Mar 30, 2012

This week’s Celtic Music Radio Album of the Week is from the Rachel Hair Trio – No More Wings.

Listen into Rachel talking with Ross from 12 noon and 12 midnight Saturday 31 March and from 6.00pm on Monday 2 April.

One of the leading bands on Scotland’s vibrant folk scene, the Rachel Hair Trio presents a sparkling blend of melodic harp mastery, rootsy songs and sophisticated rhythmical drive.

Fronted by acclaimed harpist-compose Rachel Hair and featuring the much-in-demand singer-guitarist Jenn Butterworth alongside top Scottish double bassist Euan Burton, the group has honed a repertoire drawn from traditional, contemporary and international sources to create performances that crackle with character, passion, verve and joie de vivre.

Rachel Hair, from the Highland village of Ullapool, is a harpist-composer whose sparky, mischievous personality shines throughout her music.

A first class Music Honours graduate from the University of Strathclyde and Alexander Stone Award winner, her 2 highly commended solo albums have gained her admirers worldwide allowing her to perform regularly throughout the UK, Europe and further afield.

Much sought after guitarist and singer Jenn Butterworth (from Whithorn) has performed with the best of the Scottish music scene including Phil Cunningham, Aly Bain and the hugely successful Anna Massie Band.

Her bold, but respectful guitar playing is a perfect match to her heartwarming delivery of songs.

Double Bassist, Euan Burton (from East Kilbride) is one of Scotlands leading bass players and has established an international reputation, having performed with many top International Jazz musicians.

Euans’ imaginative and creative playing has gained him great critical acclaim.

Click here to buy a copy of No More Wings from Amazon and support Celtic Music Radio.

Listen into Rachel talking with Ross from 12 noon and 12 midnight Saturday 31 March and from 6.00pm on Monday 2 April.

Mar 23, 2012

The Celtic Music Radio Album of the Week for week commencing Saturday 24 March is Bann from Breabach.

Join Ross chatting with Calum MacCrimmon from 12 noon and midnight on Saturday, and 6pm on Monday.

Mar 16, 2012

This week’s Album of the Week is Gleann Nimhe (The Poison Glen) from Altan

2012 is already looking very good for Altan with tours in US, France, Germany and Norway and festivals in those and other countries including Belgium, UK, Ireland and Holland.

On the strength of the new album, they have been booked for a show at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall in March 2013.

Over 25 years of playing together, Altan have established themselves as one of the most important live acts to play traditional Irish music in Ireland and on the World stage. The Boston Globe has described them as “The hottest group in the Celtic realm!” Altan have toured all over the USA and Europe. They also enjoy popularity in Japan where they frequently tour and have hosted Altan festivals in the middle of Tokyo to thousands of enthusiastic fans.

Click here to but a copy of Gleann Nimhe from Amazon and support Celtic Music Radio

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Mar 10, 2012

This week’s Celtic Music Radio Album of the Week is ‘Teanga na nGael’ from Grainne Holland.

Listen in to Gráinne Holland talking with Gordon Hotchkiss form 12 noon and 12 midnight on Saturday 10th March and from 6.00pm on Monday 12 March and on Catch Up anytime.

Teanga na nGael is a wonderful collection of traditional songs in Irish and Scottish Gaelic.  The album features a brilliant line up of guest musicians including Dónal O’Connor, John Mc Sherry, Tony Byrne, Neil Martin, Rohan Young, Gary Duffy and more.

This dèbut album represents a coming of age for Gráinne.  Produced by renowned musician Dónal O’Connor, the album is a wonderful collection of beautifully produced songs in Irish and Scots Gaelic. Gráinne’s unique vocals breathe new life into each song.  The recording presents an authentic, modern, urban take on traditional Gaelic song, reflecting Gráinne’s Belfast Gaeltacht roots.

Teanga na nGael represents a time and a place.  Belfast is a city where the Irish Language lives strong.  It is spoken with pride in the Gaeltacht Quarter of West Belfast, in City Centre pubs and clubs, at sessions, concerts and trendy café’s and galleries.  The language has found an urban niche in which to flourish. This recording fuses both the urban Gaelic song tradition and the immense talent to be found in the vibrant Belfast traditional music scene.  The result is a progressive album of stunning beauty.

Gráinne Holland, from West Belfast, is a wonderful talent in the Irish traditional music circuit with amazing vocal strength and beauty.

Gráinne’s love of Irish music and song began at an early age. She was raised in both Gaelic and English and she attended the first Irish-medium primary school in Belfast; Bunscoil Phobail Feirste.  It was here that her love of traditional Gaelic song was fostered.

Gráinne, already a popular performer, was approached by Féile an Phobail 2009 to perform at the prestigious annual concert in Clonard Monastery.  After performing a set of her favourite Gaelic songs for the event Gráinne’s career as a singer took off.  Gráinne has performed in many of Ireland’s finest concert venues supporting artists such as Frances Black, Damien Dempsey, Peter Corry and The London Gospel Choir. She has a sweet, powerful and distinctive voice that is equally comfortable with the lively ballad and the haunting, slow Gaelic air.

Is amhránaí úr í Gráinne Holland ó iarthar Bhéal Feirste ar chiorcad an cheoil thraidisiúnta agus tá cumhacht ghutha aici atá láidir agus álainn san am céanna.

Bhí suim as cuimse ag Gráinne sa cheol Gaelach ó aois a hóige i leith. Tógadh go dátheangach i mBéarla agus i nGaeilge í agus chuaigh sí ar an chéad bhunscoil Ghaeilge sa chathair; Bunscoil Phobal Feirste. Ba anseo a chéadchothaíodh an spéis atá aici sa cheol Gaelach.

Agus clú uirthi mar amhránaithe i mBéal Feirste, d’iarr Féile an Phobail ar Ghráinne ceol ag an cheolchoirm bhliantúil iomráiteach i Mainistir Chluain Ard i 2009. I ndiaidh dithe tacar de na hamhráin Ghaeilge is fearr léi a cheol an oíche sin, is amhlaidh go ndearna sí dul chun cinn ós miosúr i ndomhan an cheoil Ghaelaigh. Cheol Gráinne ag na hionaid cheoil is fearr sa tír mar cheotóir taca ag macasamhail Frances Black, Damien Dempsey, Peter Corry agus The London Gospel Choir. Tá glór sainiúil, milis, mórthaibhseach aici, rud a fhágann go bhfuil máistreacht aici ar shuantraí agus ar gheantraí maraon.

Click here to purchase a copy of Grainne Holland’s Teanga na nGael from Amazon and support Celtic Music Radio.

Mar 3, 2012

Eryn Strachan has released her new CD album ‘Jade, Bone & Katie Jones’ which is the Celtic Music Radio Album of the Week from Saturday 3 March 2012.

Eryn is in conversation with Ross Macfadyen on her music, career and new CD on Saturday at 12 noon, 12 midnight and Monday at 6.00pm.

Born 1975 in Christchurch, New Zealand to a Scottish father and Kiwi mother, making Eryn a ‘Skiwi’, she came to Scotland in 2003 to find her extended family, discover her Scottish roots and to continue exploring her artistic career.

Music has always featured strongly on both sides of Eryn’s family with her father, mother and brother all involved in various aspects of music and theatre, an award winning cousin in the New Zealand music scene and her great grandfather a well renowned member of the Forfar Operatic Society.

In 2003, Eryn took the leap and moved her life to Scotland, spending six and a half months working as a waitress and barmaid in Aberdeen, before settling in Glasgow. In her time here she has found people to be incredibly friendly and welcoming, while the music scene is rich and varied with many opportunities for a singer/songwriter like Eryn.

In fact it was moving to Glasgow that led her to becoming a songwriter in the first place. Her partner convinced Eryn to go along to a folk session at one of the local bars, where she discovered a wealth of traditional music and loads of talented musicians. It soon became apparent that after many years as an actress, singer and poet Eryn was going to have to teach herself the guitar again, something she hadn’t
really played since I was 11. Beacuse she had never had an instrument other than her voice, Eryn had never thought to turn her poetry into songs, and it was the kind lending of her partner’s guitar and Eryn’s father’s 60th birthday in 2005 that inspired her to try.

Since then not a day goes by that Eryn does not write a line, a verse or an entire song, though she still loves covering songs by her favourite musicians.

Eryn joined the Celtic Music Radio team of presenters and for that past two years presented and produced her Saturday afternoon programme “Antipodean Sessions” which she intends to return to later this year after after a summer break.

You can purchase Eryn’s new CD Jade, Bones& Katie Jones here From the sale of this CD 50p ($1NZ) will be donated to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.

Album of the Week, Saturday at 12 noon and 12 midnight and Monday at 6.00pm plus Catch Up anytime.

Feb 25, 2012

The Celtic Music Radio Album of the Week commencing Saturday 25 February is titled ‘The Leipzeg Sessions’ from Murray & Falkenau.

Album of the Week is broadcast Saturdays at 12 noon, 12 midnight and Monday at 6.00pm.

This week, Ross Macfadyen talks to the contemporary folk-roots duo based in Galway City in the west of Ireland are currently celebrating the release of their debut album “The Leipzig Sessions” on CD and in download format.

Featuring Anna Falkenau on fiddle, lead guitar and backing vocals and Ivan Joseph Murray on guitar, vocals and lyrics, the album is a blend of subtle, rootsy, yet powerful songs and tunes touching on Irish and American traditions.

Recorded in the German city of Leipzig in 2010 it contains four original compositions by Ivan Murray - Wake up the Neighbours, Song for Little Man, Riposte and Western Plains and two from Anna Falkenau The Leipzig Jigs 1 & 2 and Ivan’s Waltz. The remainder of the album is a mixture of Irish and American fiddle tunes and a cover of American songwriter, Joseph Arthur’s “In the Sun”.

Click on this BuyCD link for more details. Murray & Falkenau hope to see you in the real world at one of their shows soon which is likely to be part of the Stirling Sessions in early June 2012.