Category Archives: Music

Billy Pigg’s The Border Minstrel

There were two things Janey Little loved best in the world: music and books, and not necessarily in that order. Her favorite musician was the late Billy Pigg, the Northumbrian piper from the northeast of England whose playing had inspired … Continue reading

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Groupa’s Lavalek

Twenty year veterans of the Swedish folk music scene, Groupa’s Lavalek is just their second North American release, following 15 Years, a Northside retrospective of their illustrious career — a career which includes two Swedish Grammies. Known for their high energy and distinct … Continue reading

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Gjallarhorn’s Ranarop

Gjallarhorn is a foursome from Ostrobothnia, the Swedish speaking area of Finland. They are tightly bound to both folk music traditions, and ancient mythology. Musically, the band is a mixture of fiddle, mandola, didgeridoo, and percussion, with vocals provided by … Continue reading

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Sturla Eide & Andreas Aase’s Glimmer

There’s always something captivating about a well-done album of traditional folk music, especially in the area of traditional instrumental music. It’s something that goes beyond the notes on the paper to the idea that the traditions of performance themselves have in some … Continue reading

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Frifot’s Sluring 

If there are superstars to be named on the Swedish music scene, I would like this opportunity to nominate Lena Willemark (vocal, fiddle, viola, whistle, drone whistle), Per Gudmundson (fiddle, viola, bagpipes, vocal), and Ale Möller (octave mandola, overtone flute, … Continue reading

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Cullivoe Band’s Willie’s Last Session

Imagine old friends getting together to play one last session, nine days before one of their members passes on from cancer. Folks who have an ease of playing together that can only come with the years. This is that album, … Continue reading

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J.J.Cale’s The Lost Session DVD

The modern rock video has become a monster. It is now about image and sex, and the music is secondary. When The Beatles created what might arguably be the first rock videos (“Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever”) they were attempting to … Continue reading

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Ken MacLeod’s The Restoration Game

It’s extremely difficult to say much about this book without going into spoilers. And yet MacLeod takes the admirably nervy step of hitting you with the ultimate spoiler himself, starting on the third page of the preface — before the … Continue reading

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Lara St. John’s re: Bach

Craig Clarke  wrote this review for us. Sex sells, and I suppose it was time that someone in the classical music industry figured that out. Female violinists generally get the focus of this attention, so it should have been no surprise … Continue reading

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Liz Carroll and various artists’ Ireland, Crossroads of Art and Design, 1690-1840, The Music

On St. Patrick’s Day 2015, an exhibit called “IRELAND: Crossroads of Art and Design, 1690–1840” opened at the Art Institute of Chicago. It was accompanied by music, the music on this CD, developed by one of Chicago’s most beloved Irish … Continue reading

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