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Cherish the Ladies will have a Christmas album out in time for their December tour of the USA, the album called A Star in the East will be available online and at their concerts. Their really big new fro 2010 is that Joannie and the ladies will celebrate 25 years on the road from January 5th.
Catch the girls in Glasgow at Celtic connections and drop them a big well done on their website located at www.cherishtheladies.com
Galway’s largest and longest-running learners’ session, Dusty Banjos, are about to launch their first professional recording, “Live at the Crane”.
The session “Dusty Banjos” was started in Galway in 2002 by local musicians Mary Lovett and Community Music Crew (CMC), as a stepping-stone for adult students of Irish traditional music. CMC had found many obstacles facing adult learners that are not experienced by children and young people, and set out to provide a space that would address, and hopefully alleviate, some of these barriers. The take-up has been incredible, with many hundreds of student musicians availing of the classes and sessions to date.
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The Francis McPeake School of Music is currently in crisis and as a result is having to run a raffle to raise urgent funds. They would appreciate your help.
Prizes: 1st Prize Car - Hyundai i10, 2nd Prize £3000, 3rd Prize £1000 The money raised will give much needed financial support to fund the music classes and activities of the school. Each ticket costs £5/$8 and every penny helps. You can puirchase tickets on line if you have a Paypal account. If a non-Northern Ireland resident wins the 1st prize, the cash equivalent will be awarded.
“The Wind that Blows” Show every Saturday Night Changed from Friday nights. Box player Martin Donohue has been presenting a Friday evening Traditional music show on Shannonside Northern Sound. The show called “The Wind that Blows” has a good slot of 2 hours per week and features Irish traditional and folk music 8.00pm to 10pm Irish time The show is a gathering place for all things “folk”- artist info, resources like the folk festival listings, and most especially good music and song and lots of it. The radio show is on the web for family and friends overseas: www.shannonside.ie
The show is part of the Nyah Co Cavan arts group work in keeping music live and giving access for all to the culture. If you have a CD you wish to have played or if you want to promote your tour/Gigs, share news etc. Martin is also behind Nyah the County Cavan Arts Festival which runs form March 10th -18th.
More information is available at www.cavanmusic.com
Hands up for Trad will be hosting the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards weekend in Dumfries from the November 27th - 29th, 2009. The aim of these Awards is to highlight Scotland’s wonderful traditional music in all its forms and to create a high profile opportunity which will bring the music and music industry into the spotlight of media & public attention.
Beoga are celebrating the news that their third album “The Incident” has made it to the 2010 GRAMMY Awards nomination ballot. ‘The Incident’ was released in January 2009 to universal critical acclaim, and now has been short listed for consideration in the ‘Best Contemporary World Music Album’ category.
It’s been the busiest year so far for the Antrim based band, with tours taking in 13 countries. On St. Patrick’s Day the group were the cover feature in The Wall Street Journal, who described the quintet as ‘the most exciting traditional band to emerge from Ireland this century’. Following a blistering performance at Houston International Festival in April, Beoga were honoured with a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from the US House of Representatives. “We’re delighted people seem to be getting as much enjoyment from our music, as we have making it,” says pianist Liam Bradley.
The Incident features original compositions, many penned by the band members, as well as traditional favourites. There are seven instrumental tracks and four songs, including the humourous duet ‘On the Way’, a song about a couple who squabble in the car after getting lost in Donegal. Singer Niamh Dunne trades vocals with the song’s composer Ciaran Gribbin (aka Joe Echo) on this track. “It’s a great song”, says Niamh, “and we’re also thrilled that Ciaran is enjoying world-wide success as co-writer of Madonna’s hit single ‘Celebration’.
One of the most important highlights of the year for the band was their return to the Gig’n the Bann Festival in Portglenone, Co. Antrim, and the scene of the band’s formation. On 5th September, Beoga celebrated their 400th concert with a special ‘big-band’ performance to a capacity audience. Accordionist and guitarist Seán Graham says, “It was a very memorable evening and we were honoured to return to where we formed the band 7 years ago, and to headline the festival.”
The Beoga tour bus looks set to chalk up even more miles in 2010, with Europe and USA dates filling up fast. The band is especially looking forward to their first Australia and New Zealand tours, to take place in May and June.
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The original Celtic Rockers will reunite for two gigs on the December 3rd & 5th, 2009 in Belfast & Dublin. To coincide with the live performances, a double CD has been issued called The Very Best Of Horslips: the two 2 CD’s contain 34 Tracks, All the Hits and a detailed 24 Page Booklet. The albums will be on sale in regular stores from Friday 13th November with iTunes and downloads from the band’s website on a pre-order basis.
www.ballyopromotions.ie
‘Outstanding Irish Music for Worldwide Audiences….’
BallyO Promotions is a music agency focusing on the appreciation of Irish music and working to promote the best in Irish entertainment.
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It’s cultural and educational project with a new and innovative and fun approach to investigating and show-casing the art of traditional Irish fiddle music. ‘Fiddle Safari’ is the brainchild of fiddle player, Brendan Larrissey who will be hosting & participating in each ‘Fiddle Safari’ weekend throughout 2010. Brendan says he is really looking forward to the tunes, the sessions and the craic! The Irish fiddle, being one of the oldest instruments in our tradition, with its many different regional styles and is an integral part of traditional music. Irish fiddle music is loved and appreciated throughout the world and has a major influence on the traditional music of all the Celtic countries.
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Three significant Dubliner’s anniversaries occur this year: Luke Kelly’s 25th, Ciarán Bourke’s 21st and Ronnie Drew’s first anniversary.
To mark this special year, The Dubliners are paying a tribute to their former colleagues by way of a presentation of archive photos, video clips and old sound tracks in their concerts. They will perform in three special home town concerts on 28th, 29th and 30th of December at Vicar Street. John Sheahan has already written poems in honour of Luke and Ronnie and has now added a new poem called “Remembering Ciarán Bourke”. These will be featured in the tributes. Using video clips of selected songs from the past, a collaboration between the old group and the present line-up on stage will be achieved, bridging past and present. Barney McKenna is the only surviving original Dubliner, having formed the band with Like Kelly, Ciaran Bourke and Ronnie Drew in 1962. John Sheahan joined in 1964.
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