Five comments
Dochas
Self-titled debut album of the group Dochas (which is gaelic for ‘hope’) who are
Katheleen Boyle, Julie Fowlis, Carol-Anne Mackay, Eilidh MacLeod and Jenna Reid
2002. Macmeanmna. SKYECD 23
http://www.gaelicmusic.com
Dochas - their website
Dòchas ~ the main talents involved in this recording, and a bit about them…
Kathleen Boyle ~ accordion (2, 5, 10, 11), guitar, piano (2), synthesizer, vocal harmony (1)
__ * Granddaughter of Donegal fiddler and character Neilidh Boyle, Kathleen Boyle hails from Glasgow and comes from a family steeped in the traditional music of Donegal. She has won All-Scotland and All- Britain titles on the Accordion and is a talented pianist in addition to her prowess on the accordion.
Julie Fowlis ~ vocals, whistle, oboe
__ * Julie Fowlis is a Gaelic Singer and multi-instrumentalist from the island of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides.
Carol-Anne Mackay ~ pipes (small, border, highland), accordion (5, 8, 9, 11), low whistle (1)
__ * - comes from Strathy on the north coast of Sutherland.
Eilidh Macleod ~ clarsach/harp, backing vocals
__ * - is from the Isle of Skye and has played the clarsach from an early age.
Jenna Reid ~ fiddle, piano (5, 10, 11, 12)
__ * - one of the leading Shetland fiddlers of her generation and one of the brightest young talents on the Scottish traditional music scene. A protege of the greatest names of Shetland fiddling, Dr Tom Anderson MBE and Willie Hunter
Martin O’Neill - bodhran (2, 12, 5)
“Dòchas”
Lovely siging, some nice arrangements, though a few dafts ones too, tracks 5 and 11 in particular, but all in all a very enjoyable listen…
Track 5, the worst of it was the bodhran, which, in my sense of it, tramples the concluding reel, but the set is a bit disjointed anyway. Track 11, the notes say the set is “dedicated to a certain Mr. MacKenzie who thinks girls can’t polka”! While I know they can, this track isn’t proof of that, or that they understand and can play polkas. Nothing about it rocks or holds together or makes my feet itch to dance. But the daftness here are just the few things. On the whole we both enjoy the listen and would be happy to give it to others as a Christmas gift. 😉
From the notes (track #) & website:
Just above, I’d missed something in the cut and paste for the notes on the artists, top and bottom:
Martin O’Neill - bodhran
__ * - has won All-Scotland, All-Britain and All-Ireland titles on Bodhrán
& a spelling mistake ~ ‘Lovely singing’ ~ ! ~ but appreciated that much it deserves repeating… 😀