Nicki's live music tips

If all else fails, Dance Yo' Ass Off

2009-07-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

Wow what an amazing 9 days of music I had during the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, perhaps my best ever. I kind of decided against giving tips for it this year since I was madly busy and I'm not aware of this blog having ever convinced anyone to go - but this year I met more friendly faces who've never been before than ever which was great. I did some target marketing instead, dragging Niwel and James down for Lera Auerbach's extraordinary late-night performance on the Friday night which we were all blown away by in our own ways. What an astounding talent and mind - composer, pianist, poet, definitely the most powerful impression on me of the festival.

Highlights of the week are too numerous to mention but I wanted to say instead how much more I appreciate this year the significance of this festival internationally to the performers and composers. They say there's very few other opportunities for them to meet and work together over so many days and that the relaxed and friendly atmosphere is pretty much unique. It's always interesting to see performers who have never been before - at first they can seem a bit aloof because I guess that's how things usually work and then after a few days they 'get' the whole thing and start to relax and open up and enjoy themselves.

Actually, I will mention one piece I enjoyed alot just because it came out of last year's festival and that's John Kinsella's new work 'On hearing Purcell and Shostakovich at Bantry House' which was premiered on the first night by the Vanbrugh Quartet. Oh, and wow what a discovery, the epic 24 Preludes and Fugues by Shostakovich which Alexander Melnikov played across two evenings... am hugely delighted to have found and downloaded Keith Jarrett's recording of same - highly highly recommended, I downloaded it here .

So, anyway, I have a few tips for you.

Thurs 16th - Sat 18th July
8pm Cork Opera House Opera lives on in Cork (despite Opera 2005's loss of funding and Ellen Kent's ending of touring productions) with Berstein's Candide. Directed by the amazing John O'Brien I have no doubt that he will bring out the very best from Opera 2005's Chorus and the orchestra (he's a great conductor and chorus master), particulary since I know John is mad about Bernstein he'll see to it that it's done great justice. And the story sounds great craic altogether. Did I mention that the wonderful Mary Hegarty is starring alongside Nyle Wolfe? No one better to do risqué I'd say, which is what Candide is all about... Oh, and it's in English and was composed that way so we can all relax and enjoy it, no stress!

I've booked seat L16 for the Saturday night show but I'm all on my own and would love some company! Tickets are just €21-€26 which for opera is simply unheard of. It's a brave undertaking for the producers who really don't want to let opera die - please come along and enjoy the show with me?

Monday 20th July
8pm Cork School of Music I've said it before but this Chucho Valdés concert is going to be superb and it's a fundraiser for a worthy cause in Cuba .... In support of the fabulous Irish-led Unacorda project (which is establishing a training programme for a new generation of Cuban piano-tuners and technicians) the legendary Chucho Valdés - definitely not one to miss: “[He] put Cuban jazz on the world map long before the Buena Vistas” John Fordham, The Guardian "Valdés's command of the keyboard is so technically staggering as to be stupefying” All Music Guide Tickets are €28 and available from Pro-Musica and Ticketmaster.

Thursday 23rd July
9pm The Roundy Somehow sultry and airy all at the same time, singer-songwriter Francesca Baines will be unveiling some new songs and new instruments with guest musicians .. €9

12 Midnight, Crane Lane I didn't think I could do that crazy high energy punk dancing I've seen - born too late and a little too gentle I just didn't think it was in me. Then I went and saw 'PostKrautBillyPunk' Los Langeros play again at the LV some time ago, always great craic but wow, this time before I knew it my bones were hoppin all over the shop FREE

Monday July 27th
12 Midnight, Crane Lane Swing Jazz outfit The Darktown Strutters are king of Cork swing Gary Baus on Sax & one of the best guitarists around Breandain Ó Ruaidh, with David Duffy on Bass & Dave Ryan on drums. Fresh from a masterclass with Lee Konitz in Cologne (yes, you read that right!) this should be a great night and it's free free FREE.

Wednesday July 29th

8pm The Pavilion I really like this Eliza Gilkyson, never heard of her myself but she's very well established, Americana/Folk kind of stuff with brains. Nice live performance from the Philadelphia Folk Fest here €12

8pm Cork School of Music Rodrigo and Gabriela need no introduction... tickets are available from Fred Zeppelins, Plug'd and tickets.ie costin €24.25

9.30-Late-Night, Crane Lane Boy, do I appreciate it when I'm invited to Dance Yo' Ass Off and I sure hope to do just that for this night hosted by the legendary Jerome Rimson... he'll be djing classic soul from 9.30 and from midnight his Inner City Blues Band will take to the stage where you can expect to hear some of the city's best musicians - you don't make this band if you don't got soul. Definitely a night to get on down and it's FREE too.

Friday 29th July
9.30 The Pavilion It's the Doubletime! 6th Anniversary special with the wonderful Gary Baus in the driving seat for what will be a seriously hot night of swing - and for the celebration he's treating us to the 17-piece swing band Tuxedo Junction. A snip at €15 this'll be fun, fun, fun....

G'wan away with yis

2 tips that might have got lost in the madness

2009-06-17T09:09:00.001-07:00

I hadn't intended on sending out a tips blog since there is so much stuff to choose from with the midsummer festival and all, but I've been asked to draw attention to two truly excellent fundraising gigs....

First though I'd just like to take this opportunity to offer all readers a special 2-for1 deal on this Sunday's Midsummer night's gig in the Spiegeltent when Niwel's new band Song of the Nations will play. Just quote the top-secret code 'CSE2007' at the box office in Triskel (or by phone on 4273944) to avail of this generous offer! Hope to meet you there....

Friday 19th June
8pm Aula Maxima, UCC A truly stellar classical concert in aid of the Vanbrugh Quartet Scholarship Fund which allows the masterclasses at West Cork Chamber Music festival to take place. The RTÉ VANBRUGH QUARTET with special guests: HUGH TINNEY, piano; KIRSTEN CAP, piano; CIAN O’DUILL, viola; BRIAN O’KANE, cello; CARA O’SULLIVAN, soprano; DAVID WHITLA, double-bass and THE CAIRDE QUARTET. Tickets €35 and worth every cent!!

Monday 20th July
8pm Cork School of Music In support of the fabulous Irish-led Unacorda project (which is establishing a training programme for a new generation of Cuban piano-tuners and technicians) the legendary Chucho Valdés - definitely not one to miss: “[He] put Cuban jazz on the world map long before the Buena Vistas” John Fordham, The Guardian "Valdés's command of the keyboard is so technically staggering as to be stupefying” All Music Guide Tickets are €28 and available from Pro-Musica and Ticketmaster.

I'll be off west for the West Cork Chamber Music festival from 27 June - 5th July... see you sometime soon I'm sure

Experimental throat-singing and afro-centric cabaret, it's all here...

2009-05-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

Hope you caught some of the Choral fest - congratulations to the team for a great festival I had an absolute blast - was sorry not to get to all the concerts I'd wanted to but it was a real honour to be involved in two great performances. There was great atmosphere in the Clarion atrium on Sunday too where there were great choirs performing for free all day long doing their very best to soothe my viscious hangover.

I'm off now for the guts of two weeks to do the first part of a really exciting training programme - an EU Diploma in Cultural Project Management.

So I thought I'd have a quick sconce over what's coming up during this week and while I'm away.

Mostly I wanted to let you know about Mairtín O'Connor's gig tomorrow in the Pav which'll be rockin with the fantastic Cathal Hayden (of Four Men and a Dog) and Seamie O'Dowd. My first ever production was in Galway putting Mairtín and Cathal and Garry O Briain on with ConTempo String Quartet in the Town Hall Theatre and it was a rip-roaring sell-out success. I've tried to get Cathal down to Cork before with FMaD but they're out of my league so it is fantastic to see Pat getting these a-listers in, it'll be fantastic.

Weds 6 May
9pm The Pavilion The Máirtín O Connor Band are simply in the top league of irish traditional music and have just finished a new album. This is the first time they've played here since I moved back to Cork in 2004 these gigs don't come everyday - they don't even come every month or year so if you're free do yourself a favour...

9pm The Roundy It's rare that songwriting gets experimental round here if you ask me but Bennys Head is, I gather, the exception. I never heard of them til now but it's a project going since '85 according to the spiel. The team is Cormac O'Connor and Frank West and they're joined by George Hanover out of Snatch Comedy and skaheads Gary Cotter and Ian Walsh outta the Naildrivers the perfect alternative to Mairtín O'Connor's gig at the Pav I'd imagine! and FREE

Monday 11th May
8.30pm Everyman Palace Bar - The KC Sessions 10 singer songwristers, free gig, this seems to have been a great series so far fair dues to them. FREE

9pm The Roundy just when i thought STeT Lab couldn't get much more experimental they invite NZ throatsinger/vocalist Johnny Marks (who has worked with Damo Suzuki who nearly made my ears bleed at Triskel some years back) to join Sax player Bruce Coates who's back in town and some of the regular STeT Lab gang. More on the website

Thursday 14th May
9pm The Roundy Colin McLean's Latin Trio are excellent, really nice acoustic sound, excellent musicians. FREE

Sunday 17th May
8pm An Crúibín Annette Buckley and Band are sure to give a good performance at the old Lobby where she would have made her mark first. An emotional singer-songwriter with talent and style... like the kind we listened to back when I was growing up ;-)

Fri 22nd May - Sunday 24th
Féile Africa's Africa Day celebrations - Festival of Africa
There will be a HEAP of good music going down this weekend, the full schedule will be up soon here looks to me like the gig at the Pavilion on the Friday will be a real cracker sorry i won't be around for it, I'll definitely make it for the celebrations on the Saturday and Sunday though.

There doesn't seem much more out of the usual going down, the Crane Lane have a good line-up all month of late-night free music for anyone around after midnight any night really....

Enjoy the sun,

N

It's that time of year again...

2009-04-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

The pleasures of spring are available to everyone and cost nothing wrote George Orwell according to my desk calendar today. I found the line in a 1946 article which begins with a rather wonderful description of the habits of the post-hibernation sex-starved toad - ... All he knows, at least if he is a male toad, is that he wants to get his arms round something, and if you offer him a stick, or even your finger, he will cling to it with surprising strength and take a long time to discover that it is not a female toad. Frequently one comes upon shapeless masses of ten or twenty toads rolling over and over in the water, one clinging to another without distinction of sex.

...Is it wicked to take a pleasure in spring and other seasonal changes? To put it more precisely, is it politically reprehensible, while we are all groaning, or at any rate ought to be groaning, under the shackles of the capitalist system, to point out that life is frequently more worth living because of a blackbird's song, a yellow elm tree in October, or some other natural phenomenon which does not cost money and does not have what the editors of left-wing newspapers call a class angle?

... At any rate, spring is here, even in London N. 1, and they can't stop you enjoying it. This is a satisfying reflection. How many a time have I stood watching the toads mating, or a pair of hares having a boxing match in the young corn, and thought of all the important persons who would stop me enjoying this if they could. But luckily they can't. So long as you are not actually ill, hungry, frightened or immured in a prison or a holiday camp, spring is still spring. The atom bombs are piling up in the factories, the police are prowling through the cities, the lies are streaming from the loudspeakers, but the earth is still going round the sun, and neither the dictators nor the bureaucrats, deeply as they disapprove of the process, are able to prevent it.

Well when spring comes to Cork it brings with it not just the lovely song of the blackbirds, or indeed the slap of puddle on fresh-laundered trousers as you wait to cross the road, but also the glorious sound of the human voices piled high together in love of music. Yes, thanks to the Cork International Choral Festival, while I may not have even one golden-eyed toad to roll in the mud with I do have four and a half thousand other voices alongside who I can express my happiness at the lengthening days and burgeoning nature.

Here's my pick of the festival... and a few side orders...

Tuesday 29th
8.00 pm The Pavilion I wish there was more Eastern music on offer in Cork, and now when there is I'm bloody rehearsing. Tina Sani got a great preview in last week's Irish Times (see preview online here http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2009/0420/1224245016373.html ) and with all profits going to the Yasin Foundation, (Pakistan-Ireland Women’s Educational Foundation) http://yasinfoundation.ie/ this concert should be €20 well spent twice over.

Wednesday 29th April
8pm City Hall For spectacular bombast and excitement check out the opening concert Sadly the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir had to cancel their trip to Cork to perform alongside the Harlow Chorus with Cork Symphony Orchestra for the opening concert of this year's Choral Festival. Unfazed, conductor of the orchestra (and member of the Internationally-acclaimed RTE Vanbrugh String Quartet) Keith Pascoe set about putting together an impressive choir. As a proud member of this 'emergency' chorus I can report that we are in fine fettle and ready for the big gig tomorrow - hope you can make it. Despite having a fair amount of choral experience I can safely say I have never sung more exciting words than Walt Whitman's - powerful images of thundering steamers, billowing sails, busy ports, storms and vast expanses of ocean ... and Ralph Vaughan Williams' hugely expressive music really brings it alive.

Thursday 30th
11am City Library Brigham Young University Singers from the USA are a hot tip and FREE

1pm Cork School of Music Chamber Choir Gallerie from Finland also have a very good rep FREE
6pm Glucksman Gallery Nidaros Cathedral Girls Choir from Norway have also been tipped to me. FREE

8pm City Hall For some 'easy'-listening of the highest quality Finland's Club for Five are the should be very entertaining using a range of hip vocal techniques to cover popular styles of music.

Friday 1st May
2pm Tory Top Library, Ballyphehane (Which my mate Paul says is a lovely library altogether and he means it) are hosting Slovenia's Ptuj Male Voice Choir who should be really good. FREE

5.40am Shandon Bells (Yes, that's precisely the crack of dawn folks) Last year's dawn chorus in the iconic St Anne's in Shandon was a huge success - this year Cathal O'Baoill and the Gothenburg Youth Choir will perform for the Shandon Sunrise from the bell tower to reward early risers with a very special moment. Gather at 5.40am outside the church! FREE

7.30pm St Fin Barre's Cathedral Our own National Chamber Choir under the direction of world-famous Paul Hillier have put together a tantalising programme entitled From the Sublime to the Ridiculous. Great choir and will be lovely.

8pm Firkin Crane, Shandon The Farmer's Daughter is a rockabilly musical and should be quite a hoot. It's written by the oh-so-cleverly named choir (now I think about it!) Mná Mná. The blurb says "Bailenagee is getting ready for the 'Farmer of the Year' competition... but is Bailenagee ready for the farmer's daughter? Love knows no boundries in this tongue-in-cheek musical about a girl dressing up as a man and winning the cash-prize... and the girl!" Directed by the lovely Evelyn Quinlan.

8pm Triskel Pierre Bensusan is a sublimely good guitarist with a large and dedicated following. Almost too beautiful. http://www.pierrebensusan.com/

10.30pm North Cathedral The first tickets I booked this year were for Germany's Singer Pur. No doubt they will, like Amacord last year in the same slot, astound with a programme of early and contemporary music and some of the finest chamber singing on the planet.

Saturday May 2nd

3pm & 8pm City Hall The centrepiece of the festival, the Fleischmann International Trophy Competition is highly competitive and very exciting, fans of the nail-biting excitement of TV talent shows can get a real live fix at City Hall! And, more importantly see a big number of really good choirs.

6pm Honan Chapel UCC We've been working hard all year and now Cork Chamber Choir are really looking forward to putting on our biggest concert yet. We've some of the best musicians around to accompany us for Vivaldi's much-loved Gloria RV. 589, and we will also sing a capella, performing Dvorak's luscious 4 Folk Songs. We did the concert in Rosscarbery on Saturday where it went down very well and are excited that we have a great little concert in store for you this week. We made a bit of a balls up by scheduling the concert during an effing Munster match, therefore cutting our potential audience by about 75% it seems so if you're not a rugby fan PLEASE come and support us and make all those hungover Sunday morning rehearsals worthwhile. Tickets are €10/€7

Tuesday May 5th
5pm Honan Chapel,UCC Italy's I Madrigalisti di Perugia who will perform a selection of Italian madrigals I suspect they will be very good indeed. FREE

That's the lot for now...

letter to Niwel

2009-04-14T15:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Niwel,

Thanks for restringing the house guitar - I can hear Joya playing it downstairs now though I suspect she doesn't realise, it sounds lovely.

I really can't believe I'm missing your big cork gig this weekend. I'm shocked and kind of ashamed - can it really be I take your music so much for granted that I didn't put it in my diary? And it's going to be such a special one I know.

It's looking like you won't be in cork so much longer and i know i'll feel bitter at myself for having spent sunday april 21st 2009 in paris when i should have been in the pavilion in Cork... ask me in ten years i would probably swap 100 nights in paris for a night in cork listening to song of the nations showing the world the new sounds and lost scales.

Hell maybe I'll live in paris then anyway.

Maybe we all will :-)

Pepele, emo....

Some nice tips for you

2009-04-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

No chattering at all today want to go home to the garden.

But don't miss:

Weds 15th

8pm Triskel Arts Centre - David Torn and his new project Prezens are a big new thing in the electro/jazz world... I'm in Paris this weekend where tickets to see him set one back €24 yet Triskel will let you be one of the chosen few for just €18 ( un petit peu de perspectif, non?) ... and a chance to jump right to the cutting edge right here in cork myspace.com/prezens

8.30pm Crane Lane The last Boutique Burlesque for a while so make a special effort and it will be rewarded in spades http://www.myspace.com/boutiqueburlesque

Thurs 18th

9pm The Roundy Catch Tonynho and Raj's new project Bangsambra for some seriously good vibes - very positive, playful music check out http://www.myspace.com/bangsambra (including my review here ) and it's free free free

Fri 19th

9pm Club ISObar at the Mardyke (which I assume is the old Isobar which became the new Tikki Lounge before presumably being sucked back into the Mardyke complaex and getting it's old name back?) Putting the FUN back in fundraiser, this Gig for Gaza will feature the brilliant Don for Chickens (confirmed after my finally seeing a gig), punkabilly darlings Los Langeros and a heap of talent I don't know namely Dirty Fix and Circus Cat while Dr Fiasco will give ye a phew tunes to dance to and all. Just a tenner and all of it will go to Caoimhe Butterly's humanitarian aid out there. Will be lots of fun and full of good heads.

Sat 20th

7.30pm Crane Lane - Shock horror - nice music on a Saturday that has nothing to do with dancing so far as I know - weird! Probably because I'm away, she probably knew. But cellist Vyvienne Long can expect a decent crowd to see her new project I think I think because she's been getting loads of press and is supposed to be great live. http://www.myspace.com/vyvlong

Sun 21st

8pm The Quad Casiotone for the Painfully Lonely is a solo act, electro with heartI guess, feted by Observer and Mojo but is for some reason playing the Quad in a free gig! Ah, yes here comes summer when we get weird and wonderful drop-ins on European tour, yippee... www.myspace.com/cftpa

"doin it to yuh in da eaya"

2009-03-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

Er, happy 40th birthday to me, can't believe I've done this 40 times (blog that is).

Anyway, Joya's off at her Boutique BaROQUE extravaganza at the Crane Lane; niwel, andremud, mel and the gang will be tuning into gamelan in a half hour at UCC; and Christian and who knows how many young singer songwriters are at the KC sessions in the new Gateway bar in Barrack St.

And I never got to tell ye about any of it.

Me I'll miss it all too, I'm home with the bass beside me waiting for one of my very last practise opportunities before the concert this sunday afternoon. We'll rehearse as an orchestra on saturday first, but there's so much I can't reliably play at speed it's a bit nervewracking.

I nearly skipped off to all them lovely gigs instead but funny, when I got home I listened to a new Captain Hotknives tune Safety is Important off the cd he gave us on saturday and had a big belly laugh, then stopped that (don't want to eat the whole box of squidgy black chocolates in one go eh) threw on P Funk's Mothership and got funked up, boppin away in the sitting room and singin me head off. All energised I said I write a blog so ye know what's coming up and then get down to the nitty gritty with Elgar. I'll do what I can, eh.

Saturday 28th

1pm Stack Theatre, Cork School of Music Don't miss seeing my brilliant double bass teacher and mate Dave Whitla play his first solo recital since I've known him. A really interesting choice of music and I'm excited about the Vasks piece cause I was fundamentally changed in a tiny but lovely way by that concerto he did with the Irish Chamber Orchestra I think it was called Distant Light?) and plus Vasks's a bass player itself and I've had some preview snippets during my lessons...

8pm Blackrock Castle Don't be late or you'll miss EARTH HOUR at 8.30 when the lights in the whole area go out and the big-news Italics play a sweet acoustic reggae set by lamplight. We'll be looking at stars through telescopes if HAARP will just blast a hole in the clouds. When the power kicks in again VJ Present will inspire while Green Monitor dub things up. Last up Brian Deady will funk yis all up with some soul action. Cork Food Web are co-presenting, last night's large gathering in the Franciscan Well would suggest there'll be a big turnout. And it's only a fiver in!!

Sunday 29th
3pm City Hall The CSO Symphony Orchestra perform their big concert of the year, my first full length one with them. Brian O'Kane will play a cello concerto type yoke by Taverner, a pretty amazing yoke actually when the orchestra is divided into a massive number of layers, really textural and also Elgar's expansive, romantic and great fun Enigma Variations. Meet you for a pint in Charlie's after you can be sure!!

There's loads more but sorry I just haven't time :-)

happy listening

yip yip yip

2009-03-05T15:57:00.000-08:00

Ok I am still mid-house move so I didn't put this together like I'd planned but there's hot stuff on so here's some leads the first of which I'll flag as urgent.

Friday 6th March
8pm Cork School of Music Some young buck by the name of Pierre O'Reilly's after composing a work called Ubu's Story, for Choir and orchestra and our great fiend Niwel is narrating. I will definitely be there.

Fi 6th - Sun 8th March
Make a promise to yourself and me to avail of some of the total once-off performances in this year's Cork Singer's Festival happening all this weekend. You'll find full details on my work events page (loads waiting to be uploaded for the Lifelong Learning Fest happening at the end of the month by the way, I'll get to it soon). I'll be honest and say while I recognise alot of the names though all the concerts but I'm not qualified to tip. Check out this link and see what bites you http://www.civictrusthouse.ie/events.htm

Weds 11th March
8.30-2am Crane Lane Joya's at it again with a heady night of gyptian buzz - Balkan Bohemia. Don some scarves and skirts, hitch up your boots and catch a caravan into town, cross her hands with brass and a night of jumped up jarring eastern folk from Lazik, dance tips, art and heaps of entertainment await.

Thurs 12th March
8pm Cork School of Music Jerry Creedon's guitar concert with Cork Orchestral Society last year was superstar John Williams. This year it's Xue Fei Yang. http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=L_WF2eSMwc8&feature=related

apart from that ye'll have to fend for yerselves I have guests here ;-)

Time for some more tips

2009-02-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Howyis.

First, two notes for performers - there are two workshops coming up that might interest people. The first is a voice workshop, A Sliver of Voice on Valentine's Day which looks dead cool, in fact I will take part myself if I get my act together to pay the deposit today. The second is an Early Music weekend workshop for voices and viols in the first weekend of March. I'm attaching information and booking form. I'm putting details of both at the foot of this post.

Upcoming gigs:

Saturday 7th:
8pm Cork School of Music: The Floating Opera is a kind of all-star Cork blues band that only gets together rarely - "fronted by the fantastic Aine Whelan and Johnny Campbell, with super session men Dick Farrelly on guitar, Paul Seymour on keyboards, Jerry Fehily on drums and John O’Connor on saxes close behind. " It's only €10 and will be well worth the investment.

Monday 9th:
11.45 Crane Lane Fans of Los Langeros will probably go for one man band Scott H. Biram. If you're recently unemployed and no longer have to worry about staying out late of a Monday night it might be one to check out... http://www.myspace.com/scotthbiram

Tues 10th:
9pm The Roundy - SteT Lab have invited a group of hardcore improvisers, Dunmall, Park, Sanders and Smith, for tonight's event at the Roundy. - full details about this month's illustrious guests here: http://www.busterandfriends.com/stet

Wednesday 11th:
1.10pm Glucksman Gallery - SteT Lab's visiting improvisers Dunmall, Park, Sanders and Smith, perform in the Glucksman gallery at lunchtime (free event).
1.10pm Cork School of Music Violinist Aoife Ní Shearccóid (0ne of last year's young musicians at the West Cork Chamber Music Fest) gives an MA performance of Bach's Sonata No. 3 in Emaj, Messiaen's Theme & Variations and Schumann's Sonata in Am Op. 105, accompanied by Santa Ignace on piano. It will be really nice, just please don't be late or leave early or go if you have a cough or anything because she will be getting marked on it so we don't want to put her off!!

Thursday 12th:
9pm The Roundy - adding a little South American sunshine vibe to our february, Cork's rather brilliant newish latin group the Colin McLean Trio features the talented himself and Michael Cummins on guitar and David Whitla (who plays witht he best orchestra in ireland, the Irish Chamber Orchestra) on double bass - real quality stuff.

Friday 13th:
7pm Blackrock Castle Hot tip alert! Only 50 tickets at t0 to see a very unusual performance by Buenos Aires vocalist and performer Maia Monaco and the composer Guillermo Pesoa who are also doing the workshop I'm excited about. Full details here or check out the poster here . With such a small capacity you'd want to book ahead.

Saturday 14th
5.45pm Blackrock Castle - No this isn't a music tip but this is my damn list!! Cork Food Web is a really exciting new community venture encouraging us to work together to grow our own food in the face of recession and global economic collapse. We're having a get-together to swap seeds (hur hur, since it's Vanentine's Day) and get to know one another. Everyone's welcome, please come and bring food to share - check out http://www.corkfoodweb.ning.com

Saturday 15th
Midnight, Crane Lane - I haven't yet mentioned funk and soul band Soul Driven in this blog and in fairness they are bloody good! www.myspace.com/departmentofsoul

Monday 16th
7pm Upstairs in Sin É The KC sessions is a nice new evening for singer-songwriters - there are 20 of em lined up for this one and I'd say it'll be jammers but well worth a visit.

Wednesday 18th
8pm Cork School of Music: Eddi Reader is back in town - think the last time was when she played the City Hall in 2005 as part of Cork Folk Festival. Anyway - fabulous voice, brilliant songwriter, very original ... €25

Thursday 19th
9pm The Roundy On another singer-songwriter tip Francesca Baines (appearing with guests) is making a name for herself here in Cork. Floaty hippy vibes with a dark jazzy edge and a nice variety in her songs - check her out on www.myspace.com/francescabaines

9.30pm Charlie's I am looking forward to seeing Mick Lynch's Don for Chickens for the first time - somewhere between punk performance poetry and the messy end of a sing song from what I gather.

Ok that's the lot for now!

WORKSHOP 1:
'A Sliver of Voice' is a workshop devised by prominent Buenos Aires performer, poet and singer Maia Monaco which focuses on exploring the colours, intensities and textures of the voice and on movement and contemporary dance techniques for expressing music and emotion. Monaco shares her own devised techniques for sonic meditation, which she terms 'the vibration of the infinite voice', focussing on exercises in vocal technique and basic guidelines for improvisation that feed the imagination and amplify hearing.

Incorporating the techniques of Guillermo Pesoa to explore connections between music and theatrical performance, workshops will enhance the participants' abilities to connect music, emotion and movement, and to improvise instinctively from music.

The workshop begins with bodily warm-ups and stretches to improve awareness of posture, relaxation and responsiveness. They then move on to exercises in vocal technique and basic guidelines of improvisation.
Different vocal qualities are explored such as 'the voice in repose', 'the voice in speech', 'the animal voice', 'the agitated voice', 'the ritual voice', with emphasise on breath and pulse as the basis of the voice, employing percussion accompaniment. Pesoa will introduce basic principles of musical analysis and composition; exploring music-based performance through a series of physical and vocal tasks and exercises based on rhythmic units, music dynamics, music structure and tempo.

Here is a link to a YouTube video of Maia Monaco performing, where you can listen to some of her work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYjBDigEFQk

Workshop Details

When? : Saturday 14th of February, 2009
What time?: 10.30am to 16.30pm
Where?: Blackrock Castle Observatory
How much: €60 per participant.

How to book a place for this workshop:

If you are interested in booking a place for this workshop please do the following:

Contact me via email (marcusbale@gmail.com) asking to book a place for the workshop. I will provissionally book a place for you.
(A booking fee of €20 will be required from all participants to be paid before the 20th of January, but I will send details on how to pay this fee after provisionally booking the places).

If you need any more information, please dont hesitate to contact me:
marcusbale@gmail.com

WORKSHOP 2:

TRIORA MUSICA
www.trioramusica.com
Flat 4 32 Adelaide Cres. Hove BN3 2JH Tel: 01273 832788 mobile:
07967689714
T
Early Music in Cork
In association with the Music Department, University College,
Cork
A week end of music making for experienced solo and consort singers, viol,
baroque violin, lute and recorder players
Friday March 6 – Sunday March 8th 2009
Directed Deborah Roberts, Alison Crum and Roy Marks
Course fee £100 (£60 students) or €120 (€80 students)
Triora Musica’s first course in Ireland will be set in the atmospheric city of
Cork and will focus on English music from the 16th and 17th centuries,
including such composers as Thomas Tallis, William Byrd, John Dowland and
Thomas Tomkins. Depending upon the range of applicants we hope to
arrange sessions for viol and recorder consorts, broken (mixed) consorts, and
vocal groups for one and two per part singing.
In addition there will be open master classes on consort songs for solo singers
and viol players. Baroque violins are also welcome as an alternative to the
treble viol.
Deborah, Alison and Roy will be giving a lunchtime concert at the University
at 1 pm on Friday, and the first introductory course session will run from 5 pm
to 7 pm. We will end with an informal concert on Sunday afternoon allowing
time for participants from the UK and Europe to catch evening flights home.
All three tutors are highly experienced performers and teachers. Alison and
Roy both play with the Rose Consort of Viols and have also led hundreds of
courses around the world. Deborah’s performing career has included taking
part in over a thousand concerts with the Tallis Scholars. In addition she is
also Co Artistic Director of Brighton Early Music Festival (www.bremf.org.uk).
RIORA MUSICA
www.trioramusica.com
Flat 4 32 Adelaide Cres. Hove BN3 2JH Tel: 01273 832788 mobile:
07967689714
T
Further information
Cork is a bustling city full of character and charm. It has it’s own international
airport within a short bus ride of the city centre, with flights from many parts
of the UK and Europe: see www.irishtourist.com/travel_info/cork_airport/
for a full list).
There is also a wide range of accommodation available from budget B&B’s to
top class hotels – many within walking distance of the UCC Music Department
where the course will take place. See www.corktourist.com for accommodation
lists and much further information about what to see and do in Cork. We can arrange
group meals and visists to some of Cork’s wonderful pubs for the Friday and Saturday
evenings following music making.
The Music Department is situated in Sundays Well Rd next to St Vincents Church,
and is not on the main UCC campus. It is a short walk from the city centre.
RIORA MUSICA
www.trioramusica.com
Flat 4 32 Adelaide Cres. Hove BN3 2JH Tel: 01273 832788 mobile:
07967689714
T
Biographies
Alison Crum is well-known throughout the Western World as both as a player and
teacher of the viol. President of the Viola da Gamba Society of Great Britain,
Professor of Viol at Trinity College of Music in London, and a visiting teacher at
several colleges and universities both in Europe and the USA, Alison has been called
the 'doyenne of British viol teachers'. She has made over eighty recordings, directs
numerous summer schools and workshops, and her highly acclaimed book, 'Play the
Viol', now in its fifth reprint, is published by Oxford University Press.
Roy Marks is married to Alison Crum. Although he played piano and guitar from
childhood, he always felt himself an artist and studied at the Royal Academy in
London. Since taking up the viol, lute and theorbo he has little time for painting but
enjoys performing, coaching on various workshops and composing original music for
period instruments.
Deborah Roberts performed over 1,200 concerts worldwide with The Tallis
Scholars and gained a deep insight into performing renaissance polyphony. She is
well known internationally as a choral course director and editor of 16th and 17th
century music. She founded and directs Musica Secreta, an ensemble of female voices
and continuo that researches and performs a repertoire of richly sensuous music
(both sacred and secular), much of it by women composers. Deborah became director
of the chamber choir Brighton Consort in 1998, founded the Celestial Sirens in 2006,
and is the visiting singing teacher at University College Cork. Deborah is founding co-
Artistic Director of the Brighton Early Music Festival, now the second largest festival
of its kind in the UK.
RIORA MUSICA
www.trioramusica.com
Flat 4 32 Adelaide Cres. Hove BN3 2JH Tel: 01273 832788 mobile:
07967689714
T
Early Music in Cork – Voices and Viols – Booking Form
Directed by Deborah Roberts, Alison Crum and Roy Marks
Friday March 6 – Sunday March 8th 2009
Complete the following and send with your remittance:
Sterling cheques (payable to Triora Musica) should be sent to:-
Deborah Roberts: Flat 4, 32 Adelaide Crescent, East Sussex BN3 2JH
Euro cheques (payable to Deborah Roberts) should be sent to:
Cork Voices & Viols c/o: Dr Melanie L. Marshall, University College Cork,
Department of Music, Cork, Co. Cork, Ireland
The closing date for booking is 20th February 2009 (but earlier booking advised)
Name: ……………………………………………………………………….
Address: ……………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………….
Telephone: ………………………. Email: .……………………………
Voice: S/A/T/B ………………………… ……….
Instrument……………………………………………..
I am interested principally in the following options (tick as many as apply):
Viol consorts…… recorder consorts….. broken consorts……. Solo/one per part
singing…….. ensemble singing with two per part……. Accompanying lute songs
Experience: including sight reading ability experience, grades
etc:……………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………
*Course tuition fee: £100 (£60 students) or €120 (€80 students)………… …….
Some music will be available to download free from www.trioramusica.com by January
09. Please include £10 (€14) if you wish all music printed and posted. ……………
(Music should be learned in advance of the course if sight reading is not strong)

Trad Fest details as promised

2009-01-26T09:18:00.000-08:00

Hi Folks,

Here's the programme for this year's tradfest in UCC starting this Wednesday. Thanks to Stas for sending me to their Bebo page which seems to be their most active, http://www.bebo.com/UCCTradsoc


	UCC TradFest 09 28th January – 1st February Wednesday 28th January 1pm - Official launch of TradFest by Mary Mitchell-Ingoldsby, of the UCC Traditional Music Archive and a lunchtime concert by the Pride of the West; John Wynne and John McEvoy. It will be held in the Seomra Caidrimh, O’Rahilly Building, UCC. Free entry. 9pm – Ceilí with UCC’c Irish speaking Society, an Chuallacht. It will be held in Plato Murphy’s Bar on Hanover St (just off Washington St). Music by Horseboxed. Entry only €2. Thursday 29th January 5pm – Seán Ó’Riada Memorial Lecture by Dr. Catherine Foley – “And then they Danced": Ethnochoreology, an Alternative Approach to Irish Dance Research.” Held in the O’Riada Hall, UCC Music Dept, Sundays Well Road, Cork. Followed by a wine and sandwich reception. Free entry. 9pm – Table Quiz in the Courtyard Bar, Hanover St (just off Washington St). Table of 5 €20. Friday 30th January 1pm – Lunchtime concert with John Carty and Matt Molloy. Held in the Lewis Glucksman Gallery, UCC, Cork. Free entry. 9pm – Concert with Dave Sheridan and friends, supported by Splanc. Held Upstairs @ the Spailpin Fanac, South Main St, Cork (opposite the Beamish Brewery). Entry €10. Saturday 31st January 11am-1pm - Sean-nos dancing workshop by Brian Cunningham. Held in the O’Riada Hall, UCC Music Dept, Sundays Well Road, Cork. Entry €10. 2pm-4pm- Sean-nos singing workshop by Máire Ni Cheilleachair. Held in the Seomra Caidrimh, O’Rahilly Building, UCC. Entry €10. Session trial: All welcome! 3-5pm – Spailpin Fanac, South Main St, Thirsty Scholar, Western Road, The Brog, Oliver Plunkett St 5-7pm – The Cruibin, Union Quay, The Old Oak, Oliver Plunkett St. 9pm – The Tap Room Trio (Harry Bradley, flute, Jesse Smith, fiddle, John Blake, guitar). Followed by Frankie Gavin and Hibernian Rhapsody (Frankie Gavin, fiddle, Michelle Lally, vocals, Eric Cunningham, percussion, Derek Hickey, button accordion, Carl Hession, piano, Tim Edey, guitar). Followed by a TradDisco by Ollie Mulloly. ALL at the Midnight Court, upstairs @ Cubins, Hanover St. Entry €20 for adults, €18 for students. Sunday 1st February 3pm – Final of the Tune Composition Competition and Presentation of prizes. 1st prize is €300 and cup. 5pm – Sliabh Notes ALL at Plato Murphys Bar, Hanover St (just off Washington St) Entry €10 (for both events)

Jamaica to the Tundra!

2009-01-21T07:03:00.000-08:00

Friends it is time for some more gig tips - welcome especially to the new sign-ups through Feedburn thanks for inviting me into the comfort of your inboxes - and happy new year everyone.

Downturn, recession, humanity's last hope - call it what you will we're all spending a bit wiser, we have something other than the weather to talk about and the revolution's round the corner, bring it on I say. While cash still has value though be sure and do your scrimping and saving on fripperies and please not for live music - MUSIC IS NOT A LUXURY! It's food for the soul as well we all know, and what better way to unexpectedly meet friends or meet new people than by sharing great experiences together as an audience.

RE:sessions, the sessions in Sin É are as good or better than ever, Friday night was amazing with a dozen great players including four flutes and that great pair up from Killarney again - the fiddle player's name is Jeremy and he plays with a pretty jazzy guitarist whose name I don't know. Anyway the craic was mighty altogether, don't forget there's particularly great sessions there every Friday and Sunday evening.

There's a few gigs I wanted to make sure you know about.

Wednesday 21st
Damn I'm probably too late to tell you about Albert Niland tonight at the Pavillion, sorry if you're a fan.

Friday 23rd
1.10pm Aula Max, UCC Trihornophone (Bill Blackmore [trumpet]-Seán Óg [alto saxophone],
Kelan Walsh [baritone saxophone]-Dennis Cassidy [drum kit]) have been getting seriously rave reviews and by all accounts don't just tread the line between avant-garde jazz and accessibility they dance on it. Or something, I don't know, let's go and find out - it's free.

8pm Cork School of Music - Festival Favourites... the Choral Festival are putting on a lovely fundraising concert at the school of music, the tickets are just 10 euro and they have lined up a great mix of performers, including Cantemus Chamber Choir who one the National choir competition in the festival last year, the school choir of last year's festival (Presentation, Ballyphehane), as well as Colin Nicholls (organ) Keith Pascoe (violin) and Amanda Neri (mezzo-contralto). There'll even be trad as well - all in all great value and a nice opportunity to support the festival through the tough times ahead.

The Ping Pong gang have got digital rocker Max Tundra in town playing a gig at the Pavillion at 9pm http://www.myspace.com/maxtundra .

Saturday 24th
Reggae heads will be happy to see Natty Wailer in town at the Crane Lane - it's an early gig, 7.30 and 20 quid in. http://www.myspace.com/nattywailermusic

Monday 26th
If you're ever looking for a pint and some good live music of a Monday night head down to the LV on McCurtin Street where the Critters have a residency - great free tunes yee-ha!

Wednesday 28th
UCC Trad Fest starts today and runs to February 1st - but for some reason their programme still isn't up on their website. Hopefully it will be soon cause they always offer exceptional fare and lots of free stuff. Check http://www.ucc.ie/tradmus/index.htm soon is all I can say. I'll tell you what I'll post the programme when I get it.

8.30 Crane Lane Boutique Burlesque is back with another smorgasbord of lipsmacking delights - and that's just the audience! A raunchy fun-packed evening of music dance, comedy, and spectacle, ten euro don't go no further (sorry for the lingo, I still have the Critters coming out my speakers here).

Thursday 29th
Triskel, 8pm One big gig I'm looking forward to at the mo is Buffalo Collision, made up of 2 thirds of the astounding Bad Plus (pianist Ethan Iverson and drummer Dave King) along with saxophonist Tim Berne and cellist Hank Roberts, who used to be two-thirds of Miniature. It will be full-on for improv/jazz heads only, but if you think that's a good thing it will be! A taste here - http://www.last.fm/music/Buffalo+Collision/+videos/+1-beMCm4Q94R0

Aula Max UCC 8pm For the less adventurous the RTE Vanbrugh Quartet will be joined by Cian O Duill on viola for a safe but gorgeous programme Haydn String Quartet No. 5 in D major, Op. 76, Beethoven String Quartet No. 10 Mendelssohn String Quintet No. 2 in B flat major.

That's it for now folks!

Great ticket competition and some good tips too

2008-12-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

Oh dear I hope I'm not too late for feedburner to drop this into your inboxes and tell ye about Dog Tail Soup tonight (Friday 12th) in de Crane Lane. Our Cork-by-association cellist friend Bertrand will be in the line-up, probably Marja too, so there'll be every reason to get there early and enjoy the kind of atmosphere that only happens with rare and treasured gigs. Fergus O'Farrell's (whose band Interference's CD Gold is one I sorely regret leaving in the lobby of the Town Hall theatre in Galway) project will also feature a new bass player from up North who they're excited about by the name of Gareth Hughes.

Ger Wolfe (who might be kind enough to put some more tracks on his myspace? I know, I know, buy the album...) is on in the Pavillion on Sunday 14th round 9 with the Skylarks in a Christmas special that really will be.

The Skatalites are on in the Pavillion on Wednesday 17th the tickets are in Plug'd records.

WHICH REMINDS ME! I think it's time I gave our exciting new project at work a well-deserved plug. It's Culture Vouchers man. (You, ahem, might have seen them mentioned in the Irish Times or the Evening Echo?). A gift voucher good for all the shows and gigs and everything else we do at Civic Trust House and with each voucher comes a beautiful calendar-diary jobbie designed by the rather brilliant Robin Foley of Sponge Design. They're available from me or Plugd records or the Crawford Gallery Cafe or the 12 Days of Christmas fair in the Bodega which opens on Saturday for guess-how-long, looks to be chocka and very good fun. I'll be in there selling from time to time...

and I have 2 tickets to give away for I concert I'm looking forward to on Sunday 21st, my last day in Cork before I head off to family christmas zone! The National Chamber Choir, I think our only true professional choir in the country, (though I may be wrong, I hope I am) they're singing Britten's Ceremony of carols, his music is often really beautiful but interesting too and folk-carol settings too. It'll be a nice seasonal treat I can assure. Mail me at nickiffrench@gmail.com if you want to go in a draw - it's not until Sunday 21st at 1pm in the Schol of Music so there's plenty of time, but I'll make the draw probably Monay afternoon so you have time to make arrangements.

Upcoming gigs in Cork

2008-12-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

Finding it hard to get back into this - truth is I'm extra-busy these days since joining the double bass section of the Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra on top of everything else. It's a touch depressing being both the oldest and the worst but sure you have to start somewhere, I can only improve!I had my first concert with them on Saturday - good buzz. Tonight we're recording a film soundtrack (featuring John Martyn - rockin huh!).

Thanks to everyone who came to see the Stockhausen gig (jayz is that really the last time I posted? oops) I hope you enjoyed it - it was a great crowd and such a turnout definitely helps pave the way for expanding future Cork Orchestral Society programmes so double thanks. Myself I have to say I enjoyed it maybe even more than I expected to and I know that Pascal and Xenia were well impressed with the size of their Cork crowd.

Ok upcoming gigs:

Wednesday 3rd
9pm The Pavillion The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - an awful lot of funky fun, get down http://www.myspace.com/hypnoticbusiness

Thursday 4th
1.35pm Honan Chapel,UCC Cantus Choralis, the UCC Music Dept's Chamber Choir with students of the Department’s Early Music Ensemble & Renaissance Vocal Ensemble will give a performance, programme to be anounced. It's free but please don't come late as it is part-exam so latecomers could not only disturb everyone in there including the musicians (what's new) but also affect their results.

8pm Aula Max, UCC The Vanbrugh Quartet's concert will be broadcast live on Lyric FM tonight so do make an extra special effort to come early as latecomers won't get in at all. In return you will get a really great concert (nothing difficlut here and special guest New York-based clarinettist Carol McGonnell) plus that extra special feeling that you're sharing it with thousands of radio listeners all over the country and beyond. Programme is - Mozart: String Quartet 'Dissonant'; Beethoven: String Quartet 'Serioso' and they will be joined by Carol McGonnell (clarinet) for Brahms: Clarinet Quintet

Friday 5th
6pm Honan Chapel, UCC The premiere of John O'Brien's new string quartet towards a new enlightenment and the launch of the recording (which will be available for free download from www.enlightenmentquartet.com ). That'd be John that I was living with last year for those of you who are housecallers - will probably be quite lush I'd say. He'll love me saying that.

8.30 The Pavillion - 'Blues Aid' Sugar Ray Norcia, sh*t-hot harmonica player, is in town and guest of Alex Orelli and the Bluesmakers. Word has it that if you like the blues this is one not to miss I'll be there anyway, along with half the town by the looks of things, and it's all in aid of the Chernobyl Children's Project so €22.50 extremely well spent. http://www.myspace.com/sugarrayandthebluetones

11pm The Quad The langers Los Langeros are playing - old favourites and stuff from their new album in-the-making . Loud and fun. http://www.myspace.com/loslangeros

Saturday 6th
3-5pm Cork Vision Centre The Cork Chamber Choir will give a free carols recital (and make a collection for Shine, the autism support org). We have a really nice sound now, some great new voices joined in the last little while, nice big sound - come and hear us! www.myspace.com/corkchamberchoir (recordings now a little out-of-date ;-) )

Sunday 7th
7pm An Crúibín nb. if you haven't been yet this is the new life of the old Lobby bar and serves almost certainly the best tapas in Cork Sunfish (that'd be Harry Moore and Tony Langlois) will be performing with guest Nora Salmon - experimental electronica and general good fun. www.myspace.com/sunfishsounds

Monday 8th
9pm The Roundy the last STeT Lab of the year, the monthly free improv event. Special guest Bruce Coates on sax (who played the first ever Stet in 2007). www.busterandfriends.com/stet/

Tuesday 9th
8.30pm The Pavillion Those who missed the Super Stan Goes Country gig at the Spiegeltent in June (and those many who had a fine time meself included) get to hear something similar in aid of the rather fantastic Mayfield Community Arts Centre. A bargain at €10!

Wednesday 10th
7pm Bodega Where's me Rights? - Massive event organised by the Ethical Development Association to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (surely one of the most significant achievements of our civilisation?). Free music (from Niwel Tsumbu, Aaron Dillon, Sudense Drum Talk, Brian Deady & Band), free food, loads of other stuff, will be great.

sorry no time for more, have to eat before rehearsal... oh look I had this one done already

Sunday 14th
8pm City Hall The Locrian Ensemble, an ensemble of top Irish classical musicians based in London give a period-costumed Christmas performance of carol arrangements 'The spirit of Christmas by candlelight'. Tickets €25/20 from Pro-Musica

now I definitely have to leggit

Cork on the cutting edge

2008-11-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm sure pedants will snigger at my claim this week that Stockhausen and Herbie Hancock are cutting edge but come on lads - this is a pretty major week for music in the city with a bewildering array of good sheet. I won't burble at all for a change but will get right into the listings.

Monday 10th November

9pm The Roundy - STeT Lab's first birthday - damn it's probably a bit late to be telling you this cause there seems to be a time delay between my posting and emails coming into the boxes but this will be a particularly good night for this regular improv event, featuring Belfast-based saxophonist-improviser-theorist Franziska Schroeder. Anyway I'll be sticking an ear in meself.

Tuesday 11th November

8pm The Savoy - Herbie Hancock with a sextet that includes an extraordinarily good harmonica player Gregoire Maret. It was a relatively late booking and at the time of writing there were still a good few tickets left so if you don't have plans or they aren't essential I say part with €44 squid or so (at Plug'd or Ticketmaster.ie) and get down this is likely to be one of the gigs of the year. Several first-hand reports from people who have seen other shows on this tour have been raving about it. And it's a 2 1/2 hour show so serious value for money (I'll have to miss the first hour but sure feck it, it'll still be worth it for an hour and a half 'm sure!)

8pm Triskel - Jonathan Sage showcasing new works for clarinet and electronics... this young British clarinettist will be playing a huge variety of contemporary clarinet (and basset clarinet) music from composers across the world including Ireland. €16/18

8.30pm The Crane Lane - Edel O'Sullivan has put together a really impressive line-up of some of the best folk/tradsters around so if you like a little less blip and bash on your Tuesday than either of the other gigs I've listed this will be well worth a trip, sweet as a nut. €10/8 http://www.edelsullivan.com

Thursday 13th November

8pm School of Music - Stockhausen's MANTRA This is the last big gig of the year that I'm involved with and it's a pretty major deal, the first performance in Ireland of this extraordinary piece that calls for 2 grand pianos, electronics and percussion and 2 exceptional pianists to pull in off. Enter Xenia Pestova RU/NZ) and Pascal Meyer (Lux) - Pascal played brilliantly here a couple of years ago and we stayed in contact since. When he went off to Banff in Canada to work on this epic piece (there is a fantasically wacky desciption of it here probably par for the course it must be said) I swore we'd get it for Cork and now the big day is nearly here. While it's definitely not our usual Cork Orchestral Society fare I'm quietly confident there'll be a good turnout because there seems to be some people travelling to Cork for it and enquiries from people who don't know the venue. Anyway, not one for your Granny most likely but will be a fairly unforgettable sonic experience. €25/20 (€15-8 with membership).

9.30 Charlie's Bar - Don for Chickens - Everyone says he's hilarious, I've never seen him but worth a look if you want some free fun.

Friday 14th

1pm Aula Max, UCC - Geoff Deibel Another reed and electronics gig, this 'rising star of contemporary music' from Michigan will offer a variety of music for Saxophone and electronics from the past few decades including Steve Reich’s New York Counterpoint and it's free, well worth a jaunt out to the college if you can fit it in. http://www.myspace.com/gdeibel

8pm Cyprus Avenue - Kíla One of Ireland's big International acts and also damn good but sure you know that already. Course if you haven't seen em, well here's another chance.

Incidentally, if you catch Jools Holland this week (Tuesday at 10pm or Friday at 11.40pm) check out the Carolina Chocolate Drops fronted by the gorgeous Rhiannon Giddens. Rhi just happens to be married to an old friend and she is very keen to play Cork. They're a pretty big act so it would be quite a major deal to get them here but when the spirit is willing ...and boy does that lady have some spirit. Anyway if you like em be sure and let me know so I can get canvassing the festivals and venues and see can we get them on their next tour).

That's it, see ya soon I hope...

getting back into things

2008-10-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

Oops...

After an almost 3 month break I am pretty much ready to blog/mail again.

To those who have been emailing about my silence, texting for tips and plain old-fashioned asking me if I'm going to take it back up - well, hello again I did it.

By way of brief explanation and excuse - for the first month I was just enjoying spending a little more time reading and I saved myself for a blowout at the electric picnic where I heard a good bit though George Clinton & P-Funkadelic was all that really took my socks off. Then I had a briefish stint doing backing vocals with Brian Deady & his evolving band which was alot of fun and is getting on great, though I wasn't the lady for the job I'm afraid - a knock to the ego, but hey. I cheered myself up ith a season ticket to the Film Festival and the last few weeks have been about getting ready for the jazz festival, getting back into learning bass after a lazy summer and just surfing the music scene I guess...

My main reason for not taking things back up though was a feeling that I'm not managing what I set out to do. I really hoped that by passing on the info about all this great music happening under our noses a lot of readers/gig-goers would start trying out more types of music and support all the artists and producers and that I'd meet ye all at unexpected gigs - which yeah, happened a bit, but not as much as I'd hoped I guess. It's nice that people say "I really enjoyed your mail this week even though I didn't get to any of it" but well, it kind of got me down too.

Those mails can take ages! Surfing to make sure I know what's to choose from, then look up and listen to the people I haven't heard of, try and work out how to express the good stuff so you will want to go as much as I do and finally working out the formatting and stupid stuff... I don't like being whingey, but it was good to take a break. So now I'm going to try and come full circle. I am planning to take a break from gig-going so I can keep reading and getting to grips with the world outside music (I had no idea how fast things had deteriorated while I was growing up and we are living in times of such change my first love music is kind of put into perspective) - but my plan is to spend some of the extra time I have to list the gigs that I would go to in the hopes that you'll take my place at them and tell me how they were.

Sounds a bit pointless/crazy? Well if it doesn't work I'm sure I'll thing of something else.

...

The tips bit

There's not a whole lot of music in it but I really enjoyed the Irish premiere of Itsoseng (click for info) tonight. Not only is it a captivating performance, entertaining and really 'important' but it came along bang right when I'm reading the section on South Africa in Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine and it gives a real insight into life there in the last 15 years since the ANC wrested nominal power from the capitalist establishment (but had their hands so tied their commitments had no chance). And boy is it nice to see a great international show in town outside of a festival! Please support it! It's showing at the Everyman Palace every night until Sunday ie. Weds 29 - Sat 1st Nov, definitely worth stirring out after the jazz festival for.

Tomorrow (probably today when you read this) Wednesday October 29th I'm going to see Micah P Hinson who I didn't have the head for at the Electric Pincnic - I've become a big fan of his recordings though, kind of rough dark poetic folkish stuff... he's in Cyprus Avenue.

John O'Brien's production featuring Karen Underwood as Nina Simone I've heard is really great - back in the Half Moon Theatre on Saturday night at 9.30 ... I had a nice few minutes with the great Simone during the jazz festival thanks to a video screen, God what a pianist she was. The show's called The Nina in Me, a bit steep at €26 maybe but quality by all accounts.

And that's all you're getting from me this week but a few parish notices for musicians and artist-folk in general.

First, if you haven't checked out www.mutantspace.ie join the community and get collaborating...

Secondly, here's a thing - BOUTIQUE BULESQUE SEEKS PERFORMANCE & VISUAL ARTISTS

After three sell-out shows this year, Boutique Burlesque (www.myspace.com/boutiqueburlesque) is taking place again on Wed. 26th of November in Cork's Crane Lane Theatre. Having developed the popular burlesque-themed club nights into a platform for new work, its organisers are now looking for artists interested in showcasing on the night. Previous gigs have featured as many as 25 performers/artists (musicians, dancers, comedians,
puppeteers, walkabout characters and visual artists) on a single night, and they are currently welcoming new applications to add to their programme.

Do you have something you are working on? Does the burlesque & cabaret theme inspire you? And would you like to test your show / performance / walkabout character / installation / work with a live audience?

Please contact Joya on:
E: boutiqueburlesque@gmail.com

T: 085 7770969
W: www.myspace.com/boutiqueburlesque

and finally

THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE FOR MUSICIANS
Introductory Workshop
Firkin Crane Theatre, Shandon, Cork
Sunday 16. November @ 1pm – 5:30pm
Cost 50,-Euro
To book a place please ring 087-9584232 or email kathryn.doehner@gmail.com

The Alexander Technique forms a part of the professional practice of thousands of musicians worldwide and is an integral part of training at all leading music & drama teaching institutions around the globe. Practising the Alexander Technique, efficiency and freedom in movement are achieved minimising stress and strain often associated with music making.

Most musicians at some stage in their life experience some physical pain, tension in performance, stage fright or other anxiety, which can limit the playing of their instruments to the best of their ability.

In the long term professional musicians are just as likely to be permanently sidelined by an injury as professional football players. And amateur musicians are not immune from pain and injury either.During the workshop participants will become more aware of the structure and function of the body as it applies to playing music, learning how to make changes to become free of pain and injury.

...

quick note

2008-08-12T15:33:00.000-07:00

Hi lads,

I've been taking break from the music since a fantastic weekend at the Farmleigh Affair, surely the best free music event in the country thanks to the Improvised Music Company's imaginative and positive approach. There's been a few sessions and a project I'm involved with (backing vocals, as much fun as I'd imagined!) is beginning to take shape but nothing wildly out of the ordinary. Anyway, what I'm building up to is that I'll be taking a break from the listing blog as I'm not following things closely enough and am pretty busy. Sure there's hardly anyone going out at the moment anyway it seems - on holidays maybe, or saving for them or just enjoying the outdoors when the sun makes an appearance. Not to say there isn't lots of music to be had mind - but between whazon.com and peoplesrepublic you'll get most of the suss.

For now I'm going to do less manic music scheduling though I'm sure we'll bump into each other at gigs! On rainy nights (and there's been a few!) I am surfing wikipedia, and beating a small path through www.ted.com , and onebigtorrent.org and round about.

Back soon!

Summer soundz

2008-07-31T08:24:00.000-07:00

Summer isn't the time to be spending every evening racing from venue to venue as is my habit and I have devoted a little of my listening time to more outdoorsy pursuits - tonight sees my tag rugby team (the Multiple Scoregasms) compete in the final for the, er, much-coveted winners title in the beginners league out at Stiofain Naofa.

A whole heap of fresh air and fun was had at the Cork Cycling Festival last week too which turned out to be a great success altogether. We had the biggest turnout ever (I'd say) for the Critical Mass cycle (last Friday of every month from Daunt Square at 6pm) and the exhibition in the Unitarian Church had some cool stuff in it - good luck to sculptor Rob Ireson as he heads for 6 months to work in residence at Mantua. The cycling picnic was on of the nicest Sundays I've had this summer, messing around at the Atlantic Pond with a big gang and loadsa bikes, what more could you want? And the festival was not without its musical highlights. I heard not one but two (wildly different) versions of The Bells of Shandon - one from Hammy Hammond at the foot of the bells on his quirky Historical/musical tour on the Wednesday night, and one from Tony Desmond as we took time out to chill at Sli Cumann na mBan on Saturday evening. At the Pimp My Bike workshop on Saturday I jazzed up my steed with some homemade bells, thereby turning bumpy badly finished roads and potholes (the bain of my cycling life) into a source of jingly amusement - cycling arts how are ya. And the Red Singing Bikes was a gas highlight that I was delighted to be part of as we 12 performers raced round town with our great groaning pipes and pimped bikes just as shops were closing on Saturday night - looking forward to seeing the festival film in due course.

ok you want a few good musical tips for theis coming week? go on then, just a few....

Friday 1st
6.30pm, Sin É - I'm a regular at this great trad session but noticed that it wasn't as terrifyingly packed as usual last week (as in you can see the bar from the door) what with people making weekend trips, so now's a good time of year to head down. Messy as ever of course!

Monday 4th
11.30pm, Crane Lane - yes, it will be the night before back-to-work day but it has been impressed upon me in no uncertain terms that this free gig by cult hero Jeff Lewis (http://www.thejeffreylewissite.com) is not one to miss so don't be saying you didn't know. This is the biggest band he's taken to Cork so far I understand... here's a video taster http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSdZ_yZP8bk

Wednesday 6th
9pm, The Pavillion - Are they brilliant or what? Mick Flannery and John Spillane are playing a benefit gig for Free the Old Head of Kinsale. Definitely one to make a date for and I am happy to be a designated ticket outlet. Drop me a mail or call me and i'll be happy to sort you out with a ticket for the tidy sum of €15.

That's it for this week. See you next Wednesday!

Global talent in Cork this week!

2008-07-16T01:30:00.000-07:00

Hello friends,

Well thanks to everyone who came out on Saturday night to Cyprus Avenue for helping make it a lovely evening altogether. A real nice mix of music and people, hopefully we can do something similar again soon. Those who missed Samuel James will have a last chance to see him tonight as he's playing the late gig in the Crane Lane after Alabama 3 and PLEASE if you know anyone in Clonakilty please let them know he's playing in De Barra's tomorrow.

I didn't post any review on the West Cork Chamber Music Festival as I was a bit frazzled with Sam coming over. It was a lovely week as ever though I must confess I became increasingly downhearted about our audience profile - they are all lovely don't get me wrong, fantastically loyal and enthusiastic and friendly - but where is everyone under 50? Compared to audiences for classical music in Cork it has a whiff of the cruise ship and yet the team working on it is so cool and young and fun - and in terms of music the festival is WAY more groundbreaking and contemporary than most of what's available in the city.I dunno, I suppose it has to do with the location and timing more than anything.
Musically it was one of the best I've seen, though. The Irish premiére of Gorecki's second quartet was magical at a late night concert in the church in the hands of the stunning Royal String Quartet from Poland. The Royal quartet played many of my favourite performances in the festival - their job on Mozart's G major Quartet K.387 was a perfect pleasure for me , I don't think I'd heard it before but in their hands it seemed the funniest, sweetest most brilliantly conceived piece ever. I was delighted to hear some more good Greif (groan, it was better than good anyway) and to discover some great female composers - Poland's Grazyna Bacewicz, Lera Auerbach from Russia, Estonian/Ukraninian Galina Grigorjeva and visiting composer Vanessa Lann (who has a myspace with her more experimentl stuff on it). One piece that blew me away was Lua Descolorida by Osvaldo Goljov who was born in Argentina of Jewish Ukranian & Romanian parents - I'll be downloading that one today now I think of it. So in all alot of what was really special for me came from Eastern Europe which has given me some ideas for holidays next year I can tell you.
One of the biggest highlights of the festival for me was that a kind bike shop owner called Nigel had sposored 10 bikes for the festival's use which made things really pleasant - musicians, audience and festival workers were all making use of them and having great fun.

Which leads me nicely into a plug for the Cork Cycling Arts Festival which runs 21-27th July next week - there's an exhibition, Film Nights (Feature, Documentary and Shorts) as well as lots of different tours. Check out the website for the programme and be sure and be on your bike next Friday in Daunt Square for what will hopefully be the biggest Critical Mass cycle in Cork yet. The picnic on Sunday 27th will definitely be a fun one too...

Ok tips for the next week:

Wednesday 16th
Crane Lane, Alabama 3 is, I believe, sold out, but you can sample the atmosphere afterwards and take your last chance to hear my new friend Samuel James at 11.30.

Thursday 17th
Glucksmann Gallery, 6pm It's a while since I had the opportunity to plug a free gig and it's always a special pleasure. There is a serious lack of Indian music being performed live in Cork so I'm delighted to see a duo under the name of Komal giving a performance of Sufi Chant and Traditional Indian music. Rajpal Khosla from Punjab, India studied with Sufi singer Ustad Prem Raza of the Patiala Gharana for over 10 years. He will perform both traditional and modern compositions on vocals & the Indian Harmonium accompanied by honorary Corkman (originally from Punjab too) Raj Padam on the tabla. I'll have to miss it as I'm flying home for my sister's wedding but you would be crazy to!

Friday 18th
Dervish (that nice hippy shop next to the Bodega), Upstairs, 7pm There's another chance to enjoy that gorgeous Indian music if you can't make Thursday - go on, forego the after work Friday drinks - have a bite in the Eastern Tandoori on Emmet Place instead and head over to the gentle surroundings of Dervish and let yourself be transported across the globe. Indian music, for me, speaks directly with your inner being, you don't need to know anything about it, just be open and let it happen.

Monday 21st
Cork Opera House, 8pm There is a big move on to see Tinariwen at Cork Opera House where they'll be taking the seats out so we can truly let loose to this Touareg rock from Mali - the tickets are steep at €30 but what you get is a world-class act unlike any other that literally EVERYONE has been talking about. I won't bother banging on about them as there is quotes from all the top International press on their website www.tinariwen.com and music on their myspace www.myspace.com/tinariwen.

See you there!

xc

1-2-3 sorry it's so short...

2008-07-11T04:08:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

I haven't had a chance to post this week what with trying to catch up with myself after my 10 days at the Bantry festival. My lickle sister is getting married next weekend and I am rehearsing with a few friends as we're singin in da church so all busy busy. No time to post a full tips this week but the next one will go onto http://www.corklivemusic.blogspot.com/ as planned so do sign up if you want to get it.

3 things I wanted to say tho...

1. Two-time Polka are launching their new CD tonight 7-9 in the Crane Lane should be a barrel of fun.

2. I'm organising this gig tomorrow night, it'll be a lot of fun so if you are not going to Oxegen, Kinsale or Carrigaline come on down to Cyprus Avenue for an evening of great music and good craic. Samuel James is, as I type, in the baggage collection area of Cork Airport - he's come all the way from Portland, Maine to share his music - please come and support! And afterwards Harry J, Niwel and Rory will have some sweet reggae harmonies to bring the sunshine even if HAARP is determined to keep the rain falling on us til our spirits are so sodden we'll do anything... It's at 9pm tomorrow Saturday 12th and is €10 in.

3. Some of you may not be familiar with Cork Autonomous Zone on Barrack Street. It's a special place where various community, activist and creative groups meet as well as being home to Barracka Books bookshop. The space is rented and everyone who uses it makes a small contribution to its cost. The space could be used alot more though so if you need space for something or would like to meet people who are using it and help them decide on CAZ's direction come along next wednesday 16th at 8.30pm. As Niwel would say, it's an open sea, no sharks or jellyfish...

x Nicki

detritus, anglegrinders and chamber music

2008-06-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

It's taking a real effort to get comfortable for my first night in in ages. There's stuff everywhere to be relocated, machines full of the wet and dirty detritus of everyday living, dog hair and wrappings, half-finished food and jobs weighing on my mind. Need to have the place clear before I head west for the WCCM festival.

If you're interested in a little appetite-whetting, you'll find my own review of last year's right here .

How's your Midsummer Festival been going? Braakland and Super Stan were unlikely bedfellows for my Friday night but it somehow flew and could probably only have worked so well in the the company of a Desmond, whose fancy dress put my lack of to shame. Rockin stuff.
Faust were everything promised and more, damn near blew my head off and even when I awoke with my ears ringing the next day, I still knew it was worth it. Wondered on my only trip to Germany where Beethoven and Bach's legacy laid given the drivel served up in bars and beyond there, but I was looking in the wrong places (btw, chain saws and angle grinders music not just publicity stunt). Please bring em back!

Corcadorca's The Hairy Ape was superb last night in the preview, if it hasn't sold out yet (it has a a mercifully long run at least) do yourself a favour. And I really enjoyed You've got to Love Dancing Dancing to Stick with It but that's over, though you can catch it again in Kinsale or Bray next month.

Outside of Midsummer fest I fell for Joan as Policewoman Sunday, she somehow transcended the horrific hired keyboard, playing to a shamefully small but devoted and pin-drop quiet crowd.

No tips this week, I won't be here so I can't be bothered. Going to watch Flight of the Conchords instead.

You have received this week's mailing in a new fashion, direct from my blog. All the cutting and pasting was becoming a drag, I was forever letting the mailing list be copied to everyone and, most important of all, I wanted to give ye the chance to opt out. I'll try not to be offended, I know there's a few people reading it so it won't put me off I'm sure! There'll be some opt-in/opt-out clause thing when you get this.

Give me a shout if you plan to come to Bantry. A simple tip - One of the late night and one of the big Bach Brandenburg coffee concerts would be an interesting alternative to (and only a couple of quid more than) a single main concert. So you could go out after work in the evening, eat in Bantry, stay a night, hear a concert and be back by, well maybe 3 the next day if you had to. Oh jaysus the carbon though...

CRAP! Nearly forgot. Right when I get back I'm putting on a gig - it's Saturday 12th July in Cyprus Avenue and if you can come I'd love to see ya and catch up a bit. Nothing too demanding, nice entertaining music and people, good vibes, some people you haven't heard or met before... read about it here

school Tunick

2008-06-17T15:00:00.001-07:00

Ah lads I want to write even though I'm tired and dazed like perhaps only someone who with only 1 hour's sleep at 2am gets up, drives to Blarney picking up 3 hitchers on the way, sits in the cold dark in a field for several hours with 1,100 others til the sun rises enough when they all strip quite naked and follow megaphone directions for the guts of an hour, have some fine laughs, admire tatoos and whatnot and slowly freeze (beyond what a mild day's office work and 1 hour bass lesson can cure), to create something which media footage suggests might end up a little special... RTE did a nice item on the Telly news but it's impossible to link to, stupid javascript I haven't a clue how to deal with it.

I especially want to write since a few people said as how I hadn't sent out a mail last week and I felt a bit bold. I've been out plenty of course... that's why the no mail. Lots of trad, some jamming with a cool group of ladies and a Vivaldi Gloria we've started on in choir - not much in the way of concerts except the great Belcea Quartet opener of the IIB Music in Great Irish Houses thing who were exceptional but I was overtired for. To be honest I'm kind of pacing myself and cleaning my palette in advance of the West Cork Chamber Music Festival when I'll be spoilt rotten - coaxed, dragged, flattered and hollered through every emotion under the sun (if past programmes are anything to go by) thanks to the wealth of music left by composers of the last few centuries and the dedication and inspiration of great performers to take me there. And 10-hour work days with usually 4 full concerts each. The programme is a bit daunting online so if anyone wants personal recommendations mail me back.

To be honest as far as things coming up in the city are concerned, well this isn't really a time for music specifically. The Cork Midsummer Festival is officially swinging (I swear I still have periodic shivers as i write to remind me) and the theatre and spectacles they've lined up is bloody amazing. Be wild, try something you mightn't normally as the scope of entertainment and provocation is like nothing else year-round. My plans include:

Braakland and Super Stan Goes Country on Friday

Faust on Saturday,

Corcadorca's The Hairy Ape which opens tomorrow (Wednesday) but I won't get to see til next week, Wednesday I think

Sensazione and Hammergrin's K: The Iowa Project at some stage

Scullion if the gods allow

that's a tiny sample of what's on offer, it just is too, too much - chart your own course at www.corkmidsummer.com

In fairness though there's a few other things going on that more than bear mentioning, they demand attention:

Wednesday 18th

9pm Utopia Nation Noizepod

Friday 20th

1.15pm Cork School of Music - GUARANTEED to be one jazz-abiders will be boasting of in the future - KARL ROONEY perhaps our most accomplished jazz talent at the outset of a professional career making his his MA degree performance in his own quintet. They'll be playing the music of the legendary Wayne Shorter; come and enjoy what will no doubt be an electric performance and support Karl on the big day, it's free but don't go if you can't stay for the whole thing as he's being examined and nothing should disturb the performance.

Wednesday 25th

11pm The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble at the new Pavillion Theatre which if you haven't checked out could make this a must-go, info at http://www.peoplesrepublicofcork.com/~peoplesr/forums//showthread.php?t=132251 Boban Markovich Orkestar they ain't but it will be a blast of a night out I'd say.

That's it, I have to sleep,

Come to Bantry x
--
What's going on?
http://corklivemusic.blogspot.com

PS The clock on my computer's 3 hours slow, anyone know how I can reset it?

pant pant pant

2008-06-03T15:07:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd filled you up for tips for this week already but a few crackers have come in so I could resist.

Had a great week myself, enjoyed some of the blues session in Nancy's on Thursday night after tag rugby where there was a big gang joining the two core lads - before heading down to catch the end of another great set from the Critters at their weekly session in the Gables on Douglas Street. Saturday night brought a high octane trad session at Foley's near Inch beach in Kerry where the tunes carried on in various camper vans outside til the birds were singing. Headed home to Cork on Sunday with the head spinning to a couple of sets in the Sin E where another trad session was in full flight but had an early night. Up at seven Monday to spend the day racing round the marathon course where the music went down a treat. The African Gospel Choir blessed the runners with soul on the first leg of their gruelling trip as they passed Blackpool church, Dave Henessy's trio gave them another lift in the morning sun with some cracking tunes as they headed east along the North Quays. Patrick Naughton's drummers drove them out the Lee Tunnel and kept the hearts pounding as they weaved back across Mahon and Blackrock and across past the Lough right to the western city limits before returning home to Pana and the Barrack Street Brass Band ... we had a total of 20 groups of performers to keep them going through the blazing sun, with loads of support from people gathered all along the way to shout encouragement. Really positive atmoshere.

I'm just out this evening from the opening night of the new production of Disco Pigs in The Everyman Theatre - in fairness it does a fabulous script proud. I was lucky enough to somehow find my way to corcadorca's original production when I was in college and had my mind blown by it and I suspect someone coming to this one for the first time would be the same - great performance and a more elaborate and cleverly conceived set with the added bonus of a great soundtrack from Irene Buckley.

So what do I have to add to my tips from last week that I just couldn't keep to myself? See below (I have included the original tips in a lighter colour so you have the full story biy...)

Wednesday 4th
9pm Utopianation, Barrack Street Andrea Bonino's latest project is Noizepod a "jam-based night of experimental music, free improvisation, noize, & hullabaloo..
(featuring andrea bonino & francis heery + eoin callery & friends, and more)" it's free in and should be worth checking out for those inspired to partake or open to share the exploration...

Thursday 5th

is as usual a stupidly full trough at which to gorge, starting at the

Crawford Gallery 1.10 pm when composer/pianist John Gibson peforms a programme of his own work with some of Cork's very finest musicians: Amanda Neary, soprano; Ciara Glasheen,cor anglais; Ruxandra Petcu & Eithne Willis, violins, Tomas McCarthy, viola; Joan Scannell, cello - there's bad weather forecast so it'll be shelter a world away from whatever's falling from the sky outside

9pm An Spailpín Fanac A mighty session that I would have said was unmissable if it didn't have such competition at the Roundy - Seamus Creagh with Aidan Coffey and Mick Daly should be serious craic. There's another band on from Newfoundland on and all....

9pm The Roundy The Polskadots have old friend Lucia Comnes as guest, a very special occasion and definitely one for the diary lads and from 5-7 Lucia will be giving an open workshop in Eastern European singing at the Glucksman Gallery in UCC, all welcome. And I've since realised it's Lucia Comnes rather wonderful combo from San Fran that'll be playing the Roundy with the Polskadots ... www.myspace.com/luciacomnes

9pm Triskel Jazz harmonica player Ray Preston is clearly a master and well respected by the looks of one enthusiastic expert (http://www.jazzeddie.f2s.com/jazz_harmonica.htm)
this gig with his quaret should be meaty - hear him here http://harmonica.co.uk/music/Ray_Preston_Making_Whoopee.wma

Saturday 7th

8pm Cork Opera House I'm well ticked off I'll be away for Rufus Wainwright, though he might be sold out already... www.rufuswainwright.com

That's it... I can't take any more.......... xx

A marathon of music this week

2008-05-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

Hey there,

I gave myself a bit of a break from this last week, unplanned, sorry - life got in the way! Strangely enough not in the way of listening to music though, hmh funny that, though I'm a bit vague on some details. (Was I really at the Crane Lane on Sunday? Several witnesses insist...) The Irish Chamber Orchestra on Saturday night were pure pleasure (nice to finally meet you there Vinny!) in the last concert of this season - I can't understand why they don't always sell out - if we can't fill a 400-odd seat theatre every time those guys come to town, well, maybe we don't deserve em.

Sorry I think the sudden cloud and drizzle has me a little down this week. Hang on while I ratchet up the enthusiasm for the tips bit.

Wednesday 28th

7.30pm Cyprus Avenue Peter von Poehl's pretty electro pop will reward drifting into if you're around, just a fiver... http://www.myspace.com/petervonpoehl

9pm Counihans' (next to the Crane Lane) Arundo are a band combining Andean and Irish music who seem to have been playing here a while. Gas idea I'm not convinced but maybe because all I could track down on the net was a phone video with desperate sound - it's a free gig so see what you think yourself.

Thursday 29th

6.15 Glucksman Gallery Singer and violinist Lucia Comnes will surely draw a huge crowd out to see her, especially fans of the wonderful Polskadots, a band she was a founding member of before she returned to her native US. She's now touring with bassist Sean Stillinger and percussionist Aharon Wheels Bolsta. Definitely free gig of the week!

8pm St. Anne's church (the bells one) Shandon The Mount's Bay Singers might be rather good, they describe themselves as "An accomplished and enthusiastic choir" who do a range of stuff - when you consider they say they include 8-part a cappella pieces, well that would suggest they're pretty capable.
Incidentally if YOU or someone you know is interested in joining a choir the Cork Chamber Choir is looking for 1 soprano, 2 tenors and 1 bass. You can contact us through our myspace or drop me a mail and I'll put you in touch with Ann Marie http://www.myspace.com/corkchamberchoir

9pm Roundy Room Brazilian trumpeter Tonynho dos Santos and his new band the Fireangels will have the place feeling very summery.

10pm Nancy Spains Pianinst Emiliano Petronilli (of Swing Street) and drummer Davide Sotgiu are hosting a weekly blues jam session - people are welcome to join in, sounds nice.

Friday 30th

7pm Sirius Arts Centre
right through to Monday

Put a trip to Cobh into you plans this weekend and enjoy some of the Cobh Maritime Song Festival in surely the most perfect venue in the country for such a thing. Check out the whole programme at www.cobhmaritimesongfestival.com and look look amn't I good to you........This is the Cork-Cobh timetable http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey/printed_timetable_pdfs/2008/Mallow%20Cobh%2008.pd f

Saturday 31st

1.15pm, Cork School of Music A lovely opportunity to hear some great trad from fiddle-player Edel Sullivan and guitarist Eileen Healy AND support a Kenyan orphanage with your €10 entrance - talk about fair trade.

Sunday 1st

10pm Charlie's Eoin (Reggie) O'Regan's band is a very safe bet.

Monday 2nd

9am-3pm Cork City I've had a great time lhelping to line up musicians who will be busking along the length of the Cork City Marathon circuit courtesy of Cork City Council. Trad players, jazzers, rockers, gypsy musicians, old-time and world music groups will be out to try and lift the runners spirits and keep onlookers entertained please come and enjot the atmosphere. My map of the action is here if you want to try and catch something specific - http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=109036976011531848577.00044de7144fe1d8907c9&t=k&z=13 - how about the brilliant Lazik outside Hardwood Café? maybe the Critters at Bishop Lucey Park? Trad on Horgan's Quay or by the Lough? Or jazz at County Hall? We've 20 groups in all...

9pm The Whisky Saxophonist/clarinettist Clinio Cocuzza is hosting a regular session on Mondays now. http://www.myspace.com/cliniococuzza

Thursday 5th

9pm The Roundy The Polskadots have old friend Lucia Comnes as guest, a very special occasion and definitely one for the diary lads

9pm Triskel Jazz harmonica player Ray Preston is clearly a master and well respected by the looks of one enthusiastic expert (http://www.jazzeddie.f2s.com/jazz_harmonica.htm)

this gig with his quaret should be meaty - hear him here http://harmonica.co.uk/music/Ray_Preston_Making_Whoopee.wma

Saturday 7th

8pm Cork Opera House I'm well ticked off I'll be away for Rufus Wainwright, though he might be sold out already... www.rufuswainwright.com

Have a great one...

x N

me and the broken ukele

2008-05-13T15:30:00.000-07:00

I haven't heard a whole lot of live music lately between a wedding and a lovely weekend spent housesitting, when I set about learning my first trad tune off Kirsten on the only instrument to hand which happened to be a slackplastic string ( ;-) ) ukelele, probably bought on my hosts' honeymoon, which I tuned in fourths (kind of) for easier transferral to my bass ... until the bridge snapped clean off the body. Oh God, Aideen - Eoin, I'm so sorry I haven't even mentioned that... next time I call out I'll bring some wood glue. Hope Belfast was great.

Edward Beckett was a pleasure last week in a flute concert with pianist Martin Jones but I had to skedaddle off for this months STeTLab which played host to the rather brilliant Eaten By Children video/music hope we get him back over the water again soon. Definitely Ping Pong material if you ask me...

Not much else to report - a good thing though I want clean ears for Friedlander tomorrow. And since I have a committee meeting directly before it and the wild and debauched Midsummer festival direct before that - well, this'll be brief again I need a good night's sleep.

Wednesday 14th

Sorry about the late warning but I just found out about...
1pm School of Music Michael Cleaver (who gave that fantastic minimalist clarinet concert a few weeks back) playing 19th century-composer Anton Eberl's recently re-discovered sonata and another treat of Brahms. I know A bit more though than last time - he's a founding member of Crash and a seasoned and excellent musician who has been studying at the School of Music so when he's finished there I don't suppose we'll have the same opportunities to hear him so grab this if you can. And it's free!

8pm The Bodega Cork Midsummer Festival are inviting the whole town over to the Bodega to celebrate the launch of the festival programme. No need to worry that you didn't wear fancy enough stuff - the code is casual and seasonal get down and enjoy a slice of the fun while taking your first peek at what is rumoured to be a BUMPER edition of fun this June... " It will feature new up and coming act ROUGE and then we will have a summer/salsa Club – which will suit the weather we are having!"

9pm The Whisky No doubt Jess Klein will be worth checking out too... on any other night...

Thursday 15th

1.10pm Crawford - it's all about lunchtime concerts in summer - I know sandwiches in the park is great, but when you want a real lift there's nothing like a 40 minute music fix if you ask me. This one Dr Dana Borsan from Bucharest playing Beethoven Chopin and Schumann in the sunny lecture theatre of the gallery. One of the nicest little venues for music it's so comfy and intimate and the sound's lovely.

7.30 Honan Chapel, UCC join me for the once-off chance to hear the internationally renowned Rimsky-Korsakov String Quartet who will play a selection of russian and russian-themed music as part of a high-level official delegation to promote educational and cultural links between St Petersburg and Cork. Damn exciting stuff...

9pm Roundy Room Suzanne Joubert (from the Declan Sinnott hothouse)and fiddler Edel O'Sullivan should be a nice place to head to afterwards...

Friday 16th

8pm Henry's Cellar Bar, Edinburgh. I will just off the plane and hopefully on time to see my mate sam and the rest of Employee of the Month live for the first time (I think? No, they rocked supporting Caribou in Club one didn't they? or was that his other project North Atlantic Oscillation? )and have a catch up in the lovely city. A trip to Forest Cafe is definitely on the cards.

9pm Cyprus Ave Those fancy, funky rascals the Neon Flea Circus have been playing loads recently by all accounts and headline their own gig just 7 quid for a heap of fun songs, put pour dancing slacks on and get on down...

Jaysus, it's half eleven, sorry lads ye'll have to find out the rest from elsewhere I want to sleep....

--
What's going on?
http://corklivemusic.blogspot.com

Very briefly

2008-05-09T08:38:00.000-07:00

Hi there,

Sorry I'm very late this week getting music news out. This is a flying visit too so no idle chatter.

Erik Friedlander next week has now sold out as expected, hope everyone who planned to go was in time.

Briefly, these are the gigs that stood out over the next few days:

Friday 9th

Charlies 9pm - Rumbleshack Rockabilly Trio (what a fantastic name!) http://www.myspace.com/rumbleshackrnr

Saturday 10th

Vertigo Restaurant (Top floor of Cork's County Hall) 10am and through the day - It's not music but I thought many would be interested in the chance to meet and listen to readings by internationally acclaimed authors Pauline McLynn, Brian Keenan, Dermot Bolger and many more thanks to Bealtaine Festival, especially in this unusual setting with panoramic views over the city. Admission is free and all are welcome. To reserve a place contact Sinead Collins 086-2206306 (I'd say you'd be safe enough to turn up though...)

Cyprus Avenue 9pm A Hawk and a Hacksaw from Budapest I have read about before and they sound fantastic - I'm gutted I'll be away and missing it http://www.myspace.com/ahawkandahacksaw

Tuesday 13th

School of Music 1pm The wonderful Polskadots http://www.myspace.com/thepolskadots

Cyprus Avenue 9pm Take-no-prisoners US hip-hop poet Saul Williams has a huge Irish following and with good reason. If you haven't and you think you might like to, do. His latest album, 'The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust' was produced by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails.

Wednesday 14th

Triskel, 9pm Erik Friedlander

Enjoy!

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