Tuesday 27 November 2012

Cajun Fiddle Event with David Greely - 17-18 Jan 2013


I don't stray too often from the Irish genre on this blog, but this sounds like a great event for all you fiddlers out there. - CH
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David Greely ( davidgreely.com ) Grammy winning fiddler from Louisiana will be visiting Ottawa on January 17 & 18/ 2013. I will be hosting a workshop and a house concert on Thurs. Jan 17 and Fri. Jan.18 respectively.

David is a founding member of the Louisiana supergroup, Steve Riley And The Mamou Playboys. He has recently retired from the group and is pursuing his solo career. David is at once hilariously funny and entertaining as well as a crackerjack fiddler. Though his main focus in fiddle music is French music fromSouthwest Louisiana he is adept in many styles including Country, Swing, Irish, and Quebecois. His unbridled curiosity and enthusiasm is both infectious and inspiring.

SW Louisiana is home to a culture where music and dancing is alive and considered a necessary part of daily life. David Greely is a friend and mentor to me and I'm proud and pleased to be able to snag him for a couple of days on his way through our little corner of Canada. I'd love to show him a good turnout and a warm welcome in one of the coldest months of the year.

Please check these sources : ( mamouplayboys.com ) , ( davidgreely.com )

Suggested donation for the house concert will be $20 and there is room for roughly 30 people. Price for the workshop is to be decided. If you are interested please don't hesitate to contact me atmbjb@magma.ca and/or ( 613 741 0721 ).

This is a rare chance to 'hang' with a world class working musician in a friendly and intimate setting.

Thanks as always for listening and for your continued interest in live music.

Best,
Michael Ball

Thursday 22 November 2012

Wednesday 21 November 2012

Ottawa Cape Breton Session Update Nov. 20, 2012


TONIGHT - Nov 21 -Great Canadian Fiddle Show: 7:30pm The Great Canadian Fiddle Show preserves and celebrates Canada's rich musical heritage through traditional fiddling and step dancing.

Nov 24 —St. Andrew's Day Social: 5:30-10:30pm - St. Patrick's Basilica lower level, corner of Kent and Nepean streets. Come celebrate Ottawa's Scottish and Cape Breton heritage. An evening of Cape Breton fiddle music, Scottish country dancing and Highland dancing demonstrations, Cape Breton set dance and sing-along. Ticket $15 (includes meal). Cash Bar. Program: Doors open 5:30pm; dance practice 5:45pm; meal 6:15pm; music and dancing 6:45-10:30pm: music by the Ottawa Cape Breton Session, Ardbrae Scottish Country Dancers of Ottawa, Celtic Cross Highland Dancers, Cape Breton Square Sets and a sing-along with David Barnes. Parking in school board parking lot, across from basilica, enter from Nepean or Lyon streets. For more information and tickets contact: Brendan Hennigan, Cell (613) 793-6798 Email: brendanhennigan@hotmail.com

MUSICIANS: Brian McLean is coordinator, let him know before Thursday if you can join us for this evening. Brian.McLean@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca This has always been a very fun event for both musicians and audience and there is lots of room for everyone to join in providing the music.

Dec 2 —Pub Session: 2pm-5pm Royal Oak Pub 318 Bank St. at MacLaren.

Dec 10 —Concert: 8pm The Barra MacNeils An East Coast Christmas is a musical potpourri of traditional MacNeil family favourites gleaned from Christmas ceilidhs, midnight masses and the general festive frolic that accompanies each holiday season. Centrepointe Theatre Tickets

Dec 16 —Pub Session: 2pm-5pm Royal Oak Pub 318 Bank St. at MacLaren. Time to play some Christmas carols!

Dec 30—Fifth Sunday : 2pm-5pm - No Session today - Christmas Break!

FIDDLERS/MUSICIANS: There are several special events coming up, please mark your calendars and consider participating in one or all of them:

Jan. 26: Robbie Burns Supper at Glen Cairn United Church in Kanata. Musicians get the full church supper, we will provide some music for listening and dancing. The event is a fundraiser for a trip to Scotland for the local highland dancing school. Let Beth or Brian McLean know if you can help out with this one.

Monday 19 November 2012

Those bastards, again!

La Grange de la Gatineau presents ...

IRISH BASTARDS

Friday 23 November at 8PM
80 ch. Summer, Cantley, Qc.

$20 plus taxes (includes one beverage) / $15 students
Add a 3 course gourmet dinner including wine for $30 plus tax (dinner at 6:30pm)

Reservations required: PAYPAL (www.grange.ca), info@grange.ca or/ou 819-827-3164
www.myspace.com/irishbastardsmtl
www.grange.ca

They're back at La Grange de la Gatineau after highly energetic visit last Spring.

The Irish Bastards is Jean-Philippe Goupil (vocals, guitar & tenor banjo), Dylan Perron (banjo & vocals), Lisa Demay (violin & vocals) and Alexandre Veillette (Mandolin, vocals, guitar, podorythms).

These four musicians originating from different regions of Quebec, have been playing together for a little over two years, but individually they have many years of experience. Their show definitely has an Irish flavour marked by Irish drinking songs. Their influences include The Dubliners, The Pogues, The Chieftains, The Irish Rovers and Planxty. They will not miss an opportunity to make you sing and dance. Come on down to hear them and buy their new CD at the same time!!

Sunday 18 November 2012

Great Canadian Fiddle Show in Ottawa - Wed. 21 Nov 2012

The Great Canadian Fiddle Show is coming to a town near you. Namely, Ottawa, Kingston and Peterborough.

The Great Canadian Fiddle Show preserves and celebrates Canada’s rich musical heritage through traditional fiddling and step dancing. Visiting the breadth of Canada's diverse regional styles, the show captivates audiences with energy and mastery.
Under the direction of Celina DiCecca, The Great Canadian Fiddle Show is a collaboration of some of the best fiddlers in Canada coming together to create an amazingly energetic show. The fiddlers put on an electric performance of traditional Canadian fiddle music and step dance. Be ready to tap your toes along to the driving Old Time melodies as you are swept across the nation, visiting many of the influential regional styles of traditional Canadian fiddle music.

Featuring some of the country's best fiddlers, the cast includes show director and fiddler Celina Di Cecca, veteran fiddler Cindy Thompson, recent fiddle contest champions Kyle Charron and Alanna Jenish, as well as popular accompanists Jake Charron on piano and guitar, and Tony Nesbitt-Larking on percussion and guitar.
Get ready to tap your toes to irresistible Old Time melodies as you're swept across the nation.
“Great fiddlers, great music, great Canadiana.” – London Free Press.
All show times are listed here. The Ottawa concert is being held at the Great Canadian Theatre Company (aka the 'GCTC') in the Irving Greenberg Theatre, Wednesday 21 November, at 7:30 PM. The Irving Greenberg Theatre is a lovely venue for theatre and musical performances, naturally, with great acoustics. (The GCTC is located at the Wellington West & Holland stop for the #2, #14, #16, #86 & #176 bus routes, alternatively, also located 2 blocks north of the Tunney's Pasture transit way stop.)

You can purchase tickets here (click Buy Tickets).

Thursday 8 November 2012

Irish Movie: "Silence" playing Thursday 15 Nov 2012

This year's edition of the European Union Film Festival returns on November 15th, and continues until December 2nd. The opening feature for the Canadian Film Institute's 27th European Union Film Festival, the Irish made movie, Silence.

Silence, directed by Pat Collins, was released in Ireland this year (2012), and has a length of 84 minutes, and is filmed in English. The film starts at 9:00 PM in the main auditorium. Non-members $12.

As described on the Canadian Film Institute's webpage:
Eoghan is a Berlin-based sound recordist who is returning to Ireland for the first time in 15 years. His reason for returning is a job offer: to find and record places free from man-made sound. His quest takes him away from towns and villages into remote Irish terrain. On his journey, he encounters a number of people who in their different ways prompt him to ponder the facts and silences of his own life. Meditative, poetic, and visually (and sonically) stunning, Silence unfolds with a quiet intensity, dramatically exploring themes of sound and silence, history, memory and exile. Having just had its world premiere at the London Film Festival, this is the Canadian premiere of Pat Collins's latest — and extraordinary — work.
All screenings are presented at the Auditorium of 395 Wellington St., Ottawa (Library and Archives Canada building).

Wednesday 7 November 2012

Now Playing: Fly Me to the Moon (GCTC) until 18 November 2012

Fly Me to the Moon is currently playing at the Great Canadian Theatre Company, Wellington at Parkdale.  Another fine productions from director John P. Kelly of SevenThirty Productions.

Have you ever had a workday go from bad to worse? Francis and Loretta are home care workers in Belfast. They take care of an elderly man named Davy, who has a passion for Frank Sinatra and playing the ponies. When Davy dies in the loo, Francis and Loretta tell one lie that leads to another and another... and then another. An attempt to beat the system throws them headlong into an excruciating – yet hilarious – wild ride. A black comedy with an Irish twist by the author of the hit play Stones in his Pockets.

"Ellis and MacDonald both give terrifically comedic performances." - The Ottawa Citizen

"Very fun. Very funny. The most fun comedy so far this season." - Production Ottawa

"This is comedic acting at its best, and with an edge." - North County Public Radio

Cape Breton Fiddle Music in Ottawa 16-17 Nov. 2012

Here is some information about some Cape Breton music events coming up in November. The events are part of an annual series to support young emerging musicians who focus on traditional music styles of Cape Breton, any and all proceeds from the events go directly to the musicians.

House Concert Friday November 16 7:30pm

Anita MacDonald and Tyson Chen $20.00. All proceeds go directly to performers. Seating is limited - reserve your seat by email cbsession@cbsession.com . Bring your instruments and join in an informal jam session with the artists following the concert. BYOB and snacks if you wish.


Fiddle and Piano Workshops Saturday November 17

Faith Lutheran Church 43 Meadowlands Dr. Ottawa, ON (between Merivale and Woodroffe).
--Beginner/Intermediate Fiddle 9:30am-12:00pm $25
--Advanced Fiddle 1 pm-3: 30 pm $25
--Beginner/Intermediate Piano 9:30am-12:00pm $25
--Intermediate/Advanced Piano 1 pm-3: 30 pm $25

Advance registration, especially for piano, is required as space is limited.

To register:
· Submit form and payment at any Ottawa Cape Breton Session event OR Reserve a space by email cbsession@cbsession.com OR Submit form and payment (cheque) by mail to:
Ottawa Cape Breton Session
7661 Settler's Way
North Gower, ON K0A 2T0

Ceilidh and Square Dance Saturday November 17

The Cape Breton Club of Ottawa and Ottawa Cape Breton Session present an evening of Cape Breton dancing and music with Anita MacDonald and Tyson Chen with additional entertainment by Dave Barnes and Ernie Fraser. Square set instruction from 7:30~8pm. Officer's Mess - RCMP Headquarters at 1200 Vanier Parkway. Highway 417 east or west to exit 117 Vanier Parkway. Left at first lights to guard hut. Give your license plate number to the guards then proceed to the Mess. The Mess entrance is on the east side of the building, but you have to drive all the way around the building to access the entrance which is just past the garage on the left and has a red awning over the door. There is plenty of parking in the lot across the roadway, parking rules are not enforced on weekends. OCTranspo: From Hurdman Station take Route 9 Downtown/Centreville to the Vanier/Coventry stop. 3-4 minute walk from there. Via Rail: If you are coming from out of town this location is within walking distance of the Ottawa Rail Central Station and Hampton Inn is right across the street. Google Map Admission $10.00 in advance or $15 at the door . Tickets available at the Ottawa Folklore Centre 1111 Bank St. or from Brent MacDonald or Beth MacGillivray at any OCBS or CB Club event or by email at cbsession@cbsession.com . Additional locations for ticket purchases will be posted at http://www.cbsession.com/squaredanceNov2012.htm

Anita MacDonald is an accomplished musician, dancer, and Gaelic singer from Little Narrows, Cape Breton. She began stepdancing at age four and has wowed audiences with her impeccable timing and neatly choreographed steps. Anita's fiddle playing has a distinctive sound that comes from her influences and variations on tunes that she has learned over the years from her musical family and teachers. She is the granddaughter of Little Narrows fiddler and guitarist, Charlie Ellis, and noted fiddle player and composer Raymond Ellis is her grand uncle. Anita's passion for Cape Breton music has enabled her to work heavily with the cultural component of Féis an Eilein, Christmas Island for the past five years.

Anita's energetic style has enabled her to perform extensively throughout Cape Breton, including being a featured in the Celtic Colours International Festival, Anita is often sought after to conduct workshops in music, dance, and song. She has also been featured on Jean MacNeil's Instructional Stepdance Video: Spring In Your Step, Cape Breton Live Radio: Take 01 and Rita MacNeil's "My Cape Breton Home" Television Special.

She is currently in her third year of a Bachelor of Arts degree, focusing in History and Gaelic, at Cape Breton University. Anita is the 2011 recipient of the Frank "Big Sampie" Sampson Award as awarded by the Festival Volunteer Drive'ers Association and supported by Lakewind Sound Studios. This award grants recording studio time to young, up-and-coming Celtic artists. "Stepping Stone" features 14 tunes and songs. There are a number of guests on the album including Susan MacLean, Hilda Chiasson-Cormier, Darren McMullen, Donnie Campbell, Ryan J. MacNeil, Sarah Jane Murphy, and MacDonald's cousin Evan Bonaparte, and her grandfather Charlie Ellis. Anita released her debut album, "Stepping Stone," during the Celtic Colours International Festival.

Tyson Chen is an accomplished piano player from Ottawa who moved to Cape Breton in 2008. Over the past several years, Tyson has immersed himself in the Celtic music scene and learned the Cape Breton style of piano accompaniment. He has performed at many ceilidhs, dances, and sessions throughout Cape Breton and plays regularly at well-known venues including the Red Shoe Pub, Glenora Distillery, and West Mabou Square Dances. Tyson has accompanied many well-known fiddlers across the island including Anita MacDonald and performed with Anita for her debut album release at the Celtic Colours International Festival.

Saturday 3 November 2012

Rideau Canal Workers Designation a Reality!

A note from Kevin Dooley

Below is an article that appeared in the Ottawa Citizen (on-line) yesterday (2 November 2012). Thank you all for your assistance and interest over the years. We will get an invitation to the unveiling of the plaques and will truly celebrate that occasion in style.

Many thanks again,
On behalf of the Celtic Cross Commemorative Group
Kevin

OTTAWA — Six years after they were nominated, the workers who built the Rideau Canal will finally be recognized as historically significant.
Environment Minister Peter Kent, the minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced Friday that the thousands of labourers — mostly Irish immigrants and French-Canadians — who carved the 202-kilometre waterway through a wilderness of bush, swamps and lakes will be formally recognized by the government of Canada for their contribution.

Read the rest at The Ottawa Citizen: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Workers+built+Rideau+Canal+finally+recognition/7489784/story.html#ixzz2BAZCVUeS

Ballads & Sea Songs - 23 November 2012

Maura Volante presents an evening of Ballads & Sea Songs
with special guests, Ranald Thurgood, Dale Morland & Neville Miller

GigSpace
(part of Alcorn Music Studio)
953 Gladstone Avenue
Friday, November 23, 2012
8 pm (doors 7:30)

$10 in Advance, $12 at the Door (If this is a hardship, speak to the person at the door for a discount.)

Come listen and sing along with Maura Volante and friends in an evening of traditional folk songs from Canada, the British Isles and the open sea.

The ballads tell archetypal stories of murder, heartbreak, accidents and, occasionally, happy endings.

These will be balanced out by rollicking sea shanties, the work songs used by sailors to help them with their heaving and hauling all over the globe.

Tea, coffee, cold drinks and baked goods will be available at intermission.

Contact Maura for more information:
maura.volante@gmail.com
613 277 9208
http://mauravolante.wordpress.com

Friday 2 November 2012

Fiddle & Flute Immersion Weekend and House Concert with Patrick Ourceau and Ivan Goff - 25-27 January 2013

Immersion Weekend: $125 advance registration (till January 15), $150 late registration.
Concert: $20 advance (till January 20), $25 at the door

House Concert: Saturday at 8:00, 202 Main Street, Barriefield
Patrick is an acknowledged master of Clare and East Galway music, who will be here for our 8th annual Immersion weekend. . http://www.patrickourceau.com/

Ivan goff (uilleann bagpipes, flute) has used New York City as a home base for performances and touring for the recent past. He has been a regular in local sessions, a musical force on the international touring scene, and a piper in high demand. Aside from his life as a performer, Ivan is also a PhD candidate in NYU's Ethnomusicology department. Ivan appears on Patrick's 'Live at Mona's cd http://bronxtunes.wordpress.com/category/ivan-goff-uilleann-bagpipes-flute/ (ed. great CD!)

Private classes Friday night, all day workshop, house concert and session on Saturday, half-day workshop on Sunday. Potluck dinner, BYOB

More information at http://www.srayner.ca/comhaltas/M_SpecialEvents.htm

To reserve a seat, please e-mail rmacdiarmid@cogeco.ca