Music and the unexpected

Whether you look first for patterns or for things that break a pattern, you will often find things you do not expect. Perhaps a happy surprise, perhaps a difficult one, perhaps something that is disconcerting, or maybe, joyous. Musicians consider all these things in their work, of course, and there are ways music both fits and breaks pattern, too.

While working at a classical music radio station, I was once asked to play an album by a composer whose work consisted of calling out Pythagorean theorems while playing notes and chords on the piano which he derived from these. That’s one way of thinking about the unexpected and, I’d imagine, creating unexpected experiences for those who heard his work.

His approach wouldn’t be mine. I would, however, suggest these pieces to accompany you on journeys expected and unexpected


Irish guitarist John Doyle has a lively tune called Expect the Unexpected on his album Wayward Son

Americana songwriter Carrie Newcomer looks at unexpected change from varied and at times subtle viewpoints on her album Before & After

A love song that is also a song about daybreak, and about change, Amanacer, from Mexican American songwriter Tish Hinojosa. I first heard it on her album Taos to Tennessee


The unexpected hearts on the brick wall in the photograph caught my imagination one day in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

you may also wish to see

Delicious Baby's Photo Friday, where travelers offer new insights to the world each Friday.

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Boston Celtic Music Festival on the way

January in Boston is usually a time when the weather is unpredictable, maybe cold, might snow, a time that draws people to think of staying indoors. That plays a part in why the Boston Celtic Music Festival takes place then.

Festival founders Shannon Heaton and Laura Cortese are professional musicians, so they know that touring musicians are often off the road during the depths of winter. Thinking about that, they also saw a chance to create a festival that would bring together musicians of varied Celtic backgrounds who work in and around Boston. In addition to the widely known Irish music community, there are many top players and singers with ties to Cape Breton, Scotland, and other Celtic lands.

It was an inspired idea. The festival, which takes place this year on January 7th and 8th, is going into its eighth season. Over the years, the family friendly event has focused on varied themes, from music featuring Boston to rising young players. This year, Heaton and Cortese, who still serve on the board of the artist run festival, say that events will highlight the connections between players and singers, melody and words. “In our experience, we’ve found the fiddlers, flutists, accordionists and other musicians love hearing good singers and songs – just as singers appreciate musicians who excel at showing their love of the instrumental tradition” says Cortese. “So BCMFest’s point of view is, why separate tunes and songs? Let’s get everyone together and enjoy the whole spectrum of Celtic music.”





That idea will play out over an opening concert Friday night featuring Long Time Courting, a four woman group which is known equally for fine singing and strong instrumental chops on cello, flute, guitar, and fiddle. That will take place at Club Passim in Harvard Square. Over in Watertown, the Boston Urban Ceilidh will rock the Canadian American Club with likely some of the highest energy and most fun dancing you’ve come across, fueled by music from Cortese, Hanneke Cassel, Kimberley Fraser, and others.

On Saturday, DayFest Stages at Passim and at First Parish Church will include a range of concerts and sessions. Power Ballads, Celtic Style, will be one of the events planned around a theme. Lissa Schneckenburger, Bethany Waickman, and other will be part of Lift Every Voice, the Royal Scottish Dance Company of Boston will take the Sanctuary Stage at First Parish, and Shannon Heaton will present tunes from her album The Blue Dress. At present, about twenty events will take place during DayFest . Further concerts and performers may be added as schedules unfold

The festival will conclude, as has become its tradition, with a concert in the sanctuary of First Parish Church. The members of Halali -- Laura Cortese, Lissa Schneckenburger, Flynn Cohen, and Hanneke Cassel -- will perform, along with a range of special guests yet to be announced.

The Boston Celtic Music Festival lights up winter in New England. Go, if you at all can. More information about tickets, schedules, and performers may be had at the festival’s web site, bcmfest.com


you may also wish to see

The Boston Celtic Music Festival: a look back
Hanneke Cassel: For Reasons Unseen
Another Fine Winter's Night: Matt & Shannon Heaton
Music Road: Best Music, 2010

Music and quiet

Thanksgiving and the first Sunday in Advent: both times for reflection and quiet, I think, in the midst of many things which may distract from that.


For me, silence is always a part of that reflection and quiet too, as is good conversation. And part of both of those is music.

Music to go along with these ideas

Music Road: Best Music, 2010
Music Road: Another Fine Winter's Night: Matt & Shannon Heaton
Music Road: autumn music: preparation and presence
Music Road: late summer: two for the road







you may also wish to see
Delicious Baby's Photo Friday, where travelers offer new insights to the world each Friday

-->Your support for Music Road is welcome and needed. If you are able to chip in, here is a way to do that, through PayPal. Note that you do not have to have a PayPal account to do this. Thank you.

Boston Celtic Music Festival on the way

Ireland, Scotland, Cape Breton -- the Boston area has long been a place where these Celtic traditions not only flourish on their own but meet each other. All that is celebrated in the Boston Celtic Music Festival, coming up this year on January 8 and 9. Two events on the Friday kick things off, a concert at the historic Club Passim in Harvard Square, and the Boston Urban Ceilidh, a sort of Celtic dance meets mosh pit high energy fling that’s become a legendary evening of fun, held this year at Springstep in Medford Square. The ceilidh will still be going when the concert’s done, so no need to choose if you’d like to check out both. The festival continues on January 9 with day time performances and workshops at four stages located in Club Passim and at nearby First Church of Cambridge. First Church will also host the BCMFest Finale Concert on Saturday night, which will include performances by Irish singers and players the Makem and Spain Brothers and Cape Breton fiddler Kimberley Fraser.

Over its six year history, BCMFest has emphasized differing themes, ranging from music about the Boston area to Celtic dance to rising young musicians. This year, core traditions is the central idea. In keeping with that, at the Boston Urban Ceilidh one of acts will be a special one-of-its-kind ensemble that will recreate the classic Dudley Street Boston Irish Dance Hall Era from the 1930s to 1950s -- and you can also expect Scottish fiddle meets rock from Laura Cortese and friends. Both of those, in a way, are quite in keeping with the core tradtions of how Celtic music grows and changes.

During the Day Fest on Saturday, there will be plenty of opportunity to participate, with Irish and Scottish music sessions, a performer makeover session for artists seeking advice, and several singing sessions. At these sessions and at workshops and at the concerts, you will hear many fine performers including guitarist Flynn Cohen, the trio Triptych which includes fiddler Laura Risk, bodhran player Paddy League, and dancer Kieran Jordan, Adirondack style fiddle player Cedar Stanistreet, Irish singer Bridget Fitzgerald as part of the recently formed group Bento Boxty, and Cape Breton style band Tri.

BCMFest sprang from a conversation between fiddler Cortese and flute player Shannon Heaton. "During its first six years, BCMFest has reached out to the area's Celtic music community, through the festival as well as events during the year, such as the monthly Celtic Music Monday series at Club Passim and our annual music cruise in Gloucester,” Heaton says of the artist run festival. “Every year we've seen more and more musicians, singers and dancers come up with great ideas and collaborations.” Every year, too, the festival has seen growing audiences and increased appreciation for the music and traditions the artists share.

There’s more information about schedules, tickets, directions to venues, and performers at the festival's web site.

you may also wish to see
Another Fine Winter's Night: Matt & Shannon Heaton

Boston Celtic Music Festival on the way

The Boston Celtic Music Festival, 2008

Another Fine Winter's Night: Matt & Shannon Heaton

Music from the 12th century to the 21st filled the air as Matt and Shannon Heaton brought their mix of new and traditional holiday music to Club Passim in Cambridge, Massachusetts last week. Opening with the familiar carol It Came Upon the Midnight Clear and closing with a set that mixed Irish music and Elvis, it was a seasonal celebration well enjoyed by performers and audience alike.









The pair offered music from their holiday album Fine Winter’s Night, including the title track, an original by Shannon which invited thinking about the meditative quality of the season. First Snowfall of December is a song Matt wrote, painting a picture of a Christmas encounter in Boston in an earlier time. There were jigs and reels as well, including a set enlivened by the addition of dancer Nick Gariess. The gentle Julius the Christmas Cat paid tribute to an often unsung Christmas hero, while Fisherman’s Lullaby was an uplifting song of hope mixing African American and Irish traditions. The Wexford Carol reaches across time to Ireland in the twelfth century. Scottish songwriter Emily Smith’s Winter Song paired with an instrumental take on In the Bleak Midwinter proved a fine addition to this year’s concert. Then there was the Elvis connection -- Blue Christmas reinvented --as a lively closer



A fine winter’s night indeed. The Heatons are home from their holiday concert tour now, but if you couldn’t make one of the shows, there’s still the recording. It’s one of those seasonal albums that holds resonance long beyond the holiday, too.

more about the album here
Music Road: Matt & Shannon Heaton: Fine Winter's Night



and here is a video of another new song added this year, Matt's Christmas Eve with You which you will find on Matt's children's album Snow Day



you may also want to see

Music Road: third week in advent

Music Road: 6 of the best Christmas Songs

Music Road: Shannon Heaton: Oil for the Chain

-->Your support for Music Road is welcome and needed. If you are able to chip in, here is a way to do that, through PayPal. Note that you do not have to have a PayPal account to do this. Thank you.