News
(Jan 2009) Eilean Mor's new CD Left of the Sun now available
EILEAN MOR has finally finished their second album Left of the Sun. This new album was a lot of fun to make and it felt great to be back in the studio again. Ed Rodrigues' drumming was incredibly spot on, and he wants you all to know that there are no edits at all in his playing! What you hear is basically exactly as he laid it down. Bill Grose is always full of the most lyrical ideas when it comes to accompanying the beautiful Gaelic songs and this too is amply demonstrated in our new album. Bill Williams' strong double bass playing always grooves along laying the solid foundations down and Catherine Fraser was in the recording studio playing her slow airs with plenty of emotion and the sizzling fast tunes with plenty of energy and passion. As for me well, it was such a great experience singing with such great musicians and with such great material that I really couldn't go far wrong. So the new album should be launched very soon — watch this space for details — and if any of you are keen to get your hands on a copy before then go ahead and place an order — they're selling already.
Our new album is called Left of the Sun as it's a reference to an old Gaelic poetic phrase I came across from the days of sailing ships. On the journey sailing to Australia from Scotland these ships would steer to the left side of the sun. We seem to have focused on geographic references in our album titles as our last album was 35 Degrees South!
Listen to samples from Left of the Sun on the LISTEN page or place an order for your copy on the PURCHASE page.
(Jan 2009) Australian Journeys
Two of the tracks from the new Eilean Mor CD, Fada Fada thall thar Sàile (Far Away Across the Ocean) and Oran Fear-Turuis d' a Leannan (Song of the Wanderer to his Love), are being used in the new Australian Journeys gallery at the Australian National Museum. This exhibition explores the voyages that connect Australia to the world from a personal perspective and the two Australian/Gaelic songs from the new album certainly give a sense of life here a hundred years or so ago. At the launch of the exhibition on 29 January Eilean Mor were asked to give a performance of one of the songs. We had the privilege of being a part of the opening ceremony and we particularly enjoyed playing on stage for Peter Garrett — rather than the other way around!
(June 2008) Eilean Mor recording a new CD
EILEAN MOR is back in the studio working on a brand new album which will include the very talented fiddle playing of Catherine Fraser and the sizzling percussion of Ed Rodrigues. This second album will include some traditional Gaelic favourites along with some new Australian/Gaelic songs. Ruth has given some texts new tunes. These texts were written by early immigrants to Australia. These are touching, poignant songs that speak of the experience of being an immigrant in a new country — the loss of country, kin and friendships, and life in a country very different to 'home'. Our new fiddler Cathy has put some toe-tapping tune sets together with the EM lads and these sets include a mix of traditional and original tunes. Ed Rodrigues joined the band after the first CD was out, so this new album will also feature his colourful and exciting drumming. The double Bills — Williams (doublebass) and Grose (guitar) — of course are here — with some funky grooves and some wonderfully lyrical guitar and bass playing that would bring a tear to a glass eye.
Catherine Fraser's fiddle school
Don't miss Catherine Fraser's fiddle school in New Zealand in April: The Southern Hemisphere International School of Scottish Fiddle, www.shissf.com
20th – 27th April 2008
Camp Kaitoke
Upper Hutt
North Island
New Zealand.
Eilean Mor at Cygnet
2008 started with the Cygnet Folk Festival. A big thank you to the organisers of this terrific festival and a very big thank you to the enthusiastic audiences. EM had a great time there and came back to Canberra on a high note (pun intended).
Eilean Mor in 2007
Eilean Mòr have had a very busy 2007 with tours to Tasmania, New Zealand and the UK, along with performances in Hong Kong on route. All the tours were terrific and another to the UK is now being planned for 2009.
Eilean Mor's CD "35 degrees south"
EILEAN MOR'S CD is available, and is attracting interest and airplay in Scotland and Australia. Click on the listen link to listen to extracts and read the lyrics. Click on the purchase link to buy the CD using the safe and secure services of PayPal, or from the online CD shops cdbaby.com, tradmusic.com, or Trad and Now. You can also download the CD or individual tracks from the iTunes store.
Eilean Mor thank the Australian Council for the Arts for assistance with the production of this CD.
Eilean Mor's 2006 Scottish tour
Eilean Mor has just returned from a successful tour of the Scottish highlands and islands. Performances were well attended and very well received — in fact, a common response from audiences was amazement that this band from Australia could have such an original sound and yet retain such a deep affinity to the traditions of the Scottish highland and islands.
Highlights included:
- twelve performances in all, including performances at the Ceilidh Place in Ullapool, at the Feis an Eilein on the Isle of Skye, at the Ionad Chaluim Chille on Islay, at the Forest Cafe in Edinburgh, and in Tarbert, Argyll.
- Overwhelming audience and media responses, particularly to the band bringing the Australian-Gaelic songs written in Australia in the mid 1800s back to Scotland.
- A special feature was Eilean Mor's collaboration on a concert at the Feis an Eilein with the internationally acclaimed singer of traditional Gaelic songs, Christine Primrose. Christine's a capella duets with Eilean Mor's Ruth Lee Martin were simply stunning. And her beautiful rendition of Gaelic songs with the sensitive accompaniment of Eilean Mor's guitarist Bill Grose were a rare treat for this audience on the Isle of Skye. Christine enjoys collaborating with Eilean Mor, whose musicianship and feel for this music has received wide acclaim in Scotland.
- Eilean Mor's CD 35 Degrees South has been receiving airplay on a variety of radio stations, including BBC Scotland, BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, Cuillin FM, Moray Firth Radio, and ABC Radio.
- Eilean Mor performed live in the studio of Cuillin FM and Ruth Lee Martin was interviewed in Gaelic on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal.
- While in Scotland, Ruth Lee Martin gave a conference paper on Gaelic song at the Rannsachadh na Gàdhlig at Sabhal Mor Ostaig which was well received by the conference's attendees.
Eilean Mor has been invited back to perform next year and plans are already underway with music promoters in Scotland for a 2007 tour.