The East Pointers - Sunday 26 Oct 2014 - at The Daily Grind, 8-11 PM

Hello readers, I am recommending you go to The Daily Grind, 601 Somerset St., on Sunday night to see and hear the musical talents of The East Pointers, an extremely talented traditional music group from Prince Edward Island. This is a trio comprised  of banjoist Koady Chaisson, fiddle player Tim Chaisson, and guitarist Jake Charron.

The cousins Chaisson hail from Prince Edward Island, Canada, part of the sixth generation of a heralded legacy of fiddlers and folk musicians. Tim tours the world as a performer/songwriter with a pop and country-tinged take on contemporary folk, with Koady often at his side or supporting other touring trad acts with his banjo, bass, and six-string. Jake, on the other hand, is based in Ontario and has strummed, plucked, and played piano alongside a laundry list of award-winning performers from around the globe.

Please check out their website, and give the tunes a listen. Their new album (are they still called albums?) is available on iTunes for a mere $5.94.

If you're in doubt, I leave you with a link to a great video of the boys in concert. CLICK HERE for AWESOMENESS.

Craig

Irish Music, Language, and Dance Workshops - Saturday 25 Oct 2014

As part of their Regional annual general meeting, the Ottawa Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann (CCE) is offering workshops in Irish set dancing, Irish language, and Irish instruments to the general public. No experience is necessary! The workshops are also highly subsidized, being only $15 for non-members ($10 for members) for approximately an hour and a half of instruction (and two hours for set dancing). All workshops are at Blessed Sacrament Church, 194 Fourth Ave, in the Glebe. Street parking. Enter from Fourth Ave, basement/hall door.

What is on offer?

Irish Set Dancing - in short, Irish square dancing, with great Irish music! A 'set' is comprised of 8 people, 4 couples, arranged in a square. Each dance has a set sequence of moves and positions. At this stage of learning, not much attention is paid to the footwork. Instructor: Maureen Mulvey, well known in Canada for her set dancing instruction, coming in from Hamilton. Saturday 10:00 am

Irish Language - if you are curious about the fascinating ancient language of Irish Gaelic, this is the place for you. Join Tomas O'Murchu, a Ireland Canada University Foundation (ICUF) Scholar and teacher of Irish Gaelic (what the Irish simply call "Irish"!). Saturday 10:30 am.

Bodhran (bor'-ann) - a lot of people own bodhran's. Not many can play it very well! How to play this Irish drum with the silent 'dh' ? Join Steafan Hannigan, a world renown bodhran player (and multi-instrumentalist). In fact, Steafan has worked with many top artists including Bjork, Depeche Mode, Uriah Heep, Loreena McKennitt, and Michael Flatley, and many more! Due to scheduling issues he's had to turn down gigs from Page and Plant, Tory Amos (wedding), Mary Chapin Carpenter, Dave Stuart, and U2! Check him out for yourself, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6sAdROkXc0 . He is also the author of the Bodhran Book (available at many music stores and on Amazon.ca). Only $15 for non-members! WOW! (if you don't already own a drum, there will be some spares available). Saturday 3:00 pm.

Uilleann Pipes (ill'-in) - the sweetest sounding and most tonally expressive 'bagpipes' of the entire world of bagpipes. An Ireland-invented instrument. It is highly likely that you don't have a set of these kicking around in your closet unless you've already got the bug. Still, you could attend the workshop to learn about the instrument and what you would need to commit to if interested in this most difficult of instruments to play. If you do play, why not come along and join in the workshop? Again, the instructor is master Steafan Hannigan, a wonderfully patient and supportive teacher. If you can't bring pipes, I'm sure Steafan will let you have a go. Saturday 1:30 pm.

Irish Singing - Ottawa's own Dr. Ellen MacIsaac is offering a workshop on singing in both the English and Irish-language traditions. The workshop will focus on repertoire, ornaments and on voice production. Ellen lectures at the University of Ottawa in the Modern Languages department, and directs the Ottawa Celtic Choir. This is going to be a lot of fun. Saturday 1:30 pm.

For more details, please visit the CCE blog: Click this Link for information.

 

EVENT: Don Kavanagh to receive 2014 Arts and Culture award from the Regional Association of West Quebecers

Congratulations to our friend, and local Irish harmonica master, Don Kavanagh! Don has been selected to receive the 2014 Arts and Culture award from the Regional Association of West Quebecers. Be sure to visit the RAWQ webpage!

The award will be presented at the annual Awards Banquet at the Aydelu Centre in Aylmer (94 rue du Patrimoine) on Fri. Oct. 24th. You can obtain  tickets from Patricia Cassidy or you can get them from RAWQ, tel. 819-682-9602. Tickets are $45 each.

We hope that some of his friends will come out to support Don. There is a draw for a dinner for two at Bistro Ambrosia in Aylmer for tickets purchased by Oct. 16th.

More about the wonderful Don Kavanagh and his harmonica:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhhtgJ_5zz8
http://www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/tutorials/cds/kavanagh/kavanagh.htm

 

Concerts and Workshops: Kenneth and Calum MacKenzie - November 14-15

As posted over at the Cape Breton Session webpage, there are some fine music events coming up for those interested in the Cape Breton style.

Nov 14—House Concert: Kenneth and Calum MacKenzie (fiddle, pipes and piano) Hosted by Graham and Suzanne, Ottawa $20 -- Seating is limited – All proceeds go directly to the artists. To reserve your seats, email Graham at gcrate at rogers dot com Light refreshment will be available during intermission, BYOB.

Nov 15—Fiddle, Piano and Piping Workshops: Details TBA (check the CB Session website)

Nov 15 —Ceilidh and Square Dance: 7:30pm Kenneth and Calum MacKenzie of Mabou. Montgomery Legion Hall 330 Kent St. at MacLaren. Square set instruction 7:30pm, dancing and other entertainment 8pm to midnight. Join us for a wonderful evening of Cape Breton fun with the Cape Breton Club of Ottawa. Tickets available mid-October $10 advance or $15 at the door. Available at the Ottawa Folklore Centre, from Brent MacDonald 613-233-3047 or Beth MacGillivray or at any Sunday pub or house session. Also available online via Interac email money transfer to cbsession@cbsession.com.