Karan Casey – Ships in the Forest

Karan Casey is an artist who proves that the ancient and the modern make excellent bedfellows. One of the most influential and imitated vocalists in Irish or American folk music, Karan is a natural innovator. On Ships in the Forest, her fifth solo album, Casey's warm, soulful voice ebbs and flows around ballads both timely and timeless.
Produced once again by Donald Shaw (of Capercaillie fame), the album was recorded at Karan’s home in County Cork and features the members of her current touring band, Caoimhín Vallely (piano), Kate Ellis (cello) and Robbie Overson (guitar) along with some special guests, including Kris Drever and Niall and Cillian Vallely.
The songs found on Ships in the Forest range from fresh arrangements of tried and true folk standards ("Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" and "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye") to "The Fiddle and the Drum", Joni Mitchell's 1969 anti-war madrigal and Martin Furey’s newly-composed “The Town of Athlone”.
Karan says of the album:
“I feel that this is by far my most ambitious album to date. I think it has taken me all my years as a singer to come to the point of feeling confident enough to tackle the big songs within the traditional repertoire.”

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Karan Casey - Chasing the Sun

"Chasing the Sun" was released in April 2005. This album represented a new departure, featuring as it does a significant number of her self-penned songs. Recorded at her home in Co. Cork and produced by herself and partner Niall Vallely, the album largely features her touring band of Robbie Overson, Paul Meehan and Niall Vallely along with Ewen Vernal, John Anthony, Michael Aharon and Erik Johnson.

 

 

 

 

 

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Karan Casey - Distant Shore

Karan's third album was released throughout the world in 2003. Produced by Donald Shaw it features a mixture of contemporary and traditional material. Guests include vocalists Tim O'Brien, Karen Matheson and John Spillane. Karan's regular band of Robbie Overson and Niall Vallely are joined by the likes of Dirk Powell, Michael McGoldrick, Dezi Donnelly, Paul Meehan, James Grant and Cillian Vallely.

Traditional songs sit alongside new material from John Spillane & Louis de Paor, Billy Bragg, Ger Woulfe, Tim O'Brien & Darrell Scott, Ewan McColl and Karan herself.

 

 

 

 

 

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Karan Casey - The Winds Begin to Sing

Karan's second solo album, 'The Winds Begin to Sing', was a major critical success throughout the world. Voted Best Folk Album of 2001 by the readers of Irish Music Magazine, it blended her intimate grasp of traditional music with a daring new approach.

The album featured a mixture of traditional songs collected from the likes of Frank Harte and Áine Uí Cheallaigh and contemporary songs by writers such as John Spillane, Louis de Paor and Andy M.Stewart.

 

 

 

 

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Karan Casey - Songlines

Karan's debut album was produced by Seamus Egan and largely featured the playing of her Solas colleagues. A stunning collection of mostly traditional songs it still sounds as fresh today as it was the day it was recorded. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Buille

Buille first came into being during the summer of 2004. It combines the unique talents of Niall Vallely on concertina, Paul Meehan on guitar and Caoimhín Vallely on piano. Their debut album, produced by Donald Shaw, was released on the Vertical Records label in 2005. The album consists mostly of new music composed by Niall Vallely over the past couple of years. While based in traditional Irish forms, the music draws on a wide range of influences from the worlds of jazz and classical music in particular.

We are currently out of the stock of the Buille CD but you can download it here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Buille 2

Second album from Niall and Caoimhín Vallely's Buille. The album features guest musicians including Zoe Conway (fiddle), Neil Yates (trumpet), Cillian Vallely (pipes), Ed Boyd (guitar), Brian Morrissey (bodhrán, banjo, percussion), Kate Ellis (cello), Paul Meehan (guitar), Karen Dervan (viola).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Niall Vallely - Beyond Words

Debut album by virtuoso concertina player, featuring Gerry McKee and Frank Torpey of Nomos, Caoimhin Vallely and Paul Meehan of North Cregg, Cillian Vallely of Lunasa, plus Mel Mercier and Gerry Culloty on percussion.

We are currently out of the stock of the Beyond Words CD but you can download it here:

 

 

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Niall and Cillian Vallely - Callan Bridge

Niall and Cillian’s album, ‘Callan Bridge’, was released by the Nashville-based company Compass Records in early October 2002 and is now being re-released by Crow Valley Music.

It was recorded over several months on two continents during those intervals when the brothers’ tour itineraries made it possible for them to get to the studio. Practice time was limited, but years of playing together have given Niall and Cillian a near-telepathic musical understanding, as demonstrated by the extraordinary note-for-note synchronicity achieved in their duet selections. They were also helped out by some of their friends, who happen to be among the best and most innovative in the business: for the Philadelphia recordings U.S.-based guitarists Donal Clancy and John Doyle; and for the sessions in Ireland younger brother Caoimhín Vallely on the piano and Armagh guitarist Paul Meehan. Six original tunes by Niall are balanced by a number of pieces unearthed from old manuscript collections. The boys from Armagh play these melodies, which for decades existed only as fading dots on forgotten pages, not as antiquarian curiosities but with a vigorous virtuosity that brings them fully to life and affirms the unbroken continuity of the Irish musical tradition.

 

 

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Caoimhín Vallely - Strayaway
Stunning collections of traditional music played on piano by Caoimhín Vallely - also features contributions from Paul Meehan (guitar), Brian Morrissey (bodhrán), Niall Vallely (concertina) and Cillian Vallely (pipes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Armagh Pipers Club - 40th Anniversary Album
Double album recorded to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Armagh Pipers Club. Features new recordings by current and past pupils of the Pipers Club featuring: Niall, Cillian and Caoimhín Vallely, Brian Finnegan, Paul Meehan , Jarlath Henderson, Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn, Stephanie Makem, Barry Kerr and many more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Live Recordings from the William Kennedy Piping Festival
Live Recordings from the William Kennedy Piping Festival featuring performances from the World's leading pipers: Gordon Duncan (Scotland), Michael McGoldrick, Jose Manuel Tejedor (Asturias), Kathryn Tickell (Northumberland), Allan MacDonald (Scotland), Anxo Loremzo (Galicia), Luig Lai (Sardinia), Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn, Cillian Vallely, Ceri Rhys Matthews (Wales), Mick O'Brien, Gianni Perilli and Guido Iannetta (Italy), Robert Watt, Tommy Keane, Moebius (England) and the Field Marshall Montgomery 'Mini' Pipe Band.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Live from the Katherine Cornell Theater
A Double-album collection of the highlights of seven concerts held at the Katherine Cornell Theater on Martha's Vineyard during 2002. Niall and Cillian Vallely along with Donal Clancy are featured alongside such notable musicians as Paddy Keenan, Tommy Peoples, Sean Tyrell, Teada and the Kane Sisters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Anglo International
Anglo concertina playing from around the world
A 3 CD set featuring some of the best Anglo concertina players from around the World. Lovingly compiled by Alan Day, it includes a lavish 48 page booklet, and almost 4 hours of music! For full details and a download of the booklet, go to the Anglo International website. Featured musicians include Niall Vallely, Noel Hill, Mary McNamara, John Kirkpatrick, Bertram Levy and many, many more.

 

 

 

 

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Niall Vallely - CD Rom Concertina Tutorial
Learn to play the concertina with Niall's CD ROM concertina tutorial. Video and audio files combine with music notation, text and photos to make the learning process as easy as possible. The tutorial caters for all levels from the absolute beginner to very advanced players. The tutorial also includes a performance piece and an interview with the tutor.
In the beginners' section the Anglo-concertina keyboard is simplified by initially dividing it into sections, and Niall demonstrates the basic skills of playing the instrument using easy, slow-paced tunes. Jigs and Reels are then introduced and ornaments are added gradually. The individual parts of these tunes are demonstrated on video at a slow pace and the full tune is subsequently demonstrated at a medium pace so that you can play along.
The advanced section features jigs and reels that are more highly ornamented. The scope of the tunes is broadened and the extensive keyboard is fully explored. Niall also introduces ornamental techniques unique to his style.

 

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