FEBRUARY 2000
www.celtic-connection.com
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Traditional Singer to Visit BC
Maire Ni Cheileachair, a traditional singer from Cork, will be making a visit to Vancouver in March. Maire is an All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil winner and this past December she released her first CD called Guth ar Fdn/A Wandering Voice, featuring songs in both Irish and English.
Maire inherited her love of traditional singing from her family roots in Kilnamartyra in County Cork. She is a regular participant at the Gables Singing Club in Cork City since it started six years ago and is also a regular visitor at singing festivals around the country.
For more information about Maire Ni Cheileachair, call (011) 353-21-968547, or e-mail: maire.ni.cheileachair@ireland.com.
ERIN'S TOP PICKS OF '99
Irish Bands Shut Out at Canadian Border
My fav for '99 has to be Otherworld by Lunasa. Give it a listen and you'll hear why this Irish group gets rave reviews everywhere. Here's another dozen albums of note from 1999:
Afro Celt Sound System
— Volume 2: Release
La Bottine Souriante— Xieme Jonny Hardie & Gavin Marwick
— The Blue Lamp
Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahili
— Live in Seattle
Jerry Holland— Fiddler's Choice Mary Jane Lamond— Lan Duil Alasdair Fraser & Tony McManus
— Return to Kintail Mac Umba—Bruhuh&ho! Niamh Parsons
— Blackbirds & Thrushes Sharon Shannon— Spellbound —The Best of Sharon Shannon Solas—The Words That Remain Various Artists— Gaelic Voices
'90's Picks
It was a tough call but of all the great music released in the 1990's At the End of the Day by Dervish is, in my eyes, a real standout. This album finds Dervish in top form, with the band's sweet Sligo sound and Cathy Jordan's lovely vocals shining through. It deftly Illustrates why Irish traditional music has reached such a wide audience.
If you're looking to expand your CD collection, you won't go wrong with any of the following. Here's some of the best of the rest in alphabetical order:
Afro Celt Sound System
—Volume One: Sound Magic
Altan—The Red Crow
Anita Best—Crosshanded
La Bottine Souriante
—En Spectacle
Deanta—D6anta
Dick Gaughan—Sail On
Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill
—The Lonesome Touch
Kila— Tdg E Go Bog E
Ashley Maclsaac—hi how are you
today'
Susan McKeown— Bushes & Briars
The Mollys — Hat Trick
Christy Moore— At the Point Live
Nomos — Set You Free
Niamh Parsons
—Loosely Connected
Laura Risk & Athena Tergis
— Journey Begun Kate Rusby—Hourglass
Sharon Shannon— Sharon Shannon Shooglenifty— A Whisky Kiss Christina Smith & Jean Hewson —Like Ducks!
Brenda Stubbert— In Jig Time Various Artists— Party Acadien
— Erin Mullen
By STEVE EDGE
Artistic Director
Rogue Folk Club VANCOUVER — Fewer Irish bands are touring these days, and not many Celtic bands are coming to Canada. Why? There may be a lot more work in the "old sod," and the Canadian dollar isn't worth much. On top of all this, the bands need work permits for Canada. These are not easy to obtain. Once at the border, bands are being given a hard time by customs officials.
Stories of searches, bonds needing to be posted to guarantee that instruments won't be sold in Canada, excessive duty charged on merchandise, hassles with rental cars crossing the border, increased security checks (Irish musicians might be subject to even more vigorous checks these days). And once they get here they find that the promoters have to withhold 15 percent of the fees for income tax (Irish musicians don't pay income tax, apparently, so it's very hard to claim it back).
These are all unpleasant facts of life in these parts nowadays. But
the real culprit here is not the occasional suspected Algerian terrorist or container full of Chinese refugees, it's the Free Trade Agreement. United States protectionism is at its height, making it very hard for Canadian performers to enter the U.S.
Canada reciprocates, not just by dissuading American performers from coming here, but also by punishing Europeans. Who suffers? Well, obviously the performers themselves, but ultimately, Canadian audiences are being deprived of their cultural diet. Cut off from their roots, if you like.
Don't be surprised if there are fewer overseas bands coming into Canada this year, even though many of them might be playing in American cities close to the border. What can be done? Well, the Rogue is going to draft some letters which can be signed and sent to your MP in Ottawa. These can be picked up at a Rogue gig, and they will also be put up on the Rogue website located at: www.roguefolk.bc.ca It's time to get to the bottom of this.
Sad Farewell to John Morris Rankin
tragic circumstances," Prime Minister Jean Chretien said in a statement. Organizers of the East Coast Music Awards held a tribute to Rankin at its ceremony held in Svdnev, Nova Scotia, February 3-6.
By JUDY KAMMINGA
ST. JOHN — Family, friends and fans will always treasure the music of the late Cape Breton musician, John Morris Rankin, who passed away January 16. It is believed Rankin lost control of his vehicle when he swerved to avoid a mound of salt on the road, plunging into the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Whales Cove, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He was driving to a hockey game with his son and two other boys, fortunately all three boys survived.
John Morris and siblings Jimmy, Cookie, Raylene and Heather sold more than two million albums and successfully toured, bringing Cape Breton Celtic music around the world, as the Rankin Family.
"It is impossible to comprehend how a life so rich in talent — a life whose magical artistry had touched so many — could be taken so suddenly and under such
More than 1,000 mourners attended John Morris' funeral in Mabou, Cape Breton on January 20. "Maintaining what is good and what is beautiful, John Morris has done that to our culture," said Reverand Angus Morris at the service, "John Morris expressed his faith through his music, which he gave so generously."
More than 80 fiddlers performed at the ceremony, including Ashley Maclsaac, Buddy MacMaster and J.P. Cormier, honouring Rankin. "He was a great ambassador for Cape Breton Music," said McMaster. "He'd be proud of it, I'm sure , to see so many of his fiddling friends here todaj'."
PIPERS FESTIVAL SEATTLE BOUND
SEATTLE — The Irish Pipers' Club of Seattle and the San Francisco Pipers Club are working together to host this year's annual West Coast Tion61 which will be held in Seattle over the Presidents' Day Weekend from February 18 to 20.
This event kicks off on Friday night with a house party at Rod Margason's located at 4523 Corliss Avenue North. On Saturday, an organized breakfast will be followed bv classes held at St. Benedict's School at 4811 Wallingford North.
A concert and ceilidh dance will take place later on Saturday night at the Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Northwest. The recital and session afterward will be at Conor Byrne's, 5140 Ballard Northwest (across and down the street from the Tractor).
For more information, call (206) 784-7353 or e-mail: ipc@wolfenet.com. Write to the Irish Pipers' Club at P.O.Box 31183, Seattle, Washington 98103-1183. Visit their website www.wolfenet.com/~ipc.
| Rogue Folk Club Vancouver's best Celtic/'Folk/'Roots Music f atTheW.I.S.E.Hall(1882AdanacSt.)j
Sunday February 6th (8:00) GypsySwmgmthetroditionofDjango Reinhardt&StephaneGrappelli PEARL DJANGO JuanMartin|(S/M!n 'stopflamenco star) INTERNATIONAL GUITAR NIGHT (St. James Hall, 3214 W.lOtb Ave.)
Tuesday February 8th (8:00) Geordiesonguniterwitha rarvgiftformelody, chorus, & lyrical portraits of UK life JEZ LOWE Friday February 25th (8:00) One ofCanada 'smostpopularand entertainingsongwriters CONNIE KALDOR (Chan Centre, UBC)
Wednesday February 16th (9:00) Legendary Canadian singerswith 5piece bona at Richards on Richards KATE & ANNA McGARRIGLE
- Monday February 28th (8:00) Perhaps tbemostinfluentialguitaristand singer in traditionalmuskofthe British Isles MARTIN CARTHY
Saturday February 19th (8:00) Fouroftheworld 'sgreatestguitaristsinone show: Don Ross (Canada), Brian Gore (USA), Peter Finger (Germany), & Sunday March 5th (8:00) A wardwinningA cadian band from N.S. BLOU
Old Blind Dogs (March 16,
Tickets at Black Swan, Highlife, Rufus', Virgin ' Jnfo. / Reservations736-3022;www.roguefoik.bc.caj
THE GEORGE & DRAGON PUB
Season's greetings to ail our
Customers and J riends All the 'Bestj or the 9{m) Jear
-New Year's Eve Party - 4:00p.m. (Midnight in the Old Country) -Boxing Day Party Buffet
-Traditional British Pub Style Food -Good Selection of English and Irish Ales
LIVE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL WEEKLY!
For more information regarding the game dates and times call: (206) 545-6864 or visit our website at www.georgeanddragonpub.com
Props: John Bayliss 206 N. 36th. Street
John Ravenhill Seattle, WA 98103
Cell Sk
Sat 2/19 - NW Irish Pipers Toinol & Ceili Dance Sun 2/27 • English guitarist MARTIN CARTHY Tue 2/29 - CELTIC FIDDLE FESTIVAL (2-showsi
Kevin Burke, Johnny Cunningham, Christian LelWaitre Wed 3/1 ■ KILA Tue 3/7 LUKA BLOOM @ Century Ballroom
Tue 3/14 PETE MORTON Wed 3/15 OLD BUND DOGS
ThUr 3/16 - AFRO CELT SOUND SYSTEM @ The Paramount
Sun 3/19 • DAVID GREEN BERG & Mike Saunders Mon 3/20 - MARY JANE LAMOND Wed 4/12 - PHIL CUNNINGHAM & ALY BAIN Up & Coming: Battlefield Band, Lunasa ADVANCE TICKETS at TRACT0RTAVERN.COM
5213 BALLARD AVE NW Seattle, WA 206-789-3599