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Loreena Mckennitt - Any Fans???


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I discovered Loreen's fantastic music about 10 -12 years ago.

She epitomizes everything I love about female vocalists and what a great song writer too.

Here's a fantastic clip from "The Visit" which brings a tear to my eye when I crank this up on a good system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qQHlWkSM_o

And The Mummer's Dance

If you ever get a chance to see her fantastic live show at the Alhombra in Spain, it is certainly worth it. I think the DVD is still available

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Yes - I have about 1/2 of her catalogue. Its hard to pick between her Celtic inspired songs and the Mediterranean/Arab influenced ones. I think 'The Book of Secrets' is my fav since that is the one I seem to play the most.

I first came across her as a guest artist on a 'The Chieftains' album 'Tears of Stone' but of course she was well known before that.

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Went and had a look at her Quinlan Road website.

Looks like all but one of her albums are available for FLAC dowload for less than aus$10 each. Most albums have been remastered (especially earliest albums) by her long-time musical collaborator Brian Hughes.

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I've listened to a couple of her albums, and do have one in my collection (can't think of the title at the moment). I like a lot of female singers, and her voice is ok, but for some reason her music doesn't do it for me. I'm not sure why.

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I think her music is simply wonderful and I have several albums (CD). Recordings are usually very good too which makes listening a double pleasure :) in a similar vein I also enjoy a Celtic group called Clannid - great female vocalist too.

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a Celtic group called Clannid - great female vocalist too.

Moya Brennan (aka Máire Ní Bhraonáin in Gaelic) - Enya's older sister. Clannad is a real family affair with 2 brothers and 2 uncles in the group too. Maybe even a younger sister too.

Edited by aechmea
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I think her music is simply wonderful and I have several albums (CD). Recordings are usually very good too which makes listening a double pleasure :) in a similar vein I also enjoy a Celtic group called Clannid - great female vocalist too.

I only liked Clannad in their early days. Their first two or three albums were fairly traditional, and have some good vocal harmonies. Unfortunately, since then they have strayed a long way from their celtic roots and become far too electronic and synthy for my tastes. These days they just sound over-processed to my ears, sort of like Enya (who also appeared on an earlier Clannad album, by the way).

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I must have only heard their earlier recordings - and yes "Clannad"

As I type this on my iPad I'm listening to Loreena McKennitt (The Book of Secrets) through my new Zu Essence speakers - sensational :)

Edited by desap0
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I've listened to a couple of her albums, and do have one in my collection (can't think of the title at the moment). I like a lot of female singers, and her voice is ok, but for some reason her music doesn't do it for me. I'm not sure why.

That really surprises me EM as I would have thought her music would tick all the boxes for you.

She's a real favourite around here, as is Enya / Moire / Clannad / Lunassa / Dan Ar Bras / Malicorne / Runrig / KiLa / 5 Hand Reel / Gwendal / Tempest Tri Yann / Iona / October Project / Gaelic Storm / The Corrs / Silly Wizard / Solas / Planxty / The Bothy Band / The Chieftains / Wolfstone / Steeleye Span / Dave Bainbridge and so many others

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That really surprises me EM as I would have thought her music would tick all the boxes for you.

She's a real favourite around here, as is Enya / Moire / Clannad / Lunassa / Dan Ar Bras / Malicorne / Runrig / KiLa / 5 Hand Reel / Gwendal / Tempest Tri Yann / Iona / October Project / Gaelic Storm / The Corrs / Silly Wizard / Solas / Planxty / The Bothy Band / The Chieftains / Wolfstone / Steeleye Span / Dave Bainbridge and so many others

Sometimes I think its hard to pin down why we like or dislike something, but I am prepared to give her another listen.

A number of the names you mention are favourites of mine (notably Lunasa, Solas, Planxty, The Bothy Band, Steeleye Span and The Chieftains). Some others that I like in the celtic vein are Altan, Danu, Julie Fowlis, Kathryn Tickell, John McCusker, etc...

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Sometimes I think its hard to pin down why we like or dislike something, but I am prepared to give her another listen.

A number of the names you mention are favourites of mine (notably Lunasa, Solas, Planxty, The Bothy Band, Steeleye Span and The Chieftains). Some others that I like in the celtic vein are Altan, Danu, Julie Fowlis, Kathryn Tickell, John McCusker, etc...

I have a heap of Altan and some Danu but don't know the rest sorry EM.

What about Magna Carta - although they're more traditional English folk.

Here's a few clips:

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Have all the albums...........sadly only her latest album is available on vinyl.

Saw her concert at the Norwood Town Hall in the mid '90s.......fantastic live performance.

cheers

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My wife and I listened to her albums all through the 90's. We only found one other couple that liked her in all this time , despite the music being our sound track for all dinner parties for more than 10 years. Just could not get anyone else interested. Good to see some other discerning listeners out there. Picked up the live album "Nights at the Alhambra" with included DVD for $12.00 in a JB Hi Fi clearance bin not long after it came out. Her output has been pretty scant the last 10 years which is a shame. Very classy music that can withstand lots of repeated listening. We also have some of the others mentioned here but Loreena's music is the one we keep returning to.

I rate her voice right up there with Maddy Prior of Steeleye Span in the early years . Somehow those voices more than anything else makes their music timeless.

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I have a heap of Altan and some Danu but don't know the rest sorry EM.

What about Magna Carta - although they're more traditional English folk.

I'm aware of Magna Carta, but haven't heard them. (can't view the clips at the moment, will do so later)

I have pretty much all of Altan's recordings. I'm actually not all that keen on Mairead's voice, but I do like their playing.

I also have all of Danu's CDs, but I prefer their later recordings with Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh (whew, Irish names!) as lead singer. Her solo album is worth checking out.

Also have a few Dervish CDs (another good Irish band), with Cathy Jordan as lead singer. She has quite a distinctive voice, and has just released her first solo album. I quite like it.

As for the other names:-

Julie Fowlis is a young Scottish singer, who sings in Scottish Gaelic. She is married to a member of Danu, and has also recorded a CD with Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh (there are connections all over the place).

Kathryn Tickell is from the Scottish/English border area and plays Northumbrian pipes, and the fiddle sometimes. I have a few of her CDs, but really like the one simply titled "Instrumental".

John McCusker is a Scottish fiddle player, who was married to Yorkshire singer Kate Rusby (another female singer I really like). He has also done a terrific album with Kris Drever and Roddy Woomble called "Before The Ruin".

There are many more I could mention, but I'll stop there...... getting a bit too far off-topic, I think.

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Not sure if I count as a fan with just one of her albums (book of secrets) but she makes beautiful music. When I hear the Mummer's Dance I see a belly dancer, even though it's meant to be Celtic music! It's one of my reference tracks that I've played way too many times. The last track on that album is hauntingly beautiful ... I think it's called "I will remember." It makes me think of a funeral in some windswept coastal place and you can almost imagine someone lingering there around their loved ones before floating away. To me there is something very rich and soulful about that track. It's inspired moments that remind me how there are those who won't be around forever.

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Not sure if I count as a fan with just one of her albums (book of secrets) but she makes beautiful music. When I hear the Mummer's Dance I see a belly dancer, even though it's meant to be Celtic music! It's one of my reference tracks that I've played way too many times. The last track on that album is hauntingly beautiful ... I think it's called "I will remember." It makes me think of a funeral in some windswept coastal place and you can almost imagine someone lingering there around their loved ones before floating away. To me there is something very rich and soulful about that track. It's inspired moments that remind me how there are those who won't be around forever.

Paul, this is something very close to my heart for a number of reasons. 10 years ago my daughter died in a car accident and her funeral was the saddest place on earth that day. I had prepared a series of very appropriate songs to play at the service which inevitably led to lots of weepy eyes.

The song which opened the service was the first track of this incredible album. Pity I can't find a clip on youtube but I'm sure it could be tracked down.

http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/lanvall/the_pyromantic_symphony/

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I'm a big Loreena McKennet fan. I 1st heard about her when my buddy Scott in England said he was going to her concert in London. Turnsout the last concert in that tour was here in Victoria. So we went. Fantastic. I recommend the DVD (+ 2 CDs) of the stop at Alhambra Castle in Spain (Nights at the Alhambra). Since my buddy turned me onto her, and she does a sort of Celtic folk i assummed she was from the old country. The day after we went to her concert i was reading the review, and they corrected me... she is from a small toen in Manitoba. Which reminded me of an anecdote my wife relayed to me from someone she met when she was taking our godson to pre-school saying he had heard her playing harp in the lobby of a hotel in Montreal.

On talking to the guys at thelocal hifi emporium, they had a little story of their own. Turns out Loreena was in the sop getting a hifi for her mother who lives on one of the main islands just off ours (Saltspring). She asked a lot of questions about what they looked for when demoing equipment. It was only later when doing the cash that Paul noted the name on the CC slip. When she phoned back aweek later to follow up on the delivery it was confirmed that she was that Lorenna McKennit. She asked if they used any of her stuff fordemo. It was explained that they really liked it, but all her stuff had been stolen. A week later her entire catalog was delivered, a gift.

Her stuff is generally very well recorded and, at least some of our favourites from Nights at the Alhambra throw a huge soundstage if the kit is up to it.

dave

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Julie Fowlis is a young Scottish singer, who sings in Scottish Gaelic. ... (there are connections all over the place). ... fiddle player

Jenna Reid was recommended to me by my buddy Scott in the same breath as Julie Fowlis, she is another fiddle player.

dave

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Jenna Reid was recommended to me by my buddy Scott in the same breath as Julie Fowlis, she is another fiddle player.

dave

Jenna Reid and Julie Fowlis both appear on the "Transatlantic Sessions 4" DVD. (I can heartily recommend this disc.)

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