Let me start this
month’s column with a heartfelt thanks to all those who contributed to the success of
our fall fund drive. As usual, you fine Celtic Airs listeners did your part to help us
reach our goal. I truly appreciate the initiative of new listeners who made pledges for
the first time and the "faithful masses" who continue to contribute to both our
spring and fall fundraisers.
The Celtic concert series continues to roll on, now approaching our
50th concert.
The next concert features Irish -American super group Solas (Gaelic for
"light") on Nov.7, 2000 at 7:30 in the Millard Auditorium. Seating is reserved
and tickets are on sale through the University of Hartford Box office at 1-800-274-8587 or
860-768-4228.
Innovation is the characteristic that sets Solas apart from other Irish
bands, making them the trendsetters for a rising generation of
neo-traditionalists who honor their Irish musical heritage while subtly remaking it. They
create a sound that is timelessly traditional yet utterly new, cranking out fast and
furious dance tunes with hints of bluegrass and world music influences and a jazz-like
flair for improvisational variation. This "Solas style" brings the riches of
Irish traditional music to the fore without sacrificing any of the music's sublime grace
and melodic brilliance.
Solas was born four years ago and already have three award winning
albums to their credit. Their latest album The Hour Before Dawn was released
in October 2000 to critical acclaim. To more closely represent the album sound, the band
is now touring as a seven-piece ensemble having added percussion and bass to the core
lineup.
Seamus Egan, all Ireland champion on flute, tin whistle banjo and
mandolin at age 15, concentrates on flute and banjo in his performances with Solas.
Fiddler Winifred Horan was a classically trained violinist who returned to her Irish roots
when she joined Cherish the Ladies in 1990. She later toured with the Sharon Shannon band
before becoming a founding member of Solas. Dublin-born guitarist/vocalist John Doyle met
Seamus and Win when all three were members of the NYC based Chanting House with Susan
McKeown. In addition to his work with Solas, he's one of today's most in-demand Irish
musicians. Kilkenny's Mick McCauley on button accordion, concertina and whistle, replaced
John Williams, one of the original members of Solas, in 1997. The band's newest member is
vocalist/ guitarist Deirdre Scanlon from Tipperary who joined the band in March 2000 and
is featured on the new recording. She's considered on of the best of the new generation of
Irish singers.
With the new album, new singer and new seven piece stage band, this
Solas concert on 11/7 promises to be a memorable event!! Please join us; it will be much
more fun than sitting in front of the television watching early election returns.
On December 13, 2000, we will welcome Susan McKeown, Johnny Cunningham
and Aidan Brennan to the Wilde Auditorium for a concert of seasonal and traditional Irish
music as well as some of the original works created by Susan and Johnny for the stage
production "Peter and Wendy". Rest assured that with legendary wit Johnny
Cunningham on stage, humor will also be to the fore on this evening!
The trio has created a unique program for the darkest days of the
year. Beginning with Samhain Nov. 1st, the ancient Celtic holiday that heralds the arrival
of winter, the show reflects the spirited and spiritual aspects of the holiday season. The
performance will feature songs and stories exploring the Celtic traditions of winter as
well as the story of Peter Pan, typically performed at Christmas time in Scotland and
England.
Green Linnet will release Susan’s new solo album of Irish
traditional music before this holiday tour. Her previous work with Chanting House led the
Irish Echo to proclaim "She owns one of the most powerful and distinctive voices in
Irish music today." "Her pure alto embodies the Celtic soul," says the San
Francisco Chronicle.
Fiddler Johnny Cunningham has been renowned since he and his brother
Phil helped ignite the revival of traditional Celtic music during their days with the band
Silly Wizard. The two then joined with siblings Michael and Triona Ni Dhomnhail to form
Relativity, a band that clearly cemented the Irish and Scottish traditions. Phil then
bowed out and the remaining trio, by then U.S. based, formed Nightnoise. Since then,
Johnny has become a highly successful producer of Celtic music (he was the producer of the
first two Solas albums), and has been acclaimed for his original score for the Mabou Mines
stage production Peter and Wendy.
I hope that you'll take the opportunity to enjoy a rare holiday treat
when Susan McKeown, Johnny Cunningham and Aidan Brennan come to the Wilde Auditorium on
Dec. 13, 2000 at 7:30 pm. By the end of the night, through a mixture of laughter and
sorrow, I guarantee there won't be a dry eye in the house!
Before I close for this issue, let me suggest a few websites you might
like to explore for CDs and Celtic culture in general:
www.ceolas.org,
www.irish-music.net
www.scottish-irish.com
www.custysmusic.com
www.tartantapes.com
Happy holidays to you and yours from WWUH and Celtic Airs
Copyright©WWUH: November/December Program Guide, 2000 |
