The New Celtic Revival

Shannon Heaton on my show this Monday!

2009-04-23T17:45:00.000-07:00

My VERY special guest on this Monday's show (April 27,2009) will be Shannon Heaton. Matt and Shannon are two of my favorite musicians and they are lovely people. Matt was my first phone interview subject and it was great. I'm sure "the craic will be brilliant." You can tune in at or better yet, on iTunes at Radio > College/University Radio > WBGU 88.1 FM

Shannon has just been named the Female Musician of the Year by the Irish American News.

They're about to launch a tour through PA, OH, IN, IL, WI and MN. Don't miss the chance to see these outstanding performers.

And the next week, May 4, 2009, Boston fiddler and singer Laura Cortese will be my guest!

Irish Trad concert in Bowling Green, OH April 26

2009-04-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to announce a special event. On Sunday, April 26 we will be hosting workshops, a concert, dance, and a session with internationally renowned musicians, Randal Bays, Dave Marshall and Aine Meenaghan and famed set dance instructor, Anne McCallum.

Randal Bays and Dave Marshall are a fiddle & guitar duo that represent some of the very best in authentic traditional Irish music. Randal also happens to be one of the two organizers of the Friday Harbor Irish Music Camp that Mary and I are attending next week. You can find more information about Randal at his web site:

http://www.randalbays.com/

And hear examples of his seven CDs with various musicians on iTunes and CDBaby.com

Aine Meenaghan is considered by many to be an example of the very best traditional Irish sean nós singers. This is a unique and very special style of historically accurate, solo, unaccompanied singing that reaches back into the inner sanctum of Irish music history. If you have never heard this type of singing before this would be a perfect opportunity. Here is some information copied from Aine’s web site:

Heir to the archaic tradition of bardic poetry and song which declined with the demise of Gaelic civilization in the eighteenth century, it is sustained today by a unique cohort of singers in the Gaeltachtaí, or Irish speaking communities along the west coast of Ireland. It also enjoys prominence among Irish communities in the US, especially in Boston and Chicago, where it is patronized by immigrant communities from south Connemara.

A native of Muiceannach-idir-dhá-Sháile, Camus, Áine Meenaghan (nee Ní Dhonnchadha) began singing as a child and was strongly influenced by the singing of her grand father. Encouraged by her aunt, schoolteacher Treasa Uí Chartúir, she began to take an interest in sean nós and, at the age of eight, entered her first competition. During the 1970s, Áine or Nan Chamuis as she is known in Connemara, became a household name in the sean nós pantheon. She won the All-Ireland title at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and in 1974 she won the coveted Corn Uí Riada at Oireachtas na Gaeilge, the highest honour awarded to a performer in Ireland. Since immigrating to Chicago, she has performed on many occasions with Martin Hayes and Randal Bays, and tours the festival circuit throughout the U.S. She's also taught at many music camps and has adjudicated a number of singing competitions. Her rendition of the poignant love song Bríd Thomáis Mhurchadha highlights the richness of her subtle and distinctive style.

Anne McCallum is one of the very best traditional Irish set dance instructors. We are fortunate that she lives relatively close, in Windsor, Ontario, thus we have had several events with her in the past. She will be joining the other musicians on April 26 to offer a workshop and to lead the dancing after the concert.

It is extremely rare that we have this caliber of musicians performing this type of authentic, traditional Irish music in northwest Ohio. So mark your calendar for this very special event.

To view information about the concert on the web:
http://toraigh.com/Bays_Marshall_Meenaghan_BowlingGreen.html
To download the flyer for printing:
http://toraigh.com/Bays_Marshall_Meenaghan_BowlingGreen.pdf

Workshops 2:00-3:30pm:
Traditional Irish fiddle: Randal Bays
Accompanying traditional Irish music on guitar: Dave Marshall
Traditional Irish sean nós singing: Aine Meenaghan
Traditional Irish set dancing: Anne McCallum

Concert beginning at 6:00pm
Dancing and traditional Irish music session to follow the concert

Concert tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at the door
Concert + workshop: $35

Location: South Main Common Space Auditorium, 437 S. Main Street, Bowling Green, OH

For advance tickets PRIOR TO APRIL 17 send a check payable to Bob Midden to:
549 Monroe Ct.
Bowling Green OH 43402-1541
For more information call 419/352-8050 or email bob@toraigh.com

Please help us spread the word - we hope that we can reach everyone who might be interested not only in northwest Ohio but also Ann Arbor, Detroit, Windsor, Cleveland, Fort Wayne and anywhere there are people who might enjoy the highest quality traditional Irish music.

Best Regards,
Bob Midden

Irish Gathering in NW Ohio

2009-03-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

---- Special Announcement ---- (from Bob Midden)

Come join us for an Irish Gathering, Ceili (party) and traditional Irish music session at the Southbriar Restaurant, 5147 Main Street, Sylvania on Sunday, April 5, 4-7pm. All are welcome to attend but we especially hope that members of the Toledo Hibernians and the Toledo Irish American Club will take advantage of this opportunity to gather, party, renew old acquaintances, and make new friends. There will be excellent Irish food for sale for about an hour starting at 5pm, as well as free music (a traditional Irish music session - musicians take note!) and traditional Irish set and step dancing for those who want to enjoy that. The menu is given below
The restaurant also serves Guinness and other soft and hard drinks.

This will be a family friendly atmosphere and we encourage bringing the WHOLE family.

The restaurant will be open just for this party. The only cost will be for whatever food and beverages you choose to order.

So come on out and bring your family and friends. If this goes well, we will do this on the first Sunday of every month on a regular basis. You want to be sure you’re there because you know your friends will be and you don’t want to miss out on having a great time with them.

Menu

Irish Seafood Chowder
Cream style filled with fish, clams, potatoes, onion and sweet corn

Potato Bacon Cakes
Potatoes, scallions, milk and butter with sour cream.

Chicken Wings
Served plain or spiced with blue cheese and celery

Cod Fish & Chips
Atlantic Cod fillets beer battered and deep fried golden brown with
French fries and coleslaw

Crab Cakes
Low country style accompanied
by Cajun remoulade and lemon

Spinach Artichoke Dip
Warm and creamy topped with parmesan with fried tortillas

Beer Battered Veggies
A seasonal blend of fresh veggies batter dipped and fried golden brown served
with house made cocktail sauce

Beef and Guinness Stew
With onions, garlic, carrots and thyme.

Bob Midden

Huge thanks to John Doyle and Liz Carroll!

2009-03-16T15:32:00.001-07:00

A HUGE thank you to John Doyle and Liz Carroll for calling into my radio show today. They played a GREAT show at the Ark in Ann Arbor on Friday night. It was awesome.

Here is John and I with a painting that my daughter did of John's daughter Rossasgh, dancing for her dad at last year's Cleveland Irish festival.

Tomorrow John and Liz fly to Washington, D.C. to play at special reception for President Obama at the U.S. Capitol.

And then John has to fly out right away to re-join the tour with Joan Baez.

So again THANKS for taking the time to call my show today. I'll get it posted as an archive ASAP.

First this word...

2009-03-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

Incredible show at The Ark last Night with John Doyle and Liz Carroll. Very special guests included from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia (on spring break the Berklee School in Boston) was Kimberley Fraser.

But alas, our family fiddler couldn't be there because she was playing three small parts in her school's production of "Jekyl and Hyde."

We'll all be going to see her tonight.

Oh what a night-- In Erie, PA

2009-03-09T04:09:00.000-07:00

I have to post a complete concert review later, but for now, I just wanted to offer a big THANK YOU to Karan Casey and the lads from mighty, mighty Lúnasa for a fantastic show on Friday. And I want to give mad props to Michael Fuhrman, the director of the Performing Arts Center at Mercyhurst College and to Ms. Bruce Parkhurst, the assistant director. The staging and production were fantastic. Great venue, great sound, wonderful lighting-- what an event.

Traditional Concert in Bowling Green, OH April 26

2009-03-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

This is from the indefatigable Bob Midden. More as we get into April:

I am very excited to announce a special event. On Sunday, April 26 we will be hosting workshops, a concert, dance, and a session with internationally renowned musicians, Randal Bays, Dave Marshall and Aine Meenaghan and famed set dance instructor, Anne McCallum.

Randal Bays and Dave Marshall are a fiddle & guitar duo that represent some of the very best in authentic traditional Irish music. Randal also happens to be one of the two organizers of the Friday Harbor Irish Music Camp that Mary and I are attending next week. You can find more information about Randal at his web site:

http://www.randalbays.com/

And hear examples of his seven CDs with various musicians on iTunes and CDBaby.com

Aine Meenaghan is considered by many to be an example of the very best traditional Irish sean nós singers. This is a unique and very special style of historically accurate, solo, unaccompanied singing that reaches back into the inner sanctum of Irish music history. If you have never heard this type of singing before this would be a perfect opportunity. Here is some information copied from Aine’s web site:

Heir to the archaic tradition of bardic poetry and song which declined with the demise of Gaelic civilization in the eighteenth century, it is sustained today by a unique cohort of singers in the Gaeltachtaí, or Irish speaking communities along the west coast of Ireland. It also enjoys prominence among Irish communities in the US, especially in Boston and Chicago, where it is patronized by immigrant communities from south Connemara.

A native of Muiceannach-idir-dhá-Sháile, Camus, Áine Meenaghan (nee Ní Dhonnchadha) began singing as a child and was strongly influenced by the singing of her grand father. Encouraged by her aunt, schoolteacher Treasa Uí Chartúir, she began to take an interest in sean nós and, at the age of eight, entered her first competition. During the 1970s, Áine or Nan Chamuis as she is known in Connemara, became a household name in the sean nós pantheon. She won the All-Ireland title at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and in 1974 she won the coveted Corn Uí Riada at Oireachtas na Gaeilge, the highest honour awarded to a performer in Ireland. Since immigrating to Chicago, she has performed on many occasions with Martin Hayes and Randal Bays, and tours the festival circuit throughout the U.S. She's also taught at many music camps and has adjudicated a number of singing competitions. Her rendition of the poignant love song Bríd Thomáis Mhurchadha highlights the richness of her subtle and distinctive style.

Anne McCallum is one of the very best traditional Irish set dance instructors. We are fortunate that she lives relatively close, in Windsor, Ontario, thus we have had several events with her in the past. She will be joining the other musicians on April 26 to offer a workshop and to lead the dancing after the concert.

It is extremely rare that we have this caliber of musicians performing this type of authentic, traditional Irish music in northwest Ohio. So mark your calendar for this very special event.

To view information about the concert on the web:
http://toraigh.com/Bays_Marshall_Meenaghan_BowlingGreen.html
To download the flyer for pinting:
http://toraigh.com/Bays_Marshall_Meenaghan_BowlingGreen.pdf

Workshops 2:00-3:30pm:
Traditional Irish fiddle: Randal Bays
Accompanying traditional Irish music on guitar: Dave Marshall
Traditional irish sean nós singing: Aine Meenaghan
Traditional Irish set dancing: Anne McCallum

Concert beginning at 6:00pm
Dancing and traditional Irish music session to follow the concert

Concert tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at the door
Concert + workshop: $35

Location: South Main Common Space Auditorium, 437 S. Main Street, Bowling Green, OH

For advance tickets PRIOR TO APRIL 17 send a check payable to Bob Midden to:
549 Monroe Ct.
Bowling Green OH 43402-1541
For more information call 419/352-8050 or email bob@toraigh.com

Please help us spread the word - we hope that we can reach everyone who might be interested not only in northwest Ohio but also Ann Arbor, Detroit, Windsor, Cleveland, Fort Wayne and anywhere there are people who might enjoy the highest quality traditional irish music.

Best Regards,
Bob Midden

John Doyle and Liz Carroll-my show and then the WHITE HOUSE

2009-02-28T14:31:00.000-08:00

I just got off of the phone with Liz Carroll and I am so proud, happy and excited for her that I can't contain myself. I shouldn't admit this, but I just burst into tears chatting with Liz.

This is John Doyle, Anita, myself and Liz at the 2008 Cleveland Irish festival.

One of my hopes for the new presidency was that "cool" would again be the rule for cultural events at the White House. In recent years, the arts events at the home of our nation's leader have been the exact polar opposite of what I'm into (Travis Tritt? PUHLEEZE...)

Now, every year, the White House hosts a special celebration for St. Patrick's Day. This year the White House will be hosting Brian Cowen, the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland. Under Ireland's parliamentary system, Mr. Cowen is the leader of the government.

And the entertainers for our President and Mr. Cowen this year?

John Doyle and Liz Carroll.

Now, I realize that you might not have heard of them. (Unless you've been listening to my show, of course.) Liz is from Chicago and the child of irish immigrants. John is from Dublin but now lives in Asheville, NC. They are both brilliant musicians and composers. And cool-- really, really cool.

They are about to release a new CD from Compass records called "Double Play" I played a couple of tracks on my show last week. (Their last one was called "In Play".)

And (here's the WBGU FM part) on the day before they go to the White House, the day before St. Patrick's Day, John and Liz will be (phone) guests on my show Monday March 16 at noon, during our fund raising event. How cool is that?

Of course, I realize that our country faces much bigger issues than we've ever encountered in my lifetime. But on the cultural front, the TIDE HAS TURNED!

And don't forget, this week, Tim O'Brien (another great Irish American and friend and collaborator of John and Liz) will be on my show.

Sincerely

Earl
The New Celtic Revival
Monday Noon - 2:00 PM
WBGU FM 881
http://wbgufm.com

Tim O'Brien on the New Celtic Revival

2009-02-26T04:45:00.000-08:00

Grammy Award winning folk and bluegrass singer, songwriter and performer Tim O' Brien will be returning to the airwaves of WBGU FM this coming Monday March 2, 2009 to chat about the connections between Celtic music and American bluegrass. O'Brien has released several projects that explore the connections and interactions between traditional music forms from Ireland and America.

Originally a native of West Virginia, his grandfather immigrated to America from County Cavan, Ireland. Tim was a founding member of the groundbreaking "newgrass" band Hot Rize, based from Boulder, Colorado. Since then, he has released over a dozen solo projects and has appeared on literally countless other releases. In 1999, he brought together some of America's greatest bluegrass musicians, such as Del McCoury and Earl Scruggs, with some of the very best Irish traditional musicians to record "The Crossing." In 2007, he won the Grammy award for Best Traditional Folk Recording for "Fiddler's Green." His recent CD release "Chameleon" is his most intimate and personal. It features all new compositions by O'Brien with no guest musicians, just his voice and instrumental accompaniment.

O'Brien is highly sought after as a recording producer, arranger and performer on vocals, mandolin, fiddle and a variety of stringed instruments. In 2008 helped to produce and performs on "Always Lift Him Up- A Tribute to Blind Alfred Reed". Reed was a native of West Virginia and the project was a fund raiser for the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame and features performers with ties to the state's rich musical history including Kathy Mattea and Tim's sister, Mollie O'Brien.

Recent weeks saw the release of "Wells for Zoe- Water for Life" a CD compilation to raise funds for development projects in northern Malawi in Africa. O'Brien performs a duet with Karine Polwart of Scotland, on the title track and brought together Maura O'Connell the Duhks, John Doyle (and himself) to record an acoustic rave up of the classic hit from the Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin, "Sisters are Doin' It For Themselves."

Tim will be appearing on The New Celtic Revival radio program with host Earl Britt, between noon and 2:00 PM on WBGU FM 88.1 Outside of Bowling Green, the station can be heard over the Web at wbgufm.com and online with iTunes. Every Monday, The New Celtic Revival explores the interconnections between the current wave of cutting edge traditional music from Ireland, Scotland and other Celtic lands with thriving American music forms such as bluegrass, Appalachian and old time string bands.

Karan Casey and Kevin Crawford on MY show

2009-02-19T13:49:00.000-08:00

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

Raising O The Green benefit

2009-02-15T06:27:00.000-08:00

The Irish of Northwest Ohio are uniting to put on a great bash to kick off the St. Patrick's Day season and to raise money for the Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank.

Here are the details:

Sunday, March 1, 2009, 3:00 – 7:00 PM

Manhattan’s Restaurant

1516 Adams Street, Toledo, Ohio 43604

Entertainment by

Whiskey Before Breakfast
Patrick Lewandowski
Toraigh
John Connolly and Company
Extra Stout
Step Dancers
Pipers and much more

Cost: $25 per person
Includes Irish Buffet and one drink

All proceeds to go to
Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank

Tickets can be purchased at Manhattan's Restaurant,
the Blarney Irish Pub or by calling 419-217-3715

Gratitude

2009-02-14T08:42:00.000-08:00

Gratitude

I have to offer gratitude to my higher power and my doctors for saving the vision in my left eye yesterday.

On Thursday, I started having big problems seeing with my left eye. There was all sorts of “junk” floating in my eye, along with searing flashes of white light and all overlaid with opaque black specks.

Bummer.

I had heard of “floaters” and thought I was just having my first bout with them. But this was REALLY bad.

What was happening was called a “posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) with retinal tears.” I had two rips in my retina which were trying to play “connect the dots.” The holes in my retina were hemorrhaging which was allowing blood to contaminate the clear fluid inside my eye.

Now I’ve discovered that this problem runs in my family.

This condition could have lead to a complete retinal detachment and the loss of sight in my eye. Even without a detachment, the blood leaking into my eye could have greatly decreased the sight from my eye.

I called my friend Dr. D. Wayne Bell who explained what was happening to me and told me that I had to get it repaired IMMEDIATELY.

Doc Bell is from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada and he's about as crazy about music as I am . (You should see HIS music collection!) He’s familiar with all of the incredible music ans from Cape Breton, like the Barra MacNeills, the Rankins, the MacIssacs and the MacMasters.

He was really concerned about my eyes because of my diabetes. (Diabetics face problems our eyes and our feet. And, well, everything else.)

So the first thing yesterday morning, I called my crack ophthalmologist Dr. Reed Roth, who told me to get to his office ASAP. I hustled up to his office and they were waiting for me when I got there.

He examined my eye and spotted the two rips in my retina. Knucklehead that I am, I wanted to postpone getting the repair done until after my show on Monday --but he told me in no uncertain terms that was NOT an option.

And Dr. Reed, thank you for that. As my family says, I can be a “ real butt hole” at times, but he got it through my thick skull that I had to take action at once.

He called Dr. David Kozy at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Toledo who saw me right away. Dr. Kozy used a laser to blast away at the damage in my retina to close the openings and basically “tack weld” my eye back together so that my retina didn’t detach any further. This also stopped the blood from leaking into my eye.

Vitreous fluid is clear, blood is not. So when there is “blood in your eye”, your vision is very cloudy.

This morning, my vision is already a lot clearer. As the retina heals and the blood and floaters clears out of my vitreous fluid, things will only improve. I still have some fuzziness and some floaters, but even if it doesn’t get any better, this is OK...

considering the alternative!

Upcoming Concerts that you won’t wanna miss!

2009-02-11T09:50:00.000-08:00

Upcoming Concerts that you won’t wanna miss!

Liz Carroll & John Doyle
Friday March 13, 2009 8:oo PM
The Ark Ann Arbor, MI
theark.org

Lunasa and Karan Casey
Mar. 06, 2009 8:oo PM
Mercyhurst College
Erie, PA

Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul
Mar 8 2009 7:00P
Southern Theatre Columbus, Ohio

Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul
Mar 13 2009 8:00P
The Renaissance Theatre Mansfield, Ohio

Joan Baez w/John Doyle, Todd Phillips and Dirk Powell
March 07
Ohio Theater Cleveland, Ohio

Joan Baez w/John Doyle, Todd Phillips and Dirk Powell
March 09
Southern Theatre
21 East Main Street
Columbus, Ohio

Laura Cortese
March 7, 2009
Presented by Highlands of Ohio
The Cafe in Pumpkin Hollow
24 Bell Street Mansfield, OH 44907
http://www.highlandsofohio.com/events.html
highlands@neo.rr.com

Beoga
Tuesday March 10, 2009
The Ark Ann Arbor, MI

Crooked Still
Tuesday March 17, 2009
The Ark Ann Arbor, MI

Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill
Thursday March 26, 2009
The Ark Ann Arbor, MI

The Duhks
May 2 2009 6:00P
Oberlin College Oberlin, Ohio

Irish United Foodbank Fundraiser

2009-01-26T06:11:00.000-08:00

The Irish United Fundraiser to benefit the Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food bank will be held on Sunday, March 1, 2009 at Manhattan's Restaurant at 1516 Adams Street in downtown Toledo beginning at 3:00 and continuing through 7:00 PM. The event will include an Irish buffet dinner and Irish entertainment and the cost to the public will be $25 a ticket. There will also be a raffle of donated merchandise from area vendors. www.toledofoodbank.org.

Contact: Ellen McCarty
419-843-2631

This is the line up for the event at this time:
3:00- 3:15 Pipers
3:15- 3:30 Dancers
3:30 -4:00 Whiskey Before Breakfast
4:00 - 4:15 Dancers
4:15 -4:45 Patrick Lewandowski
4:45 -Pipers and comedy
5:00 -5:30 Toraigh
5:30 -5:45 comedy
5:45 -6:15 Connolly and Company
6:15 -6:30 comedy
6:30 -7:00 Extra Stout

2009-01-19T17:26:00.000-08:00

There are some GREAT CDs that will be arriving soon!

Please Mister Postman:

1. "The First Cold Day" from Jim Malcolm, one of Scotland's best folk singers and songwriters. Susie Malcolm says I should be getting my copy any day now (darn, USPS-- hurry up!) on Jim's label, Beltane.

2. "Lover's Well" from Matt and Shannon Heaton on their label TastyTrad. I can't WAIT! They include a traditional Thai love song done with a Celtic setting.

3. "Double Play" from Liz Carroll and John Doyle on Compass. Due for release the first week in March. I wish they had called it "Dancing at the Wake House" (after one of the songs on the CD.)

4. "The Green Fields of America" - From Matt Molloy's The Green Fields of America, co-produced with John Doyle. Scheduled for release at the end of the month, on sale now. My favorite tracks are the ones that feature John's vocals. (Big suprise...)

5. Wells For Zoe - Water for Life - Various Artists incuding Karine Polwart, Tim O'Brien, The Alison Brown Quartet with John Doyle, Sinead O'Conner, The Duhks, Maura O'Connell, Paul Brady and Dougie MacLean. Just stop what you're doing and go here and buy one. It's for a GREAT cause, and it's an INCREDIBLE CD.

6. For Love and Laughter from Solas, who has a new lead singer.

Rumors and inuenedo...

Kev Crawford tells me that Lúnasa has recently completed a recording with Natalie Merchant, release date unkown. They are also at work finishing up their latest... hopefully before they come over for "March Madness" (such as it is-- anymore.) Fiddler Sean Smyth has finished his medical studies and wasn't on their most recent tour. No word from Kev as to the future, but I don't expect to see Sean make the trip here.</sigh.>

John Doyle and Karan Casey have recorded a new project for Compass with Dirk Powell at the helm but don't expect it to be released before (get this!) November of this year (2009.)

Sláinte!

2009-01-15T18:10:00.000-08:00

Sláinte (Welcome!)
Listen in to my new radio show on WBGU-FM 88.1 every Monday from noon until 2:00 PM EST (5:00- 7:00PM GMT.) We'll "connect the dots" between the latest in tradition-based Celtic music with old time, Appalachian, bluegrass and other American roots music.