Legendary Irish songwriter Pete St. John has been announced as the recipient of the 2020 Music Award at the iBAM! 2020 Virtual Gala Awards set to take place on December 11th. The Chicago based iBAM! (Irish Books, Arts & Music) Gala Awards honour and celebrate the best in Irish heritage and culture.
Dubliner Pete St. John is known for his works The Fields of Athenry, The Rare Ould Times and The Ferryman which are recognised across the world, as well as being recorded by many household names.
He has been honoured and acknowledged for his work over the years both in Ireland and internationally, including his introduction to the IMRO Academy in 2013.
UnderDog Evans Junior links up with TopDog Offica to bring you all what you’ve been waiting for a bonafide bar rasing ‘Movie’ with visuals from a combination of the best videographers in the county, Evans and Offica bringing us the best collaborative in Irish hip hop history.
Evans with 6 Spotify editorial favoured singles down the pipeline this year alongside a several surprise features and Offica with a #5 hit in the Irish Homegrown chart alongside a credible Charlie Sloth Fire In the Booth and Kenny All-star Mad about bars freestyle performance below his belt. With the help of Saint Cardona on production, the pair step on to the big screen and are ready for action, with visuals directed by Ovie Etseyatse, Reggie Albert & Sequence.
Evans shared, “With everything going on in the world right now it’s really easy to find yourself looking forward to what the future has to hold beyond this current climate. This a message that it’s alright to dream and dreaming is good, dreaming births visions. I couldn’t think of anyone one else to keep up with my vibe on this particular track other than my bro Offica and he absolutely bodied it. Welcome to the ‘Movie‘”
‘Movie’ is out now on all Digital Streaming platforms
The next chapter of Imagining Ireland sees leading traditional musician Martin Hayes perform an evening of authentic Irish music live from the NCH stage on December 8th at 8.00pm. On the night he is joined for some virtuoso interplay by jazz pianist Cormac McCarthy and Brian Donnellan on bouzouki, harmonium and concertina.
Rooted in the classical, folk and contemporary worlds, Martin Hayes began playing the fiddle at the age of seven in his native East Clare and went on to become a multiple All Ireland Fiddle Champion as a teenager. In the late 80s he formed a duo with Chicago guitarist Dennis Cahill and over the last few decades has enjoyed much success in this guise and as a solo artist.
In 2011 he founded Irish-American supergroup The Gloaming which also features Cahill, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and Thomas Bartlett. They have released three successful studio albums and Live at theNCH. Their self-titled debut won the Meteor Choice Music Prize for Best Irish Album and they have toured the world to great acclaim.
Hayes has collaborated with everyone from Bill Frisell and Yo-Yo Ma to Sting and Paul Simon. His long-term creative partnership with Dennis Cahill also saw the duo perform for President Obama at the White House.
On the subject of the forthcoming performance Hayes says:
‘The sound of a fiddle is more than just the instrument itself, it is the instrument in relationship to the space in which it is being played; the room is also your instrument. I love playing the National Concert Hall. It inspires me and draws music out of me in a way that allows me to explore the subtle and powerful beauty of the melodies with real freedom. I will be accompanied by two wonderful musicians; pianist, Cormac McCarthy and concertina/harmonium and bouzuki player, Brian Donnellan. I look forward to exploring these melodies and sharing with you the background, history and stories of the tunes and the people behind them.”
Supported by Davy as Innovation Partner. Imagining Ireland is a partnership collaboration between NCH and Culture Ireland. Supported by The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
The concert will be available to tickets holders for 48 hours following the performance.
Tickets for the stream are available exclusively via DICE.fm
Tickets: €16.50 On Sale Now Donation Option €16.50 + €3 Donation
The music sector supports two million jobs and contributes €81.9 billion annually to the economy across the 27 EU Member States and the UK (EU28), according to The Economic Impact of Music in Europe, an in-depth study by Oxford Economics that was commissioned by IFPI.
The study, using 2018 data, found that music’s annual economic contributions to the EU28 include:
Supporting two million jobs;
Contributing €81.9 billion in gross value added to GDP; and
Exporting €9.7 billion worth of goods and services to countries outside the EU28.
Frances Moore, chief executive of IFPI, said: “Music is an essential part of Europe, its identity and culture. In so many ways music’s value is incalculable, it thrills us and heals us. Even beyond that, as Oxford Economics’ first-of-its-kind report demonstrates, music makes a vital economic contribution to the European Union and UK – supporting jobs, boosting gross domestic product and tax payments, and driving exports.
“At the heart of this contribution are the EU’s 7,400 record companies. In addition to employing nearly 45,000 people across the EU, they invest significantly in other parts of the music sector and make a major contribution to Europe’s exports.
“For music’s essential contribution to Europe to be sustainable for the long term, fair value must be returned to those who create and invest in music. To enable this, the sector needs a fair legal and policy environment in Europe, and we continue to work with policymakers to achieve this.”
Pete Collings, Director of Economic Impact Consulting, Europe & Middle East, at Oxford Economics, said: “By investigating how the music sector interacts with the rest of the economy, our study maps how it stimulates economic activity, supports jobs and generates tax revenues throughout the whole of Europe. In doing so, we highlight how the music sector—an ecosystem of large and small firms undertaking a wide variety of activities—directly accounts for a sizable contribution to the European economy, comparable to the entire economies of several Member States.
“However, the sector’s economic footprint extends far beyond its own activities. The purchases it makes from firms throughout Europe support lengthy pan-European supply chains. These multiplier effects reach every part of the European economy, further sustaining employment, delivering tax revenues, and generating GDP throughout the continent.”
The Economic Impact of Music in Europe also examines the music sector’s total impact on employment, finding that it supported two million jobs in the EU28, meaning that one in every 119 jobs depended on it.
The study also found that European music exports (including exports from the UK) generated €9.7 billion in revenues – of which record companies, music publishers, and audio streaming services generated almost half (€4.7 billion).
The music sector also played a vital role in generating tax revenues, supporting €31 billion in tax receipts in the EU28 in 2018. This was equivalent to 19.4% of the entire EU budget in the same year.
The Economic Impact of Music in Europe is available here.
Following the release of ‘Zone Out’, a modern-day RnB classic, R3D and Foxy Baba link up again to create a moment in time in the form of ‘The Party Pack’. The collaborative effort comes as a nostalgic two-track experience with track one ‘Where We Bout To Eat At?’ being a scandalous tale about toxic relationships and fortune hunters. Track two ‘The Vibes’ is the ultimate party anthem served up with braggadocious bars and an uptempo baseline.
‘The Party Pack’ is a glimmer of hope for better times coming, R3D commented, “this project is a taste of what will be like after lockdown, we hope to celebrate life and live it to the fullest. Expect 5min 14 seconds of enjoyment, a short snippet of what it’s like to party at R3D’s House.” Executively produced by Lord Waverton, their first single ‘The Vibes’ premiered on BBC 1Xtra via Target’s Touch Down a segment in the show where he explored the best talent in different locations. Whilst in Dublin he shared the record which then was added to the show’s playlist for the next 7 days.
For those who may not know R3D is known widely for his energy-filled sets as Tebi Rex’s DJ, he has produced for the group alongside performing with the group across venues and large festival stages. Namely Longitude, Electric Picnic, Other Voices, SXSW, Brighton’s Great Escape (2018), BBC Northern Irelands I Lar an Aonaigh series. After years spent cultivating his unique sound in his own home studio and cultivating the culture of Ireland urban scene through R3D’s House events, he is geared up and ready to deliver music for all to enjoy.
His collaborator Foxy Baba is a Dublin based singer/songwriter with Nigerian roots, he makes cinematic and heartfelt music suited for lively animation. His musical journey began in 2019 when he discovered his voice through sessions with friends. His debut project arrived in March titled ‘Oluwa is involved’, since then he has been working with Lucan based producer Moyo on some music arriving later this year. Expect big things from Foxy Baba and his friends at Chamomile Records.
Composer and songwriter Elaine Freeman and Big Round Records present ‘LA SPERANZA’, a careful selection of piano music, composed by ear, memory and touch without sheet music. Not quite classical, not quite pop, these pieces have the ability to appeal to both the casual listener and fans of musical minimalism.
Structured around a central motive or rhythm, most of the works on ‘LA SPERANZA’ seem to have an inner clock, an inner mechanism. The pieces’ playability works in their favor, yet they pack an emotional punch: there’s nostalgia, turmoil, grief, a quest for purpose, a struggle for beauty and clarity, all reflective of Freeman’s life at various stages, and of the specific periods of their creation.
The Composer claims to love all music regardless of genre, and this eclecticism definitely shows in ‘LA SPERANZA’. There’s always the levity and catchiness of pop music, but one would be hard-pressed to sort the pieces into a definite category. More than anything, they are a unique expression of their inventor’s inner world: generally calm and reflected, occasionally wistful and brooding, sometimes bright and soothing.
Unconventionally, Freeman wrote all of these pieces by ear, and continues to play them as such. This results in a great spontaneity, forming a coherent whole with both the works’ internal structure as well as the autobiographical background behind them.
Following on from last months ‘Alone EP’, Greg Clifford has released a music video for ‘Brontide’, which features on his forthcoming LP ‘Lines Of Desire’.
‘Brontide’, which is defined as the sound of distant thunder (created by seismic activity), is a song and video about isolation, alienation, confusion and fading memories. According to Clifford, “This is an emotionally layered and charged production. ‘Brontide’, for me, symbolises impending doom and gloom. Dementia, in this case, is the suggested source of sadness.“
The music video was filmed in Co. Sligo earlier this year. Clifford explains. “We filmed in my Grandaunt’s house. She was a big part of our family and would spend almost every Christmas with us. She sadly passed away and the house was left to my Dad. Earlier this year we travelled west to clear out the rest of her belongings before the new owners moved in. It’s surreal and rather harrowing making sense of someone else’s belongings. It’s quite incredible how much one accumulates in a lifetime. It’s subsequently prompted me to de-clutter, as I don’t wish to be someone else’s burden when I’m gone. To break up the emotionally and physically draining days my Dad and I decided to shoot some video footage. I felt it was important for the family to have this sentimental visual documentation, irrespective of its artistic merits. In a reversal of our usual roles, I manned the camera while he featured in the video. The house was like a time capsule and is quintessentially Irish in nature, equipped with the obligatory Catholic iconography and mismatching, and rather barmy, wallpaper and carpets.”
Greg and his father, who release work under the moniker CLIFFORD CLIFFORD Productions, made the most of the location and opportunity. According to the songster, “It’s incredible getting to work with my Dad. He’s a true artist, who has inspired me throughout my life. He’s incredibly thorough and committed to artistic disciplines. He cuts no concerns. We have a unified artistic vision and are both influenced by the German filmmaker Werner Herzog’ who is a proponent of trusting impulse and intuition.“
Werner Herzog’s aesthetic was the driving force behind the video’s approach: “Coincidence always happens if you keep your mind open, while storyboards remain the instruments of cowards who do not trust in their own imagination.“
In Clifford’s opinion, “I feel the video truly captures the themes expressed in the song. The emphasis was placed on suggestive footage rather than conveying a clear narrative. I held the camera very close to the back of my Dad’s head at times to coax the viewer into immersion, allowing the audience connect with his abandonment and reflections. I filmed through glass, which distorted his face, and shot him staring vacantly into mirrors, which creates a sense of loss and confusion. This, for me, suggests he is being denied access to his memories.”
The poignant video, which is layered and open to interpretation, captures a sense of beauty in decay and the importance of letting go. Time waits for no man.
One of Ireland’s greatest soulful jazz and blues singers Mary Coughlan has announced a brand-new single ‘Family Life’, due for release Friday 20th November 2020, this is taken from her critically acclaimed album ‘Life Stories’.
Speaking about the latest release Mary Coughlan explains, “The track ‘Family Life’ is deeply personal to me, I think it will resonate with people this Christmas in particular.” Mary Coughlan released her album ‘Life Stories’ on 4th September 2020.
Limerick, the city that is harvesting some of the best raw talent in Ireland in the last year, has just gone and done it again. Perhap’s it is in the water? If so, then Indie Jazz Soul band, Eve’s Record Box, have it on tap as they present their debut EP, ‘Solo Heroes’.
Fronted by Jane Fraser, (session singer and backing vocalist with Peter Andre, Oritise Williams (JLS), Whinny Williams & Five Grand Stereo) who holds a BA in Songwriting from The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance. Janes songs have been signed to Sony U.S.A, Good Solider, Viper Recordings an Elixir recordings and a number of E.D.M Youtube channels.
During the summer of 2019 Jane rekindled her love of jazz and soul and began working on an original jazz project with Paddy Shanahan – the result of which is Eve’s Record Box…
Paddy Shanahan (lead guitarist) studied jazz at New Park Music Centre and has all the trade marks of a well versed solo jazz guitar player. Danny Lanham (BIMM Graduate and MD & composer on PX Music label) is on bass providing a tasty lock in with Ben Wanders Drummer/producer who’s brave choices make for a sound that at times is menacing and alternatively ethereal.
Soaring flutes, cityscape samples, explosive drum solo sections and even a speech from Martin Luther King gives this body of work an edge and a sense of experimentation while managing to maintain a narrative across the political and deeply personal.
Written in 2019 and recorded in a two day live session just before lockdown, the band have created a sound on the EP which is highly crafted yet manages to retain a rawness that can be heard in much of the output from the Limerick music scene at the moment.
‘Solo Heroes’ is a classic break-up song with a straight up hard hitting lyric and a smokey vocal delivery from lead singer Jane Fraser reminiscent of early Amy Winehouse or Melody Gardot.
Making an impressive entrance with their first single ‘London’ being featured on ‘The London Jazz Review’, 2XM, Totally Irish and WWFM, they describe their music as Indie Jazz. Drawing inspiration from traditional jazz as well as acts such as Kamaal Williams, Hiatus Kaiyote, Jordan Rakei, Flying Lotus etc..
From the depths of lockdown, We March announce the launch of their debut studio album ‘Fight or Flight’ on Friday 20th November 2020. The dark and beautiful lead single ‘Bones’ provides a preview to the depths on offer from this truly exceptional band with a real international edge. The album will be available online on Spotify, Apple music, Bandcamp and to purchase from Tower Records, Dublin and MusicZone, Cork.
“Everything fell apart, we had to leave our home and people were dying”, remembers songwriter John Paul FitzGerald about the troubled time during the previous financial crash, where the loss of loved ones and emigration went hand in hand. This was the context in which ‘Fight or Flight’ was written. “Isolation, illness, loss of identity and death are never far away in these songs.”
For John Paul, “Song writing is a means of confronting the uncomfortable challenges that life throws at you and a way to find an emotional release. I don’t find writing songs easy or enjoyable; it is more a need to get to the emotional core of what I am feeling. It takes a great deal of time and effort, but ultimately it is worth it to produce something beautiful and to have that burden lifted”.
In a time when nations are putting up borders, and racism and misogyny leap off the front pages, We March stands out for their inclusivity, with female Italian lead vocalist Debora Calzaccia and a truly multicultural line up. “The coming together of We March was really like capturing lighting in a bottle, with all these unique elements falling into place. It was more than luck to have Debora’s Italian vocals, Mo Siala’s Arabic violin, Gael Robillard’s French cello, and Cathal Dennehy’s percussion and vibraphone all come together as a unit. This enabled the cinematic sound of the songs to be realised in ways far exceeding what I had envisaged”, recalls John Paul.
The album “Fight or Flight” was recorded in a burst of creativity over a three-day period, bringing a punk edge and an emotional intensity to the tracks. “We were running on adrenaline. There was so much we wanted to achieve. Our ambition drove us, and I think you can hear that on the tracks.” The album’s eleven tracks impress with their variety, presenting a gothic blend of cabaret, jazz, folk, Italian opera, baroque, lieder, Arabic folk, and even 60s girl-band pop. The use of numerous instruments adds to the album’s character: pianos, organ, Arabic violin, Indian harmonium, cello, acoustic guitar, vibraphone, tubular bells, drums and percussion.
The album, split in two distinct halves, represents the Darwinian struggle between aggression and defence, violence and peace, denial and acceptance. “I am very influenced by albums like ‘Hounds of Love’ and ‘Rain Dogs’ which have very distinct sides to them. The more I listened to these songs, the more apparent it became that they represented two sides of this personal struggle.”
Side 1, titled ‘Fight’, represents the more direct, harder and up-tempo side to the album. The hits you will get from Side 1 are more emotional and physical than commercial. The opening track “We March” is a chest-beating battle cry announcing the band’s arrival (come one, come all!). Beautiful ballads like “Beyond the Pale” bring a stately feel and elegance to the album.
“The title track ‘Fight or Flight’ references my obsession with old gothic horror movies. It has distinctly creepy overtones to the verse, with a physical assault for the chorus. This was a song that took me by surprise. It was only after I had completed the lyric and played it for the band that I realised that the tension, nightmares and horror expressed in the song were the physical manifestations of anxiety that I had felt at stressful times in my life.”
Side 2, titled ‘Flight’, takes a distinctly sombre tone. The tryptic of ‘Destitute and Dying’, ‘Laid to Rest’ and the lead single ‘Bones’ were all written in the aftermath of the chronic and terminal illness of loved ones. Addressing themes of aging, isolation, illness and death, there is powerful emotional weight in the songs and their arrangements, with tempo and key changes that leave you disoriented but resolving to a climactic finale. “Bones is a song for the Covid 19 times we live in, where the population is dealing with similar themes of illness and distress. As a songwriter, I tried to find catharsis in dealing with these themes head on, and hopefully the listeners will find the same relief that I did.”
‘The Dumb Angel’ concludes the album with a lullaby, offering reprieve but no clear solution, leaving it in the listeners hands as to the direction that life should take.
