Beoga in Concert - February 27, 2009

Beoga (Irish word for ‘lively’) are a five-piece traditional band based in County Antrim, Ireland. The band was drawn together after ‘jamming’ in a ferocious music session at the All-Ireland Fleadh in August 2002. Their unique sound features the twin duelling accordians of Seán Óg Graham and Damian McKee, along with four times All-Ireland bodhrán champion Eamon Murray and pianist Liam Bradley. In 2005, Beoga were nominated by Irish Music Magazine for the best traditional newcomer’s award. With the addition of one of Ireland’s premier young singers, Niamh Dunne, Beoga are confirming their reputation as one of the most exciting acts to emerge from Ireland in recent years.
Beoga will be making their Arizona premier Friday, February 27, 2009 at 8:00pm. They will perform at The Orpheum Theater in downtown Flagstaff at 15 W. Aspen Ave. The doors will open at 7:00pm. Tickets are $20 general admission and $12 for students and children. Tickets are available at Rainbow’s End and Animas Trading Company in downtown Flagstaff or online at www.orpheumpresents.com.

Beoga is presented by Living Traditions Presentations. The concert is sponsored in part by Culture Ireland and the Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society.

For more information, please contact Kari Barton at Kari@LivingTraditionsPresentations.com.

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.