Some New Recent CDS

Over the past month I've been in the shop long hours trying to catch up on the orders.  All this hard work has made me feel I deserved some new Cds.

El Tri

These guys have been on my radar for a while.  Originally, with a different piper, called the Boston Kiltics (Tri is a much better name!), this band is lead by Doug lamey, grandson of the well-known Cape Breton fiddler Bill Lamey.  It's a great combo, they're American, they play Cape Breton music, and they have a smallpiper!  What more can you ask for?  Plus they're joined by the very talented Cape Bretoner Kimberly Fraser on Piano.

Here's a video at their CD release party:



Secondly we have Dochas.  I thought I'd start with their first Cd An Darna Umhail.  This is one of those super bands packed with incredibly talented young musicians that's all the rage these days.  Like most of the Scottish (and Irish) bands/musicians like this it lacks the drive that Cape Bretoners manage to get into their  Cds, and it's pretty heavily "produced", but it's actually a more enjoyable listening experience than I'd originally thought it'd be.  You can't help but love Julie Fowlis's singing, and I was already a fan of Jenna Reid's fiddle playing.  Plus there's Border Pipes and Smallpipes, both of which sound very good on this Cd.

Here they are at The Orkney Folk Festival:



Next we have Gadelle.  I've been waiting for this Cd for some time.  Gadelle is from the French part of Prince Edward Isand, and two of the four members were in Barachois, probably the funnest band to see live in the history of live bands.  I hope to see Gadelle live soon.  Their Cd is chock full of energy!  It's got all the missing get up and go that Dochas forgot to get into their's.  If you're a fan of Barachois or Visten, you'll be a fan of Gadelle.  French-Canadian Fiddle, French Canadian singing, French-Canadian foot percusion.  Good stuff.

Here they are at the Skye Theatre in Maine (which I haven't been to yet.)



And finally we have Iain MacInnes's Cd Sealbh.  It's been a long time since Iain came out with his first Cd Tryst, but it looks like the wait was worth it.  Like with Tryst, I wouldn't have arranged my Cd the way Iain does.  It sounds like Iain likes classical music a lot more than I do.  A lot of the tracks sound like chamber music and he even uses harpsichord on a number of tracks.   But this is not a bad thing.  It's a great sounding album with lots of juicy tunes.  Mostly D smallpipes, but both A smallpipes and Border pipes make an appearance.  And I especially enjoy the tracks with concertina and smallpipes.  I think Iain wants to show the world that smallpipes are a real instrument.  You're preaching to the choir Iain.

Sorry no youtube for Iain.  But I'd recommend ordering the Cd right away.