Aly Bain and Ale Moller, Fully Rigged (Northside, 2001)
fiddlin' around, Who's Calling (Self-released, 2000)
Eel Grinders, Voyage (Sargasso Sounds, 2001)
Ena O'Brien and Pat O'Gorman, The Galway Rambler (patsmusic, 2001)
Skyedance, Live in Spain (Culburnie, 2001)

You have to live for those who lost their lives, for those who lost their nerve, for those who lost their way, they delegated you who by some chance survived to dance, dance, dance the night away. And though you may not see the rising of the sun, and though you may not share the glory of the day, it is enough to know that the day will come...

'You Have To Dance' off Hells Kitchen by the Rob Johnson Roots Band

We're translating (Brigid as her French is far better than mine as French is that of the langage de carrefour variety ) and editing (me) centuries-old documents from the Toad Hall archives of old dance and music festivals held in the French-speaking community in our city into a couple of articles for the local arts magazine. We're down at Sophia's, a favourite of ours as it has excellent coffees, hot chocolates, teas, and tempting sweets, so we brought some rough drafts with us, and we've lost ourselves in these drafts for the ever-so-snowy afternoon. It's certainly interesting to see how the musicians and other participants kept these informal events going year after year! But them music and dance are more than anything about continuity over long, long stretches of time ... and certainly dance music is most pleasurable when it has had proper time to age gracefully! Now Brigid, do please pass me 'nother tattiescone ... And pass me over that pot of St. Helena coffee... Ah, the pleasures of winter! Oh, that reminds me of a few CDs that came in this part fortnight which are also among the pleasures of this season...

First up is an album so good that it begs for playing over and over. Aly Bain and Ale Moller's Fully Rigged blends the very, very best of Nordic and Scottish fiddle music together. Aly Bain (Boys of the Lough) and Ale Moller (Frifot) are two of the most splendid fiddlers one can hope to hear, and true gentlemen to boot. It's been me good luck to hear both of them in concert -- if you get a chance to see either one of them perform, don't pass it up! Fully Rigged makes no pretension of being a 'live' album, but rather a carefully crafted affair that makes the best use of recording technology. It's truly nice to see that an album that's not just another 'Nordic thrash folk' album where the volume of noise disguises the lack of musical talent. (There's a lot of good Nordic music out there, i.e. Frifot and Garmarna come to mind, but some of it's quite awful!) The key here is that Aly Bain and Ale Moller are playing the music of two traditions, Scottish and Nordic, in a way that respects both traditions. All you need to know is Aly Bain, the Shetland Islands' most revered fiddler and charter member of the Boys of the Lough, is jamming with Ale Moller, Sweden's acclaimed fretted-string master and member of Frifot. There's not a bad cut here, but I'll single out 'Da Day Dawn' which is a Winter Solstice tune, and 'Hallingar fran Dalsland (Hallings from Dalsland) / Da Bonnie Isle O'Whalsay / Da Fashion O'Da Delting Lassies,‚ a set of sprightly tunes -- the last of which celebrates Flash Girls, as being particularly well done!

If you like Fully Rigged, you'll be equally pleased with Who's Calling, a CD from fiddlin' around, a group that Knees Up North via Webfeet, the English dance site, describes as 'a new twin fiddle band put together by Junction 24 front man/fiddler Brian Stone with the intention of developing a high energy acoustic string sound that is also uplifting and exciting to dance to. The two fiddlers work together so that an interplay of both rhythmic and melodic variations will produce a dynamic flow of exhilarating fiddling. The band is keen on promoting the interest/popularity in French Canadian and Cape Breton music as well as music from New England and North America.' The lineup for fiddlin' around is Brian Stone (Fiddle), Bob Tracey (Fiddle), Andrew King (Bass), and Malcom Cole (Guitar). Nothing fancy here -- Just plain, straight forward playing!

You get many of the ceilidh standards here, i.e. 'Merrily Kissed the Quaker', 'Fisher's Hornpipe', and 'Fair Jenny', but also some rare treats such as 'The Grumbling Old Man and The Crackling Old Woman' and two 6x32 bar reels -- 'Reel Du Printemps/Reel du Goglu'. Email Brian Stone for ordering information!

Ah, the Eel Grinders. What a lovely band! Me Editor tells me that Dave Faulkner and the rest of Moebius played in Portland, Maine last. Lucky bastard -- He got to see some bloody fine piping! I said of them in reviewing their first -- and superb -- CD that 'The Eel Grinders are very much an English ceilidh band with a French dance feel to them. Bagpipes rather than melodeons providing the dominant sound, and what bagpipes these are. Remember Blowzabella?... Jon Swayne, founding member of Blowzabella, provided nearly all of the Border-style bagpipes used here (piper David Faulkner plays Swayne-crafted G, D, and low C; his mate Lawrence Morgan-Anstee plays Swayne pipes in G.)' That album sounded very, very traditional, whereas the new CD, Voyage, has more of an experimental, pushing the edges feel to it. Oddly enough, I find that I now agree with Webfeet when it says them that they are '[s]carcely an English Ceilidh band - far more of a French dance feel to them, bagpipes rather than Melodeons providing the dominant sound. They do do ceilidhs (or have done them in the past) and they make a nice contrast to the Rock Ceilidh tendency...' And they do call Voyage 'contemporary acoustic music' so it's fair to say that they are tellin' the truth -- The two pipers plus an accordion/melodeon player in the form of Steve Turner and a violin/percussionist (Helena Torpy) make for a pleasant, fully rounded out sound similar to that made by Cock and Bull or Citizen Camberet. If you like interesting dance music, you'll love this! You can email the Eel Grinders here for information on ordering this CD and their earlier one, Aquamarine.

Ah, pass me over that plate of tattiescones... And do see if the lass serving us has anymore of that wonderful Belgian Dark hot chocolate...

Now where was I? Ah, have you had the pleasure yet of hearing Ena O'Brien and Pat O'Gorman's The Galway Rambler? If not, shame on you as you're missing out on one of the finest listening experiences one could possibly have! Apparently this was a one-off gig -- Something Pat has certainly done in the past, as he recorded with Morgaine Le Fay on up she flew, their single release. (I said of up she flew that 'Buy this album, play it loud. But make sure that there are no breakable objects 'round the living room as you'll be dancin' up a storm when you hear it!')

His most recent effort, The Galway Rambler, is an album of Irish Traditional music with accordionist Ena O'Brien. This CD consists entirely of music played in the old East Galway style. It was officially launched at the 2001 Comhaltas Convention in Toronto and has been receiving deservedly superb reviews from everyone who has heard it. Truth to known, Pat couldn't make a bad album if he tried as his work with Na Cabarfeidh, Rare Air, Morgaine Le Fay, or Taxi Chain is all outstanding! The Galway Rambler is the most traditional of his projects thus far as the others -- exceptin' Na Cabarfeidh which I have not heard yet -- have elements of non-traditional material. up she flew has material written by October Brown in a singer-songwriter vein, and the Rare Air releases are more akin to jazz in the manner of Rahsaan Roland Kirk. This is simply wonderful traditional Irish music done with charm, restraint, and clarity. Just go to Patsmusic CD's, O'Gorman's website for MP3s from the album and to purchase it -- You won't be disappointed!

Nor will you be disappoint the latest from Skyedance, the Celtic supergroup that Alasdair Fraser created, Live in Spain. In reviewing an earlier album of theirs, Labyrinth, Jo Morrison noted 'Alasdair Fraser brings crisp, accented fiddle lines, with an unmistakable Scottish accent to the group. Eric Rigler's prowess on various pipes and low whistle add a foreign flair. Chris Norman, a phenomenal flautist, adds a touch of classical civility, while Paul Machlis brings a new age keyboard touch. Mick Linden's often slightly unusual bass lines give the music just that touch of unbalance needed to keep things fresh and interesting. Peter Maund adds accent and flair with his highly effective percussion lines. Together, their varied backgrounds and musical interests blend into an exotic fusion of sounds.' Now I'll be brutally honest -- That album didn't do shite for me as I thought it was terribly overproduced.

Ah, but this is a live album, always a favourite format of mine, done with lots of interesting guests -- including the duo Oreka TX, on the txalaparta, a traditional Basque wooden percussion instrument, Hevia on midi and bagpipes, Kepa Junkere on triktixa, Austrian bagpiper Jose Manuel Tejedor; and Basque accordionist Joxan Goikoetxea. Live in Spain includes material from concerts in Madrid, Pamplona and Orense in October of 2000. And it really rocks! This is simply one of the best live albums ever recorded, period. If Aly Bain and Ale Moller's Fully Rigged demonstrates how a studio effort can feel 'live', then Live in Spain shows that a concert-based effort can indeed be clean and free of clutter. Live in Spain has great piping, superb fiddling, tasteful percussion, and near perfect vocals -- All in all a great Celtic CD! What more do you want?

That's all for now. We've finished this round of editing, so now it's time to amble down the offices of the local arts magazine that's publishing these articles and turn them in. Hope their arts editor likes them!

[Jack B. Merry (who really needs a walk with his wife to work off
some of the calories from this feast of chocolate, sugar, and caffeine!)]