things that speak directly to your soul
All posts by Jay
Hamlet’s launch in Whelan’s
On Friday Hamlet Sweeney played his first gig of 2009, launching his release strategy on the world. He will release a single every month this year – the first one being ‘I am a man’. We recorded a handful of tracks in December with Karl Odlum (who has been the producer for, among others, Gemma Hayes) and some of these were then mastered at the iconic Abbey Road studios in London.
‘I am a man’ is one of the tracks that I’ve really enjoyed playing with Hamlet over the past year. Hamlet had recorded quite a full demo version in his home studio that impressed me from the outset with the dark, unapologetic tone of the words and music. It has a punchy riff – my keyboard version is different from his multi-tracked guitar original, which may get released on an anthology or B-side some day – and also now features a clarinet solo. This was good fun in the gig, as I got to switch between the two.
Playing with us on the gig were two excellent musicians, Gavin Fox and Binzer, who play together in the band Concerto for Constantine. It’s always interesting when Dublin musicians get together, swapping stories of who they all know! Binzer played on the initial recording sessions with Karl down in Wicklow (Karl was on bass) when we put down the basic tracks. Gavin I hadn’t met before, but he came in and did a great job with the songs. Which were:
‘Is she real?’
‘Sunshine’
‘Street lights’
These first three were just Hamlet and I, the guys joining us at this point.
‘Miss Inconsequential’
We played this at Bewleys and slowed it down considerably for this gig, helping the song find its natural groove, I think. It settled into a nice Del Amitri type feel.
‘Mr Slim’
‘Tie a ribbon up in your hair’
‘Canary in a coalmine’
‘Voices in my head’
‘The Una Molloy hangover song’
‘Hey girl (Ooh la la la)’
Dropped because of time restraints, which was unfortunate (’cause people really enjoy it).
‘El capitane’
‘Perfect day’
‘Buy this song’
This was great fun with the band!
‘I am a man’
‘The boogie man’
‘I am a man’, the first of twelve releases this year, is available for download now. Here’s how:
- Text ‘music 2274’ to 57501.
- Enter the pin code you receive on downloadmusic.ie.
- Download the song.
This last step is very important. If you don’t download it, it won’t register for the charts…
Saint Brigid’s cross
Last night I performed my latest song for the audience at Saint Brigid’s parish, Cabinteely. New Dublin Voices were doing a concert to raise money for a charity called Preda that helps children in the Philippines. The priest had suggested that it would be nice to have a new hymn composed for the occasion and I took on the challenge.
I didn’t know much about Brigid, but quickly discovered that she is patron saint of four main groups: babies, farmers, travellers and a last set to do with creativity and fire. This last group – comprising blacksmiths, poets, scholars and printing presses – was interesting to me. Some of the ideas associated with Brigid’s day come from the ancient pagan goddess of the same name. She was considered a goddess of fire and was thought to manifest herself through poetry (seen as the ‘flame of knowledge’ in ancient Gaelic culture), song and craftsmanship. Brigid’s day (the first of February) is the first day of Spring in the Irish tradition and Saint Brigid crosses are made. It would have been common in some households to burn the cross from the previous year in a symbolic act of renewal.
I wanted the song to be for the listeners, an invocation to think about the people, now and through the ages past, for whom Brigid was a source of inspiration and hope. Consideration, appreciation and love of others is something we can all strive for and practice. With or without words.
(click on the title to play…)
Burn like a mother’s love
For her newborn child
And its tiny beauty.
Pray – with or without words –
Oh, for the tiny children.
Burn like a farmer’s limbs
When the work is done,
When the day is over.
Pray – with or without words –
Oh, for the farmer working.
And the simple cross
Hanging on the wall
Can remind us all
Of springtime’s promise. (repeat)
Burn like the stars above,
Guiding trav’llers home
From a tiring journey.
Pray – with or without words –
Oh, for their safe return.
Burn like a great idea,
One that thrills the ear
And delights the mind.
Pray – with or without words –
Oh, for the truth to shine.
And the simple cross
Hanging on the wall
Can remind us all
Of springtime’s promise. (repeat)
(lyrics and music © Jonathan Wilson 2009)
Max Greenwood on Balcony TV
I met Max at a session of The Song Room back in July. This track, ‘Frozen still’, was the first one he played then and (as I was only saying to someone just the other night) he really made my old Yamaha P200 sing 🙂 Unfortunately I couldn’t find the promised free download on his website 😦
More Sigur Rós in Dublin
I was delighted to hear that these talented Trintarians will be putting on another concert of music by the Icelandic group Sigur Rós. I was lucky enough to hear their previous concert and can only presume that this one will be even better.
More details can be found on Facebook and the event has been picked up by sigur-ros.co.uk, too (with a pleasing link to my review of the original gig!).
Student concerts can be really wonderful. In a time when amateur music making is far less prevalent as a leisure activity, students can have the perfect blend of skill, enthusiasm and spare time to do all that is required to perform concerts simply for the love of it. If the cost of concert-going has put you off in the past, then get yourself along to a student concert and be prepared to be very impressed!
The concert will take place in Trinity college chapel on Wednesday 4 February.
New Dublin Voices on Facebook
If you’re interested in keeping up with what New Dublin Voices are up to and hearing about upcoming concerts, then please become our fan on Facebook.
Our next concert is on Sunday 1st February in St Brigid’s church in Cabinteely, County Dublin. It will feature some of our favourite pieces as well as some solo and duet pieces in what will be a concert to suit all ages. Proceeds will go to the charity PREDA.
I hope to have completed a new St Brigid hymn for the occasion…
live MUZU TV video of one of Hamlet’s songs
Back in October, Hamlet and I went into the MUZU TV studios and recorded ‘I am a man’. Looks good, methinks. Keep watching and you’ll hear a couple of short interviews and ‘El Capitane’ as well as a video of David Bowie talking to Russell Harty, Hamlet’s choice from the fascinating archive available on the MUZU site.
For example, this video of Dionne Warwick interviewed on ITV. Which runs into a fabulous little chat on a tower block roof with Ian Dury…stick around for Jonathan Richman, Kate Bush being cute…you could be there all day! I was going to write that I thought there should be more tags, ways to search for a subject, but I actually quite like just diving in and discovering new things. Like TV, I suppose…
And what is it with presenters and names? “Dionne War-wick”… “Kate Bush…or is it Bush (rhyming with Lush)?”
A friend of mine posted a video of Arcade Fire, recorded in an elevator by the wonderful Vincent Moon for La Blogotheque, on Facebook. I’ve mentioned the site before, but it really is superb. Don’t be afraid of the fact that it’s in French – click on the archive, find your favourite band in the list and, chances are, you’ll find some great, inventive video.
Christmas success for New Dublin Voices
New Dublin Voices had a very busy Christmas season with concerts in Navan, Dublin (performing for the Friends of the National Gallery, singing carols in Dickensian garb on the steps of The Gate theatre before the opening night of ‘The Old Curiosity Shop’ and doing a lunchtime concert in the National Concert Hall) and Blanchardstown. We also kept popping up on television – appearing on the teen segment ‘TTV’, on the fashion show ‘Off The Rails’, at the end of the news one day, and on the broadcast of us singing with The Priests at their concert in Armagh.
The icing on the Christmas cake was winning the prize for the best performance of the RTÉ lyric fm Christmas Carol Commission by Elaine Agnew.
Here’s my recording of the ladies of New Dublin Voices, conducted by Bernie Sherlock, with me accompanying on piano, singing the lovely Curoo curoo.
Our first concert in 2009 will be of music from the 1560s and the 1960s. First rehearsal is on Tuesday…
cover versions
One of Rowan Manahan’s first posts of the new year was about finding your voice. It is, for most of us, our primary tool and yet we often don’t think about how best to vocalise our message.
Rowan mentioned a number of actors renowned for their fine speaking voices, all of whom I recognised except one: Anna Deavere Smith. (I’ve never seen The West Wing.) I did a quick search for her and, since it was on the quality of her voice that she was being recommended, I looked at this video of her speaking at a TED conference.
She has travelled America recording conversations with people and, in her performances, she faithfully replicates those characters. Truly breathtaking skill. She must have a wonderful ear to be able to mimic the (remarkably) various voices. The idea of a ‘cover version’ is very common in music, but it’s viewed differently when a singer mimics another. I was talking about this in a guitar lesson today – how, when we learn to play songs, the final step is to make it our own. It’s useful to study other players and singers to learn new techniques, but then there’s the extra step of finding your own voice. To me that’s the same thing as Rowan’s talking about – being believable and fluent in what you say, sing or play.
While searching for cover versions on YouTube, I found this wee dote, Sam Scott:
two new recordings
These tracks were recorded by my talented friend Paul Donnan in the beautiful entrance hall of Powerscourt in County Wicklow. I have a fascination, inherited from my father, with Irish ‘Big Houses’. Powerscourt has its own special sadness – it was destroyed by fire in 1974 – and this is never far from one’s thoughts within its bare-brick interior (restored in 1996). I dare you to examine unmoved the photos of the house from before the fire that are displayed inside.
It was a real treat to be playing my songs in that place while the winter night seethed with jealousy outside.
I chose two: my latest song, ‘Face in a frame’ and a song I wrote about five years ago which I call ‘Little boy’. I realise now that it’s finally recorded that it’s as much about the little girl…any ideas on what it should be called? (Paul called it ‘Tonight’.) Click on the titles to listen.
Carry my love over the ocean; bring him back here, back to my arms. Accuse me of greed – I don’t care for reason – I just know I need him keeping me warm. The neighbours are kind – they smile and make small talk – but I politely decline when they ask to tea. I couldn’t help counting the chairs at the table. The catch in my throat: “No, everything’s fine”. Your face in a frame (last summer’s vacation). Your coat on a hook on the back of the door. I walk in the rain reliving old memories; each line on your face the same as before. Our boy’s growing tall, he’s stronger each day now. He asks me no questions, I tell him no lies. I can see in his face that he wants to protect me. I wonder can he see the same thing in mine? Your face in a frame (our boy on your shoulders). Your coat on a hook on the back of the door. I’ll try to explain when he’s a bit older. Oh why can’t things stay the same as before?
Little boy, what have you done? Little boy, what have you done? You’re so big and strong. You’re so big and strong. Little girl, what have you done? Little girl, what have you done? You’re so beautiful. You’re so beautiful. Tonight the angels rejoice over you. Little boy, what have you done? Little boy, what have you done? I’ll wipe your tears away. I’ll wipe your tears away. Little girl, what have you done? Little girl, what have you done? I’ll wipe your tears away. I’ll wipe your tears away. Tonight the angels rejoice over you.
jay wilson :: music 