Celtic Music Radio 1530AM - Listen Again

Mary K Burke interviews lorcan Mac Mathuna for Celtic Connections 09 at the Royal Concert Hall Glasgow Jan 2009

I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing lorcan Mac Mathuna from Co Cork at Celtic Connections 09 The music in the background was none other than The Scottish Fiddle Orchestra who were rehearsing for their gig in The Royal Concert Hall
however I managed to get a good interview I was very intriegued by Lorcans Album and found his music to be very traditional and was captivated by his stories and the way he interprets music .

Sean Nós The soul of Irish traditional music.
Lorcan Mac Mathuna
(“An astonishing new voice” Songlines)

Traditional music innovator, soloist, and experimental musician, Lorcán Mac Mathúna is a Gaelic Singer from Dublin who’s interpretations of Sean nós (the traditional soul music of Ireland) are uninhibited by boundaries of convention or genre labelling. His distinctly traditional voice finds its feet in innovatively evocative and musically descriptive new arrangements of sean nós, in contemporary avant-garde composition, live electronic improvisation, interlocking folklore fusions, and descriptive minimalist compositions.

Raised in a background steeped in Irish music, Lorcán’s style is inspired by the traditions of the secluded southern Irish districts of Múscraí and an Rinn and by instrumentalists such as Tony Mac Mahon. He sees contemporary context in his interpretations of sean nós that everyone can relate to and draws you in to his singular performance style, which comes straight from the heart

His 2007 debut album of accompanied Sean-Nós singing “Rógaire Dubh” was hailed as a new and tasteful innovation in the treatment of Irish music.

Lorcán has performed as a solo singer in the Young Masters of the Tradition series in Bantry House, in collaboration with Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and Jane Hughes in West Cork Music’s Monthly session, in St Andrew’s in the Square Glasgow, King’s Place London, and has toured in Ireland and in the low lands with his own productions of Sean-Nós music and experimental fusions.

Other collaborative projects include the Norse-Irish folklore fusion, Northern Lights: http://www.myspace.com/theseastallionproject , Common Tongue, a collaboration with composer, Ian Wilson (who also adds live electronics to the mix), and free improvising saxophonist, Cathal Roche http://www.myspace.com/transformative , and Tasc is Tuairisc (Account and Death Notice) a harrowing minia harrowing minimalist descriptive piece of Franklin polar expedition.

Web Sites
More information and samples can be found on the following Sites
www.lorcanmacmathuna.com
http://www.myspace.com/lorcanmacmathuna
http://www.myspace.com/theseastallionproject
For an up to date view of projects Lorcán is presently involved in look up the projects page on:
http://www.lorcanmacmathuna.com/cordysite/Lorcan_Mac_Mathuna-projects.htm

Sean-nós (songs in the old style) is the oldest and most unique strand in Irelands traditional music. The ancient songs of Ireland and their music form the most intrinsic expression of Ireland’s ancient Irish culture and identity today. Lorcán Mac Mathúna reveals the history and people of Gaelic Ireland as chronicled in its songs and music.

What Press?
 “It takes a keen ear and a sharply honed sensibility to appreciate where style and substance meet in a repertoire that is raw, astringent, technically complex and regionally diverse. A compelling collection of lowering laments that positions him in the vanguard of a new generation of Sean-nós singers.” (Songlines)

“Mac Mathúna has both the voice and the attitude to place him in the first rank of the new wave of traditional singers” (Journal of Music in Ireland)

“Cork-born Lorcán is a passionate young sean-nós singer with a confident and commanding, though sensible, measured style which emphasises the musical quality of the song in an often innovative way while demonstrating both a respect for and understanding of the texts. Sean-nós singing can be a bit of an acquired taste, I’ll admit, but Lorcán’s strongly individual presentation is both intense and involving without being austere or intimidating: deliberate: yes but involved rather than soporific. There’s both intimacy and an understated sensuousness in his response.” (The Living Tradition)

“One of the most captivating discs of sean-nós singing I’ve encountered in recent years.” (The Living Tradition)

Listen now! (58:46min / 54MB)

mary K Burke Show sun 21st feb 2010 guest Steve adams and Alisdair Olgilvyp one

Another show from Mary’s Archives featuring two Glasgow based artists Alisdair Ogilvy is a traditional singer who has a great love of Burns songs . Alisdairs second appearence on Mary K ’s Show is to showcase his new demo and give us an update on his many appearences at festivals all over Scotland.As a huge fan of Robert Burns; he really loves his songs and words and the emotions and sentimentality he creates with them. Alistair is currently trying to build up his repertoire and contact list by attending as many sessions and festivals as he can. 2009 proved to be extremely productive, after spending a lot of time at Celtic connections I then attended many other festivals throughout the year including the Hebridean Celtic Festival and the Aberdeen Cullerlie Singers Festival. He has also had many gigs throughout Glasgow and further afield. So far 2010 has been amazing, Alistair has been performing with guitarist Jim King at folk clubs all over and attending many a festival with more to come. He has recently been asked to perform at the (TMSA Singers’ gathering) next year with the title – “TMSA Young Traditional Singer of Merit” “a compelling introductory floor-spot by the young Glasgow singer Alistair Ogilvy

Steve Adams is a well seasoned singer songwriter London Born now based in Glasgow he has been involved in The Glasgow singer songwriters since the start and recently released his latest album Boos Blues Booze and Laughing

heres what Ricky Fultan had to say about Steve’s Album
Steve Adams – Boos Blues Booze and Laughing
BY the look of him Mr Adams is a cross between Seasick Steve and John Martyn. The album also starts with boos (usually that comes at the end) but the London-born Glasgow resident’s second album doesn’t get that reaction from me. In fact I’ve grown very fond of BBBL. Not every album can start with a song about a Buffalo that starts off as a joke but also asks “where can a child sleep safe in their bed?’. Have You Washed Your Hands? also treads a humours line with a dark underbelly. And that seems to be Steve’s idea. Create songs with humour. Take Get A Life, a country blues tune with lines like “I got a thousand good friends on MySpace”. But Steve counters this with good ole Bob Dylan folk in Dying with its line: “I’m alone in the darkness listening to my breath”. It’s cheers and no boos for Mr Adams.
Rick Fulton Daily Record

Mary Sings Hannah on the show with Alisdair

Listen now! (84:30min / 77MB)

Roya Maclean interview With Mary K Burke 29th March 2010

Roya Maclean came down to meet me in Glasgow at Celtic Music Radio studios to talk about the making of her second Album Black Water recorded in her Aunts living room in a day with her friends . From the first note to last this album grabbed my attention and has already been an Album of the week on Celtic Music Radio and for an album recorded in a day in her aunts living room with some of the best musicians I have heard and 19 tracks no mean feat but Roya pulled it together with the ease of a true professional . Mary K http://www.royamaclean.com

Musicians: Roya MacLean – accordion, piano(tr17); Coralea Mckay – fiddle; Lewis Kane – piano; Nicky McMichan – drums; Struan Thorpe – pipes; Steven MacIver – Gaelic song

Listen now! (58:50min / 54MB)

Terry Penney : Town That Time Forgot

A contemporary folk artist, whose songs are so vivid and image-driven that they have been likened to ‘3-minute movies’. Singer-songwriter, Terry Penney has the ability to ‘put you there’ in his songs and for the past ten years, he’s done just that. His youthful face belies an old soul who’s always had a penchant for the past. As a testament, his new album, Town That Time Forgot, is a stroll through a place where the strains of doo-wop can still be heard on car radios, little boys dream of helping the Lone Ranger, and World War veterans still walk the streets as young men.

Listen now! (22:07min / 10MB)

Sunday: Dan Green, Matthew Newlands, Orlaith McAuliffe and Mohsen Amini.

Dan Green, Matthew Newlands, Orlaith McAuliffe and Mohsen Amini.

Listen now! (6:36min / 3MB)