CELTIC HEARTBEAT - A Right Song And Dance
Private Label
Six musicians, eight songs, two with attached tunes make a full sound on every track of this CD. I am struggling to quite match “celtic” or “traditional” with the music and style of performance here, although New York Girls (Roud 486) and Three Score And Ten (after William Delf, b. 1851) have some claim, as does Lord Franklin (Roud 487).
I also found the sound of The New Seekers coming back to me through the mists of time, and perhaps this is a compliment to a style and polish achieved by this band. My feeling is that some folk clubs would love this band, others might prefer a smaller combo with more distinct instrumental approaches. A matter of taste, surely!
Chris Hailsworth (lead guitars/vocals) contributes an interesting song about Whisky Galore for those fans of Compton Mackenzie and another song about leaving Tralee for New York, echoed later by a version of Richard Thompson's From Galway To Graceland. Jim Greenhaugh's (guitar /vocals) song The Old Fisherman (a pub) provides a rolling chorus song to finish the album. Other band members are Julia Greenhaugh (vocals), Steve Greenhough (bass/whistle/vocals), Simon Diegan (melodeon/vocals) and Martin Butcher (banjo/bouzouki/12-string guitar/vocals). Sleeve notes are not offered but are not strictly required, although I always like to read about the rationale for creating or including a song.
Celtic Heartbeat is a band with a full sound and I bet they get people jigging away at their gigs.
www.celticheartbeat.co.uk
C. John Edwards