Marc Gunn's "Celtic MP3 Music Magazine"

Changing the way you hear Celtic Music
A weekly ezine of legal free Celtic MP3 downloads
March 4, 2005 5000+ subscribers


HIGHLIGHTS....
- Celtic Music News
- Feature: Sarah Dinan
- CD Feature: Mary O'Dowd
- Feature: Gallus
- New Celtic Links
- Manage your subscription

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1. Celtic Music News
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Before I start, I got to ask you to check out the new Celtic MP3s
Music Magazine logo. I'm sooo in love with it. Last year, I was
introduced to Ingrid Houwers. She studied Celtic art in The
Netherlands. There was no Celtic course so she created her own,
studying the Book of Kells. She learned to brilliantly combine
the traditional with the contemporary. The result is my new
Dancing Celtic Cat Logo for the site. http://www.celticmp3s.com/

If you need some Celtic knotwork done, talk to her. She does
amazing work at obscenely low rates.
http://www.feline.se/~graywolf/

On to this week's ezine...

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Greetings Celtic Music Lovers,

I am so excited. The North Texas Irish Festival starts tomorrow.
I won't be able to make it up until Saturday. The anticipation
is growing as I listen to one of this week's MP3 by NTIF performer
Gallus. I think I'll be heading to their show on Saturday.

Sounds like I will meet a lot of people out there. I still plan
to wear my kilt and hang out a wee bit at the Clan Gunn tent.
And here's another lass I look forward to seeing-Sarah Dinan.

I first met Sarah at Things Celtic, Austin's Celtic gift shop
(who will also be at NTIF, stop by and say "hi" to Lanora). Before
I knew it, the Sarah Dinan Band one of the most-popular Celtic
bands in Austin. Her band is composed of some of Austin's best
traditional musicians. And Sarah has a beautiful voice. It's warm,
lustrous, and very sexy. You'll hear it when you listen to her
a cappella performance of "May Morning Dew" below from her debut
CD, "From the Ashes".

I hope to see you at NTIF!

---

2005 North Texas Irish Festival - FACTS
North Texas Irish Festival "Bluegrass has Green Roots"

Presented by: Southwest Celtic Music Association

Description: One of the largest Celtic cultural events in the
nation, the North Texas Irish Festival, will launch its 2005
event on Friday night, March 4, at 6 PM with full festival
activities. In keeping with this year's theme "Bluegrass has
Green Roots" Friday night's opening will also include special
musical performances highlighting the strong connection between
traditional Celtic music and the Bluegrass music of Appalachia.
The festivities will continue throughout the weekend, including
Saturday, March 5 through Sunday, March 6, and feature some of
the very finest in Irish and Scottish entertainment including
world famous bands, award-winning dancers, enchanting
storytellers and educational workshops. As in the past, the
festival will also offer a variety of delicious Irish and
international food and drink, cultural crafts, and ethnic vendors.

Dates: March 4, 5, and 6, 2005

Times: Mar. 4, 6pm - 11pm; Mar. 5, 10:30 am - 11:30 pm;
Mar. 6, 11:30 am - 8:30 pm
Location: Fair Park
Parry Ave @ First Ave
Dallas, TX 75210

Admission price: Adult admission is $10 for Fri night, Mar. 4;
$15 each day on Sat.,Mar. 5 or Sun., Mar. 6; OR $30 for a 3-day
weekend pass. Students (w. ID) and Seniors receive a $2 discount.
Children age 11 and under admitted free.

Phone number public can call: 972-943-4624

Website: http://www.ntif.org/

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Celtic Music Festival Tours announces three new 2005 tours!

a.. Fleadh Nua, Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland, 23-30 May.
b.. Golowan Festival, Penzance, Cornwall, England, 16-26 June.
c.. Fleadh Cheoil, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, Ireland, 21-28 August.
For details, go to http://www.celticmusicfestivaltours.com.

---

Celtic Radio Friday Night?

I got an email from the host of "The Sounds of Scotland" a Radio
Show on CFBW 91.3 FM Bluewater Radio in Hanover, Ontario, Canada.
The Show airs Friday 7pm -9pm EST and can be streamed Streamed
Live, on line at http://www.bluewaterradio.ca/ .

While I'm mentioning Celtic Radio programs, check out Radio
TradTunes http://www.tradtunes.com/radio.php .
They're doing St Patrick's Day edition, with a lot o'great music.

---

If ye like what you read and hear,
please forward this newsletter to your friends.

Latest News
http://www.celticmp3s.com/magazine/



_____________________________________SPONSOR__________

SONGS OF IRELAND FOR ST PATRICK'S DAY
Irish folk drinking songs perfect for St Patrick's Day
or to rediscover your Irish heritage.

Read the Reviews at CDBaby.com
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bards2/from/celtic/

"The Brobdingnagian Bards hit this one out of the park!
... these guys really enjoy making music. Their enthusiasm
will leap out of your speakers and before you know it,
your foot will be tapping and you will be singing out
loud to faithful and entertaining versions of classics...
This CD is a 5-star must-have!" -C.D. Campbell
_____________________________________________________



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CELTIC BAND FEATURE #1
=========================

"May Morning Dew" by Sarah Dinan

Sarah Dinan is a natural vocal talent being hailed by both
critics and audiences as breathtaking', 'angelic', 'enchanting'
and 'beautiful'. Often compared to Mary Black and Sinead
O'Connor, Sarah's clear alto voice is perfect for the lilting
songs and haunting ballads she sings. Sarah and her band are
a Celtic tour de force that performs a repertoire of engaging
songs and tunes from Ireland, Scotland and Brittany. Discover
what critics and audiences across America are calling
'refreshing', 'awesome' and 'majestic'!

Hometown: Austin, Texas
Similiar: Mary Black, Sinead O'Connor, Poor Man's Fortune,
Kate Rusby, Niamh Parsons, Cathie Ryan, Carey Street

Homepage: http://www.sarahdinan.com
Download MP3:
http://www.celticmp3s.com/listen/SarahDinan-MayMorningDew.mp3
Buy CD: From the Ashes
http://cdbaby.com/cd/dinan/from/celtic/



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CELTIC CD FEATURE
=========================

"At the Close of an Irish Day" by Mary O'Dowd
by Phil Hall

Artist: Mary O'Dowd
Album: "At the Close of an Irish Day"
Year Produced: 1991

One of the more elusive voices of Celtic music is the Irish-
American balladeer Mary O'Dowd, who only recorded one album
prior to 1991's "At the Close of an Irish Day" and none since.
Her stirring voice was in command whether the material was rich
in sentiment or steely with anger, and while her lack of output
is maddening she is guaranteed classic status just with this
amazing album.

O'Dowd's opening number "When New York Was Irish" is a mini-
masterpiece, celebrating Eire's contribution to America's
greatest metropolis with a rich tapestry of large triumphs
and small gestures, capped with a bittersweet but inevitable
surrender of a separate and distinct ethnic pride into the
greater glory of a modern multicultural landscape. One doesn't
need to be either Irish or a New York to appreciate its sweep
of time and achievement, and the recording alone is enough to
warrant the purchase of the album.

But "At the Close of an Irish Day" has a diversity of selections
to intrigue the listener. Old sing-along favorites such as
"Rings on My Fingers" and "Toast to the 32 Counties" are warm
and playful in O'Dowd's charming renditions, while the title
song and "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore" offer an uncommon mix
of honey and rue in recalling Eire's vibrant charms. Political
music, which often sounds shrill and strident, comes across with
intelligent drama via O'Dowd's vocal prowess. "Wandering Wondering
Child" and "The Town I Love So Well" capture the modern anguish
of occupied Ulster, while "Fields of Athenry" frame the historic
injustice of Anglo-Irish relations with deep grace and maturity.

Even when the material strays from an Irish setting, as with the
tune "The Dutchman" and its tale of elderly love in an Amsterdam
setting, O'Dowd finds the emotional soul of a situation and
displays it with a genuine sense of passion and sincerity.

Where is Mary O'Dowd today? Beyond this album and her earlier
"Portrait of Mary O'Dowd," she seems to have vanished. At least
she is absent from music catalogues and e-commerce sites. But for
those who can differentiate between quantity and quality, the
sterling achievement of "At the Close of an Irish Day" is a
recording to be cherished as a rare and precious musical commodity.

Buy the Album: "At the Close of an Irish Day"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000E71J/thebards

---
Celtic MP3s Music Magazine writer, Phil Hall is contributing
editor for Film Threat, book editor for the New York Resident,
author of "The Encyclopedia of Underground Movies" (MWP Books)
and a proud child of Wales.




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=========================
CELTIC BAND FEATURE #2
=========================

"Reels: Shetland Pony, Loch Lavan, Spootiskerry" by Gallus

(ga-luss) Scots dialect. 1. Self-confident, daring; cheeky.
2. Stylish, impressive. 3. Orig. derogatory, meaning wild;
a rascal; deserving to be hanged (from the gallows).

An exciting Celtic eclectic ensemble comprised of some of the
finest traditional musicians in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
This set of reels has a sound that is much more laid back
traditional sound. This isn't a hard-driving speed demon tune
like those of a lot of super groups. This is music for dancers
and a helluva lot of fun.

Hometown: DFW, Texas
Similiar: Teada, Altan, Danu, Cherish the Ladies, Boys of the
Lough, Kevin Burke, Liz Carroll, Lunasa, Solas

Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/gallustrad/
Download MP3: http://www.geocities.com/gallustrad/music.html
Buy CD: n/a



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NEW TO CELTIC MP3S MUSIC MAGAZINE
=========================

Brothers 3 (added: 24-Apr-2004)
http://www.celticmp3s.com/bands/brothers_3/
Traditional Celtic songs and dance music in wide variety of
musical settings from jazz and World Beat to country-
western, pop, and rock.

* Custom Celtic Knot Design and Celtic Artwork (added: 17-Feb-2005)
http://www.feline.se/~graywolf/
Are you looking for unique custom knotwork Ingrid Houwers,
one of the foremost Celtic knot scholars in the world. She's
extensively studied the Book of the Kells and makes
traditional and contemporary Celtic knotwork at amazing
prices. She's even redesigning the Celtic MP3s Music
Magazine logo so stay tuned!

The Shannon Centre (added: 18-Feb-2005)
http://www.shannoncentre.com
Irish Centre with three venues all under 1 roof. The Shannon
Centre has been established for 25 years, offering a wide
range of Irish entertainment for all age groups. The Shannon
Centre consists of three individual venues offering
different theme nights and music types. Each venue holds a
large capacity, whether it is a small party or a full
banqueting function. O'Connor's Irish Bar holds a weekly
Trad Session every sunday and has full viewing of Irish GAA
and Premiership Football.

Mischiefsmuse (added: 19-Feb-2005)
http://mischiefsmuse.fateback.com/Mischiefsmuse/Homex.html
Welsh sculptor working in recycled materials integrated with
the strength of Papier mache. Pieces heavily influenced by
Celtic heritage.

The Dubliners' Tabby Cats (added: 19-Feb-2005)
http://dublinerstabby.catdrinkingsongs.com/
The Dubliners' Tabby Cats forage their way out of the
gutters of Ireland to create a musical menagerie that
combines Irish drinking songs and the folk music stylings of
groups like The Dubliners, The Clancy Brothers, the Irish
Rovers, and "Weird" Al Yankovic to create a sound unlike any
Celtic music group you've heard today. The songs will make
you laugh and cry with delight or distension as this feline
group reinvents traditional Irish folk music.

Celtic Music Festival Tours (added: 19-Feb-2005)
http://www.celticmusicfestivaltours.com
Your source for Celtic music festival tours to the U.K.,
Ireland and Canada. Celtic Music Festival Tours is a small,
independent, family-run company. Our goal is to help you
experience "the real thing", the authentic music, warm
culture and traditions of the Celtic people.

Folio Page (added: 20-Feb-2005)
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeonyaf/index.htm
Etchings & Linoleum Prints, based on Landscape and the
poetry of Padraic Fiacc by Seamus Carmichael a Northern
Irish Printmaker now living in the US

Past Celtic Features (added: 2-Mar-2005)
http://www.celticmp3s.com/past_celtic_features.shtml
A small sampling of the Celtic free music downloads, CD
reviews and Band Profiles offered by the Celtic MP3s Music
Magazine. For more Celtic MP3s, subscribe to the magazine
(it's free), and get exclusive access to my Members-Only
Directory

Fromseier Rose (added: 2-Mar-2005)
http://www.fromseierrose.com/
Modern acoustic music for violin and piano, based in the
Celtic tradition.

Andy Thorburn - Scottish piano player (added: 3-Mar-2005)
http://www.andythorburn.com
Scottish piano player who has just released a CD of solo
piano music - all his own compositions except one
traditional piece (Mrs Jamieson's Favourite). Andy is also
the piano player with Blazin' Fiddles, and he has played
with Mouth Music, Ceolbeg, and Wolfstone.

This Business of Dance and Music (added: 21-Feb-2005)
http://www.thisbusinessofdanceandmusic.com/
This Business of Dance and Music is a community and resource
site for dancers, musicians and writers.



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6. ABOUT THE CELTIC MP3s MUSIC MAGAZINE
http://www.CelticMP3s.com/
=========================

"Celtic MP3s Music Magazine" is a weekly publication by
Bard Marc Gunn of the Brobdingnagian Bards, The Original
Celtic Renaissance. Help spread the word about great
Celtic Music Online!

Members-Only Celtic MP3 Archive (you are a member)
http://www.celticmp3s.com/bands/

Learn more about
http://www.marcgunn.com <-- Bard Marc Gunn
http://www.thebards.net <-- Brobdingnagian Bards

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