COMHALTAS GROUP TO MAKE HISTORIC FIRST TIME VISIT TO MOSCOW
www.comhaltas.ie
Comhaltas group to perform in Moscow alongside Russian musicians to mark the beginning of a long partnership between CCÉ and Russian lovers of Irish culture and traditional music
On 26th November a group of Comhaltas musicians lead by the well known singer Seán Ó Sé will make a trip to Moscow for two days as part of a relationship building project between Ireland and Russia. During this time they will perform as part of a concert in the Central Hall of Artists alongside Russian musicians and dancers of two generations.
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DYNAMIC DONEGAL FIDDLE TRIO, FIDIL, LAUNCH NEW CD
www.fidilmusic.com www.musicnetwork.ie
FIDIL RELEASE DEBUT CD, ‘3’ UNDER MUSIC NETWORK’S
YOUNG MUSICWIDE SCHEME
“…with one ear cocked carefully to the past and the other trained meticulously on the present, they take tunes long weathered by tradition and infuse
them with a passion and vitality that’s all their own”.
Siobhán Long
Music Network proudly announces the release of ‘3’, the debut CD from the outstanding Donegal fiddle trio, FIDIL. Described as, “Stunning” (Rod Stradling)
and “Mind-blowing” (allcelticmusic.com), the award winning trio are three of Donegal’s finest young musicians: Ciarán Ó Maonaigh, Aidan O’Donnell and Damien
McGeehan, each recognised for their virtuosic technique as well as their inventive yet authentic approach to music.
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JOHN WHELAN CELEBRATES 40 YEARS IN THE MUSIC BIZ
www.johnwhelanmusic.com/biography.html
The youthful button accordion player hit 50 in 2009 and next year will see him reach his 40th year playing traditional Irish music. Yes he started young. The all Ireland winner , born in Dunstable UK in 1959 now plays his music in Connecticut USA. He writes to tell us:
I am booking my tours for 2010 right now if anyone has some interest let me know. This is my 40th year in the music business so I am very excited. It would be great to see as many of you as possible through the next year. I will be updating my website and tour calendar shortly. Thanks for your continued support and expression of love.”
His first album made when he was only 14, and named in honour of his father Dennis, is called “Pride of Wexford” and it is still in print 36 years later.
MUSIC NETWORK TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC TOUR JANUARY 2010
www.musicnetwork.ie
On Tour: Wednesday 13th January – Saturday 23rd January 2010
Susan McKeown, voice
Paddy O’Brien, accordion
Cillian Vallely, Uilleann pipes, low whistle
Aidan Brennan, guitar
“The music. Button box wizard Paddy O’Brien gets it. Really gets it.”
Irish Music Magazine
“A singer of passion, grace and striking presence; she seems to personify both past and present.” Irish Examiner on Susan McKeown
“Music that lives and breathes in the wider world.” Q MAGAZINE
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TRAD ON A SUNDAY MORNING
www.myspace.com/josephinemulvenna
IMM correspondent, Josephine Mulvenna will be presenting another series of Celtic Bridge in 2010 and her winter schedule sees the show run from for 8-9 AM on Sundays on Six FM and Q101.2 FM also on line www.sixfm.co.uk or www.q101west.fm, this is not archived, so you’ll have to be listening to it as you make your breakfast. You can contact Josephine with requests, or maybe you’d like to send her a CD for some Airtime, by contacting her via her Myspace web pages at the following address: www.myspace.com/josephinemulvenna
FOR REASONS UNSEEN
www.hannekecassel.com
Anneke Cassel’s latest release, For Reasons Unseen (November 2009) features an all-star cast of musicians, including: Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas, Rushad Eggleston, Casey Driessen, Brittany Haas, Ryan and Cali McKasson, Keith Murphy, and Aoife O’Donovan. Influences from Scotland to China, along with grooves and musical innovations from the hip Boston bluegrass/Americana scene, fuse together to create a uniquely American approach to Scottish music. She creates sounds on the cutting edge of acoustic music, while retaining the integrity and soul of the Scottish tradition.
Visit www.hannekecassel.com for information about the new album, For Reasons Unseen.
DONEGAL HARMONICA
www.tombyrneonline.com
A virtuoso on diatonic and chromatic harmonicas, Tom’s extraordinary talent is the product of a lifetime’s passion for music. Tom’s musical ideas and personality soar through the medium of the harmonica as he redefines the possibilities of trad music on the instrument. His debut album features Paul O’Driscoll, Carl Hession and Frankie Gavin. The album can be ordered as a download for €6.99 directly from Tom’s website.
THE LIGHTS OF RANZANICO
Diarmaid & Donncha Moynihan
The two brothers from Cork are widely acknowledged as two of Ireland’s finest musicians. They first teamed up in 1996 when they founded, Calico, a ground breaking traditional band, who released two award-winning albums, Celanova Square and Songdogs. The band were one of the most influential ensembles to come out of Ireland and they toured throughout Europe and the USA appearing at many of the major folk festivals. Diarmaid Moynihan is regarded as one of Ireland’s most creative uilleann pipers and composers. His music has been recorded by some of traditional music’s greatest musicians including: Lúnasa, Flook, Michael McGoldrick, Spiritu 986, Gráda, Kathryn Tickell and Kris Drever. He has appeared in concert and recorded with Bristol based jazz quintet Carmina, Donal Lunny, Breton legend, Alain Stivell and many others.
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CEOL FOR CRUMLIN
www.cic.ie
Subhóró – Ceol ón Acadamh
74 traditional artists ‘jam’ it for charity
A compilation album of music, poetry, storytelling – and even traditional dance – has been compiled by Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge in An Cheathrú Rua, Conamara in aid of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin. The artists include staff, students, course participants and friends of the Acadamh all of whom gave of their time and talents free of charge for the project. The recordings were produced mainly by musician/composer Charlie Lennon over the summer of 2009 at Stiúideo Cuan, An Spidéal, Co. Galway. The double CD set runs for almost 2.5 hours and features a total of 40 tracks from Donegal, Leitrim, Galway, Clare, Kerry and Waterford.
More information available at www.cic.ie
BUFFALO IN THE CASTLE
www.buffalocastle.com
Buffalo in the Castle is an exploration of music inspired by the traditions of Irish and American Old-time music and song.
The band features Desi Wilkinson. Originally from Belfast, Desi has worked and toured with most of the best-known musicians and groups on the traditional Irish music scene, like De Dannan, Donal Lunny, Liam O’Flynn, Máirtín O’ Connor and Andy Irvine. He has toured the USA as guest star with De Dannan and has arranged and performed music for the theatre.
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