Celtic MP3s Music MagazineThe Celtic MP3s Music Magazine is a free monthly Celtic music magazine featuring free music downloads of Celtic, Scottish, Irish music from around the world. Here, you will find free music downloads from independent Celtic artists. Some MP3s are time sensitive. So download them now. All of the latest MP3s are available for at least a month. As always, if enjoy the music, please help the artist out and buy their CD. Serving Celtic music fans since 2000! Don't just download. Announcing Heidi, Stef, & Bow Triplets USA CD Distribution
Swiss Celtic music group, Heidi, Stef & Bow Triplets made a name for themselves as one of the hottest Celtic bands on the late, great MP3.com. Unfortunately, when MP3.com died, distribution in the U.S. became much more difficult.
Last December, I visited Heidi and Stef in Switzerland. I can't begin to tell you what incredible hospitality I received. Those two really were amazing at sharing their home and their country with me. Plus, we even had a wee Irish session in a small pub. My time with Heidi and Stef inspired me with a great idea--to help give amazing European bands distribution in the USA. So we worked out a special deal and now I'm proud to say that you can now buy Heidi, Stef and Bow Triplets latest CD, One Spot On Earth, through CDBaby. This is a test run. I have a license to sell 100 CDs. If it goes well, I may continue distributing their Celtc CDs. So if you enjoy Bow Triplets' music as much as I do, order a copy of One Spot On Earth now! Labels: music_news_2005
Posted by Marc Gunn, Friday, April 29, 2005. New to Celtic MP3s Music Magazine? Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or sign up to get email updates. Find free Celtic music downloads from Marc Gunn! "Lanigan's Ball" by Enter the Haggis
Enter the Haggis is best described as Celtic Fusion. Though their roots are firmly placed in the Celtic tradition, within their music are influences of rock, bluegrass, funk and Latin. ETH has developed into an International act with heavy touring not only across North America but also Europe - including Ireland, Scotland, Germany and Italy. After much success with their most recent album, "Casualties of Retail", Enter the Haggis is gearing up for a follow up recording to begin sometime in the fall of 2005.
 Hometown: Toronto, CanadaSimilar Artists: Ashley MacIsaac, The Elders, Martyn Bennett Influences: Latin Music (including Cuban and Brazilian), Riff rock acts (Rage Against t he Machine for example), Newgrass (Bela Fleck, Nicklecreek, etc), Alt. Rock (Radiohead, Muse, The Killers, Smashing Pumpkins, etc) Website: Enter the Haggis Download MP3: "Lanigan's Ball" Buy CD: Enter the Haggis Live!
Posted by Marc Gunn, Thursday, April 28, 2005. New to Celtic MP3s Music Magazine? Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or sign up to get email updates. Find free Celtic music downloads from Marc Gunn! "Claveness" by MacTalla Mo'r
MacTalla Mo'r, an exciting Celtic Band featuring Bagpipes, Piano, Vocals and Bodhran, is taking America by storm!
 They've played for HBO TV, at Steinway and Carnegie Hall in NYC, along side greats like Chick Corea and the Tito Puente Big Band, at Command Performances for The Average White Band, Rolling Stone's Kieth Richards and Jose Felician and to rave reviews at major Celtic Festivals. Called "the best Celtic Fusion Band I've heard" by Irish critic Joe O'Shea, Mac-talla Mo'r is quickly becoming one of the most talked about and sought after Celtic Bands on the scene.Hometown: New York City and New Fairfield USA Similar Artists: Tannahill Weavers, Eileen Ivers, Gaelic Storm, Pogues, Capercaillie, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Mark Saul, Rare Air, Bob Dylan Website: MacTalla Mo'r Download MP3: "Claveness" Buy CD: MacTalla Live From The Valley
Posted by Marc Gunn, Thursday, April 28, 2005. New to Celtic MP3s Music Magazine? Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or sign up to get email updates. Find free Celtic music downloads from Marc Gunn! "The Makem & Clancy Concert [Live]" by Tommy Makem & Liam Clancy
by Phil Hall
Artist: Tommy Makem & Liam Clancy Album: The Makem & Clancy Concert Year produced: 1990 Not only is "The Makem & Clancy Concert" the finest live Celtic recording of all time, but it is also among the greatest concert recordings every captured on microphone -- regardless of the musical genre. Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy were in top musical form as they barreled their way through an amazing mixture of comic, romantic, haunting and Celt-flavored patriotic tunes.  "The Makem & Clancy Concert" is the rare recording where the humorous songs and lively comic patter can be heard endlessly and still raise gales of laughter. Whether running amok with the zany situations of "My Father Loves Nikita Khruschev" or taking hedonism to surreal borders with "The 200 Year Old Alcoholic," the duo can turn novelty songs into classics of brilliantly conceived mirth. Even their running commentaries are goldmines of good humor: when an attempt to rouse the audience into a sing-along results in a lopsided and lethargic mess, Tommy Clancy exhorts the audience members to join hands in an attempt "to contact the living."But Clancy and Makem know how to pull at the heartstrings with a sincerity that is uncommon even among the most gifted of folk singers. "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" recounts the Australian experience in World War I with brutal and devastating results. "The Dutchman," with its story of love amid the challenges of aging and a fraying mind, is given its single most poignant rendition here. "Leave Her Jonny," with its cry for the premature end of a doomed love, is work of simple grace but rich power. And no red-blooded Celt cannot feel the call to arms with "Sound the Pibroch," which recalls the doomed nobility of a historic war with a resonance that echoes through the centuries into today's war-weary world. While Makem & Clancy may not have intended a new Celtic uprising with their performance, they nonetheless inspire a new generation of Celtic music lovers with their endless talents. This classic recording is one for the ages. Celtic MP3s Music Magazine writer, Phil Hall is contributing editor for Film Threat, book editor for the New York Resident, author of "The Encyclopedia of Underground Movies" (MWP Books) and a proud child of Wales. Labels: cd_review_2005
Posted by Marc Gunn, Thursday, April 21, 2005. New to Celtic MP3s Music Magazine? Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or sign up to get email updates. Find free Celtic music downloads from Marc Gunn! "Castle of Arianrhod" by Emerald Rose
Emerald Rose is ever a favorite of mine. They play Celtic American Folk Rock, plus a bit more. Out of Atlanta, Georgia, they have deep Celtic roots and a love for the "roots music" -- but they take a somewhat rock-and-pop-influenced angle to it.
They play mostly originals with vocals, guitar, pennywhistle, Uilleann pipes, bass, and world percussion. Many of our themes draw from Celtic myth and legend. They're a favorite amon at sci-fi/fantasy cons like Dragon*Con (where they were just confirmed for this year) as well as events like the upcoming "Return of the King" Oscars party in Hollywood (sponsored by theonering.net). "Castle of Arianrhod" was a favorite on the late MP3.com. It is a journey through Welsh mythology. Arianrhod is queen of illumination.  Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia Similar Artists: Jethro Tull, The Bothy Band, Tannahill Weavers, The Chieftains, Silly Wizard, Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin Website: Emerald Rose Download MP3: "Castle of Arianrhod" Buy CD: Bending Tradition
Posted by Marc Gunn, Wednesday, April 20, 2005. New to Celtic MP3s Music Magazine? Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or sign up to get email updates. Find free Celtic music downloads from Marc Gunn! "Seventy-Four" by Quagmyre
Quagmyre combines traditional Celtic fiddle music with funk- and rock-infused themes to create a whole new style of folk music. They also feature one of the most unique vocal sounds, presenting totally original lyrics with smooth harmonies. Combine this with three world champion stepdancers and you have a band that you do not want to miss!
Look for their new CD coming in June! Hometown: Toronto, Canada Similar Artists: Ashley MacIsaac, Slainte Mhaith, Seven Nations, The Chieftains, The Wonderstuffs Website: Quagmyre Download MP3: "Seventy-Four" Buy CD: Mouth Full of Potatoes
Posted by Marc Gunn, Wednesday, April 20, 2005. New to Celtic MP3s Music Magazine? Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or sign up to get email updates. Find free Celtic music downloads from Marc Gunn! Celebration of Celts
Date: May 7, 2005
Location: Columbia County Fair Grounds (Chatham, NY) Gates open: 9am Opening ceremonies: 12pm The Celebration of Celts, now in its 3rd year of existence, is a day-long festival celebrating all of the Celtic nations. This festival has many fantastic Celtic groups performing, including Australia's premiere Celtic-fusion ensemble, Claymore, as well Enter the Haggis and many regional performers that are not to be missed. They also offer one of the most unique and exciting pipe band compeitions in the United States: "Piping Outside the Box," which consists of 30 minute shows by some fantastic bands incorporating non-standard instruments such as electric guitars and cellos, as well as dance and anything else they can think of! Besides the music, there is much historical information to be had here, vendors to check out, and contests to watch. This is certainly not a festival to be missed! For more information about the festival, please see their The Celebration of the Celts website. I hope to see some of you there! Celtic MP3s Music Magazine writer, Michelle Osborne, is a native to the central New York region. She plays both high and low whistles regularly with the Syracuse Irish session. Besides being heavily involved in Irish traditional music, she is also a classical clarinetist and composer. Labels: music_news_2005
Posted by Marc Gunn, Sunday, April 17, 2005. New to Celtic MP3s Music Magazine? Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or sign up to get email updates. Find free Celtic music downloads from Marc Gunn! "The Best of The Dubliners" by The Dubliners
by Brenda Stokes
Artist: The Dubliners Album: "The Best of The Dubliners" Year produced: 2003 After 40 years of playing fantastic traditional Irish music, The Dubliners released "The Best of The Dubliners" in 2003. This 3-CD set showcases the band's best hits and most memorable songs over the years.  The first CD in the set primarily contains drinking songs. If you want to invoke the pub ambiance, play some "Whiskey in the Jar," which is probably one of my favorite drinking songs ever. Other great selections from this disc include "Black Velvet Band," and "The Night Visiting Song." The Dubliners have a way of playing these classics like they were intended to be, full of excellent musicianship and rough around the edges vocals. Their voices and instrumentation make it sound as though these traditional songs are there's and there's alone.The second CD in this great collection includes classics like "Molly Malone," "Wild Rover," and "Finnegan's Wake." These are the kind of songs that you just can't help but sing along with. I particularly enjoyed, "Lord of the Dance," a nice ditty that has been adapted into theme song of the dance show by the same name. One of my all time favorites is included on this disc as well called, "Dublin in the Rare Oul' Times." Finally, the third disc is a nice compilation of The Dubliners' best rebel songs including "Salamanca Reel," a lively banjo-infused tune, and the melancholy and touching, "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda." Although not as fun as the other two CDs in the set, this disc completes the picture of Irish culture, providing songs reflecting both the good and the bad times. If you really want a collection that covers all of your bases with pub classics and sad love songs, pick up a copy of "The Best of The Dubliners." Fans of Irish music that like to get to the roots will definitely appreciate it. Celtic MP3s Music Magazine writer, Brenda Stokes is a freelance writer, former Irish Step-dancer and college student located in Southern California. She dreams in jigs and reels and is pursuing a degree in English with an emphasis in Irish studies. Her work has appeared in Woman This Month and N2arts and she can be reached at brenda@ph-x.com Labels: cd_review_2005
Posted by Marc Gunn, Saturday, April 16, 2005. New to Celtic MP3s Music Magazine? Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or sign up to get email updates. Find free Celtic music downloads from Marc Gunn! "The Children of Lir" by Patrick Cassidy
by Phil Hall
Artist: Patrick Cassidy Album: "The Children of Lir" Year produced: 1997 Celtic operas are not commonplace, and the closest one can come would be this off-beat foray into classical music. Patrick Cassidy tapped into one of Ireland's most unusual legends for this Irish-language oratorio. It is a story of love, jealousy, witchcraft, suffering and redemption through the grace of no less a figure than Saint Patrick himself. One would imagine there would be plenty of dramatic musical moments in such an offering.  But "The Children of Lir" is rather somnolent in its presentation and it rarely connects with its cultural roots. Cassidy seems to have distanced himself as much as possible from the Irish musical heritage here, as "The Children of Lir" sounds closer to Continental classical music than anything even vaguely Irish. If one came to the piece without knowing its origins or recognizing its language, it would be easy to confuse it with a minor work of German or Italian classical music rather than a modern Irish composition. The occasional wail of pipes in several of the arias gives a clue of the composition's ethnic origins, but they sound strangely out of place.Less forgivable is the inability of "The Children of Lir" to come to life as a musical reflection of its amazing story. It's not every day that one encounters a tale of a widower king who marries his sister-in-law, only to see her turn his four children into swans and doom them to live 900 years on hostile waters. Yet Cassidy's composition is so leisurely and emotion-free that the non-Irish speaker will have no clue what is going on, and those who know the story will wonder why it feels so bland. There is no passion anywhere in the piece -- it often feels as if the oratorio is being sung phonetically. "The Children of Lir" is a curio that never truly piques one's curiosity. Perhaps Cassidy or another composer can attempt to bring the Celtic experience into classical musical -- Lord knows Ireland is not lacking in stories worthy of grand opera! Celtic MP3s Music Magazine writer, Phil Hall is contributing editor for Film Threat, book editor for the New York Resident, author of "The Encyclopedia of Underground Movies" (MWP Books) and a proud child of Wales. Labels: cd_review_2005
Posted by Marc Gunn, Wednesday, April 13, 2005. New to Celtic MP3s Music Magazine? Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or sign up to get email updates. Find free Celtic music downloads from Marc Gunn! "When Kitty Eyes are Smiling (and other Celtic Cat Songs)" by Marc Gunn
by Michelle Osborne
Artist: The Dubliners' Tabby Cats Album: "When Kitty Eyes are Smiling (and other Celtic Cat Songs)" Year produced: 2005 I recently received a preview copy of Marc Gunn's "When Kitty Eyes are Smiling (and other Celtic Cat Songs)," a single that contains three songs (Furagone's Wake, When Kitty Eyes are Smiling, and Wild Kitty) that are a preview of his upcoming release of "Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers." This is an absolutely brilliant single and a great advertisement for the CD. The three songs are standard Irish drinking songs (who doesn't know Finnegan's Wake, When Irish Eyes are Smiling, and Wild Rover?) rewritten to be about cats...complete with meows, hissing, and a set of brilliantly funny lyrics.  Of course, it also contains Marc's fantastic voice, touched with a bit of laughter that's readily heard, as well as some wonderful guest meow-ers...erm...performers. Simply put, these songs are FUN and no one is more aware of that than Marc himself. If you don't find yourself giggling like mad through Wild Kitty, I'd be completely shocked. It's guaranteed to put you in a good mood and cause you to laugh out loud.For a limited time, "When Kitty Eyes are Smiling" is available for $3.95. The final CD is up for adoption in October 2005! You can find more information on this single and the upcoming release of Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers on the web at: cat drinking songs .com Celtic MP3s Music Magazine writer, Michelle Osborne, is a native to the central New York region. She plays both high and low whistles regularly with the Syracuse Irish session. Besides being heavily involved in Irish traditional music, she is also a classical clarinetist and composer. Labels: cd_review_2005
Posted by Marc Gunn, Wednesday, April 13, 2005. New to Celtic MP3s Music Magazine? Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or sign up to get email updates. Find free Celtic music downloads from Marc Gunn! Irish Music Comes Alive During New Show "CELTIC CRUSH" on Sirius Satellite Radio
Black 47's Larry Kirwan hosts mix of traditional and contemporary Celtic music
NEW YORK, NY (April 13, 2005) - Irish expatriate and singer/songwriter Larry Kirwan will host a new program of Irish music exclusively on SIRIUS Satellite Radio starting Saturday, April 16. The new weekly three-hour program, Celtic Crush, will feature a mix of traditional and contemporary music from the Celtic countries and England. It will be broadcast every Saturday from 12pm to 3 pm ET on SIRIUS, commercial-free music channel 99, Horizons. Wexford, Ireland-born host Larry Kirwan, who is the vocalist and guitarist for the New York-based Celtic-rock band Black 47, plans to dig into his private collection of Irish-themed music to play on Celtic Crush, and to be joined occasionally on the program by special guests. "Hosting a weekly show on SIRIUS is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to tell and play the unedited story of Celtic music - where it comes from, and, just as importantly, where it's going," said Kirwan. "Expect to hear everything from centuries-old Leitrim lilting to last night's Flogging Molly show." Black 47's seventh studio album, Elvis Murphy's Green Shoes, was released last month. The band has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and has been profiled by major magazines and newspapers. Independent of Black 47, Kirwan is a playwright with many produced works, and has published three books (Liverpool Fantasy, a novel about what would have happened if the Beatles hadn't become successful, Mad Angels, a collection of plays, and a memoir, Green Suede Shoes: An Irish American Odyssey). He is currently collaborating on a musical with Schindler's List author Tom Keneally. For more about SIRIUS Satellite Radio. # # # About SIRIUS SIRIUS delivers more than 120 channels of the best commercial-free music, compelling talk shows, news and information, and the most exciting sports programming to listeners across the country in digital quality sound. SIRIUS offers 65 channels of 100% commercial-free music, and features over 55 channels of sports, news, talk, entertainment, traffic and weather for a monthly subscription fee of only $12.95. SIRIUS also broadcasts live play-by-play games of the NFL and NBA, and is the Official Satellite Radio partner of the NFL. SIRIUS radios for the car, truck, home, RV and boat are manufactured by Alpine, Audiovox, Blaupunkt, Clarion, Delphi, Jensen, JVC, Kenwood, Pioneer, Sanyo and XACT Communications. Available in more than 25,000 retail locations, SIRIUS radios can be purchased at major retailers including Best Buy, Circuit City, Crutchfield, Office Depot, Sears, Target, Wal-Mart and RadioShack. SIRIUS is also available at heavy truck dealers and truck stops nationwide. SIRIUS radios are currently offered in vehicles from Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Infiniti, Jeep*, Lincoln-Mercury, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Nissan, Porsche, Volkswagen and Volvo. Hertz currently offers SIRIUS at 53 major locations around the country. Click on http://www.sirius.com to listen to SIRIUS live, or to find a SIRIUS retailer or car dealer in your area. >>> See and hear more about Larry Kirwan and Black 47s music See a Celtic Cafe feature and interview with Larry Kirwan Labels: music_news_2005
Posted by Marc Gunn, Wednesday, April 13, 2005. New to Celtic MP3s Music Magazine? Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or sign up to get email updates. Find free Celtic music downloads from Marc Gunn! "Jig Set (Haste to the Wedding/Kesh Jig/Morrison's Jig)" by Minstrosity
Minstrosity is a trio of talented troubadours that can be found performing at Renaissance Festivals, weddings, house concerts, and other events across the Midwest. The close-knit harmonies and multi-instrumental prowess of Josephine Thane, Wendy Zdrodowski, and John Wiseman combine to create a full sound that would be expected of a larger group. They perform a variety of traditional Celtic and folk music, along with original works, including "The Future Isn't What It Used To Be", which was awarded Honorable Mention in the 2003 John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
 Hometown: Chicago, Illinois, USASimilar Artists: Chad Mitchell Trio, Kingston Trio, Battlefield Band, the Moody Blues, Molly & the Tinker Website: Minstrosity Download MP3: "Jig Set (Haste to the Wedding/Kesh Jig/Morrison's Jig)" Buy CD: Why Am I Not Surprised?
Posted by Marc Gunn, Wednesday, April 06, 2005. New to Celtic MP3s Music Magazine? Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or sign up to get email updates. Find free Celtic music downloads from Marc Gunn! "Moving Cloud Fair-Haired Mary" by Cady Finlayson
Cady Finlayson plays spirited celtic fiddle with American folk and world percussion influences. The sizzling fiddle, powerful vocals and a driving rhythm section give the Cady Finlayson Band its' unique approach to Irish music. They're based in New York City, and their music includes lively jigs and reels, traditional ballads, and world music influences.
 Hometown: Brooklyn, New YorkSimilar Artists: Brian Conway, Andy McGann, Youssou N'Dour, Eileen Ivers, Natalie MacMaster, Ashley MacIsaac Website: Cady Finlayson Download MP3: "Moving Cloud Fair-Haired Mary" Buy CD: Harp and Shamrock
Posted by Marc Gunn, Wednesday, April 06, 2005. New to Celtic MP3s Music Magazine? Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or sign up to get email updates. Find free Celtic music downloads from Marc Gunn! |
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