Posts Tagged ‘the chieftains’
Top of the World Review: The Chieftains – Voice of Ages
Posted on April 29th, 2012 in Recent Posts, Reviews by Songlines.
Words by Nigel Williamson
Today’s indie-folk queue up to jam with Paddy and co
Nobody can say no to Paddy Moloney. From Mick Jagger to Ry Cooder, the list of unlikely collaborators corralled by the veteran leader of the Chieftains is almost endless. The Chieftains’ follow-up to 2010’s Irish-Mexican fusion with Ry Cooder finds them introducing another 14 diverse collaborators to the joys of a proper, old-fashioned pipes, whistle, fiddle, flute and bodhrán session. The strong links between Irish folk and the styles of rural Americana is mined profitably on ‘Pretty Little Girl’, featuring the Carolina Chocolate Drops, and on tracks with the Pistol Annies, the Civil Wars and Punch Brothers.
Past collaborations with the likes of Marianne Faithfull and Natalie Merchant have shown how well the Chieftains brand of Irish folk works with a female lead and Imelda May, the Secret Sisters and Lisa Hannigan keep up the tradition here. The latter in particular contributes to one of the most stunning tracks the Chieftains have ever recorded on ‘My Lagan Love’, which also features some haunting playing from Moloney on tin whistle and flautist Matt Molloy. The indie rock collaborators play their part, too, with Bon Iver singing affectingly on ‘Down in the Willow Garden’ and the Decemberists delivering a spirited version of Dylan’s ‘When the Ship Comes In’. There’s even a collaboration with NASA astronaut Cady Coleman recorded in space. I’m not sure the Chieftains were up there in orbit with her; but with Paddy Moloney, you never know.
Listen to a choice track from Voice of Ages on the Top of the World CD included with the current issue (#84 June 2012).
Subscribe now and receive this album for free (new subscribers only). To order, please click here.
Acclaimed actor Simon Russell Beale playlist and the 10 best new releases in the June issue of Songlines (#84)
Posted on April 26th, 2012 in News, Recent Posts by Songlines.
The June 2012 issue of Songlines – on sale April 27 – features a free covermount CD packed full of the best new sounds from around the world, plus 5 tracks selected by acclaimed actor Simon Russell Beale.
The issue also features the second free CD Back2Black Festival Sampler.
The Top of the World CD includes tracks from Irish folk legends The Chieftains; Cuban jazz pianist Roberto Fonseca; Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars; Solomon Islands pan-pipers Narasirato; Cajun supergroup The Band Courtbouillon; and the Angolan street sound of Batida, among others.
Pick up your copy here on the website, at selected WHSmith’s and at all good record retailers. Feast your ears on these all-new tracks:
* Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars ‘Gbara Case’ on Cumbancha
* Roberto Fonseca ‘Quien Soy Yo’ on Jazz Village
* The Chieftains ‘The Frost is All Over’ on Concord
* Diabel Cissokho ‘Karambaya’ on World Village
* Soumik Datta & Bernhard Schimpelsberger ‘Orion’ on Baithak Records
* Cathy Jordan ‘The Bold Fenian Men’ on Blix Street Records
* The Band Courtbouillon feat. Wayne Toups, Steve Riley & Wilson Savoy ‘The Bosco Blues’ on Valcour Records
* Batida ‘Alegria’ on Soundway Records
* Dulsori ‘The Beat’ on ARC Music
* Narasirato ‘Mane Paina’ on Smash
Plus Simon Russell Beale’s playlist:
* Mzetamze ‘Suliko’ on Wergo
* Kapela Eugeniusz Wilczek Band ‘Nuty Sabalowe, Pre Zielone Jare Zytko, Sabalowe’ on Polskie Radio
* Anatoli Kuular ‘Borbangnadyr with Stream Water’ on Smithsonian Folkways
* Tenores di Bitti ‘Anghelos Cantade’ on Real World
* Philip Koutev National Folk Ensemble ‘Kaji, Kaji, Angjo’ on JVC/Victor Entertainment
Issue #84 (June 2012) is on sale in the UK from April 27
Posted on April 25th, 2012 in News, Recent Posts by Songlines.
The new June 2012 issue of Songlines is on sale in the UK from April 27 and includes our regular Top of the World CD with ten tracks from the finest new releases from around the planet, plus a second free CD Back2Black Festival Sampler.
The Top of the World CD also includes five tracks selected by acclaimed actor Simon Russell Beale.
The Top of the World CD includes tracks from Irish folk legends The Chieftains; Cuban jazz pianist Roberto Fonseca; Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars; Solomon Islands pan-pipers Narasirato; Cajun supergroup The Band Courtbouillon; and the Angolan street sound of Batida, among others.
The main editorial features include:
• Songlines Music Awards 2012 – We are delighted to announce the winners of the fourth annual awards, celebrating the best global musicians.
• R.U.T.A. – The Polish punk band whose sound is firmly rooted in revolutionary music.
• Spiro – Finely-constructed modernist folk from the Bristolian band.
• El Sistema – We journey to Venezuela to explore the success of the pioneering music programme that is transforming lives.
• The World’s Best Festivals 2012 – The Songlines round-up of the top places to be in the UK and worldwide.
• Sounding Out Paris – all the best places to see and hear music in the French capital.
• Beginner’s Guide to Amadou & Mariam.
• Postcard from Korea.
• Backpage from Myanmar.
• My World – acclaimed actor Simon Russell Beale.
• Grooves – producer extraordinaire Simon Emmerson, bluegrass star Sarah Jarosz and Top of the World Malian kora player Diabel Cissokho.
• News, including this summer’s BT River of Music, news of this summer’s Songlines Encounters Festival and Cerys Matthews’ latest musical finds.
• Reviews of the latest CD, DVD and World Cinema releases.
The Chieftains to play North Atlantic Fiddle Convention 2012
Posted on February 28th, 2012 in Recent Posts by Songlines Intern.
The North Atlantic Fiddle Convention (NAFCo) is to take place from June 27 – July 1 in County Donegal and the City of Derry, home of the City of Culture 2013. Established in 2001, NAFCo has travelled the world from Scotland to Canada and this year will be staged in Ireland’s charming north-west for the first time.
Over 200 acts to be announced
Founded with the purpose of opening up the world of traditional song and dance to new audiences, NAFCo has continued to spread its musical influence wherever the convention has travelled. Not only featuring performances from some of the world’s leading traditional bands, including the Grammy-award winning Chieftains, NAFCo stages workshops, masterclasses and conferences which appeal to all ages. Definitely not an event to miss this summer.
Other acts confirmed are folk-supergroup String Sisters, Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas, Four Men and a Dog, with a further 200 to be announced over the coming months.
For more information please visit the official NAFCo website
