Karan Casey and Kevin Crawford on MY show

When I was going through WBGU FM DJ training, the first thing that they taught us was that WBGU FM strives “to promote underground, under-represented and under-appreciated music.” And that “aesthetic is more important than music popularity.’ I think that’s a pretty good intro to the guests who will be on my show next week.

My show, The New Celtic Revival, tries to draw connections between Celtic music and American folk music, such as bluegrass and old time Appalachian music. Just as there is a wave of American “newgrass” and string bands, there has been a number of acoustic bands from the Celtic lands who start off in very traditional forms, but infuse a cutting edge aesthetic and energy.

My very special guests next week will be Karan Casey and then Kevin Crawford of Lúnasa.

Karan was the original lead singer in Solas, who remain the preeminent Irish-American neo-trad band. Since leaving Solas, she has released a series of brilliant solo projects. Recently, she was featured on the Solas Ten Year Reunion CD and DVD and released her fifth solo project “Ships In the Forest” which is available from Compass Records. She also did a great children’s project called “The Seal Maiden.”

She has collaborated with the best acoustic and folk musicians from both sides of the Atlantic, including her husband, Naill Valley, as well as Tim O’Brien, Buille, Lúnasa, Peggy Seeger and Altan. She has been a frequent performer on American public broadcasting, including A Prairie Home Companion and The Shamrock and Thistle and PBS television specials, including “Absolutely Irish” and “A Christmas Celtic Sojourn Live” (both available on DVD from PBS.).

Kevin Crawford leads the mighty Irish instrumental group, Lúnasa. Born in Birmingham, England, Kevin Crawford’s early life was one long journey into Irish music and County Clare, to where he eventually moved while in his 20’s. A virtuoso flute player, Kevin has also recorded two solo albums, “D’Flute Album” and the more recent “In Good Company”. Formed in 1997, The Irish Voice has called Lúnasa “Ireland’s newest ‘supergroup’…the hottest Irish acoustic band on the planet.” (Amen to that!)

The band has released seven recordings, including “The Story So Far.” They are about to release a new recording made while they were artists in residence in Leitrim, Ireland and Kevin and bandmate Cillian Vallely are about to release a new recording called “On Common Ground.”

I hope that everyone will tune and hear these artists.

Sincerely

Earl Britt
The New Celtic Revival
Monday Noon - 2:00 PM
WBGU FM 881
http://wbgufm.com
http://celticrevival.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/newcelticrevival