Category Archives: Music

A Kinrowan Estate story: Fiddles

Fiddles. They’re everywhere. The fairies may very well have brought the harp and pipes to Ireland and gifted the population with them, but sometimes it seems that, if they brought the fiddle to anyone, it was to get rid of … Continue reading

Posted in Music, Stories | Tagged , | Comments Off on A Kinrowan Estate story: Fiddles

An Irish trad music obit: Mícheál Ó Domhnaill is dead

Ah, sad news. Mícheál Ó Domhnaill is dead. It’s far too early; he was far too young. I never met the man, yet he is and likely always will be an inextricable part of the fabric of my life–the impact … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on An Irish trad music obit: Mícheál Ó Domhnaill is dead

John Luther Adams’ The Mathematics of Resonant Bodies

Two things about John Luther Adams: Like other composers of his generation his path to composition followed some surprising twists — in his case, from rock bands to Frank Zappa to Edgard Varèse to Morton Feldman. Second, he lives in … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on John Luther Adams’ The Mathematics of Resonant Bodies

An Irish Music story: House Sessions

Zina Lee here. Probably my favorite kind of Irish music sessions are house sessions, where musicians are invited over to someone’s house for an evening of tunes and perhaps a few songs if there’re any singers along, and of course lots … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged | Comments Off on An Irish Music story: House Sessions

James Carty’s Upon My Soul and Various Artists’ Paddy In The Smoke: Irish Dance Music, From A London Pub

The Auld Triangle, usually simply referred to as the Triangle by London musicians, is a three-cornered building sitting at a three-way intersection in a quiet neighborhood in Finsbury Park. Sunday nights, if there’s no Arsenal match (if there is, there’s … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged | Comments Off on James Carty’s Upon My Soul and Various Artists’ Paddy In The Smoke: Irish Dance Music, From A London Pub

Hedningarna’s 1989-2003

Hedningarna began as a Swedish instrumental folk trio in the late 80’s. Anders Stake (now Anders Norudde) played a variety of mostly homemade fiddles, flutes, and bagpipes, Hållbus Totte Mattson played lute and hurdy-gurdy, and Björn Tollin played percussion. The … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Hedningarna’s 1989-2003

Hedningarna’s Karelia Visa

It’s an odd thing — one of the words which keeps coming to mind when I listen to this CD is “evocative.” But that raises the question, what exactly does it evoke? And I can’t really give you an answer, … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Hedningarna’s Karelia Visa

Hoven Droven’s Groove

A sextet from Sweden, Hoven Droven live up to their name, which roughly translates to “Helter Skelter.” To call their music merely sprightly would be an insult; to say they are just energetic, a gross understatement. The eighteen instrumental tracks … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Hoven Droven’s Groove

Hedningarna’s Hippjokk and  Trå 

If Gjallarhorn is cool and crisp like a late winter day, Hedningarna is a winter day when the storm is raging. Dirty Linen said of them — ‘Only a few bands really seem to define their own genre, but Hedningarna is definitely … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Hedningarna’s Hippjokk and  Trå 

Hoven Droven’s More Happy Moments With Hoven Droven

The “bad boys of Swedish folk / rock” are back with their second American release — a resounding reminder of their unique blend of hard rock and folk roots. Perhaps a smidgen less frenetic than their previous Northside release, Groove, More Happy … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Hoven Droven’s More Happy Moments With Hoven Droven