Marc Gunn's "Celtic MP3 Music Magazine"

Changing the way you hear Celtic Music
A weekly ezine of legal free Celtic MP3 downloads
May 8, 2005 -- 7000+ subscribers


HIGHLIGHTS....
- Celtic Music News
- Feature: Blaggards
- CD Feature: Van Morrison and the Chieftains
- Feature: Mark Renburke
- New Celtic Links
- Manage your subscription

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1. Celtic Music News
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Greetings Celtic Music Lovers,

I'm pretty excited about some new developments. First off,
I partnered with the Celtic Music News Podcast. We plan to work
together to get more share more great Celtic music. If you don't
know what a podcast is, think "downloadable Celtic radio show".
It's a cool show you can listen to at your leisure. Great concept
and the host, Aaron Drake is doing a splendid job sharing the
music we love.

Second, after much consideration, I decided to open up the Celtic
MP3 Archive to the general public. I want great Celtic music to
be shared with the world. So if you go to the Celtic MP3s Music
Magazine homepage, click the link that says, "Celtic MP3s", and
you can find the latest greatest Celtic music groups online. Just
remember that many of these MP3s are time-sensitive, so download
asap.

As for this week's bands, I'm really excited. I met Patrick Devlin
nearly five years ago when he organized a rocking Celtic group
called On the Dole. The group split and at long last, Patrick's
created a new band that's becoming all the rage for Celts
& rockers in Texas. The band is called Blaggards. They're a
hard-hitting Celtic Rock group garnering attention everywhere you
look. They released a new CD just a few weeks back that I have
anxiously awaited. At long last it's here, thus the new MP3!

The second treat comes Mark Renburke. I've never met him, but I
was a big fan of his band on MP3.com, The Rising Pints. He and
Brian Cullen lead the MP3 revolution. Now Mark is living in
New England where he combines his many styles of music like
today's beautiful little Irish tune, "The Golden Thread."

Slainte!
Marc Gunn, Bard

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CELTIC MUSIC NEWS PODCAST
http://www.celticmusicnews.com/
I've partnered with Aaron Drake who hosts the weekly Celtic Music
News Podcast. If you want to hear some great new Celtic music,
interviews, and get some Celtic music news, drop by the website.

This week: Special Edition - Culloden Highland Games w/ Searson
and Seven Nations

---

CELEBRATION OF CELTS
Date: May 7, 2005
Location: Columbia County Fair Grounds (Chatham, NY)
Gates open: 9am
Opening ceremonies: 12pm

The Celebration of Celts, now in its 3rd year of existence,
is a day-long festival celebrating all of the Celtic nations.
This festival has many fantastic Celtic groups performing,
including Australia's premiere Celtic-fusion ensemble, Claymore,
as well Enter the Haggis and many regional performers that are
not to be missed.

They also offer one of the most unique and exciting pipe band
compeitions in the United States: "Piping Outside the Box,"
which consists of 30 minute shows by some fantastic bands
incorporating non-standard instruments such as electric guitars
and cellos, as well as dance and anything else they can think of!

Besides the music, there is much historical information to be
had here, vendors to check out, and contests to watch. This is
certainly not a festival to be missed!

For more information about the festival, please see their
The Celebration of the Celts website.
http://www.celebrationofcelts.com/

I hope to see some of you there!

Celtic MP3s Music Magazine writer, Michelle Osborne, is a native
to the central New York region. She plays both high and low
whistles regularly with the Syracuse Irish session. Besides
being heavily involved in Irish traditional music, she is also
a classical clarinetist and composer.

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

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

Celtic MP3 Archive
http://www.celticmp3s.com/bands/



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CELTIC BAND FEATURE #1
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"Bog Songs" by The Blaggards

BLAGGARDS were formed in July 2004 by Dublin-raised Patrick
Devlin (guitar and lead vocals), Minnesotan Turi Hoiseth (violin
and screaming), New Yorker Chad Smalley (bass and lead vocals)
and Bostonian Brian Vogel (drums and backing vocals).

They carry with the legacy of On The Dole, an earlier Houston
band founded by Patrick. Like On The Dole, BLAGGARDS are known
for knocking around the traditional with fists full of heavy
metal and rockabilly. And they have a laugh or two while
they're at it.

Hometown: Houston, Texas
Similar Artists: The Pogues, Patrick Devlin Band, Bastard Sons
of Johnny Cash, The Devlins, Shane MacGowan, Ballybracker,
Black 47, Flogging Molly

Website: Blaggards
http://www.blaggards.com/
Download MP3: "Bog Songs"
http://blaggards.com/sounds/blaggards-bogsongs.mp3
Buy CD: Standards
http://cdbaby.com/cd/blaggards/from/celtic/



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CELTIC CD FEATURE
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"Irish Heartbeat" by Van Morrison and the Chieftains
by Phil Hall

Artist: Van Morrison and the Chieftains
http://www.celticmp3s.com/bands/the_chieftains/
Album: "Irish Heartbeat"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000009DDO/thebards?ref=nosim
Year produced: 1988

By Phil Hall

The Chieftains have collaborated musically with a wide spectrum
of creative artists, ranging from James Galway to the Rolling
Stones. But perhaps their finest pairing came when Van Morrison
joined them for the 1988 album "Irish Heartbeat," which is my
choice for the very best of the Chieftains' canon.

"Irish Heartbeat" consists of 10 songs, eight of them traditional
Irish melodies which are performed with such depth and vibrancy
that it is easy to assume they are all brand new. Morrison was
in playful vocal form, sowing musical wild oats with the opening
"Star of the County Down" and the raucous reel "I'll Tell Me Ma."
The Chieftains' main vocalist Kevin Conneff does a grand vocal
duel with Morrison on "Ta Mo Chleamhnas Deanta (My Match It Is
Made"), with Morrison taking the English lyrics while Conneff
keeps the Irish lyrics in play.

The emotionalism of Irish folk music is heard with uncommonly
graceful renditions of "Carrickfergus" and "She Moved Through
the Fair." Morrison's decidedly mature and raw voice gives these
renditions a tinge of time-weathered poignancy and rue which is
frequently absent when the songs are performed by singers of a
younger and finely-trained voice.

The two new songs created for the recording, "Irish Heartbeat"
and "Celtic Ray," are pleasant if not particularly stirring.
But their inadequacies are easy to overlook, especially with
the closing polka "Marie's Wedding," a sweeping and jolly swish
of matrimonial celebration (and listen carefully for the lush
back-up vocals from Mary Black, Maura O'Connell and June Boyce).

Buy the Album: "Irish Heartbeat"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000009DDO/thebards?ref=nosim

---
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
=========================

"The Golden Thread" by Mark Renburke (& Brogue & Blarney)

Mark Renburke is a New England based recording artist and
performer blending roots and Celtic influences with more modern
rock and pop elements. Originally from the Washington DC area,
Mark performed in various roots and rock groups before moving
to Japan in 1993.

He then spent several years as co-leader of the Celtic-infused
group The Rising Pints, along with Irish singer/songwriter
Brian Cullen. In the past half dozen years in New England,
Mark has been developing his unique repitoire and fan base,
and working on a new solo album. In addition to his live solo
band, Mark performs traditional songs and tunes with the
Irish/Celtic pub band, Brogue & Blarney.

Hometown: Providence, RI
Similiar: The Cheiftains, The Pogues, Dropkick Murphys
Influences: Irish Trad, Classic Rock, Americana (folk, buegrass,
jazz,blues)

Homepage: http://www.markrenburke.com
Download: "The Golden Thread"
http://www.celticmp3s.com/listen/MarkRenburke-TheGoldenThread.mp3
Buy CD: Mark Renburke
http://cdbaby.com/cd/renburke/from/celtic/



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

Cornelia Amiri (added: 23-Apr-2005)
http://www.CelticRomanceQueen.com
Celtic Romance author Cornelia Amiri's page of her monthly
contest, her published books: The Fox Prince, One Heart One
Way, and Danger Is Sweet. As well as articles, her blog, and
much more.

Keltic Kaleidoscope (added: 21-Apr-2005)
http://keltick.net
Keltic Kaleidoscope started performing in 1995 and currently
has four members. They play a variety of Celtic vocal and
instrumental music in Northwestern Ohio and Southeastern
Michigan.

The Light Spirits (added: 25-Apr-2005)
http://www.thelightspirits.net/
The Light Spirts merge the repertoires of the Irish,
Scottish, Australian and Italian musicians to cover a very
large range of traditional Irish and Scottish Music, from
O'Carolan to Robert Burns, up to the Ceol Nua. The group
face more and more challenging stages, with an increasing
audience in several contexts (pubs to theatres, festivals,
clubs), earning greater success with every step.

Celtic Horizon (added: 26-Apr-2005)
http://celtichorizon.tripod.com/
With Free MP3s on our Celtic Horizon web site and based in
Scotland we are a Celtic Folk music band available
worldwide.
Soon more Free Mp3s will appear and we intend to build our
own Free Mp3 web site of Celtic, Scottish & Irish Celtic
Music Including our own Songs and Lyrics
Celtic Horizon Folk Band play mainly Scottish, Irish uptempo
Traditional music with Jigs, Reels & Hornpipes, Contemporary
Songs and our own Compositions too.

Beggar's Row (added: 26-Apr-2005)
http://www.beggarsrow.co.uk/
Formed in 1997 especially for the Culross Festival by Bob
Ferguson, disbanded later that year and reformed with a new
line up early in 1998. By the summer of that year the
Beggars went to Russia with overwhelming success and three
more tours followed. The last one involved twenty three
concerts in twenty one days as well as TV shows and several
press conferences. Since then there have been some personnel
changes though Bob, Gus and David remain from the original
line up as founder members.

Father Ted (added: 28-Apr-2005)
https://www.father-ted.live.com.au
4 piece Irish band from melbourne. Australia. Traditional
and contemporary irish music.

The Noble Faire Pagans (added: 28-Apr-2005)
http://tnfp.proboards27.com/index.cgi
Those of The Noble Pagan board has started a Ren guild
called The Noble Faire Pagans..There goal is to repersent
the pagan life styel of the dark and middle ages at ren
faire and festables. I would like to invite any one to
join..

Fantasy-Ireland's Guide to Irish Celtic Symbols (added: 29-Apr-2005)
http://www.fantasy-ireland.com/Irish-Celtic-symbols.html
Historical, national, cultural, mythical, spiritual...there
are plenty of symbols that represent the forty shades of the
Emerald Isle, and then some! We are here to help you sort
them all out!



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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!

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

Promote your music with Celtic MP3s
http://www.celticmp3s.com/promote/

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