|
Post by Richard on Oct 6, 2006 7:48:15 GMT
Hello Joe and everybody! There is an article in today's Cape Breton Post. It focuses on Natalie MacMaster, so I won't post a full transcript, but there is a brief mention of Hayley that gets her home country correct. The full article can be read here: www.capebretonpost.com/index.cfm?sid=695&sc=1If anybody from the Forum is going to see Hayley tonight, I hope you have a good time, and I'm looking forward to reading the reports. Best Wishes from London, Richard
|
|
Joe
Administrator
Supporting Hayley since 2003!
Posts: 6,699
|
Post by Joe on Oct 7, 2006 16:35:05 GMT
Hi all..
Hayley WAS in Cape Breton...
Here's a quote from tomtom of the Celtic Colours Community Forum! So Hayley performed "Ave Maria," "Pokekarekare Ana", "The Island" (I'll post the lyrics), "Both Sides Now" plus whatever had to be filmed twice.
Cheers all, Joe
|
|
Joe
Administrator
Supporting Hayley since 2003!
Posts: 6,699
|
Post by Joe on Oct 7, 2006 16:52:05 GMT
Hi all,
"The Island" is the un-official anthem of Cape Breton. Here are the lyrics:
The Island (Kenzie MacNeil) © 1997 Kenzie MacNeil (SOCAN)
Over an ocean and over a sea, beyond these great waters, oh what do I see? I see the great mountains climb from the coastline. The hills of Cape Breton, this new home of mine.
Oh they come from the countries all over the world to hack at the forest, to plow the land down. Fishermen, farmers and sailors all come to clear for the future this pioneer ground.
Chorus: We are an island, a rock in a stream. We are a people as proud as there's been. In soft summer breeze or in wild winter winds, the home of our hearts, Cape Breton.
Over the rooftops and over the trees, within these new townships, oh what do I see? I see the black pitheads; the coal-wheels are turning, the smokestacks are belching and the blast furnace burning.
Oh the sweat on the back is no joy to behold in the heat of the steel plant or mining the coal. And the foreign-owned companies force us to fight for our survival and for our rights.
Chorus
Over the highways and over the roads. over the causeway, stories are told. They tell of the coming and the going away the cities of America draw me away.
Ah the companies come, the companies go and the ways of the world we may never know. We'll follow the footsteps of those on their way and we'll ask for the right to leave or to stay.
Chorus 2X
|
|
|
Post by nealwsyrette on Oct 7, 2006 20:24:01 GMT
That would have been quite the show... I had the priviledge of seeing Natalie McMaster live a few years back (it was an Alexander Kieths party, in Oct as well lol) in Halifax, Nova Scotia and I was quite impressed by her talent with the fiddle...
|
|
|
Post by postscript on Oct 8, 2006 11:37:30 GMT
Hi all.. Hayley WAS in Cape Breton... Here's a quote from tomtom of the Celtic Colours Community Forum! So Hayley performed "Ave Maria," "Pokekarekare Ana", "The Island" (I'll post the lyrics), "Both Sides Now" plus whatever had to be filmed twice. Cheers all, Joe Joe, you really had a great event. I'm so pleased for you. That is the sort of experience we in the UK (London orientated) can share with you. I'm so glad someone further away had a chance to enjoy Hayley the way we are so lucky to do here. Peter S.
|
|
Dave
Administrator
HWI Admin
Posts: 7,688
|
Post by Dave on Oct 8, 2006 12:49:50 GMT
Hi Joe, thanks for that report from the Celtic Colours forum, it was nice to get some reporting from one of the fans, who so often tell us the "extra bits" that the newspapers and other media leave out... and it sounds like Hayley did well and enjoyed herself! Meanwhile, there is now a full report on the concert at the Chronicle-Herald Halifax, thanks to the ever-alert Google Alerts including a paragraph about Hayley. I think it's intereresting enough to quote the entire report so here it is! I wish I'd been there! Cheers, Dave
|
|
|
Post by roger on Oct 8, 2006 13:27:45 GMT
Hi Joe,
Thank you for supplying the lyric to 'The Island' even though the reason why it seemed familiar has been bugging me ever since! In my mind, I could hear a young girl's voice singing it but I couldn't remember whose. Now I know. I have it by Aselin Debison and realise what a wonderful finale it must have made at Cape Breton on Friday.
Roger
|
|
|
Post by graemek on Oct 9, 2006 6:57:50 GMT
Hi Everyone, Here's another quote from tomtom from Celtic Festival forum: Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:56 am Quote • • Top • •
Addressed to HWI moderator -Joe -
Yes, you can certainly use my comments. Hayley may have done two Maori language songs, but we're three concerts into CC and the memory is starting to fog. I know I've heard those songs before, both in NZ and perhaps by Kiri. Anyway, Hayley is terminally cute, and a delight to both the ear and the eye. _________________ Tom and Gail in Colorado
Sounds like a Westenwowing....Graemek
|
|
Joe
Administrator
Supporting Hayley since 2003!
Posts: 6,699
|
Post by Joe on Oct 10, 2006 2:40:42 GMT
Hi all,
I can now confirm that Hayley did sing two Maori songs at CC. Hine e Hine was sung as part of the concert finale.
The moderator of the Celtic Colours Community forum, George Seto, has written a complete report of the performance Hayley took part in.
report by George Seto
The first show that I attended (at Celtic Colours) was the fantastic Natalie Brings the World Home. Featuring international stars such as Bela Fleck, Carlos Nunez and Hayley Westernra, it promised great sounds for all. There was a hitch, however. There was a PBS show riding on it as well. They had cameras here there and everywhere.
This didn’t affect the performances in general. The musicianship was absolutely wonderful. The show started with Max and Joella (creators of Celtic Colours) welcoming everyone to the tenth anniversary of Celtic Colours. Especially welcomed were distinguished guests and dignitaries. Among those guests were a number of politicians, including our Premier, Rodney MacDonald. He gave his welcomes and also delivered a short but heartfelt tribute to Max MacDonald and Joella Foulds. I know that many in the audience had not met either before.
After that Natalie came right on stage and started right in. She began with a high energy tune set. As she finished, hellos were delivered in English, Gaelic and French. Then she promptly went off stage. However she came right back with taps on her feet and proceeded to give a demonstration of a bit of her very able stepdancing capabilities. Obviously all the touring, marriage and a baby hasn’t hampered Natalie at all in her abilities. She and the percussionist had a right nice little set there feeding on each other’s rhythms. It really wowed the audience, some of whom obviously were very impressed. The routine included stepdance as well as jazz tapdancing as well.
When she returned to the stage after changing shoes again, her comment was, “When I was back there, they were wiping the sweat off me, I said it was good to sweat!” Again, she engaged the audience with some delightful fiddle tune sets. As she was acknowledging the tradition and family that connects her with the music. She got some seats out and jammed on stage with the band and got down to “a blast of tunes”, some strathspeys and reels in G.
After those great tunes she talked about being on the road and the feeling of returning home over the Causeway. It also led to reminiscences of her wedding, and then into the tune, Blue Bonnets Over the Water. Along with her band, she had Wendy Sullivan of Toronto, her cello player and Bob Quinn, a songwriter who happens to be her cousin’s husband, on keyboards join her on this piece.
Next she introduced the amazing Bela Fleck to the audience who had been anticipating his appearance on stage. Giving up the stage to Bela, she disappeared while Bela took to the stage and impressed the heck out of the audience members who didn’t know his work! The light delicate fingerings on the banjo kept the people awestruck as Bela Fleck went through a 7.5 minute medley of tunes showing his virtuosity in styles of music which most had never heard or imagined on the banjo! Of course, the finishing touch was the Ballad of Jed Clampett which I’m not sure most of the audience really got until pretty far into the tune. It did have a different feel, but wasn’t unrecognizable. However by the resounding applause it wasn’t unappreciated!
Next Natalie joined Bela for some traditional Cape Breton tunes. Unfortunately by the end of the nearly 5 minute set, we couldn’t hear the banjo for all the rest of the instrumentation. Bela didn’t speak that I recall during the evening, but had a quiet smile on his face through the night.
After this was finished, Natalie had to fill time while the PBS technicians got things arranged for the next bit. She relayed information about some of the other Celtic Colours venues and Square Dances in the area. When things got ready, she talked about her husband, Donell Leahy and their courtship, how they dated for 2 years and broke up for 10, then got hitched.
This was a great intro to Donell stepping onto the stage and joining her on a tune titled The Anniversary Waltz. An appropriate tune as the couple was celebrating their anniversary that week. Of course what would such an auspicious occasion be without the mothers-in-law making an appearance. To remind everyone just what they could expect from a merging of such bloodlines, the mothers took centre stage and did a step-dance routine as their famous children played for them. Donell explained how even though his wife is a Caper, his mother is a Caper, his daughter is three-quarters Cape Bretoner, he will always NOT be a Caper! Just another wannabe Caper! Lots of those out there. He then went on to tell HIS side of their original meeting and went on to relate how their parents had known each other in THEIR youth! This was a brilliant segue into having the mothers come out and strut their stuff. Again, the families suitable impressed all the visitors!
After a few minutes of setup, Hayley Westenra was brought out and she sang a beautiful rendition of Ave Maria. Following this, the beautiful Ms Westenra sang a lovely version of Both Sides Now where she was joined by Natalie and Bela Fleck. Next the closer for the first half of the evening started with introducing the band, Brad Davidge, Matt MacIsaac, Mac Morin, Nish? Julio? And Shane Hendrikson. The Pretty Mary group of tunes finished off this first set at about 10PM.
After the intermission, Natalie started off this segment with a slower but still energetic set of tunes, not quite trad but quite nice on its own merits. Next she went into some Texas Swing tunes. Both of these are on her new CD which is just now coming available.
Then she introduced the ever energetic Carlos Nunez. His Galacian pipes sound so hauntingly mystic, that the moods Carlos creates infects everyone within earshot with images and feelings that you never imagined previously. Backed up by his bouzuki player, he went onto very high energy sets of tunes which sound Spanish yet Celtic at the same time without feeling a dichotomy in the experience. The tunes turn into familiar Celtic tunes right enough, so they remain in people’s conscience when he’s finished.
His music can run the gamut of emotions, but his main feeling is one of happiness and dancing feet and clapping hands as everyone is invited to join in on the fun he is having up on the stage. And, not surprisingly, people do. However, it didn’t happen this time.
After two tunes, he invites Natalie and Bela Fleck to join him in a traditional Galacian tune. This goes over well with the audience. Bela Fleck was highlighted next with a set of tunes that Bela Fleck put together for Natalie’s Blueprint CD.
After reminding people of the Festival Club, Hayley Westenra comes back out to do a marvelous song in an unknown language, perhaps Maori or Italian. She obviously has classical operatic training, but has come into her voice as a young woman. It seems she can sing both pop and classical pieces with equal skill AND uses that skill to sing native New Zealand songs as well. Her next song was a short Maori piece. Donell comes out to do a couple of pieces which has a Gypsy feeling to them then merging them into what sounds like Yiddish fiddle tunes. This was followed by a small jam session which they named Madness. Well received was Matt MacIsaac doing a whistle piece at the fantastic rate of 10 miles a minute! Wow! Great work Matt! As well, the highlight of this grouping was when Hayley sang a couple of verses of Kenzie MacNeil’s Cape Breton Anthem, The Island. A number of audience members also joined in on the chorus in the last two choruses. It led to a standing ovation both for her as well as the rest of the group on-stage. Once more there was a pause while a major setup on the stage happened as Natalie talked. This time the theme was family and sharing, especially of tunes. This was a fabulous way to introduce Buddy MacMaster to the stage. As the two beloved musicians blended their bows together, a large group of the Cape Breton Fiddlers Association took their places on the stage. Eventually there must have been over a hundred fiddlers on stage, ranging in age from 10 and on into the 80s or older. Brought a tear to my eye seeing the up and coming generations have nothing to fear that the music in the hills of Cape Breton will lose the traditional fiddle component of the sounds. Our next generation is secure!
The final set of tunes came together when all the musicians gathered onstage once again. While the setup was going on, Natalie in her usual way thanked everyone from the sound people through the stage crew and down to the volunteers behind the scenes and onto the ticket sales people. The finale actually started with an acapella Maori song by Hayley Westenra and proceeded to get “dirty” with a great set of high energy tunes to enable everyone to dance to their cars.
|
|
|
Post by graemek on Oct 10, 2006 3:12:29 GMT
Well done & Thanks Joe. You just beat me to it. Very good revue from George! Graemek
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Oct 10, 2006 8:17:07 GMT
Many thanks Joe and George! That was a wonderful review, and it sounds as though it was a fantastic concert. When the show is broadcast on PBS, I hope they include Hayley's performance, and perhaps somebody can record it for HWI! Best Wishes from London, Richard
|
|
|
Post by postscript on Oct 10, 2006 12:49:35 GMT
Wow! Thank you Joe for that contribution from Cape Breton. Sounds like a superb concert.
Peter S.
|
|
|
Post by Lothar on Oct 11, 2006 19:50:32 GMT
Hi Joe, Dave and graemek,
many thanks for your reports.
Greetings, Lothar
|
|
Joe
Administrator
Supporting Hayley since 2003!
Posts: 6,699
|
Post by Joe on Oct 15, 2006 4:56:10 GMT
Hi all, It is customary for the Celtic Colours Festival to produce a compilation CD of twenty or so performances from each years' festival. Here's a LINK to view the past 6 compilation CD's...they look so beautiful! It's quite possible that Hayley will appear on this year's compilation. If this turns out to be true, then info will be reported in the 'other albums' board here on HWI. I'll find out more about this soon. Cheers, Joe
|
|
|
Post by graemek on Oct 15, 2006 12:05:07 GMT
Joe I would be extremely keen to buy one of those Celtic Festival CD's. I'd love to hear Hayley sing that rebel type song 'The Island'. She'd make it sound like a hymn I would think!! Then again she might not !! Are they available to people outside Canada & the US?? While I'm on the subject is there a photo gallery made of those performances?? Graemek.
|
|