Union city dues

Thanks in significant part to the efforts of ex-Scullion guitar virtuoso Greg Boland, SIPTU has established a new Musicians’ Union of Ireland that will recruit and represent professional musicians of every genre, including (drum roll, please) folk and trad. The inaugural meeting was set to take place at the National Concert Hall on 30 January, so stay tuned for more news on this intriguing development.

Boland’s fellow Scullion alumnus Sonny Condell is holed up in Aughrim, Co. Wicklow, putting down the beginnings of a new album with Eddie McGinn and Garvan Gallagher in their old friend Paul Barrett’s home studio. Paul – who used to work at SDS in Temple Bar – plays keyboards and flugelbone (described by Sonny as a cross between flugelhorn and trombone), and has joined Condell and the lads at a few of their more recent gigs. In the works are loads of brand-new songs, some of which the band haven’t even heard yet, according to Sonny. Meanwhile, the original masters for his seminal 1977 album Camouflage have finally been located and dusted off. It’s set to be re-released later this year – an important event, given that it sowed the seeds for all subsequent trad/jazz crossovers, including Scullion itself. Now if the two Scullion albums would only come out on CD, we’d be laughing....

Just under a year ago, I found myself sitting at a kitchen table in County Monaghan, playing a lovely session with three members of a newly formed traditional/classical crossover outfit called the West Ocean String Quartet (pictured). The full lineup consists of violinists Seamus McGuire and Niamh Crowley, violist Kenneth Rice, and cellist Neil Martin. Since then, the group has recorded some tracks with Cathy Jordan on the new Dervish album, as well as working with Brian Kennedy, Colin Reid, Sinead O’Connor and Cathal Ó Searcaigh. The latest news is that they’ve just finished mixing their debut album and are delighted with the results; a May release date is envisioned. The BBC have also been filming a documentary in the group, which is due for transmission in March.

Newly released on video is The Floating Bowhand, a 105-minute tribute to master violinmaker and musician Jim McKillop. The video includes extensive documentary footage of the maker demonstrating his craft in his workshop, as well as archival television segments from RTÉ. Interspersed throughout the programme is material from a concert that took place some time ago at the Garter Lane Arts Centre in Waterford, in which McKillop showcases his extensive repertoire (from Irish airs to old-timey American tunes to French Canadian waltzes) in the company of such luminaries as Gerry ‘Banjo’ O’Connor, accordion player Bobby Gardiner, guitar wizard Dick Farrelly, violin wunderkind Zoë Conway, and multi-instrumentalist Garry Ó Briain.

Traditional music fans would do well to book in advance for The Gathering Traditional Music Festival, which takes place at the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney on 21-24 February. Now in its third year, the festival has an impressive lineup that kicks off with an opening night concert featuring Sliabh Luachra musicians Johnny and Ellen Leary, Tim Kiely, Tim Gleeson, Jimmy Doyle, Paudie Gleeson and Joe O’Sullivan. Appearing over the ensuing few days are the great Martin Hayes and Denis Cahill (with support from Brendan Begley and Gavin Ralston), Altan (supported by Seamus Begley) and Dervish. There’s a full programme of set dancing, as well as informal sessions and a traditional singers’ workshop hosted by the Cork Singers Club, following which Galway singer Sean Tyrrell will be launching his new album. To reserve your tickets, ring (064) 71555.

Speaking of Sean Tyrrell, he’s also due to release a video/DVD called Last Night In Babylon, recorded live at The Shelter in Dublin on the night of the launch of his current album Belladonna. In February, he’ll be touring The Visit, a “collaborative theatrical performance” with poet Mary O’Malley and actor/writer Little John Nee; and in May, he’s lined up an extensive tour of Ireland in support of his forthcoming Best Of Live album.”

When The Boys Of The Lough couldn’t make it to their gig at the legendary Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, who was on hand to step into their shoes but Danny Guinan and his band Red: “We thought about it for about a half a second and said ‘okay’,” Danny writes. Some of you may remember him as the frontman for Speranza a good few years ago; he’s since relocated to Holland, where the new band is going strong (their fiddle player, Siard De Jong, was a guest musician on Mike Hanrahan’s recent album).

Noel Shine and Mary Greene are hosting a new folk club in Creedon’s Hotel, Inchigeela, Co. Cork. The inaugural concert featured the Lynch Mob, headed up by Cork-based singer/songwriter Ricky Lynch. According to Mary, it “went off brilliantly with everyone ecstatic! At one stage, everyone in the hall was dancing (even guys who were never, in living memory, known to dance)! Greene also reports that there’s a great new Wednesday night folk club at Linnane’s in Kilfenora, Co. Clare, and another one on Saturday nights at Sean Malone’s in Miltown Malbay.

Traditional musicians and singers take note (so to speak): Aosnua Arts Ltd is seeking potential members for what they describe as “a band that promises to be a major tour de force in the Irish and international folk music industry. Initially the band will feature in an international theatrical production that will tour America, Britain, Europe and the Far East.” Candidates must be between the ages of 20 and 25 (that’s me out of the running, then), must be willing to commit to becoming a full-time career musician, and must (get this) “have a well-groomed and fashionable appearance.” So there. If you reckon you fit the bill, write to Artist Audition Programme, Aosnua Arts Ltd, 9 Beechwood Close, Hartstown, Dublin 15, or e-mail [email protected].

Musicians and singers with news to share can e-mail Sarah on [email protected]