TOMMY FLEMING & GUESTS
Voice of Hope
When I saw that Voice of Hope had been recorded at the Basilica at Knock, Ireland, it brought back many pleasant memories for me. I had visited this sacred place on several occasions and one that particularly stands out in my mind, is the visit to the Knock Shrine just before the Pope made his historic visit to Ireland in 1979.
International star Tommy Fleming is the only entertainer to ever record a concert at the beautiful and revered Knock Basilica in Ireland. Voice of Hope was presented as a PBS special, filled with uplifting and spiritual songs, paying tribute to the sacred place where 15 people witnessed the apparition of Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist over a century ago. At present over one and a half million people a year make the journey to honour the shrine.
Sligo native Tommy Fleming's voice is described as a powerful operatic bell canto tenor, capable of dynamic crescendos, or in other words, he can sing heartbroken ballads, traditional and contemporary classics, alike. However, his singing has a depth and sincerity which cannot be denied.
Voice of Hope is actually two CDs and is also available on DVD. Some of the well-known friends on Tommy Fleming's album include Phil Coulter; Eileen Ivers; Cara Dillon; Naoise Stuart-Kelly; The Cotk Pops Orchestra; and Cill Aodain Choral Society, Kiltimagh.
Fleming seems to like recording in cathedrals. In 2003, he recorded Live At St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. He records on his own label Clann Records. On Voice of Hope, there are 25 tracks along with a bonus track. All the spiritual and uplifting music that you can hope for is on this album. And yes, Our Lady of Knock is one of them.
For more information, visit www.clannrecords.com, or call 1-800-379-3935.
MORGHANDE
From the Edge of the Sea
Morghande is a modified form of a Gaelic word meaning "the little one who comes from the edge of the sea." Morghande is a collaboration between two families, Laura O'Neill Seekatz and Isabel O'Neill Seekatz (mother and daughter) who teamed up with Mike and Gaye Tidwell.
This Northern California, American-Irish band have combined traditional Irish tunes with sprinkles of Irish Americana.
Morghande's 12-year old fiddler Isabel O'Neill Seekatz delivers renditions of Paddy Fahey's Reel, Cloonagroe Reel, and Bally Desmond Polkas better than many of her adult counterparts. She began her classical violin training at the age of six, which has given her a tremendous edge in live performances and recordings. "I love the magic of Irish music, especially performing live," says Isabel. She has a bright future ahead of her.
Morghande has a distinctive sound and the group has jazzed up some of the traditional Irish tunes with their own string arrangements. Actually, when you're listening to Morghande, it's easy to visualize them playing at a kitchen party, or an Irish session.
To order Morghande and for more information about the group, visit: www.morghande.com.
SHARON SHANNON
Out Of The Gap and
Each Little Thing
Just received two newly re-released Sharon Shannon CDs, Out Of The Gap and Each Little Thing. What more can you say that hasn't been said about this impish accordion genius who makes playing the accordion look so easy and is equally as cool with the fiddle.
Sharon Shannon hails from Clare, on the west coast of Ireland, an area historically steeped in music. She began her career with the internationally acclaimed Irish folk/rock group The Waterboys in 1988, and has blazed a fearlessly eclectic path beginning in traditional music but emerging somewhere entirely new. All the while never losing sight of her roots in Irish folk music.
Her appearance on The Late Late Show in Ireland was what really made her a household name and one of Ireland's leading musicians. The inclusion of two of Sharon's tracks on the groundbreaking all-female Celtic compilation A Woman's Heart (which sold a staggering 500,000 copies) also helped to further increase her profile.
Sharon Shannon has travelled the globe performing in Britian, Europe, Africa, Japan, Canada, Australia, and the United States. It would be hard to pick out one single tune of Sharon Shannon's but The Bag of Cats released as a single, stayed in the Irish Top 20 pop charts for six weeks....it's easy to see why. It boggles the mind to listen to the music that comes to life on a button accordion when Sharon Shannon picks it up.
Sharon Shannon's CDs are available on the Compass label. For more information, visit: www.compassrecords.com.
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