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February 24, 2010 Natalie MacMaster bounds onto a stage playing her fiddle “with reckless abandon — but it’s controlled reckless abandon,” the late John Allan Cameron, fellow Cape Breton musician, once said. She leaps around, seemingly unable to stand still, and combines her expertise in Cape Breton step dancing with virtuoso bowing. It’s almost impossible to stay in your seat when she’s at work. It’s startling to hear that being onstage is, in a way, downtime for MacMaster. “It’s kind of like going to the spa,” she says in a phone interview while on the road in her current tour. MacMaster and her husband, Donnell Leahy, an equally accomplished fiddler, bring their music to McCarter Theater in Princeton on Friday, February 26. Also performing is the Celtic string band Time for Three. This is the first tour for the McMaster-Leahy couple. Natalie, 37, has performed for years with her own band, while Donnell shot to fame with his family’s group, Leahy — eight brothers and sisters from Ontario, all of whom play, dance and sing traditional Canadian-Celtic music. Leahy became well-known in 1998 when they were the opening act for Shania Twain on her first world tour. This time, the duo performs with just two pianos as back-up. “We don’t actually have that much experience playing together,” admits MacMaster. “It’s very fresh and new. We chose the two pianos because we wanted it to be totally different from Leahy and from the Natalie MacMaster band. But we are enjoying it just as much, oh my gosh, absolutely. There’s great joy in variety. And the change of not having a full band is refreshing; although I’m sure by the end of it we’ll be anxious to play with the full band, too. One complements the other. But it’s great — our first tour together, and great for us to be able to travel together instead of being apart. And we have our three children with us.” MacMaster knows something about traveling. She’s been an acknowledged master of the Cape Breton style since she was 16, and she has cross-pollinated on albums with the likes of classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma, bluegrass fiddler Allison Krauss, and rock guitar legend Carlos Santana. “Oh, that’s probably the most exciting part of what I do, the collaboration, and the unknown,” says MacMaster. “Meeting people and seeing people who aren’t from my tradition enjoying it; being inspired to work together and inspiring me to play things that maybe I wouldn’t normally think of.” She has recorded 10 albums, including the 2000 Grammy-nominated “My Roots Are Showing.” She’s a show-stopping stepper, too, often playing and dancing simultaneously, which shouldn’t really be possible. But MacMaster seemingly can’t help herself. The music of Cape Breton, on the Atlantic coast off Nova Scotia, has its origins in Scotland. Brought over by Scottish immigrants fleeing their English oppressors in the late 18th century, it features high-energy and a strong pulse driven by the fiddler’s heel tapping into the floor. That is one of the reasons that dancing is such a great part of the music. “The Cape Breton fiddling style has a very distinct groove,” MacMaster says. “There are fewer slurs in the bowing (than traditional Irish or Scots fiddling) and more continuous bow rhythm. It’s a very intense beat and one that sort of puts you in a trance. It’s very steady and very strong, and ever-present.” Although MacMaster’s music has branched out a bit, the Cape Breton influence is always there when she’s onstage. “I personally feel a need to stick to it,” she says of the Cape Breton sound. “Because I like to satisfy the locals and let them know that just because I’m traveling and touring, and just because I don’t live in Cape Breton anymore, I don’t want them thinking that I’ve abandoned my traditions and my culture. I have great pride when I do the traditional music. And I want them to be proud, you know?” MacMaster’s father, Alex, retired 12 years ago from his lifelong job as a paper maker at a paper mill not far from Cape Breton Island. Her mother, Minnie, worked as a secretary for a number of years and for the past 20 years has been the office manager’s assistant for Natalie and her company, MacMaster Music Inc. One surprise for knowledgeable fiddle freaks is to find out that MacMaster did not study with her uncle, famed fiddler Buddy MacMaster, even though she started playing at age nine. “I took lessons with Stan Chapman, a great fiddler and teacher, for about two years,” she says of her formal musical education. “But I credit my style very much to Buddy, because I listened to him more than anyone. I’ve asked him so many questions over the years — what are you doing in this section, that sort of thing. Listening has been a huge part of my learning. Ninety-five percent of my repertoire I just learned by ear. I have not opened a book very much. I’m very glad that I can read music, but mostly I just listen.” The Cape Breton music was considered endangered in the late 20th century. A 1971 CBC documentary, “The Vanishing Cape Breton Fiddler,” opened a lot of eyes to the problem. A Cape Breton priest and music aficionado, Father John Angus Rankin, and others took matter in hand. That led to the forming of the Cape Breton Fiddlers Association and an annual October festival, Celtic Colours International, which attracts artists and visitors from around the world. ‘I would definitely attribute the renaissance to that film,” says MacMaster. “What happened was that Rankin and some others decided to show that this music was still alive, and it came back. There were over 100 fiddlers who gathered but they were all older — over 50, a large percentage of them. When I was growing up, there were not a lot of kids my age interested in the music, not at all. A handful, maybe eight or ten, were my age. But now — well, I just did a DVD a couple of years ago and had the Cape Breton Fiddlers Association join me onstage. I would say that a large percentage of them were women under the age of 20. It was just like a real ‘Whoa!’” Young women in traditional music: it’s a relatively new concept in an old tradition, but in the last 30 years or so, more and more female instrumentalists have become not just part of the Celtic music scene, but vital to it, from the all-female Irish-American group Cherish the Ladies, to fiddlers like Eileen Ivers and Winifred Horan, and accordionists like Sharon Shannon. Throw in MacMaster’s playing and dancing, and you have one hell of a band without needing a second locker room. “The nature of the times,” says MacMaster. “A way of life in the old days was that the men did the work and the women stayed home and took care of the children, and worked at the laundry and the cooking. When did they have time for music? But I’m a traditionalist; I call myself a stay-at-home mom on the road.” MacMaster and Leahy have three children all under the age of six; in fact, their youngest will be turning one around the time you read this. MacMaster has mentioned with some pride that she was back onstage performing only three weeks after she gave birth. That’s not something she could have envisioned when she got a phone call some years back from a man named Donnell Leahy who wanted to meet her. He had never seen her, but his mother is from Cape Breton, and he was intrigued by a cassette of her music. “Intrigued enough to make the 22-hour drive to meet me,” MacMaster says, and if she’s blushing, you can’t tell over the phone. Now, was it a real date, or just two musicians getting together? “No, it was a date. Donnell goes in the front door, as he likes to say himself. He doesn’t beat about the bush.” So, eight married years, three kids, and an 800-acre farm in Ontario later, the whole family is on the road, at least for now. “It’s month by month, year by year,” says MacMaster, sounding like any working mom. “The oldest hasn’t started school yet. I’ve been home-schooling a little this year to see if I can do it. And if that goes well, maybe we would continue next year. She’s so little; I think I feel as long as she’s home for a bit each year to get piano lessons or swimming lessons or normal things.” Of course being a mother is time-consuming, and MacMaster admits that she hasn’t done as much writing since the family came along. But the trade-off is that motherhood has given her a greater appreciation for her other job. “I think I possibly enjoy my time onstage now more than ever,” she says. “It’s me time. It used to be that when I was onstage that was my work, giving to the public. It still is, but because I give all day to the children, (onstage) is just about me and the music.” .........................................................................................................................................
February 19, 2010
These two fine musicians, who happen to be married to each other, are performing in a concert billed as "Masters of the Fiddle," and there is little reason to doubt that claim. With MacMaster's Cape Breton and Leahy's Irish fiddle styles these two great musicians will certainly dazzle the audience. This is a band-lite concert with just two accompanying musicians, Erin Leahy, a sibling and member of the super-group Leahy, who step dances, plays piano and fiddles, and Matt Morin who tours and plays piano with MacMaster's touring band. Neither MacMaster nor Leahy is a stranger to the Chandler stage. She has performed here several times and Leahy, the family band with which Donnell Leahy normally appears, braved a snowstorm a year back to perform at this 575-seat venue. In videos found at YouTube I had the chance to see these fine musicians in concert and they truly lit up the stage. After many years as performers they know how to excite an audience as well as make fiddling seem as easy as playing ice hockey on a Quebec pond. Of course the music is foremost in their concerts. MacMaster is the scion of a famous Cape Breton musical family and a long musical tradition. This music has its roots in Scotland and her fiddle style certainly represents that sound. Leahy plays with more of the Irish tradition in his music. Together, there doesn't appear to be much that separates these two Celtic countries and the music they produced. Both fiddlers move easily from one style to the other. MacMaster glides through the music while Leahy has a more energetic punch in his playing. Becky McMeekin Chandler's director, said she is expecting two big turnouts for this very special concert set. "We have booked MacMaster in the past for two shows and they've sold out." McMeekin believes this concert is unusual because the performers do not often tour together, committed as they are to their solo careers. This show, says McMeekin, will be different from what audiences here have seen in the past from MacMaster and Leahy in their other musical presentations. MacMaster is an electrifying performer whose passionate proficiency on the fiddle stars while playing the jigs, reels, waltzes, and strathspeys that are the sound of Cape Breton. She has played worldwide and produced 10 albums in a career that began in her teens and is now 27 years long. To Canadians she is a national treasure. Leahy is an equal match for his wife's skill and charisma. As leader of Leahy, the Lakefield, Ontario-based eight-piece family outfit that bears his surname, Donnell has helped the band pass the half-million mark in combined worldwide sales of its four CDs. His dynamic presence and performance abilities have helped propel the band onto the global stage in a highly praised run as the opening act for Shania Twain's recent world tour. Under his leadership, the band has earned multiple Juno Awards (Canadian Grammies), including Best New Group, Best Country Group and Best Instrumental Album. This is a special concert, for as Leahy says, "Touring has always been a challenge, and with children there are always a lot of logistics to work out, but we want to be together as a family, and we want to play together. Although Natalie's style is very different from mine, we love the combination. Everything makes sense for us to tour together." McMeekin said the audience for these two concerts will also be able to see some of the recent renovations to this venerable venue. Newly renovated bathroom facilities are now open. .........................................................................................................................................
February 1, 2010 Beyonce wins for best female pop vocal performance for "Halo" at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles January 31, 2010.
Beyonce wins
for best female pop vocal performance for "Halo" at the 52nd annual
Grammy Awards in Los Angeles January 31, 2010. Taking a cue from Lady Gaga’s futuristic image, the 52nd annual Grammy Awards delivered a show that was packed with space-age costumes and effects, including an all-star tribute to Michael Jackson that American TV viewers were able to watch in 3D. Although Canadians didn’t get the 3D version, there was plenty of entertainment in the action-packed three-and-a-half hour show. For Canuck celebrity-spotters, one highlight was the first Hollywood red-carpet appearance by country superstar Carrie Underwood and fiancé Mike Fisher, the Sens player who scored the winning goal in Saturday’s game. In the end, pop diva Beyoncé went home with the most awards, racking up six Grammys, including the prestigious song of the year award for her hit, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It). “This has been an amazing night for me,” she said. After winning four R & B awards in the pre-show ceremony, the singer also surprised the audience with a rock-oriented performance that incorporated a version of Alanis Morissette’s You Oughta Know. Country sweetheart Taylor Swift capped off the night with four statues, including the coveted album of the year award. “I just hope you know how much this means to us,” said Swift, clearly thrilled with the win. “We get to take this back to Nashville.” Thanks to Swift, country music was well-represented on music’s biggest night. The pretty 20-year-old won best female country vocal performance, best country song and best country album, all for work on her latest disc, Fearless. She also performed with one of her childhood heroes, Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac fame. Another blonde country singer, Underwood, won one and lost one, picking up the award for the best country collaboration in the pre-awards telecast. Radiant in a shimmering gold gown, the future Mrs. Fisher was also one of the stars in the Jackson tribute, along with Céline Dion, Usher, Smokey Robinson and Jennifer Hudson. Two of Michael Jackson’s children made a rare high-profile appearance, giving a thank-you speech on behalf of their father that tugged at the heartstrings. “Our father was always concerned with the planet and humanity,” said Prince Michael, 12. “Through all his songs, his message was simple: love. We will continue to spread his message and help the world.” A pair of upsets came early in the night, when a country act, the Zac Brown Band, won for best new artist, and a rock band, Kings of Leon, landed the award for record of the year for their song, Use Somebody, snatching it away from divas Beyoncé, Swift and Lady Gaga. Swift’s Grammy total put her ahead of Lady Gaga, who did not get a chance to show off her outrageous outfits at the podium. But the televised festivities began with a performance by Gaga, dressed in a big-shouldered turquoise bodysuit that showed lots of leg. Her lavish version of Poker Face, one of the year’s biggest hits, morphed into a duet with Elton John on his classic, Your Song. And even before she performed, Gaga had already won two Grammys, reeling in the pre-show awards for best dance recording for Poker Face and best electronic/dance album for her disc, The Fame. Also in keeping with the futuristic theme were performances by Beyoncé, accompanied by a legion of storm-troopers, and Black Eyed Peas. Other performance highlights included a rap extravaganza featuring Eminem, Lil Wayne and Toronto up-and-comer Drake. Just two of this year’s dozen Canadian nominees went home with statues. Contemporary crooner Michael Bublé won the traditional pop vocal album award for his live album, Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden, triumphing over veterans Tony Bennett and Harry Connick Jr., while Michael J. Fox earned the award for best spoken-word recording for his album, Always Looking Up. Two more Canadians, jazz pianist Diana Krall and Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMaster, shared in the award for best classical-crossover album. They are among the almost two dozen guest performers on the winning album, Yo Yo Ma & Friends: Songs of Joy and Peace. The Ottawa folk trio, Finest Kind, who shared in the best traditional folk nomination for their participation in a multi-artist tribute to Utah Phillips, did not win. Instead, Loudon Wainwright III won the award for his album, High Wide and Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project. .........................................................................................................................................
January 31, 2010
Natalie
MacMaster has charmed audiences with her high-energy fiddling, step
dancing and Cape Breton talent for years now; her current tour pairs
MacMaster with husband Donnell Leahy, lead fiddle and dancer with
Canada's famous music and dance company, the Leahy family. The combination is powerful and technically brilliant; catch them on their first tour together when they arrive at Diana Wortham Theatre next week for a two-day run. MacMaster spoke about the show and more in a recent interview. Question: What is the show like with you and Donnell? Answer: It's a very uptempo, lively, danceable, exciting show. The show consists of two fiddles and two pianos. That is it; there is no big band. The beauty of that is in the arrangement. With just two fiddles and two pianos, if you holler out “St. Anne's Reel,” well everybody might just play on top of each other. We've arranged it so that musically, we have all the dynamics working without muddying up each other's sounds, so it's very complementary to all of us. Q: Who does it sound like? A: The show is very much a representation of Natalie MacMaster and of Donnell Leahy from the Leahy Family, but really, it's a blend of Donnell and I as husband and wife, and our sound together, which really has its own unique sound. Our styles are so different; we've had to learn how to play together. The fear is always that you are just playing with each other and covering up the beauty of what the other is doing, so we've had to come up with ways, through arrangement, that we enhance what the other does. I'm really excited about it; it's a great little intimate setting that showcases our fiddling. Q: So it's really true twin fiddling. A: Yes, very much so. It has a good variety. It's very much Natalie MacMaster with a lot of Cape Breton moments but reflects us both. Q: So it will continue to be Cape Breton and Canadian fiddle tunes. A: Yeah, but if you've ever heard a Leahy show, their sound is a bit more worldly. It's cultural because there is a lot of French and Irish influence and, of course, Canadian influence. They have a really unique sound, and we are doing some Leahy pieces in the show. Generally speaking, there are those elements, but it's a fresh sound, Donnell and I together, you know. Q: You still dance? A: Oh yes, there is lots of dancing; we all dance. Our piano players, I must say, they steal the show every night. There is a piano duet they do, too. It's the piano player from my band, Mac Morin, and the piano player from Donnell's band, which is his sister Erin Leahy. Q: So you have relatives with you. A: Oh yeah, it's a family night. I inherited seven sisters. Q: What is new or different in terms of musical content? A: There are some original pieces, there's a tune Donnell and I wrote for our wedding and a tune that Donnell wrote called “Gypsy Boy.” Q: Do you have a recording of this yet? A: No, we don't. It's awful not to have a recording of the show. With three children, sometimes it's hard to get to the things you want to do. They are coming with us. Q: Are they in the show? A: No, they are only 4, 2 1/2 and 10 months. Q: Have they started dancing yet? A: Mary Frances has started; she's very musical. Q: You have a new live DVD. A: Oh yes, there is a lot of material; I have a new recording, and Leahy has a new recording. Q: Will the Natalie MacMaster Band and Leahy tour together? A: I don't know. We've done it in Canada, but it's a big production. It's two full bands and a lot of equipment, so the venue has to be really big, and it takes a lot of planning. We just take it one tour at a time for now, but I wouldn't be opposed to that at all. Q: Is it still fun? On the road with family? A: Oh my gosh, yes. In fact, it's completely fun because it's so new. We have not ever toured together before. We have played shows together, myself and Donnell, but not many. This is our first actual tour. Q: Anything you want to say to people? A: Even if you are not a fan of our music, you should take a chance on our show. You will not be disappointed. .........................................................................................................................................
January 24, 2010 ASHEVILLE -- The Diana Wortham Theatre at Pack Place presents "Masters of the Fiddle," a whirlwind evening of fiddle-driven music, dance and song with Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy Feb. 1 and 2. The concert begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are still available. This married duo of multiple Juno Award winners, Canada's version of the Grammy award, is coming through Asheville during a rare three-month joint tour. The couple, who usually perform solo gigs, have graced the Diana Wortham Theatre stage separately in seasons past to sell-out crowds. Now they are combining their exceptional talents into an energy-filled performance for two nights as part of the theatre's Mainstage Series. "Touring has always been a challenge, and with children there are always a lot of logistics to work out," says Donnell Leahy. "But we want to be together as a family, and we want to play together ... We love the combination." Known for her flamboyant skill and trademark step-dancing, Natalie MacMaster has a signature sound that has resonated with world audiences through 10 albums, multiple gold sales figures, numerous Juno and East Coast Music Awards, and garnered her a reputation as one of Canada's most captivating performers. But to MacMaster, her beloved family now shapes and informs her musicianship as much as the jigs, reels, airs, waltzes, strathspeys, marches and traditional folk that feed her spiritual soul. "Not so much the sound as the delivery," says MacMaster. "I am a mom now. I am a wife. Those things are my priorities in life, and I think people get a sense of that -- of that part of who I am -- through my show. But my music itself hasn't changed." MacMaster's other half is equally impressive. The son of a fiddle-playing father and a champion step-dancing mother who lead their own bands, the self-taught Leahy is widely acclaimed for his agility on the fiddle. He grew up on a Canadian farm with 10 siblings, eight of whom are the members of his band named Leahy, the Lakefield, Ontario-based family ensemble that bears his surname and has wowed Asheville audiences in past Mainstage seasons. His band Leahy became a fast favorite on the festival circuit. By the late 1990s, Leahy the band had won Juno Awards for Best Instrumental Group, Best New Group and Best Country Group and sold more than half a million copies of albums. For more information about "Masters of the Fiddle" concert or to buy tickets, (Regular $40; Seniors $38; Students $35; Student Rush day-of-the-show with valid ID $10), call the theatre's box office at 828-257-4530 www.dwtheatre.com. .........................................................................................................................................
January 22, 2010
Natalie MacMaster returns to the Phillips Center on Saturday in a performance also spotlighting her husband, Donnell Leahy. After wowwing a Phillips Center audience three years ago, the acclaimed fiddler/dancer Natalie MacMaster returns Saturday in a performance that also spotlights her most-special collaborator: husband Donnell Leahy. And it will be among the first such performances in the U.S. by the virtuoso performers who, along with being the parents of three young children, also are considered celebrity recording artists and entertainers in their own right. "This is our very first tour together," MacMaster says in a phone interview Friday. "We've done maybe a dozen shows together, so not a lot in seven years (of marriage). But we've never done a tour together before." Donnell Leahy is best known as the lead fiddler of Leahy, the Canadian group formed by Donnell Leahy and his seven siblings. The band Leahy is the subject of an Oscar-winning documentary ("The Leahys: Music Most of All") as well as three PBS specials. Raised on an Ontario farm by their fiddling father and champion Irish step-dancer mother, they quickly became favorites on the Canadian festival circuit for their original songs, whirlwind step dancing and proficiency in a broad range of instruments and folk genres. Not to be outdone, MacMaster has recorded 10 albums while acquiring numerous Juno (the Grammy of Canada) awards, multiple gold albums, three honorary degrees and the Order of Canada. In the U.S., she has performed for millions on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "Good Morning America" and other programs. She also is featured prominently on classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma's "Songs of Joy and Peace" album and is a frequent guest instructor at master violinist Mark O'Connor's camp. Her impassioned jigs, reels, waltzes and strathspeys also have led her to collaborate with artists from Faith Hill to Luciano Pavarotti, and from Paul Simon to Carlos Santana. MacMaster is today's best-known interpreter of Cape Breton fiddling, the infectious Scottish derivative within her native Nova Scotia. "It's a hand-me-down tradition that's been passed down through generations and generations, and it's just very pure," MacMaster says. (Ethnomusicologists often consider Scottish musical traditions to be more authentically preserved on the relatively isolated Cape Breton, an island in northern Nova Scotia, than within Scotland itself.) "The Cape Breton style that I play, the fiddle music from there is very strong - its strongest quality I think is the rhythm," she says. "It's a deep groove that is really addictive and almost puts you in a trance. It grabs you and it doesn't let go. "Its rhythms come from the dancing; it's dance music," she continues. "The traditional Cape Breton style of dance has been partnered with the fiddle music for forever. A sign of a good fiddler is one who can accompany the dance and keep the beat. That's why the very deep groove of the music stays." Anyone who has ever seen MacMaster perform knows her trademark: to fiddle and step-dance simultaneously. "I was in a group with six other fiddlers, and we were giving shows together in our teenage years," MacMaster explains. "And we decided, wouldn't it be cool - because we all fiddled and we all danced - let's do it at the same time. And we practiced, and we did. "That was back when I was 16, and here I am 37 years old and I'm still doing it cause it works. People love it. "We both step dance in the show," she says. Comparable to American tap dancing, MacMaster's Cape Breton-style step dancing is looser, more relaxed and closer to the floor than the perhaps more familiar Irish step dance. "Donnell's dancing and fiddling is much more refined and technical," she says. "Donnell is the fiery, intense, worldly performer. He has this sound that is incredibly practiced. He has honed this so much, and he's just so good." MacMaster shares the spouses' challenge in joining their differing techniques and stylistic approaches onstage. "It's kind of tricky; it's something that doesn't come naturally," she says. "We found that there needs to be a lot of work in the arrangements to complement our two styles and not just sort of walk all over them. So we do a lot of harmonizing and counterpoint and moments of playing alone, so we're supporting and showcasing one another while we're performing together. "I deliver a more comfortable sound; he delivers a more impressive sound. So, yeah, it's a good combination. We're all about presenting to the public a great live performance, really. It's only as good as the people think it is, so we definitely do deliver a lot of punch and pow and pizzazz to what we perform." .........................................................................................................................................
January 21, 2010 A violin sings, but a fiddle dances — or so the saying goes. Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy brought that sentiment to life, inspiring a rapt Peace Center audience to clap their hands, tap their toes and wish perhaps that a dance floor had been carved out among the rows of seats. The two Canadian fiddle masters — a husband and wife who met through a mutual love of each other's music — kicked off their first tour together in Greenville on Tuesday night. If they had any “honeymoon” jitters upon sharing a stage and spotlight for the first time, it didn't show. MacMaster and Leahy both grew up in music-soaked families, though in different areas that were steeped in slightly different musical traditions. Their music was part Scottish, part Irish, part French and part their very own. Both demonstrated their personal musical styles (both have successful careers independent of each other) and also came together for a variety of pieces, which also showcased the tremendous talents of the accompanying pianists. At one point, Leahy tore through a piece that left loose hairs hanging from the end of his bow and mouths agape throughout the audience. And the toe-tapping wasn't limited to the folks in the seats. Both fiddlers were in constant motion while playing, compelled, it seemed, by the force of their own music. MacMaster, in tap shoes, provided a little accompaniment of her own with her feet. Then, much to the audience's delight, she and both pianists broke into traditional Riverdance-style Irish step dancing. MacMaster even threw in a little Moonwalk for fun. .........................................................................................................................................
January 17, 2010 It’s a wife and husband act all the way, says acclaimed Canadian Celtic fiddler Natalie MacMaster, whose fiddler hubby, Donnell Leahy, will join her on the Peace Concert Hall stage Tuesday night. “It’s a show we call two fiddles and two pianos,” says MacMaster, much admired for her bow prowess and Cape Breton-style artistry. Keeping it somewhat in the family, the keyboardists are Leahy’s sister, Erin, and Mac Morin from MacMaster’s band. By the way, the couple’s three girls, who range in age from 4 years to 3 months will be with them in Greenville. “We want to give them experiences while we’re on the road,” MacMaster says, including a trip to Disneyworld while she and her husband perform near Orlando. MacMaster describes their tour’s program as a showcase of the upbeat, energetic music she grew up with and calls it “the oldest form of Scottish music that exists today.” Expect that “energetic music” to inspire the vivacious MacMaster to execute some fancy steps while she puts bow to string. Asked just how she can do both at the same time, she says there’s nothing to it for someone who’s been dancing since she was 5 and fiddling since she was 8. “It is just what I do,” she says with a laugh. The 38-year-old entertainer has resonated with audiences across the globe through 10 albums, multiple gold releases and guest appearances with renowned artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Mark O’Connor, Bela Fleck and Carlos Santana. Add to that MacMaster’s musical lineage – her uncle, iconic Cape Breton fiddler Buddy MacMaster; her cousin, fiddler Andrea Beaton; and late Canadian folk icon singer/guitarist/songwriter John Allen Cameron – and you’ll understand why she has earned more than two decades of admiration for her artistry. .........................................................................................................................................
January 11,
2010 Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, celebrated as the power couple of the Canadian fiddling world, will play an unforgettable evening of Celtic music Saturday, January 23 at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Known for her flamboyant skill and trademark step dancing, MacMaster is the sweetheart superstar of the Cape Breton Fiddle, often performing as many as 250 shows a year. MacMaster has collaborated and performed with the likes of Luciano Pavarotti, Paul Simon, Béla Fleck, Allison Krauss, Jerry Douglas and Carlos Santana. Her albums top Billboard's World Music charts and have won her multitudes of awards. But to MacMaster, her beloved family now shapes and informs her musicianship as much as the jigs, reels, air, waltzes, strathspeys, marches and traditional folk that feed her spiritual soul. "Not so much the sound as the delivery," states MacMaster, who married handsome fiddle phenomenon Donnell Leahy of Leahy in 2002. "I am a Mom now. I am a wife. Those things are my priorities in life, and I think people get a sense of that - of that part of who I am - through my show. But my music itself hasn't changed." MacMaster's other half is equally impressive. The son of a fiddle-playing father and a champion step-dancing mother, Donnell Leahy is widely acclaimed for his agility on the fiddle. Growing up on a Canadian farm with eight sibling members of his band called Leahy, they became fast favorites on the festival circuit. By the late 1990s, Leahy had won Juno Awards (Canada's version of the Grammy Awards) for Best Instrumental Group, Best New Group and Best Country Group. Together Natalie and Donnell are a whirlwind matrimony of fiddle-driven music, dance and song. The foot-tapping rave-ups, heart-wrenching ballads, and world-class step dancing of this collaboration will leave onlookers breathless from the moment they hit the stage January 23, at 7:30 p.m. at the Phillips Center. .........................................................................................................................................
|
We're
hearing a lot about Canadians these days, that is if you've tuned into
the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Steady these neighbors to the north are
but, it is often said, they aren't very exciting. That will be proven
untrue when two of Canada's best fiddlers, Natalie MacMaster and Donnell
Leahy, perform for two nights at the Chandler Music Hall in Randolph on
March 2 and 3. 