Stundom "må jeg holde din hånd"
Go Danish Folk Music, 2021
A stunningly beautiful album by Stundom – the Danish folk act formerly (and as per their last CD) known as Elmøe & Hoffmann but renamed in 2020 on the eve of Celtic Connections. A renaming was due, given that the duo of fiddler Emma Elmøe and cittern player Villads Hoffmann had been for several years as a matter of fact a trio, with permanent “duo” member, Danish folk pianist Julian Svejgaard. The soundscape of violin, piano and cittern is enchanting; inspired by traditional Nordic music, the three musicians compose their very own take on new Danish chamber folk music. This is music that draws me in, it is wonderfully crafted with lots of detail, with all three instruments having the opportunity to shine. One of the great albums of 2021.
Old Blind Dogs "Knucklehead Circus"
The Old Blind Dogs have been around for many a year - back in the 90s they turned swiftly into one of the most trendy and cool Scottish folk band, with their trademark Scottish North Eastern songs (sung by Ian F Benzie), the earthy percussion, along with lively and inventive fiddle and bouzouki playing. The second big heyday of the band was in the 0’s with singer Jim Malcolm and piper Rory Campbell joining the gang, bringing in new ideas but keeping to the unique OBD sound. The last album that I heard,
“Four on the floor” from 2007,[36]
didn’t have quite the classic OBD sound. I missed an album or two since then so what do I make of OBD in 2021? Pancho Alvarez "Cordas Historicas"
Pancho Alvarez is perhaps best known internationally as long time member of the Carlos Nunez Band. However, he is an extraordinary musician in his own right, who loves to explore the Northern Spanish folk traditions, and his solo albums have always been a treat. His new album „Historical strings“ is a concept album showcasing, as the title suggests, a wide range of historic string instruments from Spanish traditions. The album depicts some 20 different instruments that can be heard on the album - from lyres, lutes, organistrum (an early form of hurdy gurdy), harp and psaltery to more familiar instruments like violin, mandolin or (clearly of more recent history) the electric guitar. Each track showcases one or two of those instruments. Dramatic, dark, unsettling – yet also intriguing, beautiful and spellbinding: “Maim” is a tour de force and a completely new take on Gaelic music and poetry traditions. Whyte, the duo of Alastair C. Whyte and Ross Whyte, fuse Gaelic song and Gaelic poetry with electronica, to unique effect. Their new album, Maim, was born in partnership with Theatre Gu Leor, and is an extension to a theatre production of the same name. The first track sets the standard - minimalist piano carrying the lamenting singing of Ross Whyte in “oml”. This is followed by a piano melody which is very repetitive and catchy - somehow unsettling yet mesmerising. Several tracks feature spoken Gaelic word - with a haunting beauty that won’t escape also non- Gaelic speakers. Whatever Whyte take on in “Maim” becomes a work of art - experimental yet true to traditions. Superb.
Randi Tytingvåg Trio "Trøsteviser for redde netter"
An immediately convincing blend of ballads, jazz and folk is showcased on the album by Norwegian Singer Randi Tytingvåg with her trio - and it’s apparently the first album of the trio in
Norwegian.[76] Kongero "Live in Longueuil"
This all-female all-vocal quartet from Sweden celebrates their song traditions, with playful and impressive vocal arrangements. Herding songs, lilting versions of dance tunes, love songs, sailors songs, even new Swedish lyrics to a song by Canadian cult folk band “De Temps Antan” - all expertly arranged with plenty of interesting nuances. Recorded live in Quebec, the album celebrates the 15th anniversary of this extraordinary vocal ensemble. The album may only be a bit more than half an hour long, but every minute is a joy.
Jørgensen & Sørensen "Rå og Usødet"
Jensen & Bugge “Greatest Hits”
Jydsk på Naesen “Kort og godt”
Three new releases of Danish fiddle music for traditional folk dance have arrived from the wonderful Go label - Denmark‘s foremost folk music label. All of the three artists are stalwarts on the Danish music scene. Karine Polwart and Dave Milligan "still as your sleeping”
One voice and one piano - perhaps the best Scottish folk singer and perhaps the best Scottish folk pianist of our time: this is a dream team that was just waiting to happen. The album is a product of lockdown - with Karine and Dave being neighbours and friends, it seems an obvious result of these difficult years. Hartwin Dhoore Trio "Valge Valgus"
One of Belgium’s leading diatonic accordionists and folk composers (of Trio Dhoore – not to be mixed up with this trio), Hartwin Dhoore moved some five years ago to Estonia to join his now wife, Estonian folk singer Leana Vapper-Dhoore (and together they recorded a stunning album, “Leana & Hartwin”). The Estonian landscape and its people has widened Hartwin’s musical horizons and inspirations, and his trio’s album is a reflection of this. All-instrumental, with exclusively Hartwin’s own compositions, the music’s beauty lets time stand still, and takes your mind to wonderful places - perhaps to rural Estonia or anywhere else you might be longing to be. Hartwin is joined in his trio by two talented young Estonian musicians - violinist Sofia-Liis Kose (who adds some atmospheric vocals to a couple of tunes) and guitarist Carlos Liiv. A perfection of Estonian-Belgian musical collaboration.
Antoni O'Breskey "Samara"
After listening to this superb yet unusual album of innovative Irish music, I had to Google to find out more about this clearly extraordinary musician - I had never come across him before. And isn’t he a unique fellow: An Italian with Argentinian roots, he is described on his website as “Composer, pianist, singer, trumpet player, writer and music educator” – and with his jazz background he introduced improvised-style piano into Irish and Flamenco music. Wow. Naragonia “Naragonia invites: the guesthouse sessions”
This is another of the positive outcomes of the Covid lockdown. While no concerts were allowed, Belgian multi instrumental duo Naragonia decided to organise a series of live streams with different guest musicians. This album brings together some of the highlights from these virtual music sessions. Rå "Massiv"
Being released on the Danish folk music label Go, Rå presents actually Swedish folk music - played by two Swedish and one Danish musician. It’s an unconventional trio - whilst we are well aware of the great fit of saxophones to Swedish folk music (just remember Hoven Droven for a start), a trio combining saxophones (Cecelia Moore), clarinets (Anna Frykstam) and violins (Christine Tilby) is out of the ordinary. And these three are pushing boundaries (and Scandinavian folk boundaries have been pushed previously to the limits) to create a new blend of music. Nearly all of the tunes are traditional, but the three young ladies blend, with ease, these traditional sounds with saxophone groove, free form jazz, yes even (acoustic) hard rock. The listener never quite knows where the Polskas, waltzes or schottisches may take them. These are three musicians who clearly care about the musical heritage but are confident in allowing to let improvisation take these tunes into different places, not worrying about any expectations, boundaries or rules.
Craig Espie et al "Mr Goose"
This is one of the rare occasions when FolkWorld is featuring an album review both here and in its Folk 4 Kidz
section – as this is simply too good to miss for all grown-ups without little ones. Megan Henderson "Pilgrim Souls"
A stunning „solo“ debut album of fiddler Megan Henderson. Despite it being the debut solo, the musician is already very much a household name in Scottish folk music circles: For the last 10 years she has been with one of Scotland‘s finest folk bands, Breabach, and she is also a popular session musician and regularly appears with a range of great folk musicians/bands in recordings and on stage. Dan Walsh "live at the floodgate"
Dan Walsh has built up his reputation as the UK’s greatest claw hammer style banjo player, and combined with his great selection of songs and his natural stage charm, this is a banjo player who will convince even those who would usually make banjo jokes (apologies for that cliché which no doubt Dan is sick and tired of hearing!). Niamh Parsons & Graham Dunne Another live album – but this one was recorded many many years before the current dearth of performances during lockdown: it takes the listener right back to the height of Niamh Parson’s career: it’s a high quality recording of a concert of a Sunday afternoon gig in the Netherlands 20 years ago, in 2001. Mànran is one of Scotland's supergroups, with their unique trad-rock take on Scottish and Gaelic folk music. Ùrar is the band’s fourth studio album, and brilliant it is. Female singer Kim Carney, recently been awarded “Gaelic singer of the year” in the Hands up for Trad Award 2021, shines throughout the album, with her charming crystal clear vocals leading the majority of songs. The majority of songs are in Gaelic – and rightly so, as this is where the band’s strength lies – although there are also a couple of English-language ballads which have perhaps a more contemporary folk-pop feel. Heal & Harrow "Heal & Harrow"
An impressive new project by two reputed and talented Scottish folk musicians who work here the first time together as a duo: harpist Rachel Newton (of The Shee and Spell Songs) and fiddler Lauren McColl (Salt House, Rant) now aka Heal & Harrow. On the album the musicians explore a dark period of our histories - the 16th and 17th century Scottish witch trials. The newly composed music and songs are inspired by ten new stories of Scottish author Mairi Kidd - tales inspired by and based on real stories of real women who were persecuted and tried as witches as well as characters from Scottish folklore and mythology. Margit Myhr & Erlend Apneseth "Slåttesong"
Two Norwegian folk musicians are returning to their roots: the rich Norwegian tradition of solo vocals and Hardanger fiddle. Each being known for other projects - Erlend as an experimental musician, Margit as a theatre actor and dancer - it’s a delight to hear the musicians come back to traditional music in its purest form. Perfectly presented, the amazing sound of the Hardanger fiddle interspersed with the warm somewhat melancholic songs is magic in its simplest form.
Margit Myhr / Erlend Apneseth "Slåttesong"
Margit Myhr sings, Erlend Apneseth plays the fiddle, and both have sworn allegiance to Norway's musical traditions and produce wonderful music. Not necessarily together. Margit Myhr sings unaccompanied, as tradition demands, and Apneseth's masterly play on the fiddle must not turn into an instrumental background. Which is why the two do one piece at a time and this makes for a truly varied album. It starts with a halling and ends with an evening song. Inbetween we hear hymns, a ballad about a knight (who of course is a starcrossed lover), a shepherd (also a starcrossed lover) and a lullaby. The texts (in Norwegian) can be found in the booklet, together with information about the origins of the instrumentals (for example wellknown musicians like Knut Hamre or Kjetil Løndal. And we learn that the title, literally "Harvestsong" is taken from a poem by the great poet Olav H. Hauge. So indeed, this CD truly reaps a rich harvest.
Own label, 2021
“Knucklehead Circus”[76]
brings the Dogs right back to the height of their career: this is the quintessential Old Blind Dogs sound - if you wanted to put Scotland in a bottle, it probably would sound like that.
With only fiddler Johnny Hardy left from the original line-up (the only continuum throughout the band’s history), the current set of Dogs have apparently already been together since 2016, with Johnny being joined by singer and bouzouki player Aaron Jones, innovative piper and flautist Ali Hutton and percussionist extraordinaire Donald Hay. This quartet works the OBD magic - earthy and powerful pipe and fiddle tunes with groovy percussion; an excellent choice of songs, and the occasional moment of distilled pure calm beauty - like the fiddle tune “Akins”. Of the songs, my highlight is the late Davy Steele’s classic “Farewell tae the havens” - about fishermen who had to pack up their life at sea to find a different job; the arrangement is so close to how Davy used to sing it - what a great tribute. The angry “Here we go again” is brilliant too - the power just blows you away. There’s so much to please on here - one of the best albums of 2021.
Own label, 2020
The great thing is that the instruments, in Pancho’s hands, are very much of today’s times, and the album is far from a museum piece - the music is alive and kicking, whilst echoing sounds of the past. All instruments are played by Pancho himself, and, along with the tunes, he also sings a few songs. The album is another labour of love, with beautiful music played on instruments waiting to be rediscovered.
KKV, 2021
Randi’s songs are in a Scandinavian jazz ballad style, a style made famous by Lisa Ekdahl - and Randi and band put their very own touch to this style. Guest musicians on clarinet, violin, percussion and saw (!) put an additional dimension to the songs - some have a distinct Klezmer feel to it. The title of the album “Comforting songs for daunting nights” probably currently resonates to a lot of people after the last two Covid years - but for Randi this message is even more personal, with her having required brain surgery which could have - but fortunately didn’t- led to a loss of hearing and facial paralysis. Despite this serious background, the album has a warm and optimistic feel to it, and is a delight to listen to.
Nordic Notes, 2021
Go Danish Folk Music, 2021
The first one, whilst featuring music played for dance, has a pleasant jazz/ ragtime flavour to it: the duo features jazz and blues pianist Kristian J&oring;rgensen, with fiddler Steffan S&oring;gaard S&oring;rensen (who is also known as a double bassist). Having formed way back in 1998, this is - incredibly- their debut duo album. Their repertoire, also on ”Rå og us&oring;det”, is largely focussed on tunes from a Danish dance tune book from 1787 which was only uncovered in 2006; these tunes won’t have been played for a hundred years – a delight to be rediscovered. A fresh and lively album.
The second album is by duo who has played similarly long together:
Described as “Denmark’s undisputed busiest duo within the traditional instrumental Danish folk music”, Jensen & Bugge celebrate with this album their 20th anniversary as a duo. Accordionist Mette Kathrine Jensen Staerk and fiddler Kristian Bugge met all those years ago at the famous Danish Music Conservatory, and the rest is history - with thousands of miles on the road that followed. On this album, the duo revisits some of their favourite tunes. This is honest traditional Danish dance music played by two professionals.
Twice as long as the other two acts have Jydsk på Naesen been together - formed back in 1979, it is perhaps Denmark’s oldest fiddle based quartet (featuring two violins, accordion and double bass). “Short and good” is an appropriate title for their album - it’s an EP and lasts some 26 minutes. This is the most traditionally played album of the three - despite the four players between them having played in a number of bands at the forefront of folk music innovation, including Rasmus, Phoenix and Anja Praest Trio. It is obvious from the album that this dance band won’t have any trouble to get the dancers onto the dance floor with their imminently danceable music.
Hudson Records, 2021
An album of simple beauty and reflection, with brand new songs and songs that have been with Karine for a long time. “The path that winds before us” is reassuring reflection about the lockdown, with the warm chorus: “Don’t worry, don’t hurry - be still and find your feet”. “Travel these ways”, written for the Dementia Singing Network of the organisation Luminate, feels a perfect fit on this album, with a similarly optimistic tone as “Travel these ways”. Every song on this album is a highlight – for example, the combination of the songs “Siccar Point” and “Talk to me of Mendocino” reflect on the wonders of the earth, its age and its permanent movement; and the duo also includes brilliant versions of a few Scottish classics: The traditionals of “Craigie Hill” and “The parting glass” and the Robert Burns song ”Ae Fond kiss”. An enchanting album full of warmth, which is bound to be a classic.
Trad Records, 2021
Own label, 2020
“Samara” has the confidence and feel of the work of an artist firmly steeped in Irish traditions. The majority of the tunes are composed by Antoni, and his at times playful jazzy piano playing is often in the centre of the music, while his trumpet is also featured on a few tunes. The tunes are often very catchy and atmospheric, with interesting arrangements for traditional Irish instruments. The album features a dream team of Irish and Italian Irish musicians and singers - most notably the O Connor family - accordion master Mairtin and daughters Ciara and Sinead - , the immaculate trad Irish singing of Italian Consuelo Nerea, Uilleann pipers Joe McHugh and Massimo Giuntini and Cellist Davide Viterbo. A masterpiece that further broadens the horizons of Irish music in Ireland and internationally.
Trad Records, 2021
The Naragonia duo, Pascale Rubens and Toon Van Mierlo, are at the centre of the album - having composed between them all of the tunes, and playing diatonic accordion (both), violin, bagpipes, bombarde, flutes and soprano saxophone, as well as vocals. They are joined on each track by a wide range of musical friends from folk and world - ten in total, including Guy Swinnen on vocals, Tristan Driessens on ud, and many more. There is a reflective and sometimes somewhat depressive flair about some of the material - although this is uplifted at times by lovely accordion tracks. A great lockdown effort.
Go Danish Folk Music, 2021
Mr Goose Online, 2021
An album of brilliant new instrumental Scottish folk music, played by a stellar cast of the finest of Scotland’s folk scene – to accompany a children’s book (“Mr Goose” by Grant Kennedy). The music is composed by Craig Espie, fiddler in the Scottish folk rock band Skerryvore, and he chose for each of the characters in the book an instrument (and a new tune) to represent the creature – so for example, Hector the Hawk is Mohsen Amini’s concertina, Foxy is Anna Massey’s guitar, Skerryvore’s Scott Wood has directly two characters – on whistle he is Fudge the Dog and on pipes Captain Drake, Dallahan’s Ciaron Ryan’s banjo is Ned the horse, and Sarah McNeil’s beautiful clarsach sounds represent the swans. For his own instrument – the fiddle – Craig chose Mr Goose himself. All tunes have been recorded in a session context, with the album featuring many more top musicians, including James Lindsey (Breabach) on double bass, David Foley (Rura) on flute, Innes White on guitar, and brilliant bodhran player Martin O’Neil. It may only be 34 minutes long, but there is lots of great music packed into this disc – for the adult listener, there is no real hint of the relation to a picture book – well other than the CD cover!.
There’s a music-only CD which is reviewed here – but for the younger family members, there is an audiobook version which includes (short) narrations provided by broadcaster and Manran-member, Gary Innes. And to complete the set, don’t forget to also buy the children’s book that started this all off, written by Grant Kennedy as a lockdown project aimed at his own children, and featuring beautiful illustrations by artist Louise McBride.
Own label, 2022
In „Pilgrims Soul“, a commission for Celtic Connections 2022, Megan let herself be inspired by seven paintings by Scottish painter Christine Clark - paintings of dream like impressionist imagined landscapes (the paintings are included in the booklet of the album). Like the paintings, the album is a real work of art that creates musical landscapes which inspire to dream and imagine. I put „solo“ in hyphens as Megan - on fiddle and on one track piano - is joined by a host of wonderful artist: pianist Alistair Ian Patterson, fiddler Jack Smedley, Mairi Campbell on viola, Olav Luksengård Mjelva on the Amazon Norwegian Hardanger fiddle, Su-a Leon cello and saw, and Anna Massie and Laura Beth Salter on mandolins - the latter also contributing lead vocals on a song.
Mesmerising composition, carefully crafted arrangements and of course superb musicianship - this album is a true showcase of Megan’s boundless talents. 2022 has only just started but here we have already a strong contender for one of the best 2022 albums.
Post scriptum: I had been hoping to see the launch of the album live at Celtic Connections which, due to Covid, I felt unable to do - but fortunate for me, at least some of the launch concert was screened in Celtic Connections’ spontaneous online festival offer - a delight.
Own label 2021
This live album brings together some of Dan’s greatest songs as well as new materials and mind-blowingly fast banjo tunes. His original songs are my highlights of the album – for example “Still a town”, a new song about the decline of the high street, or the wonderful “The song always stays” which he had recorded on a previous studio album. There’s his lovely version of the trad Irish song “The Suilin”, and Dan also successfully tries his hand on a number of songs from better known artists – Paul Simon’s “You can call me Al”, the Saw Doctors’ “At least pretend” or Lester Flatt’s classic bluegrass number “Sleep with one eye open”.
Recorded at a time when live music was still normal, just before the first lockdown, this recording does well in capturing the magic of live music. If you haven’t come across Dan check him out now.
"So here to you - live in Vlissingen 2001"
Own label, 2001/2021
This new release is a welcome reminder of the magic of Niamh’s distinctive singing and why she has the reputation of Ireland’s foremost female folk singer – particularly as in recent years, it has been much more quiet around Niamh; the last two albums were dated 2015 and 2006.
We find on the album many of our favourite Niamh Parsons songs – the traditionals “Fear a Bhata”, “Blackbird and thrushes”, “Rambling Irishman” and the title track “Here’s to you” to name a few - each and every one feeling like the ultimate and best version of these popular songs.
To liven up the album, there also three sets of tunes - courtesy of the wider band on the recording, as the concert featured, in addition to Niamh’s normal duo partner guitarist Graham Dunne, also Terry Clarke-Coyne on whistles and flutes and Tony Gibbons on guitar (contributing also a song - Brian McNeill’s “Any Mick’ll do”).
This is an album that feels like coming home - the warm the voice of Niamh wraps your soul in comfort, and the music lifts your spirits. This live recording is a little treasure that has been rediscovered.
And then there’s the powerhouse of the Mànran boys, some of the most respected and best musicians on the Celtic scene: accordionist (and BBC presenter) Gary Innes, fiddler Ewan Henderson, Ross Saunders on bass guitar, Irish uillean piper Ryan Murphy, drummer Mark Scobbie, and guitarist and singer Aidan Moodie who is also core member of magnificent band Gnoss. Their sound is powerful, energetic, sophisticated, wild.
Mànran is creating their very own blend of music, incomparable to other bands - although if I may say so there were a few of the Gaelic songs that reminded me of Scottish legends Capercaillie during their “Delirium” album phase which was in my view the height of Capercaillie’s musical career.
Ùrar is an incredibly good album of contemporary Scottish traditional music for this century - clever and out of the ordinary arrangements, superb instrumentation, wonderful voices: Mànran are a folk rock band in a class of their own.
Shadowside Records, 2022
Despite the dark theme and heavy topic, the album features beautiful music and song courtesy of the delightful voices and perfectly played sweet sounds of harp and violin - yet there is a fascinating tension between this beauty and a chilling atmosphere and unease, created by the lyrics, spoken words and the occasional addition of electronics.
A masterpiece which is a fitting tribute to all those women who were killed under Scotlands Witchcraft Act of 1563.
Grappa/Heilo, 2021
Grappa/Heilo, 2021
© Gabriele Haefs
