Entertainment
Needfire
Lending soaring bagpipes, reeling Celtic fiddles, & tribal didgeridoo with modern rock guitars, bass, and drums, Needfire takes traditional Celtic melodies into a modern rock context with original lyrics and hard-hitting performances. Since 2005 these Texas-based Celt-rockers have headlined and performed at some of North America's largest Celtic, arts, and international festivals. Songs from their first three CD releases have been aired on radio stations and Celtic music programs throughout the U.S. and Europe. Currently the band is on tour in support of their 4th and newest CD “Chasing Orion” performing at festivals coast to coast. On “Chasing Orion” the band once again takes all engineering, producing, and creative decisions into their own hands. Killer songwriting, great guitar work, a rock n’ roll backbeat, catchy fiddle and bagpipe hooks and a mix of eclectic influences drawing equally from rock, folk, Texas blues, and traditional Celtic music, this cd has all the elements that make Needfire one of today’s most distinctive and original bands.
Chattering Magpies
Lorinda Jones & Greta Gillmeister create a mystical journey reflecting the soulful music of the Celts from ancient airs to contemporary dance tunes.” The Chattering Magpies intricately weave the melodies of traditional Celtic airs, jigs, hornpipes, and reels to bring out the nuance of each song on harp, flute, dulcimer, whistle, and spoons and bones. From toe tappping, to heart wrenching, audiences are drawn to the beautiful, unusual instruments and are spellbound by the music. As an adjudicated member of Kentucky Arts Council, Arts on Tour Directory, The Chattering Magpies have performed at traditional Irish festivals, are often heard at the regular Irish jams in Louisville, and perform in library and house concerts series across Kentucky, and as far away as Maine. They believe that the ancient tunes of the Celts encompass the range of human emotions, and those can be exquisitely expressed with the sounds of the harp, flute, dulcimer, and whistle. Contact for Booking: Lorinda Jones, 270-862-9747 (phone and fax) PO Box 123, Rineyville, KY 40162 losnotes@windstream.net orlorinda@lorindajones.com “
Robert Tincher
One of the finest interpreters of folk songs from Ireland and Scotland, Robert draws heavily from Francis J. Child's collection The English and Scottish Popular Ballads. His repertoire also includes 18th and early 19th century broadsides, emigration ballads, and political songs; he accompanies himself on a variety of instruments.
Guilderoy Byrne
Aa Louisville-based group, they perform traditional and contemporary songs on a variety of acoustic folk instruments. Members Greg Byrne and Dannette Rhoads are former members of Galloglass and Mark Cannon was a member of Ten Penny Bit. Newest member Virginia Copley is classically trained in voice, but grew up singing country and bluegrass.
Liam's Fancy
A fixture in the Lexington area. Dan Cummins has been singing for several decades (starting at quite a young age) and can easily make the transition from classic pub songs to traditional ballads. Beverly Buchanan is recognized as one of the leading box players in the Midwest.
Cloigheann
(pronounced "klog-in") Cloigheann was founded in 1991 by Mark Rosenthal and Roy Livingston and has been playing ever since. The band performs a mix of original compositions and traditional Irish reels, jigs, aires, and songs - a blend of "Bluegrass/Greengrass."
Keltricity
While a fairly new addition to the Celtic music scene in Louisville, but some of its members have been playing Irish and Celtic music for over 25 years. While all have been in bands of various musical genres, the members decided that Keltricity would be inclusive of the Celtic tradition, featuring music from Irland, Cape Breton, Scotland, and French Canada.
Maggie Drennon
Maggie has spent eight years in the Irish duo Ceili's Muse and then formed the Celtic rock band SixMileBridge. She has also toured with Ireland's Furey Brothers. In 2001, Maggie formed the Maggie Drennon Band, showcasing her superb vocals. She can do traditional; she can do rock. What she looks for is the emotional connection to the lyrics.
The Rashers
The Rashers perform a variety of traditional Irish jigs and reels. The band members are John Woodard (tenor banjo and mandolin), Charlie Smith (mandolin and flute), Bernie Hannon (guitar and string bass), and Larry Green (fiddle).
Alair
Formed in the summer of 2005, Alair is a 3-piece celtic group consisting of fiddle, flute, harp, percussion, and vocals. They play a blend of Irish and Scottish tunes, incorporated with a touch of jazz, rock, and world music. They put a fresh, modern, and highly energetic feel to their arrangements of traditional tunes, as well as creatively adapting music from groups such as Solas, Natalie MacMaster, and Loreena McKennitt.
Tenrec
Tenrec was formed in the winter of 2000 as a trio with Richard Burchard, Steven Shuff Jr., and Noah Sorota. Their debut album, Apples in Winter, combined traditional Irish tunes and original songs. More recently, the lineup has expanded to include Karsten Nelson and Kyle Neumann. At the time of the band’s 2003 Mixed Media visit, Tenrec was working on its second recording. While the Celtic tradition is still very noticeable, the band’s style gives new life to melodies that are hundreds of years old by blending in elements of rock and bluegrass. Driving percussion and guitars support the sweet melodies of the whistle and violin, making Tenrec’s music a truly unique experience.
The Riley School of Irish Music
The Riley School of Irish Music opened for classes in January of 1996. The founder of the School, Susan Cross, started the school in memory of her mother, Elsie Riley Goodman. We teach students aged 8 to 80 how to play music in the Irish traditions. The classes are taught on a quarterly basis. Most students pay $150 for the quarter, which is 10 weeks long. Students attend small group classes and band rehearsal (or slow jam for beginners). Beginning fiddle students receive 30-min. private lessons. Each student or family is given a compact disc containing the tunes to be learned during the quarter. The student should listen to the CD and become as familiar as possible with the tunes. The tunes are then taught slowly in class, along with style and phrasing.
The McTeggart Dancers