Further dates in Ireland for Joachim Cooder (USA), 28 Aug.-1 Sept.

On 19 June the BIB noted that Joachim Cooder will be playing at Whelans of Wexford St., Dublin 2, on Thurs. 31 August, backed by Mark Fain (bass) and the splendid Rayna Gellert (fiddle). Tickets (€27.50) can be booked here.

Joachim Cooder's online tour schedule now shows that in the course of a European tour, including festivals in Denmark and Britain, he (together with Rayna Gellert and Mark Fain) will be playing the following shows in Ireland:

• Tues. 29th Aug.: Campbell's Tavern, Headford, Co. Galway, 7.30-11.30 p.m.
• Wed. 30th: The Black Box, Belfast, 8.00-11.00 p.m.
• Thurs. 31st: Whelan's, Wexford St., Dublin 2, 8.00-11.00 p.m.
• Fri. 1st Sept.: Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo town, 8.00-11.00 p.m.

Online booking links are on the tour schedule.

© Richard Hawkins

Joachim Cooder (USA) at Whelan's, Dublin, 31 Aug. 2023

Thanks to Whelans of Wexford St., Dublin 2, for the news that Joachim Cooder will be playing there on Thursday 31 August, backed by Mark Fain (bass) and the splendid Rayna Gellert (fiddle). Tickets (€27.50) can be booked here.

Joachim Cooder, as son of Ry Cooder, has been immersed in roots and world music all his life. His 2020 album Over that road I'm bound was a 'repurposing' and 'reimagining' of the music of Uncle Dave Macon. A single from the album, 'Come along buddy', can be seen on Whelan's press release and on YouTube, with his father playing 5-string banjo. The title track, 'Over the road', is on YouTube in two versions: one showing the song being recorded, and a brief version with animation (and banjo).

A brief note to Whelan's - Uncle Dave was not exactly an 'Appalachian banjo picker'; he was raised in central Tennessee, and the time his family (of French Huguenot descent) had spent in the mountains was passing through on the journey from North Carolina.

© Richard Hawkins

John Nyhan presents the Special C. at Banteer, 6 Feb. 2023

Many thanks to the irreplaceable John Nyhan for the poster image above and this news:

50 Years of Folk and Roots

1973-2023

In 1973 I was co-founder of the Shandon Folk Club, within an earshot of the famed Shandon Bells.

The Club was initially held in the Easons Hill Youth Club. Later on it moved to the C.I.E. Social Club in Emmet Place, Cork. Acts booked included Mick Hanley, Sonny Condell, and Al O'Donnell. There were also singers and open mic nights, where local talent performed.

Now, fifty years on, I am so proud to be presenting the Special Consensus on Monday night next, in the Glen Theatre, Banteer, Co. Cork (P51 NX28). It will be a very special night for me, as I enter my second half-century promoting music.

Bookings are going very well, but there are still tickets available; telephone 087 792 1771.

Keeping Music Live,

John Nyhan

John is shown above in a 2015 photo from the Cork City Libraries Blog (see the BIB for 2 June 2015). To mark his second half-century, here's a link to a video of John Reischman (mandolin) and Eli West (guitar) playing the Reischman composition 'Uncle John Nyhan'.

© Richard Hawkins

Kilkenny Roots Festival, 29 Apr.-2 May 2022

Smithwick's Kilkenny Roots Festival ('by now a national institution and an international buzz-phrase among the Americana / Roots movement', as stated at the head of its Facebook) will be held on the long weekend Fri. 29 Apr.-Mon. 2 May. Tickets can now be bought for many of the concerts: see the Festival's latest e-newsletter.

Most of the Americana acts announced so far could be loosely labelled as honky-tonk, country rock, or singer/ songwriter. The artist most directly involved with American traditional rural music is the 'new old-time' guitarist and singer Jake Xerxes Fussell of Durham, NC, born in GA, whose father introduced him to documenting traditional culture; he has since worked with distinguished folklorists, field collectors, and musicians. The most comprehensive biographical account of him is on the Festival website, where there is also a video of his song 'Jump for joy' and audio of 'Raggy Levy'. He is scheduled to play in Ryan's Bar; on Sat. 30 Apr. at 7.00 p.m., and on Sun. 1 May at 2.00 p.m. His tour schedule also lists the following dates in Ireland (part of a European tour):

Tues. 3rd May: Bello Bar, Portobello Harbour, Dublin 8, 7.00 p.m.
Wed. 4th: Cathedral Quarter, 109-113 Royal Ave., Belfast, 7.00 p.m.

© Richard Hawkins

Arklow Roots Music: Zoom concert, Sat. 5 Feb. 2022

Thanks to Brendan O'Regan of Arklow Roots Music, who sends this news:

Hi all, glad to announce next Zoom gig after a long break! It’s on Sat. 5 Feb., 8.00 p.m. and performers are:

Michelle Lewis (USA) Michelle has performed on tour in Arklow before at Harbour Bar before it was the Asgard Theatre!
Findlay Napier (Scotland)
Rachel Grace – upcoming singer from Wexford, recently on tour with Mike Hanrahan and Eleanor Shanley

Brendan writes that plenty of material on the artists is on their websites, YouTube, Spotify, Bandcamp etc. The concert is on a donation basis, as before. Places are limited. You need to register in advance for this concert; after registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the meeting. The image at the head of this post is from the Facebook event page.

© Richard Hawkins

Pokey LaFarge (USA) in Ireland, 23-26 Mar. 2022

Thanks to Enda O'Connor of the Cabin Sessions musical community for drawing attention to three shows in Ireland two months from now by US singer/ songwriter Pokey LaFarge (Andrew Heissler). In mid March he is scheduled to play four dates in Britain, followed by the following dates in Ireland:

Wed. 23rd Mar.: Empire Music Hall, Belfast, 7.30 p.m.
Thurs. 24th: Whelans, Wexford St., Dublin, 8.30 p.m.
Sat. 26th: Rosin Dubh, Galway city, 8.00 p.m.

Tickets are now available for these shows. Pokey La Farge (see the BIB for 3 July 2014) has played several times in Ireland with his band the South City Three. Bill Monroe and Jimmie Rodgers are among the influences on his music, which has been described as 'a mix of Americana, early jazz, ragtime for string instruments, country blues, Western swing, Vaudeville, and Appalachian folk'. Some of his recent recordings have featured more elaborate instrumentation.

© Richard Hawkins

No Depression's ten favourite roots albums of 2021 (so far)

No Depression magazine announces on its website its 'Favorite roots music albums of 2021 (so far)', with brief notes by different staff members on the ten albums listed. The artists most closely associated with the bluegrass and old-time scenes are Sarah Jarosz with her Blue heron suite at #7, and Rhiannon Giddens (with Francesco Turrisi) with They're calling me home at #5. Giddens and Jarosz are shown in the upper left-hand corner of the image above.

Doug Heselgrave writes: 'They're calling me home is, without reservation, her finest work to date. Intimately recorded and emotionally accessible, it is a near perfect album in which the diversity of Giddens’ musical interests coalesces to fulfill the promise hinted at in everything she has recorded up until this point.'

Variety announces, in this feature by Chris Willman, that Rhiannon Giddens will be giving a 75-minute 'mini-memoir', entitled 'To balance on bridges', on the Audible platform in its 'Words+Music' series, on Thursday next week (22 July). More details, and a 2-minute audio trailer, are here.

© Richard Hawkins

No Depression needs just a few more subscribers... (update)

No Depression, 'the journal of roots music', announces:

No Depression, part of the nonprofit FreshGrass Foundation, has secured a generous donor that will match funds for 100 new journal subscriptions. We only need 36 more to reach our goal! Please help us get there.

While we offer our content on nodepression.com for free, subscriptions to our gorgeous journal help fuel our entire operations! Now, you can double your financial impact to No Depression by becoming a subscriber in print/digital or digital-only.

All new subscribers will receive our current Winter 2020 'All Together Now' issue, plus our gratitude, as your purchase is paired with matching funds that help No Depression and the FreshGrass Foundation continue our mission to preserve, support, and create innovative grassroots music!

As reported on the BIB on 20 August, the FreshGrass Foundation and the Compass Records Group are now partners in supporting the Steve Martin Banjo Prize.

Update 25 Nov.: Only 18 subscriptions are now needed to reach the goal!

No Depression winter 2020 issue now available

'The journal of roots music', No Depression magazine, announces that its winter 2020 'All together now' issue 'highlights the multitude of ways that roots musicians collaborate, and why this music in particular thrives on community'. The many features include Courtney E. Smith's article 'Musical exchange' on Chris Thile (above) and Noah Berlatsky's article 'Preserving tradition' (below) on the Field Recorders Collective. The new issue is being sent out to subscribers, and those who subscribe now will get it. New this year: an annual digital subscription for $36.00.

'At the Crossroads' with Paddy Cummins

THANKS to Paddy Cummins, mandolin player with Mules & Men, for this news of a new online service to the cause of roots music in all its genres and their followers. Paddy explains:

At the Crossroads is a weekly podcast, released on Tuesdays, that focuses on musical analysis of, broadly speaking, the genres of traditional, folk and ancient music across the world. As a professional musician in the area of Irish traditional music and bluegrass, my focus may tend to gravitate towards these styles. However, my musical interest is broad and, even if my own expertise on a different musical sphere is limited, I am still inclined to host shows based on something interesting from an inquisitive perspective. Add to this the fact that I will be bringing on a host of different guests to talk about their own music and/or various styles on which they are knowledgeable. At the Crossroads is exploratory in nature as much as it is analytical and presentative. Although many themes will be musicological or ethomusicological in context and appreciated by those with an understanding or interest in research of this kind, it's also a way for those with limited musical knowledge to broaden their own horizons and palette.

On this final point, worthy of note is that interviewees, while for the most will be connected with the world of music and song, will not be exclusively tied to this cultural area. If somebody has an interesting story to tell about their life or passions that can relate to and/or inform the larger, musical side to this podcast then I'm satisfied to give them air time.

Tune in and spread the word!

Thanks to Debbie Cummins for the artwork, Luke Coffey for the technical help and, for comments, suggestions and queries the e-mail is: patrickcumminsmusic@gmail.com.

Acast: https://shows.acast.com/at-the-crossroads

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1rdXfKeKIH23tEV9hXwXEf?si=2WX8PSHZRTGMNDkenQHgOQ

Bluegrass Country Soul de luxe box set issued

AMOS Perine, in an article posted on the No Depression website on 19 May, asks: 'Was 1973 the greatest year for roots music?' and answers 'yes'; artists mentioned in the article include many from the bluegrass field, and there are many vintage and recent photos of them, together with lists of influential 1973 albums.

Thanks to Albert Ihde (producer/ director) and Ellen Pasternack (executive director) for this special-edition reissue of the film Bluegrass country soul, which makes a strong case for 1971 as the crucial year for bluegrass music. The original film was shot at Carlton Haney’s 1971 Labor Day Weekend Bluegrass Music Festival in Camp Springs, NC.

Haney, who had produced the first multi-day bluegrass music event in 1965, put together in 1971 a lineup that featured many pioneers of the music in their prime (Earl Scruggs, Ralph Stanley, Chubby Wise, Jimmy Martin, the Osborne Brothers, J.D. Crowe, Mac Wiseman, the Country Gentlemen), along with many younger artists who were to become stars (Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, Doyle Lawson, Tony Rice, and Keith Whitley).

The film was first released in 1972 and issued on DVD in 2006. This new, comprehensive, multi-media 'Golden Anniversary Legacy Edition' box set contains DVDs and CDs with fifty musical performances and many supplementary features - music from the festival that didn't get into the film, expert commentary plus a 168-page book, a documentary on the making of the film, and much more - the scope of what's provided is indicated in this feature by Richard Thompson on Bluegrass Today.

A share of the profits from this project will go to the IBMA Foundation’s Trust Fund.

Lovesick Duo (I) for BAND Festival 2020

The organising team of the BAND (Bluegrass And Nashville Dunfanaghy) Festival are delighted to announce the return of the Lovesick Duo (Paolo Roberto Pianezza and Francesca Alinovi, from Bologna) for this year's event (4-8 June 2020):

We were lucky enough to stumble upon the Lovesick Duo entertaining a crowd in the lovely Italian town of Siena in May of 2017. We told Paolo and Francesca about a great little festival happening just 2,536 km up the road in the beautiful village of Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal! The Duo's arrival to play at BAND 2018 is testament to their dedication and love for music and everything they do! They are both incredibly talented and vibrantly entertaining!

As always they have new songs and surprises up their sleeves! Touring throughout Europe and the US playing everything from bluegrass, country, and rock ’n’ roll, the Duo will be returning to Donegal in June 2020. If you haven't caught them yet - don't miss them this year!

The Lovesick Duo are also on Facebook.

Stillhouse Junkies (USA) in Ireland, 7-12 Apr. 2020

Stillhouse Junkies: (l-r) Alissa Wolf, Fred Kosak (seated), Cody Tinnin

Thanks to Uri Kohen for this news:

Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, in association with the Electric Cave Production, are delighted to announce the first ever Irish tour of Colorado trio The Stillhouse Junkies.

Born in a distillery in Durango, CO, Stillhouse Junkies play a delirious, head-spinning mixture of original roots, blues, funk, swing, and bluegrass music. With all three band members sharing lead vocal and songwriting duties, the Junkies conjure a wide range of tonal landscapes that pay tribute to the iconic sounds of Gillian Welch, the Allman Brothers, Tim O'Brien, the Wood Brothers, John Hiatt, and countless others while breaking new musical ground with their genre-bending original material. Stillhouse Junkies are proud to be two-time Telluride Band Contest finalists.

The tour dates are:

• Tues. 7th Apr.: Finn's Bar, Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary
• Thurs. 9th: Rusty Spur, Claudy, Co. Londonderry
• Fri. 10th: Bridge St., Castlebar, Co. Mayo
• Sat. 11th: Levis' Bar, Ballydehob, Co. Cork
• Sun. 12th: Tom Malone's Pub, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare

Rye River Band at Howth, 16 Aug. 2019

Thanks to Pat Burgess of the Rye River Band for the news that the band will be playing the Howth Roots & Blues Festival 2019 at the Waterside bar, 15 Harbour Rd, Howth, Co. Dublin, on Friday 16 August. The show will start at 10.00 p.m. and admission is free.

The festival, which extends over the weekend 16-18 Aug., features twenty-three events at nine venues around Howth, and acts taking part include Mules & Men and the Prairie Dawgs.

Uri Kohen and Westport festival featured on Bluegrass Situation

With the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival now only a week away, the Bluegrass Situation (the US-based 'hub for all things roots') published two days ago a major feature and interview by Emma John - 'Uri Kohen unites a world of music at Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival in Ireland' as part of a summer campaign of

celebrating the festival makers – the men and women who put their time, their finances, and their sanity on the line to bring us the music we love.

It's an excellent interview for information about Uri himself, his musical background, what brought him to Westport; the genesis, growth, and character of the Festival; and the accessibility (and stamina) of bluegrass and old-time artists. Several fine photos from Westport's ample collection are included, plus a video (also on YouTube) from the launch party on 11 May. And there are some memorable quotes. Pay special attention to the very last paragraph.

Update 6 June: The BIB apologises to all for putting 'Bluegrass Standard' in the title when this post first appeared, instead of 'Bluegrass Situation'.

'Roots Freeway' back on the air from 2 June

Apologies to all for a late announcement that the new three-month series of Niall Toner's show 'Roots Freeway' began on RTÉ Radio 1 on Saturday 2 June, and has already gone through three episodes. Niall announced on his Facebook on 30 May:

Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes today, but what I'm really excited about is that ROOTS FREEWAY returns to RTE RADIO ONE on SATURDAY next, June the 2nd, for a three month run. This is the radio show on the national airwaves where you can hear loads of great ROOTS music, including so much of the amazing stuff that's being produced locally! Listen out for new releases from UNWANTED, MULES AND MEN, BLUE LIGHT SMUGGLERS, FREDDIE WHITE, RACHEAL GRACE, JOHN PRINE, and loads more! Spread the word...

Woody Pines (USA) at Naul, Sat. 19 May 2018

Woody Pines have so far played three dates of their current tour in Ireland; tonight they are at the Courthouse Arts Centre in Tinahely, Co. Wicklow; and the Séamus Ennis Arts Centre at Naul, Co. Dublin, sends word that the last show in the tour will be at the Centre tomorrow night (Sat. 19 May).

As always at the Centre's evening concerts, doors open at 8.00 p.m. and the show starts at 8.30 p.m. Tickets (€18 / €14 in advance; €20 / €16 on the door) can be booked online at the Centre's event web page, where there are more details, ample quotes from enthusiastic reviews, a performance video, and a link to the band's YouTube channel.

Friday night is Bluegrass Night at Whelan's (4 Aug. 2017)

Whelan's of Wexford St., Dublin 2, send a reminder of their 4th Dublin Blues, Roots, & Brass Festival, a three-day event beginning tomorrow (Friday 4 Aug.). Tomorrow also appears to be the main night for bluegrass enthusiasts, with Dublin's own Dublin Bluegrass Collective (aka Bluestack Mountain Boys) playing on the Street Stage from 7.00 to 9.00 p.m., and Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra from Oslo, Norway, playing on the Upstairs Stage from 10.30 to 11.30 p.m. The Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra has all six regular bluegrass instruments plus accordion, and the strong lead vocals of Rebekka Nilsson.

The festival is supported by Fáilte Ireland, O'Hara's Irish craft brewery, and IMRO. Admission is free from 7.00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m. Some noted figures on the Irish bluegrass scene can be seen (if you're quick) in the sampler video shot at last year's event.

Doolin Craft Beer & Roots Festival, 25-27 Aug. 2017

Thanks to Electric Cave Production for this announcement:

The Electric Cave Production - the team behind the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival - are delighted to, once again, join forces with one of the country's best roots festivals: Doolin Craft Beer and Roots Festival, 25-27 August.

Over the past three years, we sent some of the country's finest bluegrass and roots acts to the festival's main stage. This year, the bluegrass flag will be raised high by none other than Niall Toner.

Other acts that might be known to the blog readers are Erdini from Donegal that played the Westport Festival in 2016, and Corner Boy who rocked McGing's pub in Westport this year. We are also delighted to introduce a fine roots outfit from Dublin, The Big Muddy.

The festival is taking place in the lovely Doolin Hotel and it is always a fantastic event. For full stage times, check this link. Eagle-eyed readers might spot the name DJ Dodgy, who is the alter ego of Uri Kohen, producer of the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, who will wear his Reggae hat for a special guest appearance at the event.

Well worth the trip to the west. See you there!

Niall Toner: catching up and overtaking

A week ago (6 Mar.) Niall Toner brought his blog up to date with a post on

*Songwriting: material for the next album is being written in cooperation with Dick Gladney, Johnny Gleeson, Richie Foley, Keith Sewell, and others - including Paddy Kiernan, with whom Niall has written a song telling the story of the last wolf in Ireland.

*Progress on the New Decade TV documentary on Niall's musical life includes an interview with Ciaran O'Connor and a live shoot of the Niall Toner Band. The NTB also recorded recently for Carlow TV the Niall/Keith Sewell composition 'Way of a wanderer' - watch them rehearsing it on YouTube.

*Fifty or so bluegrass fans will be going with Niall to the bluegrass heartlands this coming autumn; see the BIB for 11 Feb..

*And Niall's 'Roots Freeway' show on RTÉ Radio 1 will be back on the air on Saturday 4 June for another season.

Furthermore, yesterday (13 Mar.) Niall posted on his blog the complete lyrics of a new song about his 1944 Gibson Army & Navy L-3 guitar. Read the full details of both posts on his blog.