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Blackwater Céilí Band release new album ‘Northern Landscape’

April 1, 2022
Blackwater Céilí Band

Hailing from the Clogher Valley region in the heart of Ulster’s musical landscape, The Blackwater Céilí Band have risen to prominence and are widely recognised as one of the finest exponents of Irish Traditional Music, since forming in 2015. They bring boundless energy and passion to every performance, creating fresh musical interpretations with distinctive character and detail, firmly rooted in the Ulster tradition. Flute player James McCaffrey highlights, “following on from our competition success, we toured extensively across Ireland and Britain, bringing our rhythmical, musical style to many audiences, captivating them with our signature sound”. They subsequently released their debut album; ‘Music In The Valley’ in 2019, to great critical acclaim. The recording has been described as “one to savour, showcasing a versatile and orchestrated band at the top of their game”.

The Blackwater Céilí Band are now proud to present their long-awaited second studio recording, ‘Northern Landscape’. Northern Landscape is a unique collection of music and songs showcasing the rich, cultural tapestry found within the heartlands of the northern counties. This seminal recording incorporates both traditional and contemporary themes, carefully crafted by a band on a musical journey across their native cultural landscape.

Featuring some of the newest generation of Ulster traditional singers as special guests, the Blackwater Céilí Band demonstrate a deep respect and understanding of the tunes and songs of their Northern Landscape. Button accordion player Michael Curran explains, “we are delighted to be joined by current TG4 Gradam Ceoil Singer of the year Niall Hanna, who gives a fine rendition of Tyrone’s ‘Sweet Omagh Town’. The sensational rising star Ciara Fox takes on Briege Murphy’s self-penned ‘The Hills of South Armagh’, exhibiting that when given the right treatment, contemporary songs written in a traditional style can sit easily alongside the ancient music of the Gael. Finally, current BBC Young Musician’s Platform awardee Jack Warnock, delivers a vibrant take of the classic ‘Mary and the Soldier’”.

Overall, this is a wonderful snapshot of the contemporary traditional music canvas in the northern counties and as a result, the Blackwater Céilí Band and guests illustrate all that is rich and vibrant about Ulster’s musical traditions.

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