Celtic musical artists and recordings (not comprehensive)

Pamela Morgan, former lead singer of Figgy Duff, has released a wonderful folk pop album, On a Wing and a Prayer, that has celtic and Portuguese influences and also a touch of R[o,u]m, eh. I have written a brief review of her Tuesday, July 19, 1994 Rogue Folk Club concert at the W.I.S.E. Hall in Vancouver. She also now has a "Best Of" recording which samples from her On a Wing and a Prayer solo CD and the Figgy Duff CDs, but I think the tracks on The Best of Pamela Morgan are different from the ones on Figgy Duff: Retrospective. In the fall of 2002 she released a CD entitled Seven Years which I highly recommend. Since then she has released a CD entitled Ancestral Songs which is also good.
Anita Best won Female Artist of the Year in the 1997 Music Industry Association of Newfoundland & Labrador Awards for her CD Crosshanded, a collection of unaccompanied traditional songs. I think this is on Amber Music.
Anita Best and Pamela Morgan have also released a CD, The Colour of Amber, which is distributed by Amber Music, P.O. Box 156, Topsail, CBS, NF, A0A 3Y0, CANADA. Anita Best has also published a songbook to accompany this. There are many beautiful songs, including one in Irish. This CD has the textured warmth of two powerful complementary voices doing songs of ages. Amber Music has a web site at Amber Music and e-mail contact at amber@nfld.com. Amber Music has (1997) released an Amber Christmas CD which sounds wonderful.
Jim Fidler is a Newfoundland bard with incredible lyrically projective ability who plays 12 instruments so far, though while performing live most often plays acoustic guitar or drum kit. He seems to find the right tempo to meld lyrics to or make up lyrics to, and bends or shapes the notes to flow in a seamless aural sculpture that rings in the mind as well as the ears. His first recording "Gypsy" is excellent and has been released on IONA Records in Europe and is available as an independent recording in North America. He has an official web page at Jim Fidler at which you can order his CDs online and there are other fan-provided Jim Fidler websites at at page 2 and page 3. I have written a review of his first recording, "Gypsy" with a brief note on his second recording, "Friendly Fire", which is also very good. In a trio Musaik Jim and a guy from Morocco and a guy from St. Pierre released a world music funky cry for peace in early August 2003 and it is great stuff. Jim was also with Great Big Sea in their very early days (I guess when they were called Rankin Street, not the same as The Rankin Family). Jim was also once in reggae band Pressure Drop. Jim has also released his third solo CD, Midnight Rover, which I also recommend, and is working on a reggae solo CD in 2008.
Shanneyganock danceable celtic rock band with barrel-chested vocals from Chris Andrews and high-powered two-row button accordion with Newfoundland flavour from Mark Hiscock.
Atlantic Union consist of Dan Rubin on mandolin, fiddle, vocals and I think one or two other instruments, Sally Goddard on vocals and I think guitar, and Andrew Lang on octave mandolin and vocals, and have released a great CD which I forget the name of (it might be Atlantic Union) and which was produced by Jim Fidler. They do a mix of celtic and English music and Appalachian old-time music and bluegrass and some gospel.
Dave Panting is a former member of Rawlins Cross (see below for more on that band, which has broken up) He, Geoff Panting, Sean Panting (of Sean Panting Band and The Planks, ex-of Drive) and sometimes a drummer play locally in The Panting Brothers Band, and do a hot mix of trad music and blues and cajun rock, with Dave singing and Dave very occasionally plays with Jeezus Murphy. When Dave plays solo he features his mandolin playing and also does some original songs, more than he does in The Panting Brothers Band. He has done solo tours of England in recent years. He also released in the fall of 2002 a solo CD of all original songs entitled Look Around which is mellow but good. He has also released a duo CD with banjo/guitar player/singer Rik Barron which I haven't heard yet. Long ago he also released a solo tape called New Dreams, and a Mandolin Christmas tape which is now out on CD. He has also released a solo CD of trad songs entitled Newfoundland Songs and has formed a group called Gulliver's Spree with Tom Boland, and they have released a CD entitled The Sunny Long Ago, subtitled Newfoundland Classics.
Great Big Sea are a high energy celtic rock band who have won the East Coast Music Awards fan-voted Artist of the Year award four years in a row, over folks such as Natalie McMaster, Ashley MacIsaac and Sarah McLachlan (but she hasn't toured here in a while). They started out with the name Rankin Street (and recorded one collector's item recording Live at the Blarneystone under that name) but changed it because of name similarity to the more popular at the time The Rankin Family. Since then they have recorded five CDs, a self-titled one, Up, Play, Turn and Sea of No Cares. I like the production on the first one better, the second one is a slight bit off-tempo, lacking warmth and lacking the rolling of the waves tempo/volume heave-ho variation of the first one. But it is still good. And from what I've heard of the third one (I have a tape of it which I haven't played much yet) it sounds good, and so does Turn and what I've heard of Sea of No Cares, which I think attempts to break them even more in the pop market but still has some traditional sounds. Their live show ranks way up there, they blew me away at The Town Pump in Vancouver in 1995, the last time I have heard them all live.
The Punters are a celtic rock combo who play rousing trad dance tunes mixed with mournful love songs, political songs, trad songs, and a few covers of people such as The Waterboys and Richard Thompson. They have released one self-titled CD, and another (1997) out entitled She Said She Couldn't Dance and a 2000 recording called Will You Wait, and a 2003 one called Fisherman's Blues, and I think they have a following in New York, here and elsewhere. They are Larry Foley (Placentia Bay vocalist/a-guitar, mandolin and some accordion), Patrick Moran (Elvis-sideburned fiddler extraordinaire) and two guys whose names I forget, on drums and bass. Their second CD sound is still celtic rock but distinctively tinged with Beatles and rockabilly and surf sound influences, and makes them distinct from Great Big Sea, The Pogues, The Paperboys and other celtic rock combos I have heard.
The Ennis sisters won the 1997 MIA (Music Industry Association of Newfoundland & Labrador) award for best folk album and are three sisters on vocal harmonies and instruments and meld crowd-rousing vocals with fairly good instrumental capabilities and a mix of ancient anthems and topical tunes. They have four CDs out, Red is the Rose and a Christmas one, Christmas on Ennis Road and one entitled Three (or 3) and a Warner Music major label debut entitled The Ennis Sisters which has done well on radio and on CMT (Country Music Television).
The Government Rams is another side project, for members of The Punters (Patrick Moran), Shanneyganock (Chris Andrews and Mark Hiscock) and The Fables (Billy Sutton). Their CD is not bad, I will comment on it more later.
There is a comedy/music group, Buddy Wasisname and The Other Fellers, who have several releases out, with a mix of comedy skits and Newfoundland music. The music is a mix of songs and traditional tunes, with instruments ranging from the accordion to the hubcap. Their releases should be available from Fred's or O'Brien's. Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers have four albums: a self-titled one, Nods and Winks, Flatout, and The Miracle Cure. March 2002: I think they have more by now.
Kelly Russell & The Planks: This is a four piece band with Kelly Russell backed up by the alternative rock band Drive. They are VERY different from Plankerdown though a few of the same tunes, rocked up considerably, like Ashley MacIsaac's fusion only with an alternative rock band and Newfoundland tunes are used. A new recording is out, frenetic rocking dance music pierced by the wailing fiddle, and is quite good. They don't play together much if at all any more though (so I will not move them to the broken up section below.). 2008 update: Kelly has moved from Trinity to Bell Island and thus they are playing St. John's pubs a bit more often again.
The Irish Descendants (Misty Morning Shore, Look to the Sea, Gypsies and Lovers, several more). On their early recordings there are two barrel-chested lead vocalists: Darcy Broderick and Con O'Brien, and harmony vocalists Larry and Ron, and for a while Kathy Phippard. More recently the recordings have featured Con and Mike Hanrahan and Graham Wells and Glen Hiscock and others, and now Duncan Cameron and Dave Panting. Instruments include guitars, bass, fiddle, mandolin, accordion, bouzouki, banjo, etc. Great harmonies, very good live. They do a mix of traditional Irish/Newfoundland music and powerful renditions of pub tunes. After Darcy Broderick left the group he often played with Billy Sutton, and they and Glen Simmons (ex-of The Wonderful Grand Band) and others have formed The Fables, while the Irish Descendants added a new fiddler and vocalist for their tour. A little later Mike Hanrahan and Byron Pardy joined The Irish Descendants and they released a Christmas CD entitled The Gift and another CD entitled Blooming Bright Star which are both quite good. They are now on a new label and their former label has released a Best Of compilation of their previous recordings. Ron Power, ex-of The Irish Descendants, regularly plays Erin's Pub and Shamrock City with Anthony McDonald.
Darcy Broderick, Billy Sutton, Glen Simmons (who used to be in The Wonderful Grand Band with Jaymie Snyder and Ron Hynes and others years ago) and one other have formed a new band called The Fables, who are quite good. They have two or three CDs out which are all good, party music. They won Entertainer of the Year at the 2001 ECMAs (East Coast Music Awards, east coast of Canada that is). Darcy has since left The Fables and now plays as part of Middle Tickle.
Mike Hanrahan has released a solo CD entitled Tie Me Down that is very good and in 2008 is working on his second solo CD.
Christina Smith has a recording called Fiddle Me This, which is wonderful, especially the tear-jerking Cancer Waltz, one of the last tunes Emile Benoit composed (though I thought he called it The Cancer Reel, since when you have cancer you tend to go slow). This CD got rave reviews from Dirty Linen and Rogue Folk Review. She and Jean Hewson have released a 1998 CD entitled Like Ducks which I have and recommend. The dolls [actual rag dolls that look a bit like Jean and Christina], made by Darlene Warbanski, on the cover really sell the CDs I bet. The CD is under the names Jean Hewson and Christina Smith. In 2005 they released another good CD entitled August Gale, under the names Christina Smith and Jean Hewson.
Jean Hewson has a clear lilting voice, and plays guitar well. On her CD Early Spring she does a number of traditional Newfoundland songs, and I recommend it. She and Christina Smith have released a 1998 CD entitled Like Ducks which I have and recommend. The dolls (actual rag dolls made by Darlene Warbanski to look a bit like Jean and Christina) on the cover really sell the CDs I bet. The CD is under the names Jean Hewson and Christina Smith. In 2005 they released another good CD entitled August Gale, under the names Christina Smith and Jean Hewson.
Jean, Christina, and Frank Maher (single row button accordion virtuoso) and Rick West also play locally and at festivals away as Maher's Bahers (pronounced Mars Bars). When Frank is replaced by Dave Penny they are known as Boo Darby (Newfoundland term for bogeyman). perf
The Once are a new trio composed of Geraldine Hollett, Phil Churchill and Andrew Dale who do some nice trad stuff including some great vocal harmonies (and now some original stuff as well).
Solid Ground are a trio of Nadine Hollett on vocals, Don Walsh on guitar and Jason Whelan on bouzouki.
The Dardanelles are a young group who are very good and have great potential if they stick together. Some members are Tom Power, Aaron Collis, Emilia Bartellas and Matthew Byrne. Tom also sometimes performs in a trio with Erin Best and Angela Pickett. They perform exclusively Newfoundland music.
The Freels are a new (2012) young trad group with a great future. They are all around 20 and draw a young crowd.
Jim Payne and Fergus O'Byrne: Jim is a multi-instrumentalist and traditional/political singer/songwriter, Fergus an excellent bodhran player and tenor banjo and concertina player and sea shanty type vocalist. Together they have released Wave Over Wave, an excellent compilation of old folk songs. Fergus was also in Tickle Harbour, and performs solo sometimes, and used to be in Ryan's Fancy (so was Dermot). Jim has a couple of recordings out, including "The Southern Cross", with sealing and sealing disaster songs and a recent release, "Empty Nets", with songs about the fishery, etc., featuring a variety of musicians. I also got a CD called State of the Nation for Christmas which was show tunes from Rising Tide theatre productions, including many by Jim Payne and a couple featuring Christina Smith. Tunes include: Hibernia, Billion Dollar Babies and more. Jim and Fergus were also in a combo called Sweet Absalome (from the Little Dicky Melbourne story) with Jean Hewson and Christina Smith but seem to have split to the two duos. Late in 2001 Jim and Fergus formed A Crowd of Bold Sharemen with Gerry Strong, Graham Wells and Colin Carrigan. Later Graham and Colin left the group and Daniel Payne and Corey Clarke joined. Fergus used to play in a duo with Dermot O'Reilly but Dermot died in 2007 so Fergus now plays solo or with Jim Payne or with A Crowd of Bold Sharemen, or with Jim Payne and Snook, or with his son Fergus Brown-O'Byrne. But a Dermot O'Reilly CD which is partially finished might be completed by his friends and released in the future.
Stan Pickett (accordion, some guitar and some vocals), Frank Maher (accordion and harmonica), Rick West (bodhran) and Andrew Lang (octave mandolin and some vocals) have been playing as The Auntie Crae Band, named that way because they play lunchtimes Tuesdays at Auntie Crae's food store and cafe on Water Street. They are also mainstays at folk night at The Ship, playing one or two headline gigs a year and showing up very regularly to play the open mic at others' gigs there too.
Jim Joyce is Montreal born, of Irish descent, and now calls St. John's his home. He has one recording out entitled St. John's Town (under the name James Joyce rather than Jim Joyce) and sometimes plays pub gigs solo.
Muldow are a celtic pop band who have one self-titled recording out.
John Graham (of Muldow) sometimes plays solo pub gigs.
Celtic Connection. Named after the Vancouver based international monthly celtic newspaper (just kidding, they aren't named after the newspaper, but the newspaper does have the same name) or the celtic knot belt buckle of the bass player (just kidding), they are one of the hottest local young celtic groups, from the Southern Avalon. They have two CDs out. (I think three now, and from a recent MIA newsletter have a large following in western Canada and have gone on an Asian tour, arranged by Sam Feldman & Associates of Vancouver).
Connemara. Another young celtic Newfoundland band, with fiery fiddle and a good backing band. I have their first tape, The River, and have heard some of the material from their second (or third) recording Near & Distant Shores. This one has more traditional Newfoundland songs not as likely to have been done to death, many with ancient roots in Ireland. Arthur O'Brien, younger brother of Conn O'Brien of The Irish Descendants, joined Connemara in June 1998 (or earlier) to replace a departing member and has a powerful rollicking voice that complements Glen Hiscock's voice in harmonies very well. Glen also keeps improving on fiddle and really impressed me recently. But as of the 2000 Newfoundland and Labrador folk festival Arthur O'Brien is no longer with the band and they are down to a three piece of Glen on fiddle, bouzouki and mandolin, his brother Paul on guitar and a bass player. They are still good but not quite as good as when Arthur O'Brien and Graham Wells were with them (e.g. at the 1999 festival).
Art Stoyles Band (which evolved out of The Bannerman Park Band) is a local five-piece group that features ace triple-row button accordionist Art Stoyles and several others. They do Portuguese stuff, Morris tunes, some celtic tunes, other international styles, and some songs. Solo, Art can do a wide variety of styles but often does a bit more celtic stuff than with the full band, but a bit more nautical/Newfoundland tinged than say Sharon Shannon, who he ranks up with (he can play at lightspeed yet with crystal clear notes and can also play two lines, one with each hand). In late 2001 he released a Christmas CD entitled I think Accordion Christmas. In 2007 he released a wonderful CD entitled The World Accordion to Art.
The Masterless Men (formerly known as Colcannon) are a bluegrass celtic fusion band, and have three recordings out. They have very good vocal harmonies, and are my ten year old niece's favourite local group (I think still, mostly from tape). John Curran has a high voice not far off from Manus Lunny's range. In 2000 Chuck Lewis, who has a good voice, joined them and I think Wilf Curran left the band. Since then fiddler, mandolinist and sometimes singer Greg Walsh (also of The Ray Walsh Family Band and formerly of The Navigators) has joined them.
The Navigators (unless they have changed their name back to The Fat Catlicks) are a band featuring the powerful vocals of Arthur O'Brien and Fred Jorgensen (formerly of Fine Crowd).
Middle Tickle is a band from Fogo Island (I think Joe Batt's Arm) led by Ron Kelly who often play Bridie Molloy's and O'Reilly's. "tickle her upper, tickle her lower, then tickle her middle" as the song could go. They now include Ron, Robert Kelly, Darcy Broderick and Mike Hanrahan. They do a mix of original folk songs and Newfoundland and Irish traditional songs.
Baxter Wareham, an accordion player/singer/songwriter has a release "Buffet Double" (and is also in Bristol's Hope), Pat and Joe Byrne have a release "Towards the Sunset." Pat and Joe Byrne are former members of the Breakwater Boys (with Rufus Guinchard).
The Walsh Family Band features Ray Walsh on piano accordion and his son Greg Walsh on fiddle and Ray's daughter Michelle on vocals. They have some recordings out.
In 2006 a group was formed called Gulliver's Spree, consisting of Dave Panting, and Tom Boland and sometimes friends. They have since released a CD entitled The Sunny Long Ago. Tom and Dave also play solo at times.
There are also lots more pub bands, Stogger Tight, The Jerseymen, who do some traditional Nfld. tunes, and the Sons of Erin, who are a good Irish cover pub band (Ralph O'Brien is in that band), who have releases out. Stogger Tight has at least one tape out, and the Sons of Erin have Volume 1: Alive 'n' Kickin' and Volume 2: At it agin and a recent one entitled Good To See Ya, I think. On those they do mostly standard pub covers. But if you like the band and its live show and want to have something of them to take home then of course buy their CDs, I did, plus they are great live.
Gordon Quinton, a great acoustic guitarist, has three instrumental albums out, including Sea Winds and Wildwood Moon. A third one, for which he was described as the "Van Gogh of the acoustic guitar" is now available at O'Brien's. I think it is entitled Molly Bawn, or something like that, or that might be a fourth one.
Simani is a band that has many recordings out but they don't play St. John's much and I haven't heard them. I think they play mainly on the mainland, or on the southwest coast.
Michelle Myrick is a Southern Avalon songstress with a warm powerful voice and knowledge of many traditional songs, and sometimes hosts a "kitchen" session at the Shades of Green pub in the Battery Hotel, though perhaps only during tourist season. She, Dawn Trainor-Thompson and another woman are also in The Keepers though they don't do as much celtic material as Michelle does solo.
The Celtic Fiddlers formed out of high school music groups and I think have a recording out, and often present Newfoundland tunes to conference groups. They are a non-profit group.
The Suzuki Talent Education Program (STEP) fiddlers are a generally younger crowd than the Celtic Fiddlers but are highly talented and well taught young local fiddlers, often led by ace fiddler Christina Smith. They I think also have a Suzuki camp each year with a fiddle component or fiddle option for those who want it.
The Fogo Island Accordion group is a group of young women accordionists I think taught by their high school teacher and who often play at festivals.
Outer Cove Concert Crowd, which includes both musicians and some great dancers, put on quite a "time" of music and dance.
Hugh Scott, a local singer/songwriter known for his song Theresa Maria, which won song of the year one year at the MIA awards, plays pub gigs solo and has a wide range of Irish covers and originals. He also plays in the band Crackie's Teeth. He has a solo CD out.
Joy Norman is a young singer who has one CD (maybe more by now) with a clear high voice who I heard live once solo so far and was reasonably impressed and look forward to hearing her with a band.
Maura Hagan is another new face who impressed me at the 2002 festival who is originally from Glasgow and used to be in Cherish the Ladies but made Newfoundland her new home base a while ago.
Kentucky Tundra is a band that does a mix of bluegrass and celtic tunes, more bluegrass though. Together with Andrea Monroe they form Five For Silver.
Jackie Sullivan sometimes hosts (often with Karla Pilgrim) a Sunday night folk night at Bridie Molloy's and also has a slightly celtic-tinged soft pop CD out that is quite good.
Rowdy Stout is a new four piece band with great potential, who I have heard just briefly (part of a set one night and one set on another night) so far though. Lead singer Robert Hynes sounds great, really projects well and is rooted, and has the potential to eventually rank up there with Andy M. Stewart and Dick Gaughan, though that may depend on the songwriting the band can put together if any in addition to their good trad repertoire.
Hagdown is a trad band whose members include Anthony McDonald, Ronnie Power and Mike Chafe. Anthony also has a solo CD out and is working on a second, and often plays Erin's Pub.
Another side band (along with Waterford Valley Minstrels and Jeezus Murphy and Government Rams) is The Rum Devils which is I think Con and Mike of The Irish Descendants and one other person doing often lesser well known tunes that The Irish Descendants don't do and with Mike singing lead a bit more than he does in The Irish Descendants.
Ron Hynes, who does some trad-style tunes, and played guitar on Emile Benoit's Emile's Dream recording, and was in the Wonderful Grand Band, is in the other music artists section (where celtic is not the main focus). He wrote the original lyrics to Sonny's Dream (known as Sonny in Ireland).
Also see Lukey's Boat in that other section.
Some other local pub bands that I haven't heard live yet include Siochana, Dungarvan (a subset of Dungarvan I heard were pretty good), Shanty, Kilkenny Krew and probably a few more by now.
Some below here have broken up, or are dead, so you can't hear them live but there are wonderful recordings available. Others below are some from away who have spent time here and in my opinion are honourary Newfoundlanders so you can hear them both live and on recording. I also mention some good old compilation CDs below that are still available and for which the artists on them are not necessarily broken up, dead, or from away. Also some locals on the Island to Island recording mentioned below, which is very good, are also certainly alive and kicking at sessions and in various bands.
Emile Benoit (Emile's Dream, Ca Vient du Tchoeur, Vive la Rose). Emile died of prostate cancer in 1992 at the age of 79. His last (until the box set, no doubt) CD Vive la Rose is on Amber Music, and their paper mail address is
Amber Music, P.O. Box 156, Topsail, CBS, NF, A0A 3Y0, CANADA.
Here is my old quote about Emile: Emile was a master fiddler/composer who died in his late 70's and has composed 100's of tunes, some of which have been recorded by Figgy Duff, Kelly Russell, Seamus Creagh, Christina Smith, Plankerdown and others, as well as himself. Emile's music is influenced by Breton, Scottish, Irish, Quebec music but with his own unique additions. Like most Newfoundland and Quebec fiddlers, he keeps time with his stomping feet, which then act as a percussion instrument. Ca Vient du Tchoeur (It comes from the heart) includes stories about the tunes, in English and French. In addition to stomping, Emile sometimes did mouth music to the melody. Although probably not as technically trained (smoothed) as some younger Newfoundland fiddlers, he was amazing live, a great composer, and very innovative/unpredictable --- he would sometimes go off in amazing directions, so his accompaniment had to be on their toes. He would often start out humming sedately and then suddenly his wailing fiddle would cut through in a different direction. In Vive le Rose he is surrounded by all his musical friends and hence at times the fiddle is buried in the mix, so I recommend the earlier sparse recordings as well, even though the production quality is not as good (one is live). But on Vive la Rose he also sings, the title track [a Belgian tune] and at least two others (Lady Margaret and The Land We're Walking On).
Minnie White was an elderly accordion player who has several recordings out, including a CD compilation of 22 tracks entitled The Hills of Home. It is very good. Unfortunately Minnie White died early in 2002.
Rufus Guinchard, Kelly Russell, Jim Payne (a couple of records) Rufus died in 1990 at the age of 91, and played until the year before he died. He didn't compose many tunes but was a living storehouse of Nfld music tradition, which he passed on to Kelly Russell and others. Rufus released several recordings though some of them are no longer available. Recently Kelly Russell added some bass and second fiddle to some old recordings and remastered them to produce a CD called Ruus Guichard: Fathers of the Newfoundland Fiddle Vol. 1. This also comes in an edition with a music book. This is a very good recording. Rufus also released a CD called Humouring the Tunes not long before he died. There is a video on his life and music, available at O'Brien's, and a biography book. He played the fiddle on the wrong shoulder since when he was learning as a young boy, he would sit so that he could see out the window and put away the fiddle if he saw anyone coming. He played festivals up to age 90. [The out-of-print? one is `Step Tunes and Doubles'] Rufus may have recorded as part of the Breakwater Boys years ago.
Joan Morrissey was a Newfoundland songstress a few decades ago and maybe someone will put out a best of CD for her soon as for Harry below, one of her famous songs is the "thank God we're surrounded by water" one.
Harry Hibbs was a master of accordion and song, from Bell Island but for most of his career based in Toronto, and I think in late 2001 a best of CD vol. 1 came out and a vol. 2 may be on the way.
Dermot O'Reilly, former Ryan's Fancy member, often played pub gigs solo or sometimes with Fergus O'Byrne. Fergus said for more info see Avalon Music. I think there was a release of a Ryan's Fancy CD entitled I think Songs From the Shows, early in 2002. Unfortunately Dermot died of a heart attack on Feb. 17, 2007, and Fergus now plays solo or with Jim Payne or with A Crowd of Bold Sharemen, or with Jim Payne and Snook, or with his son Fergus Brown-O'Byrne. But a Dermot O'Reilly CD which is partially finished might be completed by his friends and released in the future.
John White, who often plays with Jimmy Linegar and Don Randall, and at the 1997 St. John's festival with John Rowe as well I think, opened every Newfoundland & Labrador Folk Festival (held in St. John's almost all of the time) with The Ode to Newfoundland and some more tunes. Unfornately he died not that long ago.
Figgy Duff (Figgy Duff, After the Tempest, Weather Out the Storm, Down Stream, A Retrospective). Newfoundland's best known celtic rock band for many years, they disbanded when drummer and primary songwriter Noel Dinn died of throat cancer. Here is my quote on them from the days of the Weather Out the Storm album: Figgy Duff was a celtic rock band, with material ranging from lovely melancholy ballads through upbeat arrangements of traditional and Benoit-composed Nfld. jigs and reels and more recent celtic influenced original pop tunes written from a Nfld perspective. They were: Pamela Morgan on vocals, keyboard and guitar, Noel Dinn on drums, bodhran and backup vocals, Frank Maher on accordions and harmonica (or Geoff Butler on accordions/flute), Kelly Russell on fiddle, mandolin, bouzouki, concertina, lap harp, etc, Bruce Crummel on electric guitar and mandolin, Rob Laidlaw on bass. In May, 1993, I commented on the then new album, Downstream: It is very much a pop album, but with great vocals and mystic, medieval style lyrics and folk influences. Frank and Kelly are not involved, but Bob O'Donovan, Jaymie Snider, Sandy Morris and the Hynes brothers are. Those new to the band may want to check out the Retrospective CD first. Art Stoyles is featured on two tracks on there and is excellent there but has improved even more in the last two decades since those two tracks were recorded.
Wonderful Grand Band -- Living in a Fog. This was recently rereleased on CD and tape, and O'Brien's may have old LPs. Satirical pop/rock with a celtic influence. Members of WGB included Tommy Sexton and Greg malone of CODCO, Ron Hynes, Jaymie Snider, Glen Simmons and more. The record included at least a couple of traditional numbers: the Merry Blacksmith and the Kerry Polka, and the song Sonny's Dream (by Ron).
Plankerdown: After Figgy Duff went in a more pop direction, former members Frank Maher (accordion whiz), Kelly Russell (fiddle, bouzouki, mandolin, lap harp, whistles, concertina, dulcimer, etc), along with Don Walsh (guitar, mandolin, also in Tickle Harbour), George Morgan (percussion) and Wade Pinhorn (bass) formed a new group called Plankerdown and released a recording called The Jig is Up, with celtic, swedish, south american influences, all instrumental. They have since disbanded.
Tickle Harbour (now broken up) a local early Altan-like group but with a strong nautical/Newfoundland influence and good vocal harmonies. They have released three recordings (The first is called Hare's Ears, and is no longer available, the second is The Brule Boys in Paris, then with Irish flautist Rob Murphy and Irish fiddler Seamus Creagh and a hammer dulcimer player). A third one, which is very good, and which won best folk album at the 1998 Music Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador awards, is entitled Battery Included. The current lineup is Don Walsh (guitar/jokes), Francesca Swann (cello), Fergus O'Byrne (bodhran/concertina/vocals), Patrick Moran (fiddle), Gerry Strong (whistles/flute), Vonnie Baron (vocals/percussion) and Angela Pickett (fiddle). Tickle Harbour is still not back together but Don Walsh is back in town and has played in an "all-star" band called Silly Duffers.
A Crowd of Bold Sharemen consists of Jim Payne on lead vocals, guitar and accordion, Fergus O'Byrne on lead vocals, concertina, banjo, bodhran and I think guitar, Gerry Strong (formerly of Tickle Harbour) on flute and whistles and vocals, Graham Wells on accordion, whistle, bodhran and vocals, and Colin Carrigan on fiddle and mandolin and vocals. They have recently broken up but their recording is great and the individual members are still going strong.
Rawlins Cross (now broken up) were one of Atlantic Canada's best known celtic rock bands, with Dave Panting (mandolin/guitars/b.vocals/songwriting), Geoff Panting (accordions/keyboard/b.vocals/songwriting), Ian MacKinnon (powerful bagpipe, whistle, bodhran, etc.), Brian Bourne (chapman stick/bass), Howie Southwood (drums) and Joey Kitson (lead vocals/harmonica?). They have some wonderful mystic newage type lyrics and also a few good get-down barroom dance tunes/bluesy songs. They have releases A Turn of the Wheel, Crossing the Border Reel and Roll, Living River and Make It On Time. The first has a more clean crisp folk production but may be no longer available, also several of the tunes on it were re-recorded on the later ones. Of the last four I like Reel and Roll best and then Make It On Time. They also have released a compilation of instrumental tunes. Their live show is almost invariably good. Unfortunately they have broken up. Songwriters Dave and Geoff Panting have been performing with brother Sean and sometimes drummer Phil Dinn as The Panting Brothers Band who do some celtic traditional stuff and also some blues and cajun rock.
Bristol's Hope was a group formed to showcase British-influenced Newfoundland tunes at the 1996 International Festival of the Sea, plus greet The Matthew when it sails over. They have released one recording, I don't have it yet but have heard some of it in a bar. They are Baxter Wareham (accordion/vocals/stories), Kelly Russell (fiddle, concertina, bouzouki, etc., stories), Sandy Morris (guitar), Anita Best (powerful vocals), Derek Pelley (bass) and occasionally Pamela Morgan will guest. They aren't together now but have one recording out.
Fine Crowd: good Newfoundland ballad/drinking song/harmony high-energy celtic band, good vocals from all, especially guitarist Priscilla Dalton and the bodhran player (quite good), and harmony vocals from mandolin player Vic and a bass player. They have released a CD called Poverty's Arse, which I don't have yet due to poverty, with one track called Blarney Roses, about the Scottish blue ribbon joke. Oh, and Priscilla is not a close relation to this editor, I would bet greater than 10th cousin. Update: they have a 1998-released second CD out, recorded at the fine studio in Chapel's Cove, which is good from all I've heard of it, but I don't have it yet, it is called Sucker for Good Company. Unfortunately Fine Crowd have broken up.
Honourary Newfoundlander Seamus Creagh, with Newfoundland musicians, has released a solo album called `Came the Dawn' on the Pigeon Inlet label which I highly recommend, it exudes powerful emotion with hum/drone/wail (like a touch of the pipes at times, perhaps learned from Francie Byrne and some from Emile Benoit) and masterful changes in tempo and intensity; it is one of my favourite fiddle CDs. This is on the Pigeon Inlet label.
Seamus and other Irish musicians playing Newfoundland tunes and Newfoundland musicians playing Irish tunes have released a CD called Island to Island which is pretty good.
Honourary Newfoundlander Paddy Keenan, with his lightning rod pipes, released in 1997 a solo CD backed by Newfoundland and Irish musicians. It is entitled Na Keen Affair, I think (I gave a copy to a sister but will have to borrow it from her).
Honourary (well, if I have that power and they want the honour) Newfoundlander young rooster uillean piper Eamonn Dillon (now based in Florida) recorded a fine CD here with Jim Fidler producing, in Jim's studio, and with Jim playing some too.
Snotty Var (a resinous fir tree) is the name of a 1997 CD of traditional Irish and Newfoundland tunes and also the name of an assemblage of session regulars who put together the CD. Such session regulars come together in various combinations for gigs and hence may use other group names or just go by the names of the individual performers on occasion. The CD was produced by Don Walsh and performers include John Bishop, Michelle Brophy, Rob Brown, Mike Hanrahan, Pat Moran, Frank Maher, Allan Carroll, Brian Titus, Rick West and Francesca Swann.
Another such assemblage of Angela Pickett, Rob Murphy, Rob Brown, Graham Wells, Michelle Brophy and I think Mike Hanrahan is called LISHEEN. They can sometimes be found busking downtown as well as at sessions and gigs and festivals. March 2002: I haven't heard this name used in a while.
Accordionist Stan Pickett and his daughter, the fiddler (with that Newfoundland sound) Angela Pickett, along with bodhran player Rick West, flute/whistle player Michelle Brophy and guitarist Rob Brown form another such combo "Fair Island" named after the island in Bonavista Bay where Stan and Angela are from. However Stan more often plays solo, in a group with friends entitled "Stan Pickett and friends" or in Contrabande which also features hammer dulcimerist Scott Schillereif, formerly of Tickle Harbour. March 2002:
John Bishop and friends often host a session at O'Reilly's 7--10:30 p.m. Saturday. Some of them have a group called Lisheen which is more based in whistle and flute and accordion than fiddle, and it consists of Angela Pickett (fiddle), Michelle Brophy (metal flute, voice), Graham Wells (whiztle, button accordion, bodhran, voice), Rob Brown (guitar), and Rob Murphy (wooden flute). But Rob Murphy has gone back to Ireland and I haven't heard the name Lisheen used recently (March 2002) but the players other than Rob M. are still around. Those and others including Rick West, Stan Pickett, Paddy Mackey and others are often at the session, where I advise young players to go often to improve. Some who have are now world class celtic musicians, up with the best I've heard, and I've heard most of the best. Also children are allowed in O'Reilly's until 8 p.m. since they serve food (but not if they still allow smoking). There is sometimes a session at The Ship Inn around 6 p.m. on Saturday but not always so I suggest players go there first and then on to O'Reilly's if nothing is happening at The Ship.
Acushla is a new young celtic/world beat fusion band that formerly featured Danette Eddy on fiddle, a mandolinist, and congo drums. However recent news stated that Danette and others have formed a new band, I forget the name but will edit it in eventually. It might be Danette Eddy and the Sea Dogs but I don't think so. Maybe it is Danette Eddy and the Riptides. March 2002: Danette has been studying musicology in Ireland but while she was home played in The Danette Eddy Band with Duane and Curtis Andrews. Danette has two CDs out that are quite good. I don't think Acushla still exists.
Larry Foley (The Punters), John Bishop, Paddy Mackey (bodhran and accordion) and Patrick Moran (The Punters) and Dave Panting (ex-of Rawlins Cross, ex-of Figgy Duff, of The Panting Brothers Band) also play occasionally in a group called "Jeezus Murphy". They play only a few times a year, if that. (They haven't played in a long while so I moved them to this section.)
All the Best (compilation of St. John's artists) The compilation includes Ron Hynes (formerly of the Wonderful Grand Band), Art Stoyles, Frank Maher (of Figgy Duff), Anita Best and Pam Morgan (of Figgy Duff), Kelly Russell (of Figgy Duff) and Emile Benoit, and others. There are two tunes written by Emile Benoit: Arriving to St. John's and the Ship Inn/Bridgett's reel sets. The tape also includes the Portuguese tunes of Art Stoyles and Running the Goat performed by Frank Maher.
There is an older recording, I forget the title (I have a dub at home), possible Songs and Tunes from Newfoundland, which may be available at O'Brien's and which has selections from many well known Newfoundland artists, including Lem Snow.
Another recording, Close to the Floor, has also been released. This is Newfoundland dance music from artists such as Emile Benoit, Rufus Guinchard, Figgy Duff, Wonderful Grand Band, and many more, mostly from older recordings.
Also Another Time: modern arrangements of classic tunes from the Gerald S. Doyle songbook, done by Dave Panting, Pamela Morgan and Anita Best, Kim Stockwood, Roger Howse and several more. This was an attempt to freshen up the tunes that Newfoundland children have to learn in school.