Wolfe In The Wilderness

Every time Cork singer-songwriter Ger Wolfe releases a record, I think it’s going to be the one that finally introduces him to a wider audience. After all, he’s worked hard earning his reputation as one of the country’s most unique voices – quiet, gentle yet somehow authoritative.

Since 1998, he has put out five albums of original music on his own label, Raggedy Records. These are Word and Rhyme (1998), Ragged Ground (2000), Heaven Paints Her Holy Mantle Blue (2004), The Velvet Earth (2006) and No Bird Sang (2009). His singular approach to his craft has charmed many listeners. His songs have been covered by North Cregg (‘Summer At My Feet’ was the title track of their third CD), Karan Casey (‘The Curra Road’) and Sharon Shannon. For all that, his name has stayed stubbornly underground.
Maybe this is because he is so rooted in a specific locale, his native Cork. Then again, that has never held back fellow Leesider John Spillane.
In addition to writing and touring, Ger teaches traditional music at several local national schools and gives a songwriting module every spring at the UCC department of music. In Spring 2009, he was artist in residence in the Múscraí Gaeltacht in Cork, gathering anecdotes and stories from older people in the community as material for new work. From this has come his new album Fréamh; Root. It is mostly in the Irish language with some instrumentals and just three songs in English. He will be touring with The Ger Wolfe Quartet in April and May in a tour presented with funding support from the Music Network performance and touring award. The quartet features Paul Frost (bass), Edel Sullivan (violin) and Richard Lucey (accordion).
The tour kicks off on Thursday April 28 at St. John’s Theatre, Listowel. There’s an appearance in Naul’s Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre Saturday April 30, followed by dates at Bray’s Mermaid Theatre Thursday May 5, the Ionad Culturtha in Baile Mhuirne Friday May 6 and Cork’s Triskel Arts Centre Saturday May 7. There’s a Galway show at the Crane Bar on Thursday May 12 and a gig at the Market House Theatre in Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare on Friday May 13. He visits the Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge on Thursday May 19 and the GB Shaw Theatre in Carlow on Friday May 20. The last date of the tour will be in De Barra’s Folk Club, Clonakilty on Sunday May 22.
Although not touring on such a wide scale it’s good to see the four very busy ladies behind T With The Maggies have carved out enough space from their main careers to slot in a slew of gigs around the country. The group unites four of the most vibrant talents in Irish traditional music as the voices of Clannad and Altan come together with the Ní Dhomhnaill sisters, Maighread and Triona (the ‘T’ of the name) in a celebration of the Irish female vocal tradition. Given that Maighread, Mairead, Moya and Triona all come from just across the Foyle, their Derry gig will surely almost have a hometown feel to it. That takes place on Thursday April 28 at the Culturlann Ui Chanain. Friday April 29 finds them in the homely environs of the Seamus Ennis Centre, Naul, and given the limited capacity there it might be a good idea to check in advance about ticket availability rather than simply turning up in hope. The third and final date of this mini-tour is in Monaghan’s Market House on Sunday May 1.
For those of you in Dublin, there’s plenty of quality on offer over the next couple of weeks too, including the visit of Laura Cortese to the Mercantile on Tuesday April 26. Cortese has played backup to some pretty big names, Band of Horses, Tao Seeger and Uncle Earl included. She has also shared the stage with Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers and Michael Franti as part of Pete Seeger’s 90th birthday celebrations. However, it is only over the last couple of years that the fiddle player has stepped front and centre herself. Having released a series of EPs and a full-length collaboration with Hannaeke Cassel, Natalie Haas and Brittany Haas (of Crooked Still) over the course of the last year, she has blown wide open the possibilities of where she can take her fiddle based music.
Also well worth getting along to see is the widely respected US songwriter Mary Gauthier, who plays Whelan’s on Friday April 29 with support from Northern Ireland’s Ben Glover.