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The
Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
May 12 - May 18, 2005 Edition
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Music
New
take on the traditional
May
12, 2005
By Julian Wise
Karan
Casey has emerged in recent years as a luminous presence in Irish
music. Ms. Casey, formerly of the landmark group Solas, has released
four critically acclaimed solo albums that are distinguished by their
blend of traditional Irish music and socially conscious songs. She
received the “Best Folk Album” award in 2001 from Irish
Music Magazine for “The Winds Begin To Sing,” and was nominated
for a Grammy in Denmark for Best International Folk Album. She has
toured with bluegrass artists Tim O'Brien and performed at the Kennedy
Center's Millenium Stage. Her visit to the Island this weekend is
a cause for celebration among lovers of traditional and contemporary
Irish music.
Ms. Casey's latest album, “Chasing The Sun,” features original
songs, Irish traditionals, and songs written by songwriter Barry Kerr.
Ms. Casey is joined on the disc by co-producer and concertina player
Niall Vallely, mandolin player Paul Meehan, bassist Ewen Vernal, guitarist
Robbie Overson, and others. The musicians create a soundscape of simple,
unadorned instrumentation that allows Ms. Casey's songbird voice to
soar. On the title track, Ms. Casey fuses natural imagery with poetic
emotion as she sings, “The wind takes me up into her arms/wraps
herself around me away we go/while outside the snows they fall away/slowly
saying goodbye to you.” On songs like “The World Looks Away”
and “When Will We All Be Free,” Ms. Casey tackles Palestinian
suffering and political corruption, while the traditional songs “The
Brown And Yellow Ale” and “Lady Mary Anne” give Ms.
Casey's voice opportunity to traverse the timeworn favorites.
In a phone interview from her native Ireland, Ms. Casey said that
when she seeks out traditional songs she looks for “ a good story
and a strong melody, a song that has its own drama and connection
to people.”
Ms. Casey says the socially conscious content of her songs springs
from her belief that music can help shape peoples' consciousness for
the better. She cites her own experience as an Irish woman becoming
aware of the Civil Rights movement through the music of Billie Holiday
and Nina Simone and says, “I wouldn't have found out as an Irish
person about the more personal and human elements of the American
Civil Rights movement without listening to Nina Simone.”
Ms. Casey believes strongly in the importance of identifying injustice.
“I think that if you see wrong in the world, the only way to
fix it is to speak out against it,” she says. “Otherwise,
I don't think we can really move on. It's important to keep chipping
away at it and change a few hearts at a time.”
Ms. Casey has visited the Island several times before and says she's
pleased to be returning.
“I'm looking forward to getting back,” she says. “It's
a beautiful part of the world. I'm looking forward to the fish and
the sun.”
In turn, Island audiences can look forward to an evening of graceful
music sung by a voice the Boston Globe was moved to call “among
the loveliest in folk music.”
Karen Casey will perform with Niall Vallely, Paul Meehan, and John
Doyle on Friday, May 20, 8 pm, at Katharine Cornell Theatre, Spring
Street, Vineyard Haven. Tickets are $20 or $10 for children under
12. Call 508-693-6996. |
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