After the enthusiastic celebration of hedonism that is Winter Carnival, many students might be turning to drier activities this week. For those wishing to enjoy the Guinness-free side of Irish culture, the Hopkins Center offers one option this Tuesday, when the powerhouse Celtic ensemble Altan takes the stage. They will be joined by Paul Brady, another popular musician hailing from the Emerald Isle.
Altan sprouted from the jam sessions and intimate performances of flutist Frankie Kennedy and singer/fiddler Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh. After a decade of flitting from ensemble to ensemble, the pair recorded a second album, "Altan," in 1987, and the accompanying band became the Altan music listeners know and love today.
The band includes Dermot Byrne on accordion, Ciaran Tourish on fiddle and whistles, Ciaran Curaan on bouzouki and Daithi Sproule on guitar. Each member is a virtuouso in his or her own right, creating an instrumental accompaniment that is always richly textured and expertly performed.
Sadly, Ni Mhaonaigh is the only surviving founder -- Kennedy succumbed to cancer in 1994. The band's success has continued without its leader and manager, however, and their latest releases have continued to garner accolades and climb the World Music charts. In 1996, the band signed wih Virgin Records and became the first traditional Irish band to sign to a major label. Massive popularity followed, including successful international tours, one of which stopped in Hanover in 2001.
Altan's repertoire focuses on the music of Northern Ireland, which is characterized by dynamic two-fiddle and accordion melodies. Ni Mhoanaigh is one of the leading exponents of Donegal fiddle music, which was an obscure subgenre of traditional Irish folk music before the band's widespread popularity.
Brady spans genres a little more deftly than Altan, having started his musical career in a series of R&B and soul cover bands. During the revival of interest in traditional Irish bands -- a wave that generated bands like The Clancy Brothers and The Dubliners -- Brady quit college and joined The Johnstons, then joined Planxty the next decade. As a singer/songwriter, Brady gained even greater fame as one of Ireland's best interpreters of traditional song, according to the upcoming show's playbill. His first solo album, "Welcome Here Kind Stranger," won Melody Maker Folk Album of the Year in 1978.
Throughout Brady's solo career, Irish inflection has weaved in and out of his music, inciting the Wall Street Journal to comment, "Paul Brady is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of rare gifts, an artist who has made an indelible impression in both traditional and pop-rock genres." He has collaborated with or even been covered by such artists as Art Garfunkel, Phil Collins, Bonnie Raitt, Carole King and Santana. One single, "The Long Goodbye," topped BBC Radio's "A-List" and, as a cover by Brooks & Dunn, reached number one on the Billboard Country Charts.
Brady has been met with equal success performing live. Five years ago, he completed a record-breaking run at Dublin's premier performance venue, Vicar Street. After over 30 years of making and playing music, Brady still brings energy and nuance to his performances. This is his first time playing at the Hop.
Irish music has its roots in lively pub settings and friendly gatherings, not staid concert halls. Indeed, in "the spirit of spontaneity," the playbill writes, "all songs will be announced from the stage." The excitement and freewheeling joy inherent in Celtic music will only be enhanced by the unmatched skill that both Altan and Paul Brady bring to the stage. The combination should not be missed by fans of any music.
