevin Doherty, Kendrick Freeman, Jimmy Higgins, Russell Hunter, Pat Marsh, Michael McGoldrick, Tom Morrow, Paul O'Driscoll and Sandy Wright.
Tracks are Connaught Jigs; Whistling Reels; Mazurka and Jigs; Western Swing; Mary J; Tommy and Jerry; Hendon Road; Nine String Susannah; Walpoles Pipes; Highlands; Long Roads; Ash Plant; There and Back Again; and Wet Ones.
For more information visit the following website: www. compassrecords.com
THE CELTIC TENORS
So Strong
The Celtic Tenors are three of the biggest voices to emerge in the past 20 years. Signed to EMI Classics in 2000, their latest album titled Celtic Tenors, reached Number Two in the UK Classical album chart in February last year, and went on to make Platinum status in Ireland. They have filmed a special entitled Celebrate which was broadcast on PBS nationwide in August.
Their new album So Strong includes 16 tracks, produced by the legendary Mike Moran, who has worked with many of the world's superstars including Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton and Kate Bush to name a few.
The group chose all tracks on the album and many are personal favourites with special meaning for each member. So Strong sees the band build on the Celtic origins of their first album to take on a more mainstream audience with tracks intended for the classical and crossover markets.
The Celtic Tenors are Matthew Gilsenan from Moynalty, County Meath; Niall Morris from Dublin; and James Nelson from Sligo
Tracks on the CD are: Nella Fantasia; Mull of Kintyre; Love of My Life; Ave Maria; The Green Fields of France; Ag Criost an siol; Fionnghuala; The Town I Loved So Well; I Will Wait For You; (Something inside) So Strong; The Contender; A Love So Beautiful; Dein ist mein ganzes Herz; The Star of the County Down; Adagio and Anthem (from Chess).
Another New Role for Corrs Singer
Corr Wedding
Caroline Corr, drummer with the highly successful family pop group, married Dublin property developer Frank Woods on the Spanish island of Mallorca in August. Her sisters and fellow band members, Sharon and Andrea, were bridesmaids. Among the guests at the wedding were Bono, The Edge and Eddie Jordan.
DUBLIN - Irish media reports claim that singer Andrea Corr is set to star in a new Hollywood film about warring ceili bands. The Great Ceili War, directed by John Irvin, whose past credits include Hamburger Hill and Widows' Peak, starts shooting in Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man in October.
The film is set in a small Clare village during a "battle of the bands" competition. It is understood that Andrea Corr is close to finalizing her contract. She will play the part of Anna, a local girl who falls in love with a Liverpool fiddler, who travels to Ireland especially for the competition.
County Antrim-born Cold Feet star James Nesbitt is also believed to be considering a role in the film. If Andrea accepts the part, it will be Corr's first acting role since appearing alongside fellow singer Madonna as the mistress of Argentinian president Juan Peron in the 1996 film Evita.
New Pub Opening in Vancouver
VANCOUVER - "You can't always get what you want," says the classic Rolling Stones song and no one knows that refrain better than Jacquie Metzler. She is the popular former owner of the well-known Culpeppers restaurant on West Broadway who has spent the last year looking for the right location to open a new pub.
It has been almost two years since Culpepper's closed shortly after Jacquie suffered a brain aneurism. Fortunately, she received medical treatment quickly and has since made a full recovery.
The feisty Metzler was hardly out of hospital when she wanted to start looking for a location to open a new pub. This proved to be a bigger task than anticipated.
Finally, Jacquie found what she was wanted located at 3617 West Broadway at Alma, which is actually not too far from the old Culpepper's. The new venue will be called The Wolf and Hound, a tip of the hat to Culpepper's house band leader, the late Danny Burns who performed in Ireland with the group The Wolfhound.
Metzler described the new pub atmosphere as sort of a Twenty First Century Irish and East Coast meeting place. She said, "It will definitely not be the run-of-the-mill 'cookie-cutter' Irish pub."
Food will be a cut above "pub grub" and reasonably priced comfort food with a creative flair by chef Luciano, who has put his leprechaun personality into the menu. Irish, East Coast and micro beer will be on tap.
There is already a strong interest in the music community. Michael Pratt of Celtic Woollens will be hosting Monday night sessions, Friday and Saturday nights will be the down home kitchen party nights with Irish, East Coast and folk music with groups such as Skystone, Ballyhooley, Mutiny Gone Overboard and Robert Ford and the Pookas.
Anticipated opening date is somewhere around September 15. For more details, call (604) 738-8909.
Daniel O'Donnell
to Host Chat Show
BELFAST - Donegal singing star Daniel O'Donnell is set to become a chat show host on his new TV show based in a nightclub. In his BBC show, simply called Daniel, the country music star will act as a club owner of Basement X. A string of Irish celebrities will be among the audience in the nightclub in Belfast for the series.
Former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, Gay Byrne, former Brookside star Claire Sweeney and actress Martine McCutcheon are just a few famous faces dropping in. Daniel (41) will wander among his guests and join in conversations and conduct interviews. He will also bring some guests on stage to perform or to join him in a duet.