Irish Trad Music Blog

Image by arndt_hoppe via Flickr Irish folk singer Tommy Sands has been complimented by Pete Seeger , honored as an International Peace Award nominee, and asked to bring his message of humanity to Israel and Palestine. His status as a spokesman for human rights is as much a part of his artistic identity as his emphasis on music with a strong Irish influence, but once he’s on the stage he never drifts far from his roots. When the lights go down and Sands and his two musician children, Moya and Fionan, are on stage he’s back home somewhere in rural Ireland singing for fun and spiritual fulfillment. In a phone interview from a Wyoming stop on a tour that brings him to southeast Michigan Saturday, Sands reflected on how his music connects him to his heritage. “It’s the idea of sitting around the fire and sharing songs and stories,” he said. “Even last night we were a long way from home [physically] but on the stage it was much like home.” His newest release is “Let The Circle Be Wide”...

Image via Wikipedia The Celtic Crossroads members have spread their passion for music far beyond Irish pubs-they are now on to the rest of the world. Celtic Crossroads makes its way to Eastern at 7:30 p.m. today in Dvorak Concert Hall of Doudna Fine Arts Center for a late St. Patrick's Day concert. The group combines traditional Celtic music and dance with bluegrass , gypsy and jazz . Dan Crews, Doudna arrangements supervisor, wanted Celtic Crossroads to perform at Eastern because of its superior musicianship and artistry. "Celtic music is a genre that appeals to a lot of people, both those on campus and from the surrounding communities," Crews said. "It is generational music, which means that it appeals to those young and old. The music is exciting with a contemporary feel." Critics have hailed Celtic Crossroads concerts as some of the most exhilarating and authentic shows to come from Ireland in decades, Crews said. The name, Celtic Crossroads, comes from a...

Image by tom frog via Flickr The second annual St. Pat's Fancy concert is set for Saturday, April 24 at PCVS auditorium. St. Pat's Fancy is an annual celebration of traditional Irish music , in support of The Market Hall. Returning is Cairdeas, a traditional Irish group featuring Steafan Hannigan and Saskia Tomkins, two world-class Celtic musicians who relocated to Northumberland from the UK in 2007, states a press release. This year, Cairdeas will feature its new singer Marsala Lukianchuk, who is well-known to local audiences for numerous musical and theatrical performances, including last summer's production of 4th Line Theatre's The Right Road to Pontypool. St. Pat's Fancy will take place at PCVS auditorium this year, because Market Hall is shut down for renovations, and this year's proceeds will go directly to support the renovation project that will transform the downtown landmark into one of Ontario's top medium-sized theatres, it states. Along with C...

Image via Wikipedia Written by Andres Chavez and Diana Martinez, Sun Staff Wednesday, 17 March 2010 Sergio "Checo" Alonso, Jesus "Chuy" Guzman and Jimmy Cuellar. From the evocative cover art of La Virgen de Guadalupe holding an Irish solider to the subject matter of the album and, most importantly, in the fusion of the music, San Patricio is a provocative work of art. Ry Cooder and the famous Irish musician Paddy Moloney and his band the Chieftains working with some of the great Mexican musicians have fused traditional Mexican and Irish music to tell the story of the San Patricio brigade. Most reviews rightly praise the work of Cooder and Moloney and acknowledging this part of both American, Irish and Mexican history through music as commendable, but what should be equally commendable and yet to be fully acknowledged is the long roster of accomplished Latino musicians, including Rene Camacho, Linda Ronstadt , Cesar Duarte, Edmar Castaneda, Los Camperos de Valle are...

Image by D80FTW via Flickr TARPON SPRINGS - International Celtic-roots sensation MacTalla Mor performs at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center on March 25 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20; $18, for members and students; plus tax and $1 fee. Call the Box Office 727-942-5605 or visit www.tarponarts.org. MacTalla Mor (Gaelic for great echo) is a national touring band featuring great Highland bagpipes , piano, vocals and bodhran in a dynamic mix of traditional Celtic, roots rock, calypso, blues and jazz. Their champion pipers and award winning Gaelic singers and musicians set them apart and make them a crowd favorite at major festivals and concerts throughout North America. Their energetic performances include traditional Irish and Scottish tunes, MacTalla's original songs, arrangements and driving rhythms create an engaging and magical blend of the past and the present. The band, which is made up entirely of members of the Devlin-Ofgang family has performed at Caesar's Palace, La...

JOE BREEN, Irish Times http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2010/0322/1224266807175.html?via=mr Both his native Donegal and American country music course through Kevin Doherty’s memorable caustic lines, built on melodies of elegant intensity A FRAMED VINTAGE broadsheet poster of Donegal’s attractions sits on the wall of his Dublin home, while on the floor rests a vinyl copy of a Carter Family recording. Kevin Doherty doesn’t have far to go for inspiration when his well runs dry. Both his native county and American country music course through his wonderfully imaginative and compelling songs, including the 12 tracks that comprise his latest project, Telegraph . Strictly speaking this is not a solo album but a collaboration between a number of leading Irish musicians, including guitarist Conor Brady and pianist James Delaney, who fly under the flag of Telegraph . But Doherty writes all the songs, sings and produces and, in the way of many independent artists, he also markets it b...

If There Weren't Any Women In The World... CD featuring Stephen Ducke (Irish flute) and Bean Dolan (guitar)