On Hardanger Fiddle Tunes

Behind every traditional hardanger fiddle tune, there is always a story, always a fairy tale, and you actually tell the stories when you play the fiddle. — Annbjørg Lien

This superb artist is, as Northside Records, her US label, describes her, ‘renowned for her work on the hardanger fiddle, both as a player . . . → Read More: On Hardanger Fiddle Tunes

A Choice Bit of Fantasy for Your Winter Reading Pleasure

And now a recommended by one of our staff for your Winter reading pleasure

In 2007, a new fantasy novel appeared by a first-time author named Patrick Rothfuss. That novel, titled The Name of the Wind, became very popular, earning impressive sales and even more impressive reviews for Mr. Rothfuss. The Name of the . . . → Read More: A Choice Bit of Fantasy for Your Winter Reading Pleasure

Fairport Convention News January 2012 (Press Release)

Happy New Year, Fairporters

This is a very special year for us. It’s our forty-fifth anniversary – doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun? – and we’ll be celebrating it throughout 2012. We hope you’ll join us.

First off will be our Winter Tour which starts in Oxford on 21 January and runs through . . . → Read More: Fairport Convention News January 2012 (Press Release)

RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta: Mayo musician Tim McHugh wins Seán Ó Riada gold medal (Press Release)

Flute player Tim McHugh from Newport in Mayo was announced as winner of the Seán Ó Riada gold medal and prize money of €2500 on Friday night.  He was amongst 15 traditional flute and whistle players who took to the stage in the Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork on Friday 13 January to compete . . . → Read More: RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta: Mayo musician Tim McHugh wins Seán Ó Riada gold medal (Press Release)

Horror Anyone?

I’ve pointed out before that tending bar in our Pub leaves me with short periods that I can do some reading in. My preferred reading form is short stories as novels usually don’t lend themselves to reading in bits and pieces.

So I have two recommendations for you that I found worth reading in . . . → Read More: Horror Anyone?

Finnish and American musicians amongst those to take to the stage in Cork for Seán O Riada gold medal competition (Press Release)

RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta

15 traditional flute and whistle players, including a Lutheran priest Markus Asunta from Finland, young Irish American musician Sean Gavin from Detroit, and award-winning Scottish guitarist and flute player Tom Oakes, will be among those taking to the stage in the Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork on Friday 13 January . . . → Read More: Finnish and American musicians amongst those to take to the stage in Cork for Seán O Riada gold medal competition (Press Release)

More This and That

And when I say “this and that,” I mean it.

Let’s start with some traditional Scottish music, courtesy of the Paul McKenna Band and their new album, Stem the Tide. Sounds pretty hardcore.

And from there to some traditional American music, more or less, of the country/bluegrass kind, with a release from Nell Robinson, . . . → Read More: More This and That

Where the Wild Things Are

We start off this post with a work beloved by generations of children and more than a few adults as well that was written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak whose amazing illustrated work many of us greatly admire and it would eventually become a film which would in turn begat a full-length novel . . . → Read More: Where the Wild Things Are

Little Bit of This. . . .

And a little bit of that.

Let’s start off with a local band — local in northwest England, that is. We have a new release from Bill Malkin and The Band Wagon, Those Glory Days.

Next we have a book by Stan Nicholls and Joe Flood that falls just short of being . . . → Read More: Little Bit of This. . . .

2012 — Day Two at GMR

Yes, it’s January 2nd here at GMR, and as I promised yesterday, we have more to keep you occupied on those long evenings.

First, Brian Lumley’s The Fly-By-Nights, a slightly different take on vampires.

And as long as we’re looking at vampires, we have Jeaniene Frost’s One Grave at a Time, in which the . . . → Read More: 2012 — Day Two at GMR