FolkWorld #56 03/2015

CD & DVD Reviews

Kíla "Suas Síos"
Kila Records, 2015

Artist Video

www.kila.ie

Is it really 5 years since their latest release "Soisín", indeed it is.[42] Now Irish trad fusion group Kíla has returned with a new offering, simply titled "Up Down", or "Suas Síos" in Irish. Their altogether tenth album since the group formed way back in Dublin in 1987 is another boisterous party, drawing on traditional Irish roots, African and Near Eastern world music and adult pop music. We are writing traditional tunes, Kíla states, but with a particular perception. nobody comes close within a distance of 200 miles around the Irish capital. At the heart of Kíla's sound stand the uilleann pipes of Eoin Dillon,[32] who composed a lot of the instrumental tunes as did fiddler Dee Armstrong and flutist Colm Ó Snodaigh.[35] Brother Rónán Ó Snodaigh[53] delivers his trademark machine-gun vocal chops. "Suas Síos" offers a couple of his distinct Gaelic songs as well as the rather tender "Last Mile Home", already recorded on one of his earlier solo albums.[33]
By the way, after "The Secret of Kells"[41][44] Kíla once more joined forces with French film composer Bruno Coulais to create a majestic soundtrack for the feature animation "Song of the Sea", which is earning critical acclaim at film festivals these days before its theatrical release later this year.
© Walkin' T:-)M


Various Artists "Celtic Colours Live - Volume Two"
Celtic Colours International Festival, 2014

Artist Video

www.celtic-colours.com

Cape Breton Island on the Atlantic coast of Canada has an immigration history of (1) French, (2) English and Irish following the Seven Years' War in 1763, (3) Scots as a result of the Highland Clearances in the first half of the 19th century. The latter descendants dominate the Island's culture and the Gaelic language is still spoken by elderly Cape Bretoners. They also brought their traditional fiddle music to America and the original fiddle style has been better preserved in Cape Breton than in Scotland where fiddling has changed considerably in the last hundred years. Musical families like the Barra MacNeils,[33] the Beatons,[28] the MacIsaacs,[10][28] the MacMasters,[17] the Rankins[13][49] are well known even outside of Canada.
For nearly 20 years, the Celtic Colours Festival makes Cape Breton Island home to a unique celebration of music and culture.[44][51] Artists travel from Scotland, Ireland and continental Europe as well as the US and all over Canada to join the finest of Cape Breton’s musicians. Every October, Celtic Colours presents some 300 artists in almost 300 events in more than 60 different venues all over Cape Breton.
For quite some time Celtic Colours fans were yearning for a souvenir from the annual festival. So once more a selection of concerts had been recorded during the 18th festival in 2014. The resulting CD, Celtic Colours Live 2014 – Volume Two, features 16 lovely tracks of instrumental dance music and songs in Gaelic and English. Some of these performances will probably never happen again. Cape Breton's Natalie MacMaster[44] jams with Irish accordionist Sharon Shannon[48] on Bobby MacLeod's "Jean’s Reel". Percussive dancer Nic Gareiss, artist in residence, steps it out on Duncan Chisholm's "Farley Bridge", backing Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas.[53] Furthermore, Canada is represented on this collection by fiddler Kimberley Fraser,[39] singers Mary Jane Lamond & Wendy MacIsaac,[50] songwriter David Francey;[53] Scotland and Ireland sent guitarist Tony McManus,[52] accordionist Phil Cunningham and fiddler Aly Bain,[53] and We Banjo 3,[54] into the ring; and, last but not least, the album's splendid opener is Sweden's Väsen.[54]
The Celtic Colours International Festival has made Cape Breton a tourist destination, even in late October. Go there and listen well!
© Walkin' T:-)M


Caladh Nua "Honest to Goodness"
Own label, 2014

Artist Video

www.caladhnua.com

It's always nice to follow a young band from the very beginning, especially if they are that good. It's like meeting an old friend, haven't seen for a while (I've seen them live in Tønder way back in 2010),[43] still recognized with ease. Caladh Nua[40] are never ones for too much experimenting and re-inventing. It's traditional Irish music, even if it's progressive. "Honest to Goodness" is their third release since 2009 after "Happy Days"[41] and "Next Stop".[45] The line-up still is comprised of the five same ingenious musicians: Lisa Butler (vocals, fiddle), Paddy Tutty (fiddle), Eoin O'Meachair (banjo), Derek Morrissey (button accordion) and Colm O'Caoimh (guitar). On the livelier side there is the traditional dance music of Ireland, kicking off with a fancy barndance, before executing reels and reels and reels, with some jigs, a fling set and some Sliabh Luachra polkas (with Eoin playing whistle) thrown in for good measure. The song selection is rather quiet and at gentle pace. There's two lovely traditional Gaelic songs, "An Buachaillín Donn" and "Seoladh Na nGamhna". Lisa, a beautiful vocalist, overheard "Lady of Loughrea" sung by a woman in her local area and finally made to record it (simply voice and guitar); she got "Lough Erne's Shore" from the late Eithne Ní Uallachain (see review below) while studying music in Dundalk; last but not least, "The Crackling Radio" has been written by Cork songwriter Ger Wolfe.
At the beginning in 2009 they were a promising outfit, these days they are at the top of the game.
© Walkin' T:-)M


Nathan Gourley & Laura Feddersen "Life Is All Checkered"
Own label, 2014

www.nathanandlauramusic.com

Nathan Gourley and Laura Feddersen are two young fiddlers from the American mid west, Indiana and Wisconsin precisely, who are based in Boston, Massachussetts these days playing traditional Irish music in pubs and clubs. Nathan is a former member of Paddy O’Brien's Chulrua,[35] the Doon Ceili Band[33] and the Máirtín de Cógáin Project.[50] Laura is also distinguished for her skilful interpretation of American roots music. Nathan and Laura have been playing music together for about seven years, and together they have developed a unique style of twin fiddling, sometimes playing in unison, sometimes exploring octave and chordal harmonies, rhythmic and melodic variations and alternate tunings. On the other hand of this exploration and experimentation, they stick to the older repertoire (with some Tommy Peoples, Vincent Broderick, Jerry Holland, Maurice Lennon thrown in for good measure); jigs, reels and hornpipes they have played for years. Their music happily leaps forward with ease and emotion. while the gathered dust is blown off from Delia Crowley's reel and Paddy O’Rafferty's jig. Happy Days Again, to quote the title of a polka written by James Kelly.[31] Brian Miller (www.evergreentrad.com) adds elaborate backing on guitar and (Greek) bouzouki.
Nathan Gourley and Laura Feddersen's self-titled album is something not to be missed for every traditional fiddle aficionado.
© Walkin' T:-)M


John O'Shea "Irish Guitar"
Own label, 2014

Artist Video

www.johnosheaguitar.com

These days John O'Shea teaches guitar at the Limerick School of Music. He has performed as guitarist with the Dublin Guitar Quartet, the Dublin Philharmonic and the RTE National Concert Orchestra. It is a different kind of beast playing traditional Irish music, even more so if not backing fiddles and flutes, but employing the six-string as a solo melody instrument. "Irish Guitar" features arrangements of traditional Irish tunes - from laments and lullabies like the well-known "Taimse im' Chodladh" or "A Íosa Mhilis" from the Irish-language mass to rollicking reels, joyful jigs and passionate polkas (quite fittingly, John composed a jig called "The Six-String"). The album comes with a warning though: I dunno what it is, but it’s not trad. John O'Shea is employing finger-style and classical guitar, while drawing on country rock, and even flamenco music on Micheal O Suilleabhain's "Heartwork", originally written for piano. The old Gaelic air "Bruach na Carraige Báine" is a study in tremolos, but it is no idle exercise, John has the technique and competence but also the heart and soul. The album is divided in slow and faster paced sets, and finishes off with a gorgeous solo guitar version of "Whiskey in the Jar" (long live Thin Lizzy!) that puts a smile on every face.
After all, John O'Shea has successfully entered the glorious realms of renowned Irish guitar players.
© Walkin' T:-)M


Eithne Ní Uallacháin "Bilingua"
Gael Linn, 2014

Artist Video

www.eithneniuallachain.com

Eithne Ní Uallacháin (1957-1999) was born into an Irish-speaking household in Dundalk. Her father collected old songs from the area and encouraged his daughters (such as Eithne's sister Pádraigín)[47] to sing. In 1986, Eithne, her husband Gerry O'Connor[30][46] and flutist Desi Wilkinson recorded the pivotal album "Cosa Gan Bhróga".[51] Five years later they released their first duo album, "Lá Lugh", and subsequently formed a group of the same name. Eithne and Gerry focused on songs from the Oriel region, an area roughly encompassing Co. Louth, Armagh and Monaghan, where they lived and took their inspiration from. Eithne also began to compose new melodies to old traditional songs, write new songs and draw upon world music influences. In 1997, she laid the foundations for a solo album. Her vocals were completed and much of the music was arranged, but she sadly took her own life following several bouts of illness.[10]
These recordings were eventually brought to a conclusion by son Dónal,[44] with substantial support from guitarist Gilles Le Bigot,[24] uilleann piper John McSherry,[42] and many others. "Bilingua" is not an archive recording for to put in the vaults but a fresh undertaking. "Bilingua" is eclectic and psychedelic and pathetic. It is deeply rooted in the Irish tradition; Eithne is a gorgeous traditional singer with a bright crystal voice, but at the same time an adventurous artist who is eager to explore new territory. (At roughly the same time, Anne Wylie turned from folk to world music.)[31]
I will not discuss every track in detail here, but I cannot refuse to make some comments:

The CD comes with a 40 page hardcover book, which includes a foreword and Eithnes biography by Fintan Vallely,[47] lots of photographs, lyrics, song infos, and some sympathetic words from singers Pauline Scanlon[32] (made me feel at once both sad and comforted), Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh[32] (possessed of a respect and deep understanding of Ireland's musical heritage, Eithne put her own stamp on songs), Mary Black[47] (a fresh, contemporary feel while still remaining true to the tradition), Karen Matheson[31] (from the aching beauty of her voice to the innovative layering of voices and world music inspired sounds), Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill (once that sound went into your head, it also went to your heart and stayed there).
© Walkin' T:-)M

Kirsten Allstaff "Gallowglass"
Own label, 2014

Artist Video

www.kirstenallstaff.com

Gallowglass, which is also the name of a nice old jig widely played and recorded, doesn't refer to the last drink for the condemned under the scaffold (I once was told so), but were Scottish mercenaries serving in Ireland during the 13th to 16th centuries. Like these gallóglaigh (foreign young warriors) Glaswegian flutist and whistle player Kirsten Allstaff settled in Ireland. She currently resides in Co. Clare, where she teaches flute and whistle via The Online Academy of Irish Music (www.oaim.ie). The "Gallowglass" album explores the connections between Scotland and Ireland. After the traditional Irish "Hollybush Jig" quickly follows Kirsten favourite Jig, "The Gallowglass"; an Irish jig which is related to the Scottish "Nathaniel Gow's Lament for his Brother". Likewise, the "March of the King of Laoise" is also related to a pibroch, a Scottish classical piping piece. Fittingly, there is a reel called "Duntroon Castle;" the stronghold in Argyll is said to be haunted by the ghost of an Irish piper. There's a Shetland reel from fiddler Tom Anderson, Irish barndances, a jig from highland piper Gordon Duncan. Kirsten herself wrote "Maitiú's Waltz". There's proficient support from bodhrán (John Joe Kelly) and bouzouki (Eoin O’Neill) to piano (Mhairi Hall) and guitar (Jean Damei), but it is all about Kirsten's superb flute playing. The gallowglass of old were welcomed by the Irish chieftains and often employed as their bodyguards, Kirsten Allstaff equally protects a way of life and a tradition with her musicianship, or let's have it: two traditions, the exchange between them, the differences and similarities ...
© Walkin' T:-)M


Alan Kelly Gang "The Last Bell"
Blackbox Music, 2014

www.alankellygang.com

In 2011 Irish box player Alan Kelly[23][40] toured Australia and was asked to perform at The History of the Irish in Australia exhibition at Canberra's National Museum. It became a big inspiration to see the armor of the Ned Kelly Gang,[31] and the Alan Kelly Gang was born.[46] These days Alan's refined piano accordion (and refined isn't a word often used in relation with piano accordions) is supported by Steph Geremia's flute,[40] Battlefield Band's Alasdair White's fiddle,[33] Capercaillie's Manus Lunny's bouzouki and Tony Byrne's guitar. The Alan Kelly Gang delivers fiery and furious sets of instrumental dance music. Ireland (and nearby Scotland and the Shetlands) is just the musical kick off; Alan himself has composed the "Moth & Exorcist" jig, Alasdair White the "Frankie Drains" reel. They furthermore explore some 7/8 metre tunes written by Steph and a set of gavottes. The Gang initially was an instrumental dance band, only five years ago they discovered that their flutist is a splendid vocalist too. Here Steph renders her own "Music Makers", Boo Hewerdine's "After The Last Bell Rings" and Drever/McCusker's "The Poorest Company". It probably wasn't meant to place Steph's strong bright voice in the background, when inviting Eddi Reader of Fairground Attraction fame for the last song, John Douglas's "The Sleeping Policeman". It is just the finishing touch of a delightful and pleasing record.
© Walkin' T:-)M


Matt & Shannon Heaton "Tell You In Earnest"
EatsRecords, 2014

Artist Video

www.mattandshannonheaton.com

I write this on Valentine's Day, and it is quite fitting to rave about Matt and Shannon Heaton's new album that features conversations only between two people, mostly two lovers. For example, there is the Maiden and Knight (an adapted version of the "Outlandish Knight"), Jane and the Gallant Hussar (a song taken from Cecil Sharp's collection "Still Growing"),[26] the Lady and the Demon lover (a traditional ballad with a new melody from Alan McFadyen), Molly and James and Richard Thompson's 1952 Vincent Black Lightning, Mrs McGrath and her son crippled by war, and last but not least, two hopelessly romantic Thai lovers (Shannon spent her first year in college in Thailand and it was in Thailand where Shannon first got the trad music bug before moving on to Irish music).[53] Dialogue Ballads Matt and Shannon call these narrative Irish songs, whose story line moves forward by dialogue and in which two characters are explicitly named, and they both get a musical dialogue between flute and guitar and their complementary voices underway. The traditional pieces got the Heaton treatment, the couple changed words and tunes and added instrumental breaks. And besides the overall concept, "Tell You In Earnest" is melodious and masterly as were previous albums such as "Dearga"[31] or "The Blue Dress".[44]
© Walkin' T:-)M


The Jeremiahs "The Jeremiahs"
Own label, 2014

Artist Video

www.thejeremiahs.ie

The Jeremiahs have been formed in Ireland's capital Dublin only 2-3 years ago, comprised of singer Joe Gibney, fiddler Jean-Christophe Morel, whistler Brian Corry and guitar/bouzouki player James Ryan. In virtually no time at all they became quite popular and took Dublin's folk scene by storm. Now they are bound to impress the wider world, calling card is their self-titled debut album. Half of the ten tracks is instrumental music, the 8 tunes have been written with just one exception by the band members. The song selection is noteworthy, with one piece from Britain's Adam Holmes ("Mary"), Dave Sudbury ("King of Rome") and Ewan MacColl ("North Sea Holes"), respectively, their own emigration song "Forgotten Sons" and the traditional American "Hogeye Man". The Jeremiahs are one of the freshest bands I heard in a while. You may call it Nu Folk Music if you like. No doubt they are rooted in Irish soil, but they were able to grow something special. The only question left (besides the band's name) is when they'll come over to the European mainland. Cambridge, Rudolstadt, Sidmouth, Tønder - will you listen!
© Walkin' T:-)M


Leo Mac Namara "Leo Mac Namara"
Own label, 2014

Artist Video

www.leomacnamara.com

Leo Mac Namara hails from Scariff, East Clare, Ireland, but has lived in Seattle, Washington, for the last fifteen years. He began playing the tin whistle aged five and wooden flute at eight, grew up besides Irish music legends such as fiddling father and son P.J. and Martin Hayes, fiddler/piper Martin Rochford, and many others. Leo hasn't limited himself to the lyrical East Clare style but incorporated many techniques from other local Irish traditions. His self-titled album though is a compliment to those Clare musicians he learned from; many tunes have been handed down through the generations played at the crossroads, in dance halls and pubs of East Clare. The album starts with Leo's own "Aurora's Reel", he composed for his fiddling wife. It sits nicely between old traditional tunes such as "Man of the House" and "Bird in the Bush". He chose mostly reels, some jigs, and one hornpipe ("Rover Through the Bog"), march ("Tralee Gaol"), and slow air ("Lament for Staker Wallace"), respectively. There are several solo tracks, otherwise Leo's playing is supported by Triona Marshall on the Celtic harp. Not much experimention here, he plays "Anderson's Reel" with the B part first and the jig "Humours of Clare" in the key of C, Leo sticks to the traditional ways, impressing just with his fluid and easy flute playing.
If you'll ever make it to Seattle, seek out the man. There's a first-rate Irish jam session on Sundays at Paddy Coyne's pub, led by Leo Mac Namara himself.
© Walkin' T:-)M


Danny Diamond "Fiddle Music"
Own label, 2014

www.dannydiamond.ie

Danny Diamond is a young fiddle player from Dublin, Ireland. He has been exposed to a large number of different influences, from the fiddle tradition of Co. Donegal through his parents to Dublin fiddlers such as Seán Keane and Tommy Potts. He co-founded the Irish traditional band Mórga (www.morga.ie) with whom he rediscovered the vintage sound of the seminal Irish recordings of both the 1920s and 1970s on two albums, "Mórga" (2009)[40] and "For the Sake of Auld Decency" (2013).[53] Danny's debut solo album is simply titled "Fiddle Music". But things are not that simple, because he creates a soundscape without equal by drawing on American and Scandinavian roots music, classical and modern music while the tunes are all from the Irish tradition or composed by Danny in the traditional vein. Some settings are rather unconventional though, he uses different keys, and, particularly, all accompaniment is drone-based, be it Danny's own open-tuned fiddle, Ian Lynch's uilleann pipes (Lynched)[55] or his occasional duo partner Aki's nyckelharpa and violoncello da petto. Danny is also joined on duet tracks by his father Dermy on second fiddle,[39] Eoin Ó Beaglaoich on concertina and accordion, and by sean-nós dancer Anna Lethert, respectively.
© Walkin' T:-)M


Sandy Brechin & Ewan Wilkinson "Hard Times Come and Go"
Brechin All Records, 2015

We know Scottish accordionist Sandy Brechin as the driving force behind bands like Bùrach,[19][32] The Sensational Jimi Shandrix Experience[34] or Ceilidhdonia,[46] least to speak of all his projects with friends under his own name.[9][38][44] With singer-songwriter-guitarist Ewan Wilkinson from the Scottish Borders, Sandy has been playing the British folk circuit for a decade. Ewan has a warm but potent baritone voice and puts some oomph into old Scottish and English songs such as the Border ballad "Battle of Otterburn", Rabbie Burns's "Tibbie Fowler O’ the Glen or "Broken Hearted I’ll Wander" set in the Napoleonic Wars. "The Snows They Melt the Soonest", by and large rather measured and relaxed, is unusually speeded up here - resulting from Ewan's failure to learn the five-string banjo. His own songs are of high standard too, the catchy opener "The Devil Was a Friend to Me" for example. So now I sit and sing, voices Ewan in "You’ve Been Gone Far Too Long", through the motions I go... He runs through the full spectrum. In the sleeve notes you can read all the song lyrics and background infos. Furthermore, the flashy tune sets are led by Sandy's accordion with various guests such as Battlefield piper Mike Katz[31] - from William Marshall and James Scott Skinner to Aly Bain and Gordon Duncan tunes.
© Walkin' T:-)M


Eliza Carthy & Tim Eriksen "Bottle"
Navigator Records, 2015

Artist Video

www.eliza-carthy.com
www.timeriksenmusic.com

"Bottle" is the musical rendezvous of the prince and princess of folk punk. Tim Eriksen, who once fronted the old-time hardcore-punk band Cordelia's Dad,[6] was recently responsible for spine-tingling shape-note singing that was put to good use in the Oscar-winning film "Cold Mountain".[29][42][44] Likewise Eliza Carthy,[52] the daughter of Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson, turned traditional English music upside down with celebrated albums such as "Red Rice"[4] and "Anglicana".[26] Fiddle meets banjo and electric guitar, bridging the 10,000 Miles between Whitby and Buffalo. Their rapport is electrifying, the British-American friendship did never sound so imaginative and moving.
© Walkin' T:-)M


The Long Hill Ramblers "Beauty and Butchery"
Own label, 2014

www.longhillramblers.com

Long Hill is in Sussex, near where Laura Hockenhull (vocals), Ben Paley (fiddle), Tab Hunter (guitar) and Dan Stewart (banjo and mandolin) are at home. Laura and Ben began playing together in 2008; Laura hailing from a West Yorkshire folk music clan and playing with Damien O’Kane amongst others, Ben being the son of folk revivalist Tom Paley and supporting Nick Burbridge's McDermott’s 2 Hours.[32] Tab, who had played everything from klezmer and jazz to Irish and Nordic music as flat-picking and accompanying guitarist, joined a year later. Originally the trio was focussing on traditional American music. Another year later Dan, who also plays clawhammer banjo with Rattle on the Stovepipe,[41][54] joined the trio, and slowly they were drawn more and more into British folk music. "Beauty and Butchery" is a musical journey from Britain's rainy shores (e.g. a grim Child ballad such as "Lady Diamond") to the dark valleys of Appalachia (e.g. the often covered murder ballad "Frankie and Johnny"). Songs and subjects such as "Molly Bond", where a girl is shot by her boyfriend who mistakes her for a swan, are well known on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Beautifully sung and masterly played, this is well informed, but alive and kicking as well.
© Walkin' T:-)M


Anna & Elizabeth "Anna & Elizabeth"
Free Dirt Records, 2015

Artist Video

www.annaandelizabeth.com

Multi-instrumentalist and singer Anna Roberts-Gevalt and ballad singer Elizabeth LaPrelle come from a rich tradition of musicians in the Appalachian mountains. These two young women show an artistry and maturity beyond their tender age. With seemingly effortlessness they bring old ballads, hymns and lullabies from the American hinterlands into the 21st century. The album is undertitled "Sixteen Stories", and this is what is is: story-telling songs. The greatest tale being the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice; here the Child ballad making "Orfeo" a piper and placing the story in a fairy world under the hills (Joey Abarta plays the pipes). There are many smaller yarns, some no longer than one or two minutes, but nonetheless worth the effort. The majority of songs comes from the rich British tradition that was newly shaped in the mountains and valleys of the Appalachians, such as "Soldier and the Lady", plus a mid 20th century piece from Bill Monroe, Connie Converse and Hazel Dickens, respectively. They shine a light into the dark valleys and their traditional music. The songs were carefully chosen, their understated and reasonable performance makes a big and lasting impression.
The year is still young but I doubt that there will be a more touching Americana album in the coming months.
© Walkin' T:-)M


Trio Dhoore "Parachute"
Appel Rekords, 2015

Artist Video

www.triodhoore.be

Guitarist Ward Dhoore is the new third member of Belgian string trio Snaarmaarwaar,[55] his brothers Koen (hurdy gurdy) and Hartwin (diatonic accordion) have a similar busy schedule, but they don't hesitate to gather as a family band and enjoy de vreugde van het samen musiceren als broers.[52] I have no doubt that the three Belgians are a passionate live band and will get every balfolk dancer on the feet with their self-composed scottishe, waltzes, jigs, bourrees, mazurkas and hanter dros. Their second studio album "Parachute" though is also a wonderful listening experience with catchy melodies, tight grooves and these little bits here and there that capture the imagination. The title track "Parachute" provides the album's basic motto: sluit je ogen en dwarrel zachtjes naar beneden... Close your eyes and enjoy the glide down...
© Walkin' T:-)M


Le Bour-Bodros Quintet "Le Bour-Bodros Quintet"
Paker Prod, 2014

Artist Video

There's five daredevils cutting their way through the musical jungle. There's something new around every corner, something unexpected. Not only for those watching and following them, but also for the travellers themselves. The tunes are mostly composed by saxophone player Timothée Le Bour, button accordionist Youen Bodros and transverse flutist Erwan Menguy (acoustic guitarist Erwan Moal and bass player Erwan Volant complete the line-up). This is instrumental bal folk music, featuring the common European rhythms such as waltz, Scottish, polka and gavotte, and particular Breton ones such as ridee, hanter dro and cercle circassien. The quintet's delivery will please the dancers, but their jazzy and funky performance will keep the ears of every trad music connoisseur wide open.
© Walkin' T:-)M


La Bojiganga "El Viaje Entretenido"
Own label, 2014

Artist Video

www.labojiganga.com

Some years ago I paid a visit to the Spanish capital of Madrid. I took the opportunity to meet with FolkWorld writer Pío Fernández, who also is an accomplished player of the gaita gallega, the Galician bagpipes. One night he took me out for a rehearsal of his band and to this day I have vivid memories of an entertaining and joyful night listening to pure traditional music from all over the Iberian peninsula. 3,5 years later I have this CD in my hands, the four piece I met then has evolved into a septet, La Bojiganga,[53] featuring singer/percussionists Cristina R. Galván and Estrella Herrero, zanfona (hurdy-gurdy) player Miguel A. Carvajal, accordionist Sonia Loaysa, traverse flutist Alfredo Espinosa, percussionist Ismael Clemente (who also plays gaita charra y tamboril, three-holed-flute and drum, from Salamanca province and txirula, psaltery, from the Pyrenees mountains), and, already mentioned, Pío on the bagpipes. Their debut album is called "El Viaje Entretenido" (The Entertaining Journey), referring to a 17th century novel by the Spanish author Agustín de Rojas Villandrando. At one point the author describes different categories of travelling theatre companies, one of them was known as bojiganga. The band maintains a strong theatrical element with recreating historical scenes and events in regard to the music they perform. On the CD cover the band members are dressed as specific historical characters, of course, I can only talk about the music here. The group from Madrid recorded 13 traditional songs from all over Spain and Portugal, from Andalusia to Asturias, from pasodobles to muiñeiras. La Bojiganga's trip around the Spanish regions is light-footed and cheerful, as it says: entertaining. Besides the delightful music, there is a beautifully illustrated booklet with extensive liner notes (given hat you have any knowledge of the Spanish language).
© Walkin' T:-)M


Folk on Crest "Lonxe"
Several Records, 2014

Artist Video

www.folkoncrest.net

We know the band Folk on Crest since 2011.[46] At that time we spoke about their album Calle de la Botica and how they performed folk music from Spain, more specifically a fusion between the traditions of Salamanca and from Asturias & Galicia (N-Spain). Now in 2014 they have published ‘Lonxe’, a title already inspired by those northern lands, since in Galician language ‘lonxe’ means far away, distant,… This album goes on with the concept of taking traditional songs from the provinces of Castilla y León (Central-Nothern Spain), and to play them with a diversity of instruments, some of them exogenous to the traditions of this region, for example: gaita asturiana (bagpipes from Asturias) and Irish whistles played by Sergio Grande, chiflo aragonés (recorder from Aragón, NW-Spain) played by Bernardo Pérez, or cajón flamenco and drum set played by José-Luis Gonzalez ‘Kaos’. But this time Folk on Crest go one step beyond by having guest artists that further expand the instrumental spectrum, such as: Javier Román ‘El Niñu’ (fiddle), Sergio Rodríguez (trumpet), Javier Sánchez (electric guitar), Rubén Bada (bouzouki), and Kepa Junkera (trikitixa, Basque diatonic accordion). The traditional tunes in ‘Lonxe’ are not just from Salamanca, they come from several other provinces in the Castilla y León region, for example: La Portañica (a medley of traditional songs from Valladolid, Zamora y León) or Aslabons (from Palencia). The tune Ole Morenita combines a ‘salteao’ rhythm from Peñaparda (Salamanca), with a muiñeira from Asturias (Muiñeira de Llibredón). The more you hear ‘Lonxe’ the more you convince yourself that Folk on Crest have succeeded on the development of this fusion of traditional sounds from different corners in the whole northern Spain, and they play & sing with great talent. But their musicianship gets further demonstrated in the five songs written by several band members. Te Escribo (by Manuel Díaz-Luis) a slow song with the great voice of Yolanda Río, the guitar of Dániel González, and Bernardo Pérez with the low whistle. The fast jig Cervero, performed by Sergio Grande (gaita bagpipes) and Kepa Jukera (trikitixa), reminds a lot the sound of a great folk band from Asturias, Tejedor, who developed a music style probably quite inspired by Scottish bands such as Tannahill Weavers. Lonxe (by Yolanda Río), is a song with nostalgic lyrics and fast rhythm that blends Yolanda’s voice, with guitar, bouzouki, drum set, and gaita. Cabaloria (by Oscar Sánchez, bass guitar) is a tune with slow & melancholic start with guitar, fiddle and whistle, that sharply turns into an energetic jig where the bagpipes and the violin drive us to an end with electric guitar and drum set hard rock style. Non Che Falto is Folk on Crest’s tribute to Galicia, one of Spain’s most prolific regions on folk music. There is also a final surprise in the CD, a bonus track played by a Basque musician with notorious skills on the diatonic accordion. Definitely Lonxe is an album that can take Folk on Crest’s project quite far away, almost to a place as in the panoramic photo in the CD booklet which shows all the band members walking on frozen waters above the polar circle, in Abisko, Sweden.
© Pío Fernández


Guadi Galego "Lúas de Outubro e Agosto"
Fol Musica/BOA, 2014

Artist Video

The band Berrogüetto was a great renovator of the folk music in Galicia (NW Spain) in the 1990s.[43] Their success was probably the skill on taking the Galician music tradition, in order to create something new, modern & attractive for the young audience, but not just based on the fusion with the Celtic styles coming from the Irish & Scottish traditional sounds, which was a resource frequently used by many Galician folk bands in the 1980s. Berrogüetto’s lead female singer was Guadi Galego who left the band in 2008, after many years of beautiful contributions with her great work on Galician traditional music, not just singing, but also playing gaita (Galician bagpipes) and pandeireta (Galician tambourine). Since that departure, Guadi has continued singing and performing together with other artists, for example Berrogüetto’s guitarist Guillerme Fernández. She also participated in collective projects such as Nordestinas, Espido and aCadaCanto. Guadi’s first solo album ‘Benzón’ was published in 2009. Now in 2014, she releases ‘Lúas de Outubre e Agosto’ (Moons of October and August), where she displays her talent not only as a singer but also as a song-writer. None of the ten songs in this album present any traits that could categorize her music as Galician traditional. They are simply nicely developed tunes with lyrics in Galician language, in a style that might be categorized as pop with folky trends and jazzy traces, with guitars, piano, keyboards, drum set, some accordion, banjo, … Guadi has written the texts and scores for seven of them. The other three authors are: Pachi Garcia-Alis (bass, banjo, acoustic & electric guitar), Karlos Abal (electric guitar), and Claudio Aragunde. We also find two musicians with well know careers in folk music: Santiago Cribeiro (accordion in Berrogüetto), and Pablo Pascual, who has played clarinets with artists such as Xose-Manuel Budiño, Marful (Uxia Pedreira’s band), or the hurdy-gurdy performer Germán Diaz. Pablo Pascual, together with his brother Pedro, were both of them key musicians in the 1990’s folk music nightlife in downtown Madrid, specifically in the now closed but always remembered pub Taberna Elisa. Guadi Galego plays piano and sings with the clean, melodious, and warm voice that we have admired for years. Ten laid back, easy going tunes, with sweet melodies, with poetic and thoughtful lyrics. There are some catchy songs such as Mergullei or Chea de Vida. Maybe one of them, Aromas de Terra, somehow takes us back to Guadi’s previous life, closer to the old Galician folk roots with xota, fandango or muiñeira rhythms. Many others such as Pernoctei, Sentir, Ramo, Norte do Norte, Matriarcas, O Muro, … sound melancholic and preciously inspired. This is an album that tells us how much we can expect and mostly, how much more we will enjoy from this beautiful artist.
© Pío Fernández


José Climent "Mirando Nubes"
Own Label, 2014

Article: José María CLIMENT

This issue #56 of FolkWorld contains an interview with José-María CLIMENT, one of the key figures in Madrid’s folk music since the 1980s. He was one of the founder members of the band La MUSGAÑA, and he has fostered many of the folk music sessions in Spain’s capital until today in 2015. Although in the last thirty years he has recorded several CDs with La MUSGAÑA (and with other bands such as CLOROFOLK), it was not until 2014 that he decided to produce his first solo album : ‘Mirando Nubes’ (‘Watching Clouds’). José CLIMENT plays: fiddle, viola, mandolin, octave mandola, acoustic bass guitar, bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, flute, percussions, voice. But in this album he is also joined by a good number of relevant guest musicians such as : the Irish flutist Marcas O MURCHU, Juanma SÁNCHEZ (bassoon), and the singers Pilar LÓPEZ-BALLARÍN and Manu MEDIAOREJA. And also last but not least, two of his friends from his former band La MUSGAÑA : Carlos BECEIRO (electric bass guitar) and Jaime MUÑOZ (traverse flute, whistle, 3 holed flute & tabor from the Spanish province of Salamanca). This is an album that captures a lot of the spirit and also the experience that José has accumulated in his extensive musical career. A long travel that commences in the late 1970s as a fan of Irish folk music, then in the early 1980s he starts investigating Spain’s folk music from the province of Zamora, and he then continues touring with La MUSGAÑA until the early 1990s. A tour throughout Spain, Portugal, France, the UK, Hungary,…, that provided José the great opportunity to play with artists from French Britany (BREIZI RUZ), or England (Kathryn TYCKELL, BLOWZABELLA,…). Most of the songs in ‘Mirando Nubes’ are either traditional or inspired by the typical rhythms from the region of Castilla y León (Center North Spain), and in most cases more specifically from the province of Zamora: ‘Charro 4.0’, ‘La Parra del Cura / La Medida’, ‘Toque Religioso’, ‘La Hija Bastarda’, ‘Los Carboneros’,…. But there are other tunes of French, English, Irish or Central-Eastern European inspiration such as: ‘Osa Mayor / El Impostor’ (written for French musette bagpipe), ‘Bourrée’ (from J.S.Bach), ‘Hole in the Wall’ (H.Purcell), or ‘Aislean an Oigfir / Ortigueira’. So now, leaving aside all the biographical and geographical facts that characterize this album, it is the great taste, the open mind and the high musical talent displayed by José Climent and his friends along the whole repertoire what makes ‘Mirando Nubes’ something extraordinary, and distinct. Climent takes those traditional tunes from Castile and instead of simply playing them with their typical instrumentation (gaita bagpipes from Zamora, for example), he creates new fusions adding mandolin, mandola, fiddle, hurdy-gurdy, flutes, French bagpipes or even bassoon (a quite unusual instrument in folk music). In other cases he performs Irish music in a more classic way, with fiddle, mandolin, together with the traverse flute and the whistle played by Marcas O Murchu. Several aspects of the music in this CD can be truly compared to some of the excellent recordings of La MUSGAÑA, and there are others that remind the genuine live music sessions where José CLIMENT performed in Madrid. But possibly ‘Mirando Nubes’ comprehends a broader diversity of musical resources, wisely taking the existing local traditions from so many places, and finding colourful ways to combine all of them to create something personal and new. Some tunes to specially highlight: the happy ‘Danza Castellana’ with an instrumentation of Irish reminiscences, ‘Para Pedro’ a lament with fiddle and mandolin dedicated to the late friend Pedro Díaz-Fernández, ‘La hija bastarda’ a traditional ballad recorded in Sanabría (Zamora) in 1986, here sung by Pilar López-Ballarín, and ‘Cuatro Quintos’, together with ‘Los carboneros/Jota de Ti Francisco’ and ‘Toque Religioso…’, probably the ones with the closer sonority to the classic La MUSGAÑA. Not to be forgotten the CD cover & booklet illustrated by the cartoonist & painter Javier OLIVARES.
© Pío Fernández


Korrontzi & BOS "Symphonic Bilbon"
Baga-Biga Musika Ideiak, 2014

www.korrontzi.net

For the last ten years, the Basque folk band Korrontzi has published highly ambitious recordings, which included several DVDs and long lists of guest artists coming from all corners of Spain.[53] This time they go one step higher by playing together with the Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa (BOS), which means exactly that: Bilbao Symphony Orchestra. The risk when stepping into the language of classical music is to get the humble essence of the traditional tunes blocked by a ‘wall of sound’ hard to overcome. In this case, Korrontzi succeeds in their endeavor playing their powerful set of Basque tunes lead by the trikitixas (diatonic accordions) performed by our well known Agus Barandiarán, followed by the rest of the band: Alberto Rodríguez (guitar, mandolin, voice), Kike Mora (electric double bass & bass guitar), and Ander Hurtado de Saratxo (percussions & drum set). They also have as traditional wind instrument musicians: Garikoitz Mendizabal (txistu: Basque three holed flute), Ibon Koteron (alboka & albokote: Basque hornpipe), and Dani Conde (Galician gaita bagpipe). The CD & DVD contain fourteen different songs from Korrontzi’s repertoire, and we cannot talk about strictly traditional music here, since this band takes several Basque melodies & rhythms perfectly played on the diatonic accordion and the strings, and then they are skilfully developed into something new, modern, full of energy and dance beats. All that enriched by the harmony and the intensity of the full orchestra conducted by Xabier Zabala.
© Pío Fernández


Cristina Pato, Davide Salvado, Anxo Pintos, Roberto Comesaña "Rústica"
Fol Musica/BOA, 2015

www.cristinapato.com

We interviewed the Galician gaita piper & pianist Cristina Pato back in 2011, at the moment that she had just released a CD together with the cellist Rosa Cedrón.[44] In those days she was also involved (and still is today in 2015) in the multicultural project Silk Road Ensemble. Now in 2015, she comes back to the Galician traditional roots in this album done together with Davide Salvado (voice & percussions, formerly in Xosé-Manuel Budiño’s band), Anxo Pintos (hurdy-gurdy, ex-Berrogüetto) and Roberto Comesaña (accordion, The Crass). Cristina goes back to her roots as a gaiteira but also as a singer, in eight Galician tunes from the traditional repertoire compiled by Davide Salvado. Eight songs full of intensity since minute one, where the colourful voice of Davide Salvado joins the lament of the hurdy-gurdy and the bagpipes, and the harmonies of the accordion. The kind of deep emotions expressed by these songs is more of sadness & sorrow, rather than the cheerful dancing rhythms that are so common in many other Galician folk tunes. This is the grey & melancholic side of the personality in this NW corner of the Iberian peninsula, and here it is displayed with the talent of these four highly skilled musicians. Cristina’s gaita is more of a second voice, pairing the leading melody developed by Davide Salvado. This is mastered in songs such as ‘Meu Cabalo’, ‘Erbecedo’, and mostly in ‘Asubíasme de Lonxe’ where the gaita and the accordion achieve a beautiful second part for the melodic development of the tune. It is just in the song ‘Mens’ that the gaita takes its more traditional role in Galician music, which is to establish the rhythm and the melody for the dance. In this album ‘Rústica’, Cristina has crowned a new peak of maturity and creativity, wisely fusing her unquestionable musicianship on the gaita with three of the most talented artists in Galician folk. This is a new promising step in the fruitful career of this still young and multifaceted musician.
© Pío Fernández


El Naán "Código de Barros"
ARC Music, 2014

Artist Video

www.laisladelnaan.com

El Naán is a collective from the province of Palencia (Castilla y León region, Spain), that for the past ten years has emerged in the folk music scene with a project based on the roots of the central-north Spanish countryside, but achieving an amalgam with a broad spectrum of musical and theatrical resources. They master the fusion of the Castilian traditional rhythms with funky beats on the electric bass guitar, the sax and the drum set. To some extent they could also resemble some Andalusian flamenco-rock bands from the 1970s, with the powerful lyrics, the melismatic singing, the electric guitars,…. On the other hand El Naán is something else, not as easy to categorize as many other Spanish folk bands whose defined geographical identity becomes explicit since the beginning. Their tunes could progress with an almost clearly fixed central Spanish personality, with squared frame drums from Salamanca, guitar, bouzouki, lute, flutes,… maybe with those Arabic adornments that so frequently impregnate our Iberian sonorities, but then suddenly things evolve towards a Caribbean style percussion, where a Cuban song could take us back to square one, to the Castilian traditional sound, and then back to the Afro beats (‘Los Negros de Castilla’, ‘Los Tejedores’,…). El Naán follows disperse paths, and the resources can be as well: an Argentine milonga (‘Milonguita del Pantano’), a melody with Persian shades (‘Rubaiyat’), a charro rhythm from Salamanca (‘Charro del Marinero y la Estrella’), or the male and female voices joined by the insistent banging on the table in the Castilian ‘Panaderas del Pan Duro’. I am almost sure that El Naán is exemplary of the latest trend in Spanish folk music. They belong to the generation that will succeed those great bands from the 1980s and 90s (such as Radio Tarifa, La Musgaña, Berrogüetto), probably tracking the wake of highly experienced but still creative artists such as Eliseo Parra, Coetus, Javier Paxariño, Eduardo Laguillo,… broadly open to eclectically combine diverse world music influences, with a high level of musicianship and a modern appeal. About the band’s name ‘El Naán’, at first you could think that it refers to the traditional oven-baked flatbread found in the cuisines of West, Central and South Asia. But then you hear that it might be related to the cryptic acronym : Natural-Android-Android-Natural. Just ask the band members: César Díez (electric bass guitar), María Alba (voice, percussion), Adal Pumarabín (percussion), Javier Mediavilla (electric guitar), Carlos Herrero (voice, bouzouki, Cuban tres guitar), Hector Castrillejo (lyrics, poetry, video-creativity) and César Tejero (sax), in their headquarters in the almost abandoned village of Tabanera del Cerrato (Palencia). The name of their CD ‘Código de Barros’ also suggests an arcane meaning for their project : Take the concept of ‘bar code’ (like the one labeled on any bag of chips), then take the Spanish word ‘barro’ (mud), and the imagination looks back towards timeless ages when dust, water, clay, earthenware,… were fundamental materials of diverse and specific significance for the humans daily life and for their social interactions (Mudcode).
© Pío Fernández


Janusz Prusinowski Kompania "Po kolana w niebie"
Słuchaj Uchem/Danzone, 2013

Janusz Prusinowski Kompania "Serce"
Słuchaj Uchem, 2009

German CD Review

www.januszprusinowskitrio.pl

Janusz PRUSINOWSKI and his band is no newcomer to the pages of FolkWorld.[43] It is today in 2015, that this artist is getting promoted here in Spain, where for the past fifteen years the main (or maybe even the only) reference that we had on Polish folk music was the great band KROKE, that has toured several times and even played in fusion joint projects with the Castilian group La MUSGAÑA (under the name La KROKAÑA). Prusinowski’s albums at this time are ‘Po kolana w niebie’ (Knee-deep in heaven, 2013) and ‘Serce’ (Heart, 2009). This is fascinating folk music from central-eastern Europe, full of hypnotic melodies and dance rhythms energetically performed with the violins, the traditional percussions, the cello, the double bass, the trumpet, the accordion, the flutes, the psaltery, the clarinet, the dulcimer,… Powerful orchestrations based on traditional rhythms, circular melodies, syncopated beats, a creative fusion that places Prusinowski’s music on a geography where western styles get immersed in oriental essences, and avant-garde trends and jazz influences boost traditional sonorities towards a creative dimension. Intriguing lyrics perfectly merged with the rural sound of the shawm, and the chromatic expressiveness of the fiddles. Am I the only one that hears subtle similarities with the reiterative musical phrasings typical in the bagads from French Britany? This is a rewarding experience that truly motivates the listener to deepen in Polish traditional music.
© Pío Fernández


JP Soars "Full Moon Night in Memphis"
Soars High Productions, 2014

www.jpsoars.com

JP Soars (vocals, guitars, Dobro, lap steel, bass) has recorded his third studio album in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. Accompanied by Chris Peet (drums, bass), Todd Edmunds (upright and electric bass) and a bunch of brilliant guest musicians he presents 12 original tracks and 2 cover versions.
The title track is an intoxicating Blues-rock featuring Brandon Santini on blues harp, Soars has a throaty voice and plays some wicked riffs. T-Bone Walker sang “Mean old world” in 1942, Soars recorded his take accompanied only by drums and bass and sticks to the original version style, though in his own manner. The new band member Steve Laudicina plays the second guitar on the classic Blues “Savin’ all my lovin’” and Mark “Muggy Doo” Leach adds the sound of the Hammond B3 to “Thorn in my side”. “Viper” is shuffling slow Blues showcasing Chaim Rubinov on trumpet and Scott Ankrom on clarinet. On “The road has got me down”, a lively Country Blues, Soars plays his home made 2 string cigar box slide guitar, Santini adds the blues harp and Teresa James sings a great duet with Soars. On “Lil’ Mamacita” Soars makes a musical journey to Spain, Spanish guitar and percussions pace by Paul Hernandez make the instrumental track one of my favourites. Soars finishes with another highlight the jazzy Rock’n’Roll “Missin’ your kissin’” featuring Terry Hanck on tenor saxophone.
JP Soars has already earned several accolades in the Blues scene and when you listen to his new album you totally agree, this is a young and upcoming master of the Blues.
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup


Kaye Bohler "Handle the Curves"
Kaye Bohler Productions, 2014

www.kayebohler.com

Blues/Soul singer/songwriter Kaye Bohler hails from the San Francisco area, Pete Anderson (guitar, bass) produced her third studio album with 10 self-crafted songs. She recorded them with her band, Michael Murphy (keyboards), Lee Thornburg (trumpet, trombone, horn arrangements), Ron Dzibula (saxophone), Kelly Back (guitar) and John Paul and Jeff Sorenson on drums.
The horns blow to the funky Soul of “Diggin on my man”, Kaye sings with her powerful voice and Anderson plays a great guitar solo. Bohler’s lyrics have a blatant sexual double entendre, listen to the title song, a beautiful slow Blues featuring horns and an amazing guitar solo by Back. Then it’s “Party time”, Rock’n’Roll with jazzy horns and another solo by Anderson. “It’s the Blues” is an intoxicating Blues-Rock driven by shuffling pace and “Family is found” is Rock, Soul and Blues melted together and showcases Ron Dzibula’s brilliant saxophone solo. The last track, the slow Blues “Don’t take my hope away”, features a solo by Murphy on keyboards.
Kaye Bohler is often called the white Tina Turner and actually that matches perfectly, her voice, her songs and her musicians reminds you of Turner’s older songs.
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup


Alastair Greene Band "Trouble at your Door"
Eclecto Groove Records, 2014

www.agsongs.com

Alastair Greene (e-guitar, National steel guitar, vocals) released his fifth studio album with 11 original songs and one cover version, recorded together with his two band mates Jim Rankin (bass, vocals) and Austin Beede on drums at Coyote Road Studios, Santa Barbara ,CA.
The trio starts off with an intoxicating classic Blues rock featuring National steel guitar, “People”. The title track is rock song with driving guitar riffs, pulsating bass work and great drumming while Greene sings “Red wine woman” exclusively accompanied by the National steel guitar. My favourite song is “Calling for you”, a gorgeous slow Blues with Erik Norlander on Hammond organ, discreet bass and drums pace and hauntingly beautiful guitar playing. Sean McCue sings on “Make the devil’s day”, an up-Beat rock song, the harmony vocals and “Strange feeling” by the late Wisconsin Blues guitarist Michael Burks is another classic Blues rock, showcasing Greene’s brilliant singing.
Besides his own band Alastair Greene works with many other projects, at the moment he is touring with Alan Parsons.
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup


The Forrest McDonald Band "Turnaround Blues"
World Talent Records, 2014

www.forrestmcdonald.com

Texas born Blues guitarist Forrest McDonald started his career 50 years ago. Together with his band, Andrew Black (vocals), John McKnight (drums), Jon Liebman (harmonica, vocals), Lee Gammon (bass) and Tony Carey (keyboards), he recorded a new album with 8 original tracks and 5 cover versions.
The title track originally comes from his 1972 Blues quartet Choker, he re-recorded the intoxicating blues song with his band and guest singer Becky Wright. The melancholic ballad “River of tears” is a hauntingly beautiful song with e-piano, acoustic guitar and Jon Schwenke on bass. Mississippi Blues singer James Cotton wrote the “V8 Ford Blues”, McDonald’s version brings some Chicago Blues feeling to it, great singing, harmonica and guitar work. “Funny thing baby” is a terrific up-beat Boogie Woogie and Daryll Cobb sings “Stay or walk away” (D. Cobb/R. Nichols), a beautiful Country Blues ballad. They finish up with “Two for the money”, an instrumental track by McDonald and Carey, showcasing those two with brilliant playing together, recorded live at the studio.
The Forrest McDonald Band are 5 brilliant musicians and a wonderful singer, celebrating the Blues.
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup


Ernest Troost "O love"
Travelin’ Shoes Records, 2014

www.ernesttroost.com

Ernest Troost is an awarded American composer of film music, in addition to his soundtracks he also wrote 13 songs for his latest album, recorded together with a bunch of brilliant guest musicians. He also is a gifted multi-instrumentalist playing guitars, bass, mandolin, harmonica, pump organ and percussion.
Together with Ralph Humphrey on drums he rocks on “Old screen door” on guitar and bass, an intoxicating Blues Rock. On the up-beat title song they’re joined by Mark “Pocket” Goldberg on e-bass and Nicole Gordon’s hauntingly beautiful harmony vocals. Troost adds mandolin and percussion for the melancholic Country waltz “The last to leave”, Dave Stone plays upright bass and Charlie Bisharat the fiddle. Then Johnny Hawthorn joins in on lap steel guitar, Humphrey grabs the drum sticks for the Country Rocksong “Weary traveller” and Stone on stringed upright bass, Steve Mugalian on drums and Debra Dobkin on percussion accompany “Bitter wind”, a soft ballad featuring pump organ. Another great Blues tune is “When it’s gone”, Stone on upright bass gives the pace and Troost plays the terrific guitar and harmonica parts.
The new album is a beautiful collection of Americana songs, Blues, Country, Songwriter and Rock melt together to an extraordinary mix, find some samples
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup


The Bresnan Blues Band "Party in my Backseat"
Own label, 2014

www.thebresnanbluesband.com

The Bresnan Blues Band is Dan Bresnan (vocals, guitar, bass, piano, organ), Don “Hutch” Hutchinson (bass), Michael Reed (saxophone) and Bob Sellani (drums). They recorded their debut album with 9 original tracks in Sedona, AZ.
The title track is a road song reminding me slightly of Steppenwolf’s Born to be wild featuring a terrific sax solo by Reed and Eric Williams from Salt Lake City on harmonica. On “Low hang fruit”, an intoxicating Rock’n’Roll, Williams plays the piano and “Darker shade of grey”, a beautiful Blues ballad, is followed by “Emotionally bankrupt”, a Soul, Funk and Blues influenced up-beat track with Williams on baritone sax “duelling” with Reeds and Lara Michelle’s backing vocals. “Dark hard rider” is a dramatic slow Blues showcasing Sean Bresnan on lead guitar and “Ain’t got none” a rock song in Dire Straits style.
The four guys are brilliant musicians and I love their debut album, a varied mix of styles.
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup


Rackhouse Pilfer "Love and Havoc"
Own label, 2014

rackhousepilfer.blogspot.ch

Rackhouse Pilfer is a six piece Alt-Country and Bluegrass Band from the northwest of Ireland, featuring Fiachra Cunningham (fiddle, Dobro, vocals), Willie Kelly (drums, percussion, vocals), Leon Mooney (lead vocals, acoustic guitars, harmonica), Mark McGovern (5-string banjo, Dobro, vocals), Leslie Jones (mandolin, vocals) and Hugh Feely (double bass, vocals). They recorded their second album with one traditional and 11 original songs in Nashville, TN.
They start off with the up-beat Bluegrass “Dust on the road” by Cunningham, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, acoustic guitar, double bass and drums create an intoxicating pace and producer Brad Jones joins the backing vocals. Kelly wrote “Bright lights”, another rhythmic Bluegrass song, Jones and Mooney share the lead vocals, and Cunningham sings and adds the sound of the Dobro on her self-penned melancholic mid-tempo song “Angela”. Kelly sings the lead vocals on his “Me and a polar bear”, an up-beat Country rock with Bluegrass arrangement. Mooney wrote the beautiful Country ballad “A sailing song” and Kelly’s “Lorraine” is a melancholic Country Blues with McGovern on Dobro. Jones sings a breath-taking version of the traditional “Shady grove”, one of my favourite Americana songs ever, and Mooney plays the harmonica on the final Country song “I’ll find a way” by Cunningham.
Rockhouse Pilfer are six brilliant musicians and singers who probably pricked the ear of Nashville’s music scene with their Irish version of American music, an extraordinary collection of songs.
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup


Nell Robinson & the Rose of No-Man’s Land
"Nell Robinson & the Rose of No-Man’s Land "
Own label, 2014

Artist Video

www.nellrobinsonmusic.com

Alabama rooted singer/songwriter Nell Robinson invited Kris Kristofferson, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Maxine Hong Kingston, Kathy Baker and John Doe to share with us an American musical journey over the past 250 years. Accompanied by her band, Jim Nunally (guitars, vocals), Craig Eastman (violins), Levon Henry (clarinet, soprano sax), Greg Leisz (slide guitar, mandolin, guitar), David Piltch (string bass) and Zach Harmon (percussion), she recorded 20 songs, tunes, letters and poems related to the American history.
The journey begins with the beautiful guitar tune “My last days on earth” by the late Bill Monroe. Nell wows us with her hauntingly beautiful singing on the English traditional “Johnny has gone for a soldier” which was popular throughout the American Revolutionary War. Kristofferson reads a letter from Julius Robinson (Brooklyn 1866), one of Nell’s ancestors, about the tragic of the American Civil War and Nell’s grandmother wrote 1919 a letter wishing her husband to come back from Andalusia, where his division was based after the end of war, read by Kathy Baker. Nunally sings a duet with Nell on the romantic traditional song “One morning in May” and on Rodney Crowell’s up-beat Country song “Scots Irish” Leisz plays a wicked mandolin. Chinese-Californian author Maxine Hong Kingston reads from Evelyn Walsh McLean’s journal (Washington DC 1932) about the Bonus Army march, war veterans left with nothing but poverty and hunger. Nell sings about the “Wahatchee” (N. Robinson/L. Lewis), a military award given by the SCRA, to a moderate military march pace and John Doe and Ramblin’ Jack Elliot sing Mel Tillis’ Country song “Stateside” accompanied by Eastman’s brilliant fiddle playing.
Nell Robinson’s fourth album offers a fascinating journey through America’s history, wrapped in music, sound and words. You’ve got to take your time to listen and understand the beauty of it.
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup


Kelly’s Lot "Don’t’ give my Blues away"
Own label, 2014

www.kellyslot.com

Kelly’s Lot are singer/songwriter Kelly Zirbes, songwriters and guitarists Perry Robertson and Rob Zucca, bass player Matt McFadden, drummer Robert Dill, Bill Johnston on saxophone, Dave Welch on trumpet, Teresa James on piano and Fred Mandel on B3. For their new album the North Hollywood based band recorded 11 original songs by Zirbes and Robertson and one by Zirbes and Zucca.
Kelly starts with “Hush up”, an intoxicating Blues featuring great piano and horns playing, nice guitar solos and passionate singing. Together with Zucca she wrote “Woman’s love”, a hauntingly beautiful Blues ballad showcasing her powerful and soulful voice. “Right now” is an up-Beat Blues Soul with wah-wah guitar pace, a strong horns section and brilliant guitar solos, the Country Blues “Don’t miss love” doesn’t slow down, Country guitar joins in and the horns take a rest. Then the trumpet blows the entry to “Stateside”, an amazing cool and jazzy song with a breath-taking vocal performance, my favourite. Kelly’s hauntingly beautiful singing, horns, B3 and guitar enchant “That fool”, a slow shuffling Blues-rock and then they accelerate the pace for final Blues “Better way”, featuring some awesome solos on trumpet, guitar and bass.
Kelly’s Lot are a bunch of brilliant musicians with an exceptional singer, they’re planning a tour in France in September, and hopefully they can add trips to the surrounding countries.
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup


Altered Five Blues Band "Cryin’ Mercy"
Omnivibe Records, 2014

www.alteredfive.com

Milwaukee based quintet Altered Five are singer Jeff Taylor, Jeff Schroedl on guitar, Scott Schroedl on drums, Mark Solveson on bass and Raymond Tevich on keyboards. Tom Hambridge produced their third album with 11 original songs.
Jeff Schroedl wrote “Demon woman”, Taylor sings with growling voice and the guitar adds some stunning soli to the Blues-rock driven by an intoxicating pace. Bass and drums create an irresistible rhythm on Schroedl’s Blues song “I’m in deep”, guitar and keyboards are brilliantly playing together. Most songs are co-written by the band, “Find my wings” is a beautiful R&B ballad and “I got you” a funky Soul. The slow Blues “Move house” by Schroedl and Hambridge showcases wicked guitar licks, shuffling pace and great singing and the final “Back button” feature awesome guitar and keyboards sound and an inspiring Rock pace.
The Middle West isn’t famous for the Blues scene yet, but these guys will change it, their new album is an exceptional collection of authentic Blues songs.
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup


Laura Rain and the Caesars "Closer"
Own label, 2014

www.laurarain.net

Detroit based singer Laura Rain and the Caesars, George Friend (guitar), Phil Hale (keyboards, bass) and Ron Pangborn (drums, percussion) released their second album with 11 original songs written by Friend and Rain. The recordings were made with a bunch of guest musicians on drums, bass, organ, saxophones and trumpet.
They start off with “Seasons”, a rocking Soul featuring powerful singing, guitar riffs and shuffling rhythm. The title song is a beautiful R&B and “Squawkin’” an intoxicating Soul Rock with mighty horn arrangements. The mid-tempo R&B “All of me” and the lovely Soul ballad “Your love is not broken” are a perfect showcase for Laura’s breath-taking voice. Another highlight is “Awful sin”, pulsating bass, moderate pace and bluesy guitar accompany Laura’s striking vocals.
Laura Rain proves that Motor City Rhythm and Blues is still alive, her music rocks and reminds me of some of the highlights of the Detroit music scene.
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup


Christine Albert "Everything’s beautiful now"
Moon House Records, 2014

www.christinealbert.com

Austin based singer songwriter Christine Albert teamed up with multi-instrumentalist Chris Cage in the late 90ies, since then they’ve produced a dozen albums together. Their latest CD features 6 original songs and 5 cover versions, recorded with Glen Fukunaga on bass, Paul Pearcy on drums and percussion and a handful of great guest musicians.
On the title song Christine remembers the last words of her mother-in-law, a hauntingly beautiful ballad with Chris on guitars, piano and harmony vocals of Chris and Kira Small. Austin based producer, sound designer and voice actor Troupe Gammage sings a duet with Christine on Shake Russell’s Country song “Lean my way” and the Country legend Jerry Jeff Walker, Californian singer Eliza Gilkyson and Christine share the lead vocals on “Old New Mexico”, a melancholic Country rock featuring Kym Warner on mandolin co-written with Walker. Chris and Kira sing the harmony vocals, Kym plays mandolin and mandola and Christine enchants with her beautiful voice on “Someday Isle” a charming ballad by Christine and Kira. “Little one” (Albert/Cage) is a mid-tempo Country featuring Kim Deschamps on pedal steel and they finish with an almost acoustic ballad, “My heart’s prayer” by Tom Peterson. Pearcy on drums, David Carroll on upright bass. Kym on mandolin and bouzouki and Chris on acoustic guitar and B3 accompany Christine’s melancholic singing.
Christine Albert’s new album is a wonderful collection of peaceful songs, brought forward by brilliant musicians and singers.
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup


Doug Prescott Band "Karma & the Big Caboose"
Howlin’ at the Moon Music, 2014

www.reverbnation.com/dougprescott

North Carolina based Doug Prescott (vocals, bass, guitar, trumpet) is joined by Tommy Hartley (guitars), Ken Johnson (guitars, bass), Andy Cheek (drums), Tony Bowman (keyboards, vocals), Eric Kulz (trombone, trumpet) and a bunch of guest musicians and singers to record his new album with 8 original songs and 2 cover versions.
Prescott sings “Did you bring da groove?”, supported by Nancy Middleton, Jill Kuhn Saxton and Craig Fuller, trumpet (Prescott), trombone (Kulz), tuba (John Simonsen), clarinet (Berkeley Grimball) and the band create the Groove on this intoxicating Blues-rock Soul mix. On the relaxed Rock’n’Roll “Crank it up” Hartley on guitar and Bowman on piano play some wicked solos and on “The hard line” two more lead guitars (Willie Painter and Jason Barker), organ, trumpet (Kulz) and saxophone (Eddie Blair) create a breath-taking sound, driven by the excellent rhythm section featuring Beverly Botsford on congas. “A month in Texas” shows a reduced line-up, Prescott and Hartley on acoustic guitar, Charles Pettee on mandolin, FJ Ventre on acoustic bass and Allyn Love on pedal steel guitar play a melancholic Americana song. Other highlights are “Black bone snake”, a dramatic Soul Rock with Clark Stern on piano and a great 5 piece vocal section, and the powerful Soul song “Thinkin’ for yourself” by New Orleans Blues musician Walter Washington.
The music of Doug Prescott hits you like a big caboose, mighty sound and driving rhythms. Brilliant musicians and singers change styles with ease and boost the fine song writing, unfortunately just a wee more than 30 minutes of pure pleasure.
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup


Phil Gammage "Adventures in Bluesland"
World Wide Vibe Records, 2014

www.philgammagemusic.com

Texas born Roots and Blues musician Phil Gammage (vocals, guitar, harmonica) recorded his new album with 7 original songs, 3 cover versions and 3 traditional songs together with Don Fiorino (lap steel guitar, banjo), Richard Demler (bass), Kevin Tooley (drums, percussion) and Joe Nieves (background vocals).
Gammage has a powerful low pitched voice and sings the shuffling Blues rock “What tomorrow brings” accompanied by guitar licks and harmonica, or his melancholic Country ballad “Lay me down low” featuring lap steel. Gammage renders some impressive cover versions, the Sonny Boy Williamson song “Help me” (Dixon/Williamson/Bass), a beautiful Blues ballad, or ZZ Top’s “La Grange”, an intoxicating Blues-rock. Another highlight is the original “Hanging on to you”, a mid-tempo bluesy love song. Banjo and harmonica kick off the classic traditional “Wayfaring stranger”, Gammage’s singing is splendid.
Due to his beautiful voice Gammage reminds me of the unforgettable Elvis and his music also fits in the same pattern, nevertheless it’s Phil Gammage and not some copy of the master.
© Adolf „gorhand“ Goriup



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