Scotland.
All at FolkWorld magazine were shocked and sad hearing of the death the great
singer and wonderful person Derek Moffat. Ian McCalman reminds of his musical
partner and friend in this obituary, originally published in The Scotsman.Issue 20 12/2001
FolkWorld's Readers Top
10 of the year 2001 - Cast your vote and win one of 7 CD packages!
FolkWorld is asking all its readers and visitors to give their
own vote on what have been your favourite three CDs of the year 2001. It does
not take much time, and you even will have the chance to win CDs: We give away
two packages of 3 CDs that you can choose from a selection of 5; as well as
five packages of 2 CDs, featuring the latest Profolk Sampler 2002 (reviewed
in this issue) plus one earlier Profolk Sampler - plenty of interesting
German folk and world music acts.
Please cast your vote, and help us to compile the official European FolkWorld CD Top Ten - Readers' Choice. Cast your vote until the 10 Janaury 2002. The FolkWorld Readers' Top 10 will be published just a few days later, along with the FolkWorld Editors' Top 10. We will inform all of our subscribed Readers of the publication date.
Vote completed!
Derek Moffat
of the McCalmans died
Scotland.
All at FolkWorld magazine were shocked and sad hearing of the death the great
singer and wonderful person Derek Moffat. Ian McCalman reminds of his musical
partner and friend in this obituary, originally published in The Scotsman.
Derek Moffat, singer and founding member of the McCalmans
Born: 29 June, 1947, in Dundee
Died: 21 October, 2001, in Edinburgh, aged 54
An obituary by Ian McCalman
Derek Moffat had one of the most natural singing voices in the British folk scene and his powerful delivery of Scottish traditional songs was the trademark of The McCalmans, with whom he performed for exactly 37 years. He was known as the quiet member of the group, but at party and pub sessions his deafening interpretations of songs from "South Pacific" and "Oklahoma" surfaced many times where song text accuracy was an absent friend.
Although born in Dundee, he spent almost all his early years in Dysart. He attended Kirkcaldy High School and when he was still a lad he performed at the wonderful Elbow Rooms folk club. It was there, some years later, that we met his sister, Sandra, and their wonderful parents, Cubby and Jimmy.
I met Derek on 6 October, 1964, at the Edinburgh School of Architecture. He was seated to my left and Hamish Bayne was on my right. We started talking about music on that first day and decided to meet for a "musical evening" at my parents' house. Such is fate! Two weeks later we had our first gig, and it was obvious to Hamish and myself that we were on to a good thing with Derek's voice. Hamish was no mean instrumentalist and I could handle a song or two, but the quality was certainly from Derek.
He was also a good painter and the one most likely to succeed in architecture, but his studies got in the way of the music and of course there was no choice - so architecture was bid a fond farewell.
"The Macs" toured the world and Derek enjoyed every second of it. Folk music was his lifeblood and though no traditional session was safe from his Beatles and Buddy Holly interpretations, he had other reasons for liking the job. He was a prolific reader and very knowledgeable about natural history, so whether we were touring in Central American jungles, Australian outback or Arctic wastes, he was in his element. "The biggest frog in the world has yet to be discovered" was one of his pronouncements, which quietened an officers' mess in a Belize rainforest. We were very proud of him.
Derek
had his favourite songs over the years, among them "Smuggler", "Seagull Cry",
"I Have Seen the Highlands", "The Bells of the Town", "Yellow on the Broom",
"Up Wi the Carls O' Dysart" and my personal favourite, "Kirsteen". I could add
any song from the Mills Brothers' repertoire that we murdered and now, of course,
I have a particular affection for the only song that Derek wrote, "The Back
of the Aisler", which was a lovely piece about his childhood in Dysart, composed
two years ago.
Derek liked to "party"! Some of his post-gig antics were legendary and I received a lovely e-mail from Mike Harding when he heard the sad news with some of his memories of Derek on tour - but I'm afraid I can't find any that would suit a Scotsman obituary. Having said that, I should stress that he was the consummate professional when it came to performances and touring. So many people read Derek wrong because of his extrovert side, but it is impossible for anyone to survive as a lead singer in a hard-working band for 37 years without a totally professional outlook, with which Derek was undoubtedly blessed. Derek was also blessed with his first marriage earlier this year when, unaware of his illness, he married Karen Bek-Pedersen, his partner of some six years. I had never seen him so happy.
I've had 37 years looking across at Derek singing his heart out and I've enjoyed it more than I can say. He phoned me an hour after he was given the dreadful news of his cancer and told me three things that I will never forget. The first was the news of his illness. The second was his insistence that we would have to start looking for someone else to join the group. The third thing he said was (and I'll miss out the adjective): "Well, I've had a great life."
Derek was "his own man" and had no self-pity when faced with his illness. He didn't "act brave", he was brave, maintaining a wonderful dignity during his last days. We will all miss him greatly.
© Text & photos Ian McCalman (fist published in The Scotsman, 24th October 2001)
FROG - better service with
extensive folk session and festival listing,
FolkWorld's FROG - the Folk & Roots Online Guide has extended its services by
adding what is probably the best international folk session listing in the
internet as well as an extensive Europeanfolk festival calendar (beware
though that some of the dates are from recent years!). These listings are put
together by FolkWorld's contributor Tom Keller, who manages from now on also
all external links in FROG.
With this change, FROG's design and navigation have also been changed. A huge
number of new links have been added to FROG. It might have happened that some
of the link requests got lost due to the changes in management; if so, just
send them again in.
FROG also features an alphabetical-geographical index to all features and CD
reviews that ever appeared in FolkWorld - these listings have remained up to
now unchanged..
We hope that FROG will now be able to provide even better services, and stay
more up to date than it used to be. Please help to make this ressource even
more complete! Also, please note that there is the possibility to place an advertising
banner in FROG.
Visit FROG at www.folkworld.de/frog/,
and contact Tom Keller and FROG at frog@folkworld.de
3rd Tilburg International Folk Festival 2002 - Main Sponsor of FolkWorld
The Netherlands. With its third edition, the Tilburg International Folk Festival
2002 will live up to its reputation as one of Europe's newest, yet also one
of Europe's greatest folk festivals. The new edition takes place between 23rd
and 27th January 2002 in Tilburg in the Netherlands. This year's theme country
is France, and theme instrument is the accordeon. The programme is as always
magnificent, featuring some of the best talent around in Europe.
This year's prgramme (all concerts in the popcentrum 013; tickets cost 18,18 EURO each):
Wednesday 23.1. (20.30): Jo Lemaire - Edith Piaf programma (Belgium); Les Primitifs du futur (France) featuring Robert Crumb & Fay Lovsky
Thursday 24.1. (20.30): Dropkick Murphys (USA) with support of Tiger Army (USA), Lars Frederiksen & The Bastards (USA)
Thursday 24.1. (20.30): Extra Concert in Theater De Vorst feat. Pierre Bastiën (Fr), 't Molenkot' Festivalproject (Be / NL) (Tickets 9,09 EURO)Friday 25.1. (19.30): French Evening with Catherine Delasalle & Une Anche Passe (B/F), Bratsch (F), Jan-Màri Carlotti (F), Renaud Garcia Fons & Jean Louis Matinier (F)
Saturday 26.1. (18.00): Celtic Connections with Ialma (Belgium/Galicia), Susane Seivane (Galicia), Kila (Ireland), Flook (England/Ireland). Afterwards Celtic Afterswing with DJ Wizzard and DJ Simon Emmerson.
Sunday 27.1. (14.00): New Folk Adventure with Lais (Belgium), Real-Ones (Norway), Régis Gizavo, The Mighty Jackals (Nl), Ogham & Friends (Ned), Troissoeur & Trio Viool & Guests (Belgium), Besh O Drom (Hungary), Debout sur le Zinc (France) and others.
Definitely worth a visit! For further information, check out their website at www.folkfestival.nl. Contact address for the festival is: International Folk Festival, Telefoonstraat 16, 5038 DM Tilburg, The Netherlands. Tel: (0031) 013 - 580 14 24 / 580 14 11; Fax: 013 - 580 14 25; e-mail: info@folkfestival.nl
And as the Tilburg International Folk Festival has by now quite a reputation,
book early to avoid disappointment!!!
Photos: All by The Mollis. Susane Seivane, Flook!, Lais.
Battlefield Band - who
becomes the new singer?
Scotland. The Battlefield Band, Scotland's biggest folk music export, will face
another line-up change to start the new year. Karine Polwart leaves the Battlefield
Band in December 2001 after an "exciting and enjoyable" 18 month involvement
so that she can concentrate on her own band Malinky as well as other projects.
Karine joined the Batties after Davy Steele had to stop touring with them due
to illness; Davy died this April. Only this summer the Battlefield Band had
another line-up change, when long-time member John McCusker was replaced by
fiddler Alasdair White. FolkWorld has yet no information who the new singer
of the Battlefield Band will be. Maybe worth to check out the Battlefield
Band homepage from time to time.
Leo joins Malinky
Scotland/Ireland. The fabulous young Irish accordionist Leo McCann has joined
the acclaimed Scottish song band Malinky, one of the most exciting new bands
that has come out of Scotland for ages. Malinky also welcome their new fiddler,
Jon Bews, a former member of Burach, to add to their original members Steve
Byrne vocals/bouzouki/guitar, Mark Dunlop bodhran/whistles/flute and Karine
Polwart vocals/guitar. As Malinky say "The new five-piece Malinky maintain an
acoustic approach to traditional and original songs and tunes but their subtlety,
power and live presence are greatly enhanced."
The band debut their new material as one of the featured artists on the annual
Scottish Folk Festival Tour of Germany in January/February. Other artists involved
on the tour are Burach, Ceolas and Jim Malcolm. The new five piece Malinky record
their second album for Greentrax in spring, due for release on 1st July 2002.
Photo: Malinky's Karine Polwart, photo by The Mollis
Centre for Political Song
Scotland. Does folk music still has something to say? I wonder sometimes. Anyway,
when Janey Buchan, former MEP and wife of the late folk revivalist Norman Buchan,
donated hundreds of political song items, ranging from old 45s, tapes and CDs,
to lyric sheets and song collections, to the Glasgow Caledonian University Library,
she laid the core for the Centre for Political
Song. The Centre is committed to collect and preserve all items of political
song. Its website will allow access to a fully searchable database of materials
held. "It is early days for the Centre, and we still do not know how to
define the political song! What we are sure of is that the Centre, in its collecting
and research activities, will range across the political spectrum from far right
to far left; material (real and virtual) will be gathered as appropriate from
bothy ballad to punk rock; from political party rally to street demonstration;
from the pantomime, the folk club, and the opera."
Walkin' T:-)M
HARLEKIN RECORDS - Your source for FOLK MUSIC (North America, Ireland, Great
Britain), COUNTRY, BLUEGRASS and related music. Always more than 10.000 different
compact discs, LP-records and video tapes in stock!
Harlekin Records and
its full catalogue can be visited in the Internet!
Contact address: E-mail: Harlekin-Records@t-online.de;
Jürgen Feuß, Postfach 110142-FW, 28081 Bremen / GERMANY. Phone: +49
421 7 49 10, FAX: +49 421 70 0051
Award for Máire Ni Chathasaigh
Ireland/England. It was announced in Dublin on October 2 that Máire Ni Chathasaigh
is the recipient of the TG4 National Traditional Music Award for Musician of
the Year 2001 (the highest possible honour for a traditional Irish musician).
The citation says: "For the excellence and pioneering force of her music, the
remarkable growth she has brought to the music of the harp & for the positive
influence she has had on the young generation of harpers". The previous three
recipients of this award were Matt Malloy, Tommy Peoples and Mary Bergin, so
she's in good company. Congratulations to her!
Máire's latest album with guitarist Chris Newman was published this April, and
is reviewed in this issue.
Photo: Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman, photo by The Mollis
The Lights Went Out in Smithfield
Ireland. A year ago I visited the Balnain House, Home
of Highland Music, in Inverness. Some months later it closed its doors.
Then I told a friend of mine, he should make it to the Ceol Irish Traditional Music Centre in
Dublin. He did. Now it's closed as well and the outfit is to be sold off. What's
wrong with me? Or what's the reason that traditional music obviously doesn't
work in the context of a museum or exhibition, even in the audio-visual way.
Walkin' T:-)M is puzzled.
Russian Spring
Russia. A new folk festival is taking place next April, to welcome the spring
in the city of St. Petersburg. The festival features plenty of bands from Russia
and CIS countries, along to international artists from Europe and beyond. The
festival includes concerts of reputed bands, dance performance and other cultural
events. Taking place April 25-28 of 2002, this is without doubt an exciting
chance to explore Eastern European music, as well as a beautiful city.
Russian Spring Festival is still interested in the participation of folk bands,
offering to pay the expenses for accomodation, food etc. Also, festival organiser
Alexander Ivanov is generally intereested to get in touch with folk groups wishing
to establish exchanges with Russian groups. A definitely interesting venture,
and a wonderful opportuniy to strengthen the cultural links between Russia and
the rest of Europe. Contact Alexander at folk@sp.ru
Infos about the festival at http://www.fma.sp.ru/system/html/russian-spring.html
FolkWorld's 4th birthday
FolkWorld. On the 1st November 2001, FolkWorld became 4. To celebrate, the geographical
and organisational core of the FolkWorld team met up to discuss improvements
on FolkWorld. One of the results of this meeting is the new design of the first
page of this issue. More improvements to follow.
Irish Music Magazine Awards
2001 @ The Olympia Theatre Dublin, 13/12/2001
Ireland.
From Seán Laffey, editor of Irish
Music Magazine, contributor of FolkWorld. Judging by last years' standard
we are in for a superb night of music and craic as we roll up our sleeves and
prepare for another IMMA night on the town. These are our reader's awards, each
artist, each recipient has been voted for by a reader of Irish Music Magazine,
and that's some of the best informed opinions in the world, and unlike the regular
critics, it's the people who buy the CDs, purchase concert tickets and queue
at the Festival Turnstiles who are the final arbiters of who makes it up the
steps to meet Máiread on the big night.
Many people ask how the awards work; the answer is pretty simple; we draw up
a short list of the significant suspects around the end of July. We take advice
on the short list from our worldwide freelance correspondents and a number of
selected Folk and Trad media personnel. The criteria we ask them to work to
are straightforward; consider artists and institutions that are making a positive
contribution to Irish music both at home and abroad. Once we have the short
list we let it loose on the general public. Every reader of the magazine is
entitled to vote and we also work in conjunction with HMV music stores across
Ireland who make available voting papers in all their outlets.
This
year we collected over a thousand entries from the festival goers at Milwaukee's
Irish Fest to add an American dimension to our sorting office.
Many of the winners will perform for our audience on the night of the awards,
expect some great music form Davy Spillane & Kevin Glackin, Mary Black, Paul
Brady, Sean Keane, Máire Brennan, Altan, Jimmy McCarthy, Slide and Dervish.
Finally, to try and answer that famous Paul Brady question, just what is Irish Music? Well it ain't rock and roll and it ain't all necessarily diddly-eye either, but it is grounded in years of traditional music on the one hand and on the other it reflects a certain Irish sensibility about the here and now. If you are lucky enough to be with us on the 13th of December, you'll witness the whole spectrum, you lucky people! Welcome to the Olympia, let's party! Seán Laffey.
Photos: Award winners Paul Brady (photo by Sean Laffey) and Dervish
Celtic Myst in Holland
The Netherlands. Plenty of celtic female voices will be found at the Celtic
Myst (Myst for mist? Or for Mystic?) Festival. Featuring Maire Breathnach, Francis
Black, Mary Coughlan, Geraldine MacGowan and Anúna. On the Valentine 2002 (that's
the 14th of February...), in the Vredenburg in Utrecht. Info: pouchapromotions@home.nl
Bodhran-Workshops in Germany
and Austria
Germany/Austria.
Bodhràns seem to be becoming more popular on the continent, proved by two workshops
in early spring.
From the 8th to 10th February 2002, the first ever Bodhrán Weekend in Germany
takes place at the Proitzer Mühle in Wendland (between Hanover, Berlin and Hamburg).
On offer will be courses for beginners, advanced beginners and advanced players.
The teachers will be two German bodhrán players with a very good reputation:
Guido Plüschke, playing bodhrán in the German Irish band Garifin, is the course
leader. Rolf Wagels is one of the continents best bodhrán players. Along to
the workshops, there will be a lecture on the history of the bodhrán and a concert
of Germany's best Irish band, Dereelium. Information via http://www.proitzer-muehle.de,
or contact Rolf Wagels at rolf@wagels.net
Another bodhrán workshop will be held in Austria on the 1st and 2nd of March
in Austria. Mel Mercier will be holding it during the Vienna International Percussion
Festival. Info: Percussion Club Austria Tempelgasse 4/2, A-1020 Wien; Tel:+43/1/214
52 85 e-mail: ticket@percussion-festival.at
homepage: www.percussion-festival.at
Photo: rolf Wagels in Dereelium; Photo by The Mollis
The end of the "foreigners
tax"
Germany. The so-called "foreigners tax", often reported about in FolkWorld,
and introduced several years ago in Germany, and charging for foreign artists
much higher taxes than for Germany-based ones, will be finally changed. From
2003 onwards, there will be a tax allowance of 250 EURO per concert. All incomes
between 251 and 500 EURO will be taxed at 10 %, between 501 and 1000 EURO at
15 %. All higher incomes will be taxed at 20 %.
Up to now, the tax rate for foreign artists lies at 25 %, no matter how little
the income might be. The reform will make it especially for low earning artists
such as folk musicians more interesting to return to tour in Germany. A long
overdue change...
Plenty of Irish Music in
Germany in March
Germany. Directly three festivals with three bands each are touring Germany
in March. While Irish Spring offers quieter high quality Irish Music, the double
tour of the St Patrick's Day Celebration has the focus on aparty with music.
Irish Spring is a new annual festival tour. After a highly successful first
version in April 2001, the second edition is coming up next March and offers
once again some of the best the more traditional Irish scene has to offer. Irish
Spring 2002 presents The Bumblebees, Téada, Grainne Hambly, Mirella Murray &
Tola Custy. It is on tour between 6th and 26th March 2002, organised by Music
Contact in co-operation with the reputed Irish Music expert Axel Schuldes. Further
Information at http://www.musiccontact.com
zellner@musiccontact.com
Meanwhile, the 13th St.Patrick´s Day Celebration Festival, run by Petr Pandula's
Magentic Music, has the subtitle "Irish paradise lost and found", and offers
again two parallel tours Tour 1 features Broderick, Alistair Russell & Chris
Parkinson and Celtic Rock of The Paperboys, while tour 2 features the German
Irish Fun Folk band Mahones, then Inish and Celtic Rock by A.L.B. Both tours
on tour between 8th and 23rd of March 2002. Information from http://www.magnetic-music.com
Imagine an Ireland?
Ireland. FolkWorld contributor and Irish Music editor Sean Laffey informs about
his new non-commercial venture. This is what he says: "Have you got a PC
(of course you have aren't you reading this on the web), do you have a grá for
Ireland? Then why not order a set of Sean Laffey's original photographs? Seán
has over 100 quality images of Ireland and Irish musicians available on a CD-R.
These are on limited licence, you can't use them for publication or re-sale
but you can use them on your PC for your own non-commercial products. The CD-R's
cost 10 EURO each including postage, as Irish banks will not accept cheques
in Euros from European banks (don't ask!!!), please send an International Money
Order (available from most Post Offices) or a crisp Euro Tenner to: Sean Laffey,
Castlelake Consultancy, Cashel Co., Tipperary, Ireland. Questions to slaffey@iol.ie
Snapshot - Results
Last issue's Snapshot showed this picture, with the question to which musician
or band this amazing percussion set belongs to. There were not too many answer;
and the most common answer was Swedish band Väsen. Well this is not the
right answer (although André Ferrari of Väsen has also an impressive
range of percussion instruments).
The right answer is another Swedish band, which is Groupa, and its Norwegian
percussionist Terje Isungset. All three correct answers came from Germany; one
of them has received the pack of three CDs...
This issue there is no Snapshot competition, as FolkWorld focusses on its Readers Top 10 2001. PLEASE GIVEYOUR OPINION ON THE THREE BEST CDs OF 2001! You can win CDs.
In the German news you can find as additional news:
To the (older) FolkWorld
News of Nr. 19
To the (newer) FolkWorld
News of Nr. 21
To the content of FolkWorld online magazine Nr. 20
© The Mollis - Editors of FolkWorld; Published 12/2001All material published in FolkWorld is © The Author via FolkWorld. Storage for private use is allowed and welcome. Reviews and extracts of up to 200 words may be freely quoted and reproduced, if source and author are acknowledged. For any other reproduction please ask the Editors for permission.
