Just in Time for the Holidays. New Celtic CD Aligns Major Performers from Ireland, Scotland and Canada Groundbreaking Collaborative Recording

(PRWEB) December 2, 2004

"Of an extremely high standard, there are real gems here. The extensive liner notes are highly informative and make interesting reading in themselves." -HotPress.com (Dublin, Ireland)

On "The Independence Suite: Traditional Music from Ireland, Scotland and Cape Breton", eighteen of today's top performing traditional Celtic artists come together to bring you a broad taste of the best. The musical traditions of Ireland, Cape Breton, Scotland and other Gaelic cultures are so rich and intertwined, with appeal to both the scholar and the casual listener.

Sensational performances are provided by:

fiddlers Tommy Peoples, Maeve Donnelly,

Dublin piper Mick O'Brien with fiddler Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh,

Kilfenora Céilí Band’s Aidan McMahon and Anthony Quigney,

Randal Bays with Altan guitarist Dáithí Sproule,

Cape Breton fiddler Dougie MacDonald with pianist Allan Dewar (of Cape Breton's Natalie MacMaster Band),

Ireland’s First Lady of piano Geraldine Cotter with Peter O’Loughlin & friends,

slow aire flute virtuoso Mícheál Ó hAlmhain,

Carrick-On-Suir singer Robbie O’Connell,

Clare concertina player Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin with fiddler Patrick Ourceau,

Cape Breton pianist Barbara MacDonald Magone & master Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser,

the beautiful Celtic-language quartet ‘Navan’ and

finally, a rare preview recording from Connemara’s beloved

sean nós singer Áine Meenaghan.

The standard of performance is superb. For example, Tommy Peoples is a living legend in Irish music; regarded as one of the greatest Irish fiddlers of all time. He first gained widespread notoriety 25 years ago as the fiddler in the great Bothy Band and his reputation has grown steadily ever since. Despite a market formerly dominated by major recording companies, traditional musicians like Tommy are rocketing to the top of the Celtic charts with self-produced albums of the highest standard.

With hundreds of new albums appearing annually, music fans want to experience the broadest range in the most affordable way possible. The Independence Suite draws from some of the best CDs you might not have heard yet. Most of the artists featured on The Independence Suite have made noted critic Earle Hitchner's Top 10 List in recent years (Irish Echo, NY), as well as most other Celtic charts. In fact, the Number 1 CD for 2003 is the concluding track by piper Mick O'Brien & fiddler Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh.

"The Independence Suite: Traditional Music from Ireland, Scotland and Cape Breton" gathers some of the finest performers and instructors of traditional music today. Together, they have likely created the first ever compilation of its kind. Pipers, fiddlers, dancers, singers and, many names who form the backbone of Ireland's legendary Willie Clancy school, the prestigious Milwaukee Festival, New York's Catskills Irish Arts Week, Valley of the Moon and other popular summer music schools. Other participants are treasures whose music has been loved but never broadly available until today.

If you could dream of the ideal Celtic collection for true 'listeners', this might be it. It’s the ‘best concert you nEVER went to’, agreed several listeners. ‘Truly wonderful,’ proclaims Eamonn Wall, distinguished Wexford poet and president-elect of the American Conference of Irish Studies, ‘with a captivating narrative feel throughout the whole recording’.

The Independence Suite has 'something for everyone'. With its rich variety, this is a perfect introduction to the depth and breadth of traditional music. From haunting slow aires, to heart wrenching ballads, to vibrant reels and jigs, The Independence Suite pulls you along on a musical adventure. Multiple All-Ireland champion concertina player and piper Dr. Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin, Ph.D. provides beautifully crafted liner notes. Author of 'A Pocket History of Irish Traditional Music' (O'Brien Press, Dublin, 1998), Clareman Ó hAllmhuráin is notably the only Irish musician to hold a Chair of Irish Studies in North America. (http://www.gearoid.us)

Irish musicians share a universal bond that transcends borders, language, age and gender. They share a hospitality, an insatiable musical thirst and a conviviality unto themselves. With deep roots in the 'pure drop' tradition, The Independence Suite musicians share several other key traits. Their collective devotion and sincere commitment to traditional music distinguishes them among the finest performers and instructors. Today each is enriching and extending the Celtic musical tradition by performing, composing, and teaching. They share a collective commitment 'to the source', conscientiously acknowledging and often learning from the 'anonymous' folk composers, as well as memorizing tune names, settings and origins. They share a commitment to perpetuating the tradition; all are teachers, individually and as part of schools/workshops worldwide. And finally, all were raised within the living tradition.

Review Copies are Available:

Please contact Cecilia McDonnell, Producer, Celtic Crossings, San Francisco

Distribution:

The Independence Suite is available in the US through Celtic Crossings, Ossian USA, Amazon.com, Elderly Music etc. North American distribution by Sidestreet Distributing.

The Independence Suite is available in Ireland at Custy’s Music (Ennis, Co. Clare) and distributed throughout Ireland by Claddagh Records.

Background:

Celtic Crossings, San Francisco

Among the first to pursue the independent route, Celtic Crossings is also the producer of:

1. "Traditional Music from Clare & Beyond"    Critically acclaimed recording by Clare concertina player Gearóid O hAllmhuráin (1996, with Clare fiddle legends Paddy Canny, Peter O'Loughlin, Martin Hayes, and other noted guests) “One of the best concertina recordings of all time” –Irish Voice (NY)

2. "Tracin' - Traditional Music from the West of Ireland" (1999, duet album with Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin and fiddler Patrick Ourceau). In a recent survey, fiddler Martin Hayes chose this album 'one of the Top 10 Essential Albums of Irish Music'.

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