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Richard Wood has warm memories of performing in small halls. “Long before I ever played the fiddle, I would step dance during benefit concerts in tiny halls across PEI. I remember my parents taking me there when I was about seven or so,” says the award-winning PEI. fiddler. With traditional musicians to jam with and homemade biscuits and fudge to sample at intermission, he quickly developed a taste for this type of social event. “It was always a real treat,” says Wood, who has since moved on to take his music around the world, performing with The Chieftains and appearing with Shania Twain on The David Letterman Show and Good Morning America, as well as entertaining Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. So when he was asked to be one of the headliners for the inaugural Festival of Small Halls, it hit a sweet spot. “It’s going to be a real treat to go back to these communities and into these small halls to perform again, this time with my fiddle,” says Wood, who is one of 50 musicians taking part in P.E.I.’s first music/dance/art festival that runs June 14-22. It’s a brilliant idea whose time has come, says artistic director/event manager Ward MacDonald. “Over the years, traditional music went from the kitchen to the local hall to the world, and now we’re taking some of the artists from P.E.I. who have taken our music to the world and we’re putting them back in the rural hall, alongside artists from off-Island and local performers,” he says. In total, 14 music and dance performances will take place over nine days. Other headliners include Ron Hynes, Vishten, Saddle River String Band, Les Girls, Troy MacGillivray and legendary fiddlers Ivan and Vivian Hicks. Together, with several dozen other artists, they’re hitting the road. “We’re going tip to tip from Tignish to East Point, from Murray River to Abrams Village showcasing artists in all the small halls,” says MacDonald. “Each concert will include a song and dance component as well as a fiddler.” New Brunswick fiddler Ivan Hicks also has fond memories of small halls. “My first public appearance was with my dad, Curtis Hicks, for a dance at a small hall in Baie Verte, N.B., in 1946. I was six years old and accompanied my dad (who played the fiddle) on the mandolin. “Over the years, I played regular dances at this hall and concerts and dances at other small halls around the area. There are many memories and many friendships, including the warm, smoky summer nights, the occasional ruckus but perhaps most of all, the good times. “Needless to say I’m really looking forward to performing at the Festival of Small Halls,” he says. Besides being a source of great entertainment these concerts have an important cultural value, says MacGillivray. “There is a need for the preservation of the traditions of the East Coast more than ever and this is a great way to get the information out there,” says the award-winning fiddler/keyboard player who also began his career in a tiny room. “The first gig I played was definitely in a small hall just outside the Pictou Town Rotary. The hall was just around the corner from musician Dave Gunning’s house and he was there, too. I was pretty young. I think I did a few dance steps,” he says. Hynes believes the festival is a step in the right direction. “Small venues lend an air of intimacy to a performance and for a singer/songwriter that’s exactly the vibe that’s required,” says the Newfoundland singer-songwriter. “Whether your audience is 50 or 5,000 you should always do the same show, but there are times when just 50 who truly appreciate what you’re doing will make your day, your night, your whole year,” he says. After spending years performing at the Celtic Colours International Festival at home in Cape Breton, fiddler Andrea Beaton sees the potential for something comparable happening on P.E.I. with this cultural offering. “I think this festival will bring people from far away to the Island and possibly even begin the tourist season a bit earlier. It’s also good for locals. What better way to bring people out than to bring the music right to their very own communities?” she says. The idea for this community series germinated with Ray Brow, an ECMA board member and president of Music P.E.I., who is currently out of the country and unable to comment, says MacDonald. “He saw a need for rural economic development. He felt there was a need to put some things into small halls and at the same time recognizing there are a lot of shows you can go to on P.E.I. of all types, but the big shows were professional productions with sound and lighting technicians,” he says. Brow wanted smaller communities to have similar advantages. “For the communities taking part in the festival, it’s a full professional production with sound and lights for each show. “Part of the Festival of Small Halls initiative is to also leave the halls in better shape than we found them, not just with money but with sound equipment and other things like that,” he says. This sort of approach is exciting news for the executive director of Music P.E.I. “It’s a fantastic idea to revitalize some of our cherished halls. They’re great places, and this kind of event will help to keep them alive,” says Rob Oakie. Dancers will also benefit from the exposure, says dance co-ordinator Genevičve Ouellette.
“We have
really talented dancers on the Island and we’re going to bring them on
stage at every single show. “So the festival is going to take the
dancers to the next level where the musicians now are.”
Tickets: Are
available at the individual halls, or for all shows call 1-800-708-6506.
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May 6, 2008
Cape Breton Live was born in 2005 as a joint venture of Natalie MacMaster, Donnell Leahy and Cheryl Smith. The online radio program began with the intent of broadcasting 5 trial shows of live traditional music showcasing the talents of Cape Breton musicians. The initial run of shows were so well received worldwide that the program has now been online for over 2 years, has broadcast close to 50 shows, toured Quebec and Ontario and released 2 compilation CD's. Now you can take a little piece of Cape Breton home with you. The CD is available online at: www.capebretonlive.com and will be made available in local stores shortly. Track listing and sound clips are also available online. ........................................................................................................................................................................
January 19, 2008 A repeat broadcast of the Cape Breton Live concert filmed at The Rose Theatre in Brampton, Ontario in November 2006. Featuring Natalie MacMaster, Andrea Beaton, Troy MacGillivray, Glenn Graham, Howie MacDonald, Cheryl Smith, Buddy MacDonald, Kate Quinn and Bob Quinn.
Bravo! TV Canada, 7:00pm ET
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Bravo Website
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December 14,
2007
Other than the two fiddles, the only instrumentation is Betty Beaton (Kinnon’s wife and Andrea’s mother) on piano and Sandy MacDonald on guitar. The playing is well matched, particularly on the older Mabou Coal Mines-style tunes. Only occasionally does their variance in style show, though, and you can hear slight differences in bowing or ornamentation that allow you to tell one from the other. This is a great CD, produced by Kinnon and Andrea and recorded at Lakewind Sound Studios by Mike Shepherd. For fiddle fans, this is a winner, and will likely be a welcome gift. If you want to hear them live, Andrea, Kinnon, Betty Beaton and Joel Chiasson are playing for a dance at the Boisdale Firehall, Dec. 26. ........................................................................................................................................................................
October 9, 2007 » View Photos from The New Tunemakers
The New Tunemakers is a special project of this year’s Celtic Colours International Festival and features well-known local musicians Glenn Graham, Andrea Beaton, Troy MacGillivray, Ryan J. MacNeil, Colin Grant, Prince Edward Island’s Patricia Murray, Metis fiddler Sierra Noble and the three members of Scotland band, Lau, - Aidan O’Rourke, Martin Green and Kris Drever.
O’Rourke
said the project was devised by Celtic Colours co-director Joella Foulds
and inspired by Scotland’s Burnsong project where a dozen artists spent
a week together collaborating on new material.
“It’s been
fantastic,” he said. “We’re in a beautiful spot and that never hurts.” “It’s really rewarding to know these quality new tunes are being written,” he said, adding, “The atmosphere is good, morale is high.” ........................................................................................................................................................................
October 2006 Andrea’s third independently released CD of traditional Cape Breton fiddle music is as warm and glowing as the red and orange tones of its package. Recorded live in an evening at The Tap Inn, a pub in Birnam Scotland where she has worked for two consecutive winters, this 20-something fiddler from the famed Beaton family of Mabou puts down a selection of jigs, strathespeys, and reels that are as old as the hills, with a few of her own compositions mixed in, including a lovely clog she wrote for her dad’s 50th birthday and a co-write with Gordie Sampson called The Bush Administration Reel. Troy MacGillivary’s incredibly innovative piano accompaniment would impress even the jazz-afficianado, and one of his more experimental passes earn one set the title The Airplane Landing. Whoa! Andrea’s fondness for switching from major to minor mid-tune give these sets alot of ‘oumf,’ not to mention her jumpy, ornamented playing. The last track, a duet with small-piper Fin Moore is sheer musical ecstacy. Between song giggles and liner notes are so endearing, and this cd is so upbeat that you will want to hug Andrea and Troy after each cut. And you may think you can, live sound and all. ........................................................................................................................................................................ December 14, 2004
Andrea
has been nominated for the ECMA "Roots Traditional Solo Artist Of The
Year" Award for her latest recording 'Cuts". Andrea has also
been chosen to perform a showcase in the 'Roots Room' during ECMA
weekend. More details to follow. The ECMA's will
be held February 17-20, 2005 in Sydney, Cape Breton. ........................................................................................................................................................................
October 12, 2003 Sydney - After seven years you'd think the Celtic Colours gala opening concert at Sydney's Centre 200 would get to be old hat, or rather old tam o'shanter, but the 2003 installment on Friday was a real topper with some of the best variety, sound and presentation of any of them. Certainly the 3,000 music lovers in attendance would be hard-pressed to disagree, if three separate standing ovations are anything to go by. According to the concert lineup, the Cape Breton festival's definition of Celtic includes island fiddling (natch), Scottish balladry, instrumental guitar, an Irish ensemble, Newfoundland shanties and Spanish bagpipes. Opening honours belonged to Lt. Governor Myra Freeman who praised visitors, musicians and sponsors for helping to make the festival possible before handing the mic over to the evening's hosts, CBC's Ian MacNeil, showing more leg in his kilt than co-host Laurel Munroe in her long, shimmering red number. Their enthusiastic "Ciad mille failte" was amplified by the massed violins of the Cape Breton Fiddlers' Association, celebrating 30 years of preserving the island's most famous tradition. As for the stage, ringed with trees and shrouded in smoke, it resembled Birnam Wood from Shakespeare's Macbeth, which suited Scottish singer and artist-in-residence Mairi MacInnes to a tee. A native of South Uist, MacInnes's textured lilt floated like wind through the barley on the a capella I Am a Gael, a song about maintaining your cultural identity no matter where you roam. Fellow artist-in-residence, guitarist Dave MacIsaac, joined MacInnes on stage, tearing off a set of tunes with the help of bagpiper Matt MacIsaac, pianist Troy MacGillivray and dancers Sabra MacGillivray and Kelly MacArthur whose lithe fling provided a graceful contrast to the bluesy inflections MacIsaac slipped into his six-string manipulation. Irish quintet Lunasa lit up the stage with breakneck playing and precision timing, as the uillean pipes, tin whistle and fiddle got their kick from syncopated guitar chords and the deep groove of a stand-up bass. While a typical set of Irish tunes called Good Morning Nightcap highlighted Lunasa's bright spirit, its versatility shone through on a set of Galician tunes from northwest Spain, full of sunlight and warmth as it found earthy joy in the strange-yet-familiar melodies. The second half kicked off with a bang thanks to Natalie MacMaster and her five-piece band. Having recently celebrated the first anniversary of her marriage to fellow fiddler Donnell Leahy and about to enjoy the launch of the new bluegrass-themed CD Blueprint on Nov. 5, the Troy musician had plenty to smile about as she struck a jaunty pose with her hips and drove 'er with effortless abandon. "I was just flipping through the book," said MacMaster of her first glance at the Celtic Colours program guide. "It looks just wicked!" Expressing her eagerness to reunite with members of her family - both musical and blood-related - MacMaster took pains in her set to highlight the skills of her bandmates, including piper MacIsaac who dueted in perfect unison, and former guitarist Chris Corrigan, filling in for Brad Davidge whose wife happened to be giving birth in Halifax. It's no surprise the Celtic fireball earned herself a standing ovation. The rich, lusty voices of Newfoundland's A Crowd of Bold Sharemen provided a respite for the changeover from MacMaster's setup to that of the final headliner, Carlos Nunez, and their tales of bold crews and mercenary pirates were a refreshing blast. Rich with the history of the island and the perils of working at sea, both ancient and modern, the vocal quintet's two songs served as a tasty appetizer for its appearances later in the week. Wishing the audience a hearty "Buenos noches!" Galician piper Carlos Nunez proceeded to blow away the Celtic Colours for the second time in two years, this time with a full band that included fiddle and bouzouki, along with brother Xurxo on drums. Taking his ensemble through a blur of changing time signatures, Nunez went through an arsenal of instruments including flute, whistle and bagpipes, his fingers dancing on the holes like Fred Astaire doing the beguine. Dedicating the tune Don't Trust a Man's Love to the late Chieftains harpist Derek Bell (whose passing occured during last year's festival), Nunez played a passionate fandango, while his tale of learning pieces from a 100-year-old Cuban piper was followed by a spicy rhumba that lived up to the story. Finally, there was a Galician hoedown during which the ebullient Spaniard turned his band into a high-stepping chorus line and a bagpipe finale with a blistering drive that was practically punk rock in its intensity. Nunez acted as pied piper for the grand finale, conducting a huge ensemble that was practically spilling off the stage, from the Technicolor-clad Fitzgerald Irish Dancers to square dance caller Burton MacIntyre, who even managed to get Lt. Gov Freeman up on her feet and whirling around.
The music was certainly of the highest standard, with fiddle guru Brenda Stubbert leading an ensemble that included fetching Newfoundland fiddler Lisa MacArthur, guitarist Doug Johnson and pianist Melissa Emmons, while born fiddler Andrea Beaton (daughter of Kinnon and Betty Lou) kept it going until after 3 am. with pianist Troy MacGillivray and drummer Cheryl Smith. All in all, a roaringly successful first day for Celtic Colours 2003 and a good omen as the shows spread out to widespread communities across Cape Breton. ........................................................................................................................................................................
February 13,
2003 Nowhere in the country do you find as many types of music crammed into one region as in Atlantic Canada, with a storied history of performance that stretches from the natives and European settlers to country and rock bands to DJs and rappers. And while new artists continue to push musical boundaries forward, there remains a rich vein of folk tradition to be tapped that nurtures players and listeners in terms of both performance and composition. It's a cornerstone of the East Coast musical identity, one that continues to flourish on its own terms. Despite the annual round of stories asking "Is Celtic music dead?" that crop up around the East Coast Music Awards, the sound is always a presence at the event, with established performers like Natalie MacMaster and Ashley MacIsaac showing how to expand the possibilities of the music and fresh faces such as Slainte Mhath and The Cottars injecting the genre with young vitality and new ideas. Carving out a career has been a life's work for musician and entrepreneur Brian Doherty, best known as half of the Irish folk duo Evans and Doherty. The pair is also nominated for an ECMA, in the roots/traditional group category - the first time they've been nominated through the current submission/jury process (they were previously listed in 1991, before it became a region-wide event). Both Doherty and musical partner Kevin Evans have become familiar faces on the pub and folk festival circuit, and of late are finding even more listeners through the Internet, but it's taken time to build that audience. "Over the years we've built up a large number of loyal followers and fans who aren't industry people, they're not influenced by any of the hype. They just like what we do and we've been able to survive on that. We've reaped the rewards with no awards, if you like. "It's a constant hustle to pick up the phone and look for gigs, you don't sit back and wait for the phone to ring. (CBC Atlantic producer) Glenn Meisner summed it up one time when he said that they'll have someone on the show and they'll promote their album, but then it's up to them to best maximize the exposure they've gotten. Some people will actually call back a month later and ask what they're going to do next." Although her professional career as a musician has been relatively short, Cape Breton fiddler Andrea Beaton has been steeped in Celtic tradition since she was "in the womb." As the daughter of fiddle/piano duo Kinnon and Betty Beaton she can honestly say the music is in her blood, paving the way for her first ECMA nomination for her debut CD Licence to Drive 'Er. A familiar face at Cape Breton dances and events like Celtic Colours, Beaton is just starting to make a name for herself off the island and find out how to make the most of the opportunities that are coming her way. "I don't know what (the nomination) means in terms of where my music is heading, but it's nice to know there's going to be a whole new audience of people out there," she says. "I usually play around home, or maybe go somewhere like Windsor, but I've never played a lot in Halifax.
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BADDECK
— Take 10 talented musicians, a picture-perfect setting, and Flo
Sampson’s home cooking and you have all the ingredients needed to make
musical magic. For the past four days some of the best Canadian and
Scottish roots/traditional artists have been holed up in a Beinn Bhreagh
home sharing their own songs and collaborating on new material and tunes
which will be performed publicly for the first time tonight at
Strathspey Place in Mabou, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
After
hours at the Festival Club in St. Ann's, the Gaelic College's Hall of the
Clans wasn't as densely packed as it will get later in the week, but it
was only the first night and people are likely pacing
themselves.