Show 22 - CD Giveaway

This week we feature the music of:
Alan Reid and Rob van Sante (The Last Lighthouse Keeper)
Colin Grant (Drive ‘er like ya stole ‘er)
Fatback Circus (O’ to be alive)
Beyond The Pale (The Music Plays Me)

For more information on the artists featured on the Celtic Folk Podcast, including links and pics, click on www.celticfolkpod.com.

CFP22 Show Notes:

CD Giveaway.

We’re a little late this week bringing you the Celtic Folk Podcast and before we get into the music I’d like to tell you why that is. First, if you ever visit the ShowNotes at CelticFolkPod.com you may have noticed that in fact CelticFolkPod.com has been “pointed” or forwarded to a subdirectory of our parent website downtownfolk.com. As of this podcast we have changed that and CelticFolkPod.com is now on its own. It is now old enough to stay up late at night and play loud music!

We had to do this to ease the bandwidth requirement that the Celtic Folk Podcast was requiring of our parent server – that’s a good thing. We were exceeding our monthly bandwidth due to all the podcast downloads! So, we have put the Celtic Folk on its own server and that, in turn, solved another issue. If you’ve ever gone to the ShowNotes and registered to leave comments, when you returned the site didn’t recognize your username and password. Well, to cut a long story short, you won’t have that trouble anymore, and so in recognition of that we are giving away a CD this week – yes freebee time on the Celtic Folk Podcast!

We are giving away a copy of “Under the Blue” from Battlefield Band’s Alan Reid and Rob van Sante. If you’ve been with us since the very start of our podcasts back on May 29th, 2006, you’ll know that the first song we played was from that very album. How do you qualify to win? All you have to do is go to our ShowNotes at www.CelticFolkPod.com and register; submit a comment on any of the shows and we will draw a name from the virtual hat.

Easy as that! Now, the chances of winning a really quite good. Most folks will just listen to a podcast and not interact at all. They just listen on iTunes or Juice or whatever, but never participate in the show itself. Well now’s your chance! We have a fantastic number of subscribers to the Celtic Folk Podcast, but we want to encourage you to give us a little more feedback on how we’re doing and what bands you liked or didn’t like and who you’d like us to feature on an upcoming show.

Alan Reid and Rob van Sante - The Last Lighthouse Keeper.

First up is Alan Reid and Rob van Sante and the last song on their album “Under the Blue” called The Last Lighthouse Keeper which is fairly self explanatory and, like many of Alan’s songs, talks about a time long gone in Scotland.

Alan has been an ever-present member of Battlefield Band since 1969, just
a few months after it’s inception. The ‘Batties’ have been pre-eminent
in Scottish traditional music for over 30 years. They have toured all over
the world, made over 20 recordings and worked with such diverse artists
as Garrison Keillor, Van Morrison and Mike Oldfield. Their albums have
won awards in Germany, Britain and the U.S. Throughout this time, Alan has
been at the ‘engine room’ of the band, his keyboards underpinning the
bagpipes and the fiddle. Alan was the first to use keyboards as an integral
part of a traditional folk band and the beefiness and punctuated rhythms
of his playing have so defined Celtic music that his, and Battlefield Band’s influence
can be heard in many of today’s younger generation of Celtic musicians.

Alan is also a gifted singer and songwriter. His solo and harmony singing have
been to the fore throughout Battlefield Band’s history. His songs have been
a feature of the band’s repertoire since the early 80’s and have been noted
for their story telling element, lyricism and their strong melody. In 1998 his
first solo album ‘The Sunlit Eye‘ featuring new songs, original tunes and two
of his favourite Burns’ songs was released. His song and tune
book ‘Martyrs, Rogues and Worthies‘ was released early in 2001.

Rob is a guitarist of exceptional skill and subtlety. He was born in the Netherlands
and begun playing guitar at an early age. As his interest in music developed, he
became influenced by the best of Folk, Rock, R&B and Blues.

During the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s he toured extensively throughout Europe and has
also played in North Africa and the Middle East. He has worked with such stalwarts
of the British Folk and Jazz scene as Danny Thompson, Jon Strong, Tom Napper
and Tom McConville. In resent years Rob has lent his ears to the Battlefield Band as
their sound engineer for both live and recorded work. He continues to accompany them
on all their tours as their ‘fifth’ member and when not on the road, Rob can be found
at work in his recording studio in his home town of Leeds.

Rob is also an excellent lead and harmony singer. As well as fine interpretations of
traditional and contemporary material he also writes songs on topical issues and his own
experiences. All these strands come together to make a perfect foil to Alan and his music.

Website
http://www.reidvansante.com

Discography
Under the Blue, Red Sands Records, 2002

Colin Grant - Drive ‘er like ya stole ‘er.

With energetic solo and group performances, respect for traditional Cape Breton music, and an innovative approach to arranging and composing tunes, Colin Grant’s clean, lively sound has proven versatile all over the world, not to mention the recent release of his ECMA-nominated debut CD.

Instrumentation
Number of accompanying musicians varies. Piano and guitar are standard, but bass, drums and extra lead instruments may be added depending on the event and purchaser’s preferences.
Colin Grant - Fiddle
Adam Young - Piano/Keyboards
Andrew Tyne - Guitar/Banjo/Mandolin/Bass
Jason Murdock - Guitar
Colin Clarke - Drums/Percussion

Biography
Raised in Toronto, Colin Grant began his musical career at the age of 4 at the Royal Conservatory of Music, studying classical violin in the Suzuki program. By the age of 10, he began to explore Cape Breton-style traditional music, taking lessons from Sandy MacIntyre, and at the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts, studying piano accompaniment and stepdancing in addition to the fiddle.

When his family moved to Cape Breton in 1998, Colin immersed himself in the local music scene, taking lessons in fiddle and guitar from acclaimed musician and teacher Allie Bennett as well as performing at ceilidhs, dances, and concerts all over the island. He soon developed his own style of playing; his clean, lively sound proving versatile in venues as diverse as the West Mabou dance hall and the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay.

Always comfortable before a live audience, Colin never declines an opportunity to take to the stage; whether being accompaniment for other musicians like ECMA nominee Luc Tardif, or giving an energetic solo performance. Starting in the summer of 2002, he was cast in Cape Breton Lyrics and Laughter, a revue-style show featuring Cape Breton music and comedy. Over the past five summers, the show has been winning rave reviews from local critics and visitors alike through over 250 performances at the Louisbourg Playhouse.

In 2003 he was accepted into the National Artists Program (Canada), which brought together young performers and fine artists to produce a gala show at the Jeux Canada Games in Bathurst, New Brunswick. In addition to his performances all over the Maritime Provinces, Colin had the opportunity to bring Cape Breton music to Indonesia for the Canadian International Seafood Festival in April of 2004, hosting several concerts and conducting workshops at the Jakarta Performing Arts Institute. Colin has also toured Canada, France, and China with award-winning Acadian group Blou.

Aside from showcasing at the 2005 and 2006 East Coast Music Awards and continuing several projects as a side fiddler, Colin’s self-titled CD, released on October 8, 2006 has been his most ambitious project to date. Co-produced by Colin Grant and Lakewind Sound engineer Mike Shepherd, the CD presents a refreshing new sound that combines traditional Scottish and Cape Breton tunes with contemporary compositions; including some of Grant’s own. With the support of the (Celtic Colours) Festival Volunteer Drive’er Association and Lakewind Sound co-owners Fred Lavery and Gordie Sampson, the project is the first to be awarded annually to a young Cape Breton traditional musician to create his/her first full-length album.

In addition to his music, Grant is completing his studies in education at Université Sainte-Anne in Church Point, Nova Scotia, where he teaches private fiddle lessons.

With his respect for the traditional sound of Cape Breton fiddle music, and his innovative approach to arranging and composing tunes, Colin’s musical style will continue to develop and progress to the delight of audiences from all over the world.

Website
http://www.colingrant.ca

Discography
Colin Grant (self-titled) 2006 - Independent release
(Nominated for 2007 East Coast Music Award: Roots/Traditional Solo Album of the Year)

Cape Breton Lyrics and Laughter (self-titled) 2006 - Independent release (Nominated for 2007 East Coast Music Award: Roots/Traditional Group Album of the Year) www.lyricsandlaughter.com

Colin has also appeared on:

BLOU - “Pied-à-terre” (2006) À l’infini communications inc. (Winner of Francophone Album of the Year at the 2007 East Coast Music Awards and at the 2006 Nova Scotia Music Awards) www.blou.ca

Jason MacDonald - “The Day” (2006) Independent release (Nominee for 2006 East Coast Music Award: Pop Recording of the Year) www.jasonmacdonald.com

Laurie Jones (self-titled) 2007 - Independent release. www.lauriejones.org

Laurie Jones - “Better Days” (2003) Independent release. www.lauriejones.org

Fatback Circus - O’ to be Alive.

Creative, talented, fearless and downright amazing, Fatback Circus never ceases to amaze crowds. Their music ranges from funk and singer/songwriter to bluegrass and heavy metal. This new, promising band doesn’t hold back in bringing a fresh sound to the forefront of today’s music industry.

Instrumentation
Garrett Ross - Drums / Vocals
Dalton Chamblee - Bass
Aaron Campbell - Guitar / Vocals
Nathan Campbell - Vocals / Guitar
Alex Sutherlin - Saxophone
Amber Rivera - Trumpet / Vocals

Fatback Circus is a four-piece original band that succeeds in blending the diverse talents of each of its members to give a fresh interpretation of jazz, funk, and rock. The current members have a long history of performing together, originating in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The four moved to San Antonio, where they began to establish themselves in the live music scene, headlining shows and opening for such bands as The Burden Brothers and Thin Lizzy. Fatback Circus moved to Austin recently and has just completed their new album ‘The Elephant King’ with their new lead singer Nathan Campbell.

Website
http://www.fatbackcircus.com

Discography
The Elephant King (2006)

Beyond The Pale - The Music Plays Me.

Beyond The Pale delivers a wild ride with stunning harmonies and dazzling instrumental flare. Weaving Roots/Folk music of the world together with original songs, they cook up a tasty “eceltica” stew on fiddle, flute, hammered dulcimer, accordion, guitar, bodhran, whistle, concertina and saxophone.

Instrumentation
Gordon McLeod–fiddle, guitar, mandolins, vocals.
Betsy Cummings–Accordion, bodhran, vocals
John Delaney–Wooden flute, hammered dulcimer, whistles, concertina, saxophone
Christy McLeod–Guitar, bodhran, harmonica, percussion

Biography
True to their name, Beyond The Pale delivers a wild musical ride outside the boundaries of convention. Delighting audiences for over twelve years, the band is grounded in the traditional roots music of America, Northern Europe and Ireland with imaginative ventures across musical borders. Where else can you experience fiery reels, haunting ballads, outrageously humorous songs and music from around the world including Mexican polkas and Texas swing?

Expect the unexpected as fiddle, flute, hammered dulcimer, accordion, guitar, saxophone whistles concertina, mandolin and percussion hold you in a melodic spell and whisk you around the dance floor. And, the entire band sings, from well-crafted original songs to “celticized” versions of contemporary songs ranging from 1930s music hall songs to stunning a capella pieces to Grand Ole Opry favorites and classics form the British Pop invasion. Are we having fun yet?–You bet!

Beyond The Pales’ eclectic and diverse mix of traditional celtic and contemporary styles and is the key to their popularity. They have developed their unique sound by blending their own original songs and compositions with an array of traditional dance tunes and folk songs of Ireland, America Scotland and Europe using a wide range of instruments including fiddle, flute, accordion, guitar, hammered dulcimer, tin whistle, saxophone, harmonica, concertina, mandolin, clarinet, bodhran, percussion and of course the voices of band members.

Website
http://www.beyond-the-pale.com

Discography
The Music Plays Me 2006
Further Beyond 2005
Queen of Skye 2004
Strange Turns 2002
Angel on The Seventh Stair 1999
Life Is All Chequered 1997
Mickey’s Warning 1996

First Annual Celtic Folk Scotland Tour - September 2007

Ever wanted to visit Scotland and see the real sights, visit a real, traditional pub session with great artists playing wonderful Celtic and traditional music, visit the hidden sights of a country steeped in over 6000 years of history?

Come join me on our first ever Celtic Folk Scotland Tour in late September 2007. I’ll be serving as your tour guide, driver, pub adviser and personal shopper for the trip. We have put together the Itinerary and have posted a pdf file right here in the Celtic Folk Podcast show notes - just check a few posts back.

The Celtic Folk Scotland Tour will be a limited opportunity for Celtic Folk Podcast listeners on a first-come, first-served basis, so email me quickly if you’re interested.

Here’s a great acoustic music podcast:

It’s A Frog’s Life

Click on the logo to check it out!

The ShowStopper Track:

Don’t forget to vote for your favorite track from this week’s podcast by emailing us, telling us who you want to hear again and we’ll tally the votes and crown the winner the ShowStopper Track. So drop us a line and tell us who you liked the best of the four great tracks this week.

Christiane Cargill - Green Fields of France.

www.christianecargill.com

Please help us support these fine artists by taking a look at their websites, buying their music or at least let them know how much you enjoyed listening to their music on the Celtic Folk Podcast.

Check out our parent website at www.upbeatcafe.com where you’ll find a schedule of great live music, as well as our Online Music Shop were you can buy those old-fashioned CD’s, as well as digital downloads.

STOP PRESS We are currently uploading all the digital tracks and “Sip-A-Clips” to the server. We will be opening this new shop just as soon as we can. You’ll be able to find it here when it goes live. Stay tuned for more updates on our progress.

 

Like to listen to great new, independent music of all genres from all around the world? Subscribe to our other weekly podcast Upbeat Radio. We feature excellent music for all tastes.

A note for Artists:

Would you like to have your music included on a future Celtic Folk Podcast? Just email us or submit a song to us through Sonicbids.

Please, please, please give us some feedback and let us know how we’re doing. All podcasters live for feedback, both good and bad - it let’s us know what you, our listener and subscriber, want to hear. Email us at info@celticfolkpod.com