Barra Macneils new CD includes an impressive guest list

Imentioned a couple of months ago that The Barra MacNeils had another CD on the way. Recorded at Soundpark Studio during the 2011 Celtic Colours International Festival, it’s called “The Celtic Colours Sessions” and has an impressive guest list that includes local performers as well as singers and instrumentalists from Scotland, Ireland, the United States and other parts of Canada.

There are 10 cuts in all, including instrumentals from Tim Edey and Bruce Molsky. There are several lovely Gaelic songs that highlight the vocals of Catherine-Anne MacPhee and Fiona and Ciarán MacGillivray, a French number that features Ronald Bourgeois and English vocals from Old Man Luedecke, Ron Hynes, Archie Fisher and James Keelaghan, Matt Minglewood and the Black Family.

Many of these musicians are old friends, having shared the stage with the Barras often over the years. Some, like the MacGillivrays and Minglewood, are practically neighbours. However, this is the first time they have recorded with any of them, but they were all in the area for Celtic Colours so what better time to make it happen.

Every cut is excellent but there are three that shine for me: Ron Hynes doing “Gone To Canada,” one of his own compositions; Archie Fisher and James Keelaghan’s wonderfully soulful version of Ed Pickford’s “Strange Lover Is A Coalmine;” and the rollicking, electrified version of the traditional “As I Roved Out” with Minglewood. The rest are equally as good but these are the ones that grabbed my attention.

This is a wonderful CD, very enjoyable and clearly a lot of fun for the Barras. This will be very popular as a Christmas gift this year and will certainly sell well on the Barras current 31 stop cross-Canada Christmas tour. Wednesday they were in Trail, B.C. and Friday they’ll be in Calgary. They are back in Cape Breton for shows in Port Hawkesbury on Dec. 21 and at the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay on Dec. 22 before finishing their tour in Halifax the following night.

Anyone who has been to Cheticamp has passed Charlie’s Music Store. This was a mecca for Celtic and country music fans trying to find the latest music. The founder of the business, Charlie Joe Larade, passed away last week. I had dealt with him many times over the years, both as a customer and as an artist’s representative trying to sell some music. He was a wonderful person to work with, very knowledgeable and always willing to chat. He will truly be missed. Sympathies go out to his wife, his extended family and his many friends.

Last week also saw the passing of Martin Fay, the original fiddler with the Chieftains. I met him several times and he was a quiet, rather unassuming man who was a delight to chat with and interview. He may have been classically trained but he had a real ear for traditional music and was quite involved with arranging the group’s music before he retired in 2002.

Last Saturday Howie MacDonald and Hilda Chiasson played for a dance at the Cedars Club. There was a lively crowd and the musicians were right in form to play. Saturday, Shelly Campbell and friends are playing at the same location.

Let’s Get Into The Christmas Spirit, a concert of Christmas music with The Burke Family and Friends, takes place at St. Leonard Church, New Waterford on Sunday afternoon and that evening Westmount United Church is hosting Moving Into Christmas, a concert featuring the Cape Breton Chordsmen and Godsent. Godsent’s new Christmas EP should be available at the show.

The Christmas dinner theatre season is upon us. The shows at the casino and at the Savoy both start Friday evening with the show at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre starting Dec. 9.

Jimmy Rankin is at Membertou on Tuesday while The Stadacona Band is there Nov. 30. Peter Gillis is in concert at the Savoy on Dec. 4 for a Cape Breton Tenor Christmas while Bette MacDonald, Maynard Morrison and Ralph Dillon bring Tis The Season 6 to the stage Dec. 13-14.

The Louisbourg Playhouse has several Christmas events coming up including their heritage Christmas concert Dec. 7 and A Lyrics & Laughter Christmas returns for four shows starting Dec. 14.

And Sam Moon will be performing at the Cedars Club on Boxing Day starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at The Cape Breton Curiosity Shop.