Paddy Keenan and John Walsh in Concert

Who: Paddy Keenan and John Walsh in Concert
When: Sunday, October 12, 2008 at 7pm, doors at 6:30pm
Where: The Zane Grey Ballroom at The Weatherford Hotel, 23 N. Leroux St. in downtown Flagstaff
Tickets: $20 in advance, $2 discount to NACHS and FFOTM. ALL Tickets $22 at the door.
What: A great evening of Irish music on the Uilleann Pipes, Whistles, and Guitar.
Contact: Kari Barton 928-600-1365 or Kari@LivingTraditionsPresentations.com

Paddy Keenan is perhaps best-known Uilleann Piper in the world. Generally acknowledged as the most accomplished Uilleann Piper performing today, Paddy is certainly one of the most brilliant musicians of his generation. He can rightfully claim his place alongside such open-style legends as pipers John Cash and Johnny Doran. He was a founding member of The Bothy Band, which was one of the greatest Irish Traditional Groups in the 1970s. The Bothy Band forever changed the face of Irish traditional music, merging a driving rhythm section with traditional Irish tunes in ways that had never been heard before. Paddy was one of the band's founding members, and his virtuosity on the pipes combined with the ferocity of his playing made him, in the opinion of many, its driving force. Bothy Band-mate Donal Lunny once described Paddy as "the Jimi Hendrix of the pipes"; more recently, due to his genius for improvisation and counter-melody, he has been compared to jazz great John Coltrane.
"In Irish music there are legends and legends and then there's Paddy Keenan."
John walsh is a guitarist, originally from Kilkenny, Ireland, now residing in New York City. He learned guitar from John Travers and grew up in the thriving music scene in Kilkenny, becoming a well-known musician throughout the traditional music world.
This concert is one you won't want to miss. Seating is very limited in the Zane Grey so purchase your tickets early! Tickets are available at Cedar Music (next to Bookman's) and from Kari Barton. Please contact Kari for more information on this concert.

Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill - September 26, 2008

Friday, September 26, 2008, Flagstaff audiences will once again be amazed by the Irish music duo, Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill. They have come through Flagstaff twice before and the people loved them!
Martin Hayes has been an All-Ireland Fiddle Champion six times over, has taken home a National Entertainment Award (like an Irish Grammy) and was named Folk Instrumentalist of the Year in 1999 by the BBC Radio Awards. His fiddling is representative of his native East Clare style, slow and lyrical. But don't let that fool you, he is sure to have you out of your seat at least once during the show!
Dennis Cahill is a native of Chicago, born to parents from County Kerry. He is as well-versed in classical, blues, and jazz, as he is in traditional music. His innovative accompaniment has been acknowledged as a major breakthrough for guitar in Irish traditional music.
The musical rapport between Hayes and Cahill is so strong that it is often said they appear to be playing one instrument, “working on a seemingly telepathic level,” as CMJ describes it. While Martin pursues a melody, Dennis explores the harmony and rhythms within the tunes. He seems to know intuitively Hayes’ next move, consistently matching it with astonishing skill and grace. Their live performances weave tunes that stretch up to thirty minutes long, in what Hayes describes as “a three-way conversation between the two of us and the music.”Irish fiddle virtuoso Martin Hayes and American guitarist Dennis Cahill possess a rare musical kinship. Together they have garnered international renown for taking traditional music to the very edge of the genre, and holding listeners spellbound with their slow-building, fiery performances. The duo opens the doors of traditional Irish music and releases its pure, distilled beauty, while incorporating sensibilities from the worlds of blues and jazz. The New York Times calls them “a Celtic complement to Steve Reich’s quartets or Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain.”
Don't miss this concert of traditional Irish music with subtle infunsions of classical, jazz, and blues!

Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill will perform Friday, September 26, 2008 at 8:00pm at the Cline Library Auditorium on NAU's Campus. Tickets are $25 with a $2 discount to members of NACHS, FFOTM, Seniors, NAU/CCC Faculty and staff. Student and Child tickets are only $15! Tickets are available at NAU Central Ticketing, Cedar Music, and www.ticketmaster.com. For more information, email Kari@LivingTraditionsPresentations.com or call 928-600-1365.

Old Blind Dogs in Concert September 7, 2008

RE: Old Blind Dogs in concert
When: Sunday, September 7, 2008 at 7:00pm. Doors open at 6pm.
Where: The Orpheum Theater, 15 W. Aspen St. Flagstaff
Contact: Kari Barton, 928-600-1365 or Kari@LivingTraditionsPresentations.com
Description: Old Blind Dogs are a Scottish band that have entertained Flagstaff audiences for 16 years. Simply the best Scottish folk band out there today.

Living Traditions Presentations is excited to bring to you once again, the Old Blind Dogs. This band was our first official presentation ever in October 2004, but under various organizations, Ron and Kari Barton have been bringing Celtic music to Flagstaff for 20 years.
Old Blind Dogs has been one of my favorite bands since they first played in Flagstaff around 1993. They have been through personnel changes over the years and now are back to a four piece band, with a new piper, Ali Hutton. This band is entertaining for audiences of all ages and never disappoint! Come see the Old Blind Dogs September 7, 2008 at 7:00pm (please note the earlier start time) at The Orpheum in downtown Flagstaff. Tickets are available at Animas Trading Company, Rainbow’s End, www.orpheumpresents.com, and Cedar Music. Email Kari@LivingTraditionsPresentations.com for more information or call 928-600-1365. This concert is brought to you by Living Traditions Presentations.

About the new album:
New CD, new line-up, very recognisable sound...Old Blind Dogs are now Fraser Stone (percussion), Aaron Jones (bouzouki/guitar), Ali Hutton (pipes) and the only remaining founder member Jonny Hardie (fiddle). They continue their habit of many years of treating the tradition with respect...but not too much respect… New-boy vocalist Aaron Jones brings his own sound to the OBDs as well. It's more reminiscent of the intense, occasionally almost snarly Ian F. Benzie sound of yore than of the creamy, melliflous tones of Jim Malcolm, and the OBDs seem to have adjusted their choice of songs to take account of that. – The Living Tradition Magazine.

Awards:
We have recently learned of another award for the album 'Four on the Floor'. The CD picked up the award for best album in the Celtic category of the recent IAP Awards. The Indie Acoustic Project is dedicated to giving recognition to outstanding works of innovative acoustic (or mainly acoustic) music.

SCOTTISH ALBUM OF THE YEAR The ROSAS awards
Four on the Floor – Old Blind Dogs
Simply the best Scottish folk band out there today. They have survived personnel changes and thrived. Aaron, Johnny, Rory, and Frazer have brought all of their amazing talents to this album, holding nothing back. Original arrangements of traditional tunes and songs that will steal your heart away. Live on stage they never disappoint, always true to their traditional heart, Old Blind Dogs are not afraid of change and this album 'Four on the Floor' is a brilliant collection of what Old Blind Dogs are all about. Great stuff, their best album yet.

Buille - May 15, 2008

Living Traditions Presentations is proud to bring you another Irish music experience, by the name of Buille. ‘Buílle’ means blow, stroke or beat, or in this presenter’s opinion, you’ll be blown away by the artistry and amazing music performed by these three well-known musicians. This concert is sponsored by NAU Community Music and Dance Academy and Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society. Buille will be performing Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 7:30pm in Ashurst Auditorium on NAU’s north campus. Doors will open at 7:00pm. Tickets are available from NAU Central Ticketing (928-523-5661) Cedar Music, or Jitters Coffee. Tickets are $25, $23 for NACHS, FFOTM, NAU/CCC Faculty/Staff, and Seniors, and $15 for children (17 and under) and NAU/CCC students.
About the Band
Buille first came into being during the summer of 2004. It combines the unique talents of Niall Vallely on concertina, Paul Meehan on guitar and Caoimhín Vallely on piano. They have just completed their debut album which will be released on the Vertical label in June. The album consists mostly of new music composed by Niall Vallely over the past couple of years. While based in traditional Irish forms, the music draws on a wide range of influences from the worlds of jazz and classical music in particular.
Armagh-born Niall Vallely has established himself in recent years as one of the most original and distinctive voices in Irish music. A former member of Cork-based band NOMOS, he has been acclaimed throughout the world as one of Ireland's greatest concertina players. He has played with Michaél Ó Súilleabháin, Karen Casey, Tim O’Brien, Paddy Keenan, and many others.
Paul grew up and started learning Irish music in Manchester in the midst of a flourishing scene . In his early teens Paul moved back to Middletown, County Armagh with his family. He quickly established himself as a rising star on the banjo, while more recently spending a lot of time on the guitar. He has toured with Karen Casey band and is a member of Lunasa. He’s also performed with Altan, Paddy Keenan, Tommy Peoples, Liz Carroll, and many others.
Like his older brother, Niall, Caoimhín grew up in Armagh and began tin whistle lessons at the Armagh Pipers Club before moving on to learn the fiddle. He also started classical piano lessons at this time.
What the experts think…
Together “Buille is as fresh a breath that's blown through traditional (and roots) circles in a long, long time.” – The Irish Times “Buílle is mostly Niall's own tunes, often in the Irish or Scottish idiom, and invariably played with the type of flair and musicality which most of us can only wonder at…Miss it if you dare.” – Irish Music Magazine
“…of all the albums issued in pursuit of the holy grail of trad-jazz-classical fusion, "Buille" ranks near the top in vision and execution. If Niall Vallely, Caoimhín Vallely, and Paul Meehan have not quite hit upon something startlingly new in sound, they have most assuredly raised that sound to a new level of skill, sophistication, and soul worthy of any Irish music devotee's interest.” - Irish Echo

Celtic Spring in Concert march 14!

RE: Celtic Spring in Concert
Date: Friday, March 14, 2008
Time: 8:oopm, doors at 7:30
Place: Flagstaff High School Main Auditorium
Address: 400 W. Elm Ave., Flagstaff, AZ. 86001
Contact: Kari Barton, 928-600-1365
Kari@LivingTraditionsPresentations.com


One of the top five finalists from NBC’s America’s Got Talent will be performing in Flagstaff Friday, March 14, 2008 at Flagstaff High School’s Main Auditorium at 8:00pm. The group is called Celtic Spring, although sometimes they are referred to as the von Trapp family of Celtic music. And with good reason. Celtic Spring is a music and dance group comprised of six siblings and their parents. The Wood family has entertained audiences from national television to major festivals such as Milwaukee Irish Fest as well as across the nation and world.

The Wood children, Elizabeth (21), Deirdre (19), Sean (16), Patrick (14), Maire (10), and Aidan (6), were born into a family of Irish descent (their mother’s grandparents came from Ireland) and reside in Southern California when they are not touring. Each child plays the fiddle and is a championship level Irish Step dancer. The performance they bring to audiences is filled with outstanding step dancing and equally outstanding fiddling. Celtic Spring’s awe-inspiring performances feature a rich variety of music from the Celtic lands and beyond, including original compositions. There will be a great variety of dancing from the kids, as well as fiddling, each taking turns to perform, and then performing a task attempted by many, but achieved by few….fiddling and dancing simultaneously.

This talented family is a true inspiration to watch perform and will be enjoyed by people of all ages. As an educator and presenter, I would love to see more families attend events that are happening like this in our community, so I am encouraging your family to start off spring break and St. Patrick’s Day with the Wood family and Celtic Spring. To further encourage you, I am offering children’s tickets for only $5 each! Adult tickets are $25. Tickets for NACHS and FFOTM are $23 and NAU/CCC student tickets are $15. Tickets can be purchased at Cedar Music, Jitters Coffee, or by calling 928-600-1365 or emailing Kari@LivingTraditionsPresentations.com. I hope you will be able to join me for this family show of Irish-American talent!

Kari Barton
Living Traditions Presentations