Issue 12 12/99
Label: ; GLCD 1197; 1999; Playing time: 56.05 min
The wonderful voice of Niamh is the main feature of "Blackbirds & Thrushes"; still Niamh has invited a couple of great Irish musicians adding a subtle beautiful accompaniment to some the songs. The album directly starts with a real cracker; the title track starts with a sensitive low whistle solo of John McSherry; later on Niamh's singing is supported by subtle uilleann pipes, fiddle, guitar etc, and ends up with an instrumental set "the Blackbird Waltz". All songs featured on this album are traditional, and there are several quite unknown treasures among them. Still, a singer of the calibre of Niamh Parsons does not have to fear to record a couple of the best known Irish traditional songs. And when Niamh sings "Fear a Bhata", "The Water is Wide" and "The Flower of Magherally O", the listener is only impressed by the extraordinary beauty of this voice, and would not think about even knowing the song at all. A highlight of the album is the song "Droimeann Donn Dílis", bringing together the two possibly best traditional Irish singers of the time: Niamh Parsons and Ciarán Ó Gealbháin (Danú).
This album is simply too beautiful to express the feeling and quality in words, so I can only recommend to get the album and listen to one of the best traditional Irish albums of this decade...
Green Linnet
Michael Moll
Label: Liedekeler Musikproduktionen; LIECD99012; 1999; Playing time: 63.47 min
DeReelium has an attractive line-up featuring bouzouki/singing (Barbara Steinort), fiddle (Michael Möllers), English concertina (Georg Möllers), banjo/mandola/Schäferpfeife (German bagpipes) (Klaus Gehrmann), guitar/bass (Reiner Köhler) and bodhran/bones (Rolf Wagels). These instruments work very well together; especially the - in Irish trad music less usual - English concertina adds some special atmosphere into the songs and tunes. In diverse sets of jigs and reels, the guys show that they are very much at home in Irish traditions. Meanwhile, you can find also a few destinctive tunes composed by band members. One of the highlights of the album is the traditional set "Sam's Tune/Gain Ainm/The Abbey Reel" with some Klezmer feeling in it, and some great lilting of Barbara in the end. Barbara sings also four songs with her pretty voice, tastefully and originally arranged by the band; all of them being far away from Irish ballad standards ("Susanna Martin"; "Stretched on your Grave"; "Wave up to the Shore"; "Kind Friends And Companions").
A CD with many highlights, and a sure recommendation to any lover of Irish and Celtic traditional music worldwide. DeReelium combines some of the current best talent of Celtic music in Germany, and the band has found its own destinctive sound. Maybe the best Continental Celts from Germany that have come to my ears yet. No doubt you will hear from them again soon in FolkWorld.
P.S. They are regularly see in Hanover's pub sessions - so if you are in Hanover...
Dereelium's homepage, E-mail DeReelium
Michael Moll
Label: Coop Breizh; CD 895; 1999; Playing time: 73.45 min
You will find on this album a lot of typical Breton tunes, many of them traditional. While the base of the music are always bombardes (soprano, tenor and alto) and Breton bagpipes, there is still a lot of variation and excitement in the music. Apropos variation - most people who will buy this album will do it because of two tunes, live recorded in 1996, featuring Bagad Bro Kemperle along with the rockers Celtas Cortos - the result is exiting hard rock pipe'n bombarde music.
I have never thought that I would ever enjoy 74 minutes of a pipeband - the arrangements of this Bagad give pipeband music a totally new dimension, a perspective for a huge audience.
Coop Breizh
Michael Moll
Label: Survival Records; CAP 6;
1998; Playing time: 36.05 min
The lyrics are all in Gaelic, and unfortunately no translations are provided
- in fact, the song lyrics aren't included in the booklet at all, though
they can be mailed to buyers on request or copied from Capercaillie's website. Song
notes are also rather brief, which is a pity considering that most
non-Scottish listeners will probably be unfamiliar with the historical
context of the songs.
There's a very percussive sound to the music and quite a lot of wafty
synthesizer as well as the traditional instruments (bouzouki, fiddle,
bagpipes and whistles), which won't be to everyone's taste, although
Capercaillie fans may be used to it. The album fits neatly into the current
wave of "Celtic" releases, so it's unfortunate that it's only
available directly from Survival Records and Capercaillie (see website for
details) - with the right promotion and wide availability, it could sell in
huge numbers.
Capercaillie Homepage
Anja Beinroth
Label: own; DG222; 1999
Most of the tracks are sparsely arranged with dobro and harmonica (played by
Gomo) plus percussion and sometimes one or two additional elements such as
female vocal, keyboards or accordion. While the album couldn't be
described as a blues recording, the sound is nevertheless strongly
influenced by Gomo's years of experience in the genre. His lyrics are
transcribed in the booklet and tackle life in the modern world and visions
of the future in a thoughtful and tentatively optimistic manner.
I can't make up my mind whether I like this or not, so it may be worth a
try as long as you like acoustic / country blues and the plaintive sound
of the dobro.
Dennis Gomo
Homepage
Anja Beinroth
Label: Westpark Music; WP 87064; 1999;
Playing time: 50.32 min
The list of names may give you an idea of the broad range of approaches to
Scandinavian traditional music featured here: from strongly evident roots
right through to computer-generated dance grooves with merely a hint at the
tradition.
The sampler works extremely well as a first introduction to current
Scandinavian music, and will be a helpful guide when venturing further.
Anyone who hasn't only recently discovered an interest in Scandinavian
roots will probably already own most of the source recordings, though.
Homepage
Anja Beinroth
Label: Coop Breizh; CD 889; 1999; Playing time: 56.58 min
Soïg has gathered some of the best musicians of Brittany around him, including Alain Genty (Bass), Alan Stivell (Harp), Jackie Molard (fiddle) and Karl Gouriou (Sax). So the whole album is more like a band's album than a solo album.
Much of the material is written by Soig, others is traditional; the whole ensemble of tunes is well chosen and makes up a fascinating album. The overall sound is quite modern, very hypnotic and often powerfull and groovy.But there are also some quieter bits presenting solo guitar music.
Soïg is an excellent fingerstyle guitarist, and the guitar mostly first presents the themes of the tune, but often an other instrument (e.g. the saxophone) takes it over. Alain Genty has produced some of the fine tunes, being an excellant talent in arranging traditional and traditional influenced music for the present. A fine album!
Coop Breizh, Soig Siberil's homepage
Christian Moll
Label: Veesik Records; VKCD104; 1999; Playing time: 53.24 min
Debbie was taught fiddle by the late Dr Tom Anderson (the best known Shetland fiddle player) from the age of eight until about the age of fourteen. Today she has got the feeling for music from Shetland in her blood. Besides interpreting traditional tunes, Debbie composes some great music herself - e.g. the excellent opening track or tune 'The Bousters Boy', which she has written for the legendary guitarist 'Peerie' Willie Johnson. Peerie Willie, by the way, plays guitar on 'his' set himself...
The Shetland fiddle is always centerpiece of the music, it can be heard solo but often it is backed very delightfully by John Hutchinson on guitar and double bass (and on one track by Peerie Willie and on one by the accordion player Alan Clark). The backing music just emphasises the fiddle music, it doesn't take the attention of the listener away from the lovely, sometimes wild and a bit archaic fiddle music. About two minutes of quietness after the last tune mentioned in the booklet, then slowly the guitar begins to play again and this is the openig of the unexpected finale of a great album - but have a listen yourself. If you like fiddle music and especially Shetland fiddle music, this album is a must!
Veesik Records
Christian Moll
Label: KRL/Lochshore; CDLDL 1284; 1999; Playing time: 58.03 min
Fred was taught by his father, an excellent piper of South Uist, whose tutoring was based wholly on the cainntearachd, a unique singing style to teach piping, where specific notes and rhythms are given particular sounds. Equal emphasis was given to feel and technique. Fred is much influenced by the music of South Uist, and all (also the self written material) is steeped in this tradtion.
Fred plays on this album Border and uilleann pipes and low whistle. Some of the tracks are solo like the haunting low whistle set 'The sound of the sun', or the Border pipes ste '2/4 marches', others are accompanied by Deidre MacLullich (fiddle), Kenny Fraser (fiddle), Ross Martin (guitar) and Will Lamb (bouzouki). With the latter two Fred also performs life. The backing is sometimes subtel and emphasising Fred's music, sometimes rhythmic and driving.
Fred is an outstanding musician and composer, who has done much for the young piping scene in Scotland - go now and listen to Fred himself.
KRL/Lochshore
Christian Moll
Label: Coop Breizh; CD 893; 1999; Playing time: 74.00 min
74 minutes of a capella Gwerz singing of three old guys who know very well their business. All songs are Breton dance songs - there are two Suite Plinn, two Suite Fisel, then Gwerz, Polka, Kost ar c'hoat, Pach Pi, Scottish and Polka Plinn. It's amazing how they make it to sing without a longer break to breath for a whole Fest Noz. It must be an impressive experience to dance the night away to the songs of these three originals.
It is a great album to use for dancing, and it is a perfect one to add another curiosity to the records collection...
Coop Breizh
Michael Moll
Label: Kansanmusiikki-Instituutti (Folk Music Institute); KICD 65; 1999; Playing time: 43.59 min
While their task of reconstructing and researching might sound like a museal activity, Tallari's music is far away from being antiquated. The CD offers an attractive mixture of traditions and modern arrangements, of traditional and own material. Often, the music is quiet and atmospheric, with the voices of the two "guest" singers having an important part in the recording. Tellu adds a bit of her background by providing a polska from Hedningarna and a self composed Kalevala poem. A beautiful selection of songs and tunes of Finnish traditions, played with passion.
Kansanmusiikki-Instituutti (Folk Music Institute), 69600 Kaustinen, Finland
Michael Moll
Label: Dark Horse Records; DH001
With support from concertina, whistle and uilleann pipe player Ormonde Waters, flautist/piper Dougal Adams, harpist Shellyt Cox and a host of other W.A. musos, Hyams launches into some fine and fresh Irish and Scottish-inflected tunes. Most are self-penned, including the notable "Journey into Ireland", which has some rollicking dance music sandwiched between haunting themes that recall a visit to Ireland. There is a refreshing precision to the musicianship of David Hyams, whether playing electric or acoustic guitar, or the more Celtic-sounding cittern or mandolin. The same can be said of his guest musicians, who add classy touches to an album that grows in stature every time you listen to it.
Distribution details for "Miles to Go" are available from: www.darkhorse.net.au
or email
Peter Grant
Label: Xource Records; XOUCD 125; 1999; Playing time: 48.55 min
The music is something between Scandinavian traditional music, jazz, contemporary music and music art. The sound is not easy to decribe; it is Groupa's very own sound of nowadays music traditions.
"Lavalek" is an album full of exciting unexpected moments.
Xource Records
Christian Moll
To the content of FolkWorld online magazine Nr. 12
© The Mollis - Editors of FolkWorld; Published 12/99All material published in FolkWorld is © The Author via FolkWorld. Storage for private use is allowed and welcome. Reviews and extracts of up to 200 words may be freely quoted and reproduced, if source and author are acknowledged. For any other reproduction please ask the Editors for permission.