Celtic Colours: Forgotten Roots

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About Celtic Colours: Forgotten Roots

Product Description A compilation of Celtic music featuring artists appearing at the third annual Celtic Colours International Festival held in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada in October 1999. As well as a good selection of Cape Breton artists, this collection also features musicians from Scotland, Britanny, Ireland, Spain, The Orkney Islands and the US. About the Artist The popular young Sydney Mines based group Slainte Mhath combine Scottish bagpipes (by Hamish Moore and pitched in A 440), fiddles, octave mandolin, piano and an exotic array of percussion instruments. Together they create one of the most exciting instrumental sounds to emerge from within the Cape Breton tradition in the past few years. A Glasgow native, Maggie MacInnes comes from a long line of singers from the Island of Barra, Scotland. This is a heritage she shares with countless singers from the Iona / Christmas Island regions of Cape Breton whose ancestors came from Barra during the great waves of Scottish emigration to Cape Breton. Breton bass player Alain Genty first became involved in Breton music in 1989 when he joined the band Barzaz. Since that time Alain has collaborated with other Breton bands such as Den and Gwerz and, in 1994, after the release of his first solo album, he formed the Alain Genty Group. The great Uilleann piper Paddy Keenan is widely recognized as one of the finest exponents of the instrument and the unique "open" style. During the 70's Paddy was a founding member of The Bothy Band and his driving rhythmic piping formed the foundation of that highly influential Irish group. Soig Siberil and the other players on this selection are all veterans of a number of influential Celtic groups of Brittany. This selection features the unique combination of guitar, tenor guitar (four string) and bouzouki. The Black brothers draw their inspiration from folk traditions in Scotland, England and Canada as well as from rich local sources. Their repertoire consists of an array of love songs, shanties and thought-provoking ballads. Shay, Michael and Martin Black are joined here by Mary and Frances on a beautiful old Irish Gaelic song. Cherish The Ladies take their name from the popular old Irish jig by the same name and are led by New York Irish flute player Joanie Madden. Originally the group was organized by folklorist-musician Mick Moloney for a concert series sponsored by the Ethnic Folk Arts Center and the National Endowment for the Arts. From that time, in over 12 years, Cherish The Ladies have grown to become one of the most engaging and exciting Irish groups on the festival and concert circuit. Wooden flute player Chris Norman is originally from Nova Scotia but his family eventually moved to Baltimore. After a year at Indiana University, Chris returned to Nova Scotia where he was introduced to the wooden flute. Since that time he has forged a unique style and extremely varied repertoire that includes Irish, Scottish, Canadian Maritime and Qubcois traditional tunes. Chris recently recorded for the soundtrack of the film Titanic. The tiny village of Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland is home to the singer-songwriter and fiddler Dougie MacLean. Throughout his long career Dougie has built up a loyal following for his original music and lyrics which have been described as having a "timeless" quality. During the "Golden Era" of Cape Breton fiddle music, it was not uncommon for two fiddlers to play together at a dance or a house session. This would give the music more drive, lift and volume and also lead to impromptu extended medleys. A Tribute To Cape Breton Violin Duos is fiddler Dave MacIsaac's re-creation of the classic Cape Breton fiddle duos. Gaelic singer Mary Jane Lamond recorded her first album The Land of the Trees in 1994. At that time she began performing with fiddler Ashley MacIsaac as a member of The Kitchen Devils. Her second album, Suas e!, a stunning combination of old Gaelic songs with modern sounds and arrangements, was released