Issue 31 1/2006
Ibrahim Ferrer died
Cuba. Ibrahim Ferrer passed away in Havana, Cuba on Saturday August 6th, at
the age of 78. "Ibrahim Ferrer first rose to worldwide fame with his inspired
performances on the Buena Vista Social Club album and film. Ibrahim's distinctive,
emotional interpretations of songs marked him out as a truly special artist
with tremendous improvisational skills and he was known for being one of the
last great exponents of the bolero. His charismatic performances would touch
the hearts of audiences of all ages, throughout the world who felt genuine affection
and respect for such a gloriously unaffected and talented star. Off-stage, Ibrahim
was a very humble, spiritual, caring and warm-hearted man devoted to his wife
and family and to his country. His rise to fame gave him a youthful vigour and
a zest for life that saw him touring, recording and winning awards worldwide
and he played an integral part in the phenomenal worldwide interest in Cuban
music." (Information and photo from http://www.worldcircuit.co.uk)
Gordon Duncan died
Scotland. We are very sad to hear of the death of Gordon Duncan, piper and composer
extraordinaire. He died on the 14th December at his home in Edradour, Pitlochry,
Perthshire. Gordon was 41 years of age. Gordon was one of the most talented and
innovative pipers in Scotland in present times. Gordon recorded three wonderful
albums for Greentrax, the first in 1994. Hamish Moore wrote of Gordon in a sleeve
note on the "Just For Seumas" album: "This man is precious and should be one of
Scotland's living national treasures". Gordon was a very rare talent indeed and
is a sad loss to the Scottish traditional music scene. He will be sorely missed
by his family and friends. [Information from Ian Green, Greentrax Recordings]
Frank Harte (1933-2005)
Ireland. The renowned Dublin singer and record maker Frank Harte has died on
Monday 27th June, 2005, at the age of 72. Born in Chapelizod on the banks of
the Liffey, he was well known for his rendition of Dublin street ballads. That
remarkable walking archive of traditional song had assembled a database
of over 15,500 recordings which he began collecting early in life. His motto
(a quote from the poet Brendan Kennelly): All songs are living ghosts and
long for a living voice.
He also had a string of recordings to his name, recently 'The First Year Of
Liberty' about the 1798 rebellion (-> FW#7)
and 'The Hungry Voice' about the 1845 famine (-> FW#30),
both collaborations with Donal Lunny. The final tracks of his latest CD project,
on songs of working men and women, were only handed over three days before his
death. [wt]
Smithsonian Global Sound
USA. The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage is proud to announce
the launch of their highly anticipated web site, Smithsonian Global Sound. Smithsonian
Global Sound offers digital downloads of music and sound from around the world
at a reasonable price. The site has a wealth of educational content and downloads
are accompanied by extensive liner notes. The goal is to encourage local musicians
and traditions around the planet through international recognition, the payment
of royalties, and support for regional archives. According to Smithsonian: The
first track we sold was "Tarab" by Famau, Harambee Music Club from the album
Music of the Waswahili of Lamu, Kenya, Vol. 3: Secular Music--an eight and a
half minute track of drum, harmonium, and bongo. Some lucky person is walking
around right now jamming to that track on their iPod while reading the liner
notes and benefitting the musicians of Lamu. This is what Smithsonian Global
Sound is all about! [wt]
www.smithsonianglobalsound.org
Happy Birthday,
Peggy Seeger!
USA. Peggy Seeger turned 70 on June 17. According to her website biography,
born in 1935 into one of North America’s foremost folkmusic families, Peggy
was well schooled in the classic European music traditions. Between the ages
of 12 and 35 she learned to play piano, guitar, five-string banjo, autoharp,
Appalachian dulcimer and English concertina. She cut her first record when she
was 18 and in her early twenties she became a professional touring performer.
In 1959 she settled in London with Ewan MacColl, to whom she bore three children.
The MacColl/Seeger duo were at the forefront of the British folksong revival
for the ensuing three decades.
Considered to be one of North America’s finest revival singers of traditional
songs, she has also written music for films, television and radio. She has collaborated
on books of folksongs with Edith Fowke, Alan Lomax and Ewan MacColl. She has
made 21 solo LPs and collaborated with other performers (Tom Paley, Mike Seeger,
Guy Carawan, Ewan MacColl) on more records than she can remember. In the mid-1970s
she began to concentrate on feminist and ecological issues. Her best known songs
are 'The Ballad of Springhill' and 'I’m Gonna Be an Engineer'.
After Ewan’s death in 1989, she moved back to the USA where she now lives in
Asheville, North Carolina. She now tours solo as a singer and lecturer. In 1998
she published a collection of 149 of her own songs ('The Peggy Seeger Songbook').
She has also completed a comprehensive anthology of Ewan’s songs ('The Essential
Ewan MacColl Songbook'). She produces a new album every 18 months or so, the
latest being a volume 2 in her 'Home Trilogy', 'Love Call Me Home' [see review
in this FW issue]. Congratulations, Peggy! [wt]
www.pegseeger.com
Polish folk magazine
Poland. For anybody interested in the Polish folk scene, there is a recommendable
Polish internet magazine on folk music, featuring also an English version. The
folk magazine "Gadki z Chatki" is the only folk music paper in Poland. The English
version contains information on the most important folk music groups in Poland,
experts writing about Polish folk music (both journalists and scientists), festival
information, as well as a few articles from "Gadki z Chatki" about the development
of music inspired by folkore in Poland. The direct link to the English version
is http://www.gadki.lublin.pl/pfm/index.html
Paddie Bell passed away
Scotland. Paddie Bell died on Wednesday 3 August 2005. Paddie was part of the
Scottish folk group The Corries back in the 1960s. Her funeral was held in form
of a singing session in the Morton Hall Crematorium, Edinburgh.
Citty Finlayson passed
away
Scotland. Brian Miller informs us of the sad death of Citty Finlayson on Saturday
morning 6 August 2005, having battled cancer since 1989.
"Citty was a fixture of festivals all over Britain, Ireland and Europe
from the 1960s, often spotted wearing flamboyant party hats, flashing monster
bow ties and sparkly wigs or co-organising fringe events such as aquatic ceilidhs.
In her more serious moments she was convener of the Traditional Music and Song
Association of Scotland for many years, and then a director after TMSA became
a limited company. Having enjoyed traditional music festivals such as Blairgowrie
and Kinross, Citty was the driving force behind installing similar in Auchtermuchty's
community festival, which celebrated its 25th birthday [just after her deatht],
August 12-13-14 2005.
She worked in the health service and was very well known and highly respected
as a tireless union activist and worker for women's rights, and only months
ago was awarded the TUC's, "Woman of the Year", award."
Dr Faustus retires - but
new band FAUSTUS emerges
England. After six years and two albums, Dr Faustus will retire. The band's
gig at Towersey Festival in August was their final performance together. Dr
Faustus has impressed the folk scene with their fresh approach to traditional
English folk songs and tunes, bringing together four excellent yound English
musicians. Dr Faustus' two CDs "Wager" [FECD189] and "The First
Cut" remain available from the website, www.drfaustus.co.uk.
Of course, the band members individually have not retired from making music.
Tim van Eyken is working on a new solo record with a newly assembled band (Nancy
Kerr, Olly Knight, Pete Flood and Colin Fletcher). He is touring solo and with
Waterson:Carthy too - for more info see www.timvaneyken.co.uk
. Rob Harbon continues to work with the English Acoustic Collective on various
projects including a joint show with fantastic dancers Morris Offspring. More
news at http://www.robertharbron.co.uk
.
Following their work together with Dr Faustus and Bellowhead, and building on
their various solo and duo projects, Paul and Benji have lured Saul Rose (Waterson:Carthy,
Kings of Calicutt, Random) out of musical semi-retirement. Together Paul, Benji
and Saul are FAUSTUS, an exciting and dynamic new force in English music. They
will be touring early in 2006. More information about FAUSTUS from Paul
psartrin@attglobal.net.
Radio BritFolk
UK. RadioBritfolk is an exciting new initiative owned by folkWISE, a new organisation
run by performers for the benefit of performers http://www.folkwise.org/
Developed by a group of pro folk musicians http://www.radiobritfolk.co.uk
aims to become a major hub and world-wide shop window for all the folk music
of these islands. "Imagine an on-line folk festival - with 'main stage'
shows (like other radio stations, but with a theme or story to tell), session-type
shows, (show-casing lesser-known music and artists, often with a strong local
slant), and workshop shows (how to play an instrument etc) available 24 hours
a day, offering a balance of traditional and new music from Wales, Ireland,
Scotland, England and beyond, with all genres and styles represented. We'll
be playing 10-20 hours of music a day, with the schedule changing every week.
There are listings pages, an online shop/links page, message board, reviews
and more (and we'll be adding ideas as they occur to us). You can become a member
(and access the more exciting features), you can make a show yourself (programmes
can be put together anywhere in the world, following guides and scripts available
from the site), you can sponsor various parts of the site, and even post your
own album tracks on the Billboard (all other programming is strictly controlled
to BBC standards). Programmes are currently presented by well-known musicians
and established broadcasters, but we encourage anyone with a good idea to get
involved. Read the Make a Show page to see how to submit your Proposal to the
Programme Exec. Give it a listen, read the FAQs, have a good browse round, and
see how you'd like to be part of it!"
http://www.radiobritfolk.co.uk
Flook 10 years old
England. When you read these lines, the bubbly had already been opened at various
party shows, to celebrate the10th birthday of one of FolkWorld's fvaourite bands:
FLOOK are 10 years old…
Celebrating their tenth anniversary last November with ten special concerts
around the British Isles, this four piece group go from strength to strength.
Though their first release, Flook! Live! (1997), was already heralded as "the
ultimate modern flute album" by The Irish Times, Flook only properly burst onto
the international music scene with the release of their debut studio album,
“Flatfish”, in 1999. This album introduced master bodhran player John Joe Kelly
to Flook's line up of flutists Brian Finnegan and Sarah Allen and guitarist
Ed Boyd. Flatfish was hailed as "stunning", "remarkable" and "little short of
miraculous", but it was Flook's live performances that really captured the hearts
of those who watched and listened; the rapport between these four musicians,
the sheer enjoyment they developed in playing together, was commented on by
audiences and critics alike. "Rubai", released in 2002 and nominated for BBC
Folk Album of the Year, was universally applauded by both journalists and fellow
musicians and cemented Flook's reputation as one of the most exciting and innovative
bands to emerge from the English/Irish folk scene. There is no shortage of virtuosity
amongst the members of Flook, but the unique impact of this band stems from
the wholly intuitive, almost symbiotic, exchange between the various flutes,
frets and skins. Having travelled far and wide across the globe, Flook continue
to hone their eclectic blend of traditionally rooted tunes with contemporary
beats, and their popularity continues to grow. 2005 saw the release of Flook's
eagerly awaited 3rd studio album.
13th edition of Celtic Connections
Glasgow. It is unbelivable - already the 13th edition of the big big celtic
winter festival in Glasgow is going to start on the 12th of January 2006.
Once again you can meet the cream of the Celtic music scene in Scotlands smiling
city of Glasgow. If you want to see the big names - it is surely the place to
go. But also if you want to see the new talents, go there! The Danny Kyle open
stage, the festival club and several venues are ideal to meet the next generation
of the scene...
http://www.celticconnections.com
Gerry O Connor joins Shantalla
Ireland/Belgium. Gerry O’Connor from Dundalk has replaced Kieran Fahy as Shantalla’s
fiddle player for the band’s remaining concerts in 2005. Kieran decided to leave
the band in January 2005 to pursue a project with long-time collaborator French
accordionist, Serge Desaunay.
With Michael Horgan (Co Down) and Gerry Murray (Co Monaghan) both coming from
the Ulster tradition, fans of the band can expect to hear a more distinctive
northern sound to the instrumental pieces. Quote from the band:
The band commented on the new band member: “Eight years with the same line-up
has been a good innings and during this period we have built up a strong following.
While sorry that Kieran is leaving we are very much looking forward to working
with Gerry O’Connor. He has incredible drive in his playing, an extensive repertoire
and wide performing experience, all of which will add a new dimension to the
Shantalla sound.” The parting has been amicable and the remaining band members
wish Kieran success with his new project.
Pressgang reunited
England. The "FIRE!" line-up of PRESSGANG has reformed recently -
with Damian, George, Tony and Cliff who played together during most of the 90s.
The band members all have other projects now so they won't make long tours like
in the past. They want to concentrate on festivals or events where the big rock-folk
show can be enjoyed. Many of the songs come from the FIRE! CD, "a very
lively and radical approach to traditional folk songs", as the band describes
the music themselves. But there is also acapella singing, hammered dulcimer,
lots of dance tunes, even storytelling for an exciting and varied festival show.
More news in the German issue. Click here!
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