THE CELTIC CONNECTION • MARCH 1993
Page 27
RISING STARS OF IRISH FOLK
Feast of Traditional Music
ALTAN — PAUL O'SHAUGHNESSY, MARK KELLY, MAIREAD Nl' MHAONAIGH, CAIRAN CURRAN & FRANKIE KENNEDY
Compared to the Chieftains and considered by many to be the best traditional band playing either side of the Atlantic
By JACINTA FRENCH
VANCOUVER — On February 16 and 17 at the WISE Club on Adanac Street, folk fans had the rare and exciting opportunity to see and hear traditional Irish music played in its most original form by masters of the art.
In an age of pop, rock and Celtic fusion, Altan have achieved international success without compromising their traditionalist approach to the music they inherited from their forefathers.
For years, the individual members of this group have been collecting and learning tunes form their parents and neighbours and from famous musicians and singers in the fiddling country of Donegal in the North-West of Ireland.
Most of their material has been passed on to them in the oral tradition. Their natural, untouched music is so close to its roots that it seems to transcend time and place.
With their wildly energetic jigs and reels and haunting ancient Gaelic love of songs, Altan carried the audience away, back to a time when there was music, song and dance at the crossroads and in the kitchens of Ireland.
Altan are now considered by many to be the best traditional band playing on either side of the Atlantic. They have been equated with highly regarded folk groups such as Planxty, D6 Dannan and the Chieftains.
Since they got together six years ago, four albums have been released: Altan, Horse with a Heart, Red Crow and Harvest Storm. The group have toured extensively in Ireland, Britain, Europe and North America.
Four of the six-member group are now full-time musicians. They are Mdir^ad Nf Mhaonaigh from Gweedore, County Donegal (vocals and fiddle), her husband, Frankie Kennedy from Belfast (flute and whistle) Ciardn Curran from County Fermanagh (bouzouki and bouz-ouki-guitar) and CiaranTourish from Buncrana, County Donegal (fiddle).
Because of personal commitments, Mark Kelly (guitar) and Paul O'Shaughnessy (fiddle) were unable to travel with the group on their 5-week tour of North America. Taking their place is Daithi Sproule, an accomplished guitarist and singer from Derry who is now resident in Minneapolis.
The excellent workmanship in their music has also earned Altan the highest accolades from the international commercial folk world. The Red Crow album was voted the Best Folk Album of the year by New York's Irish Voice newspaper and by the British Q Magazine and the London Telegraph. Their current album Harvest Storm is considered to be the folk album of 1992. It remained Number 1 in Ireland's Hot Press.
Altan's magnificent live performances at the WISE Club last month were further evidence that this group are on their way to the top.
"T2 s6 deas bheith ar aisarfs!" was the opening line to the first of Altan's two concerts. "It's nice to be back again," said M&iread Nf Mhaonaigh in her sweet native language of Donegal gaelic. Judging by the synchronized toe-tapping, the consistently deafening applause and the loud encore demands, the audience were equally pleased that Altan were back in town.
Altan's combined musical talents, their powerfully evocative sounds and the intensity of their concentration and enjoyment in their music-making kept the audience on the edge of their seats and even moved some dancers to rise for the occassion.
With whirlwind speed, the Harvest Storm has come and gone and one was left with the wish that these mythical tunes would go on forever, or at least with the hope that Altan's five musical masters would soon return.
Altan play in Seattle on March 13 and on April 24 in Vancouver you can see Daithi Sproule on guitar, Liz Carroll on fiddle and Billy McCominskey on accordion at the WISE Hall in Vancouver. For more information on Altan's touring schedule contact (206) 547-7210.
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