#4747, The Irish-American Connection

There’s transatlantic music by Dublin’s Lankum, Ireland-based American Cinder Well, music of Doc Watson from singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Valerie June from Memphis Tennessee with guitarist Bill Frisell, and more.

Irish folk-drone band Lankum, on their latest record, False Lankum, go for radical softness in their harmonies and spacious arrangements, yet, there’s a sense of foreboding menace as songs stretch out, the dramatic musical textures build and the stories reach their climax. Hear suggestively sinister hurdy-gurdy, and drones on a murder ballad called “The New York Trader”.

There’s also “doom folk” from Cinder Well, aka Amelia Baker, an American singer and songwriter based in the west of Ireland. Hear one of her “wonderfully haunted” tunes from her lates, Cadence, which features Cormac MacDiarmada of Lankum, (John Schaefer).

Then, hear singer/songwriter Valerie June together with guitarist Bill Frisell from a tribute record to the legendary folk musician Doc Watson, I Am A Pilgrim – Doc Watson at 100. Also, listen to music from Irish traditional fiddler Martin Hayes with The Common Ground Ensemble. Plus, hear music from the Irish-American supergroup, The Gloaming, who are fiddle master Martin Hayes, the late guitarist Dennis Cahill, sean-nós singer Iarla Ó Lionáird, hardanger innovator Caoimhin Ó Raghallaigh and New York pianist Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman). - Caryn Havlik

Program #4747, The Irish-American Connection (First aired 5/3/23)

ARTIST: Cinder Well
WORK: Two Heads, Grey Mare [1:11]
RECORDING:  Cadence
SOURCE: Free Dirt Records
INFO: https://lnk.to/cadence

ARTIST: Lankum
WORK: Lord Abore and Mary Flynn [8:40]
RECORDING: False Lankum
SOURCE: Rough Trade Records
INFO: https://lankum.ffm.to/falselankum

ARTIST: Cinder Well
WORK: Two Heads, Grey Mare [4:42]
RECORDING:  Cadence
SOURCE: Free Dirt Records
INFO: https://lnk.to/cadence

ARTIST: Martin Hayes & The Common Ground Ensemble
WORK: The Longford Tinker [3:37]
RECORDING: Peggy's Dream
SOURCE: 251 Records
INFO: https://251records.lnk.to/MHCGEPeggysDream | martinhayes.com

ARTIST: Valerie June, Bill Frisell
WORK: Handsome Molly [2:51]
RECORDING: I Am A Pilgrim: Doc Watson at 100
SOURCE: FLi Records/Budde Music
INFO: https://linktr.ee/iamapilgrim 

ARTIST: Lankum
WORK: The New York Trader [7:41]
RECORDING: False Lankum
SOURCE: Rough Trade Records
INFO: https://lankum.ffm.to/falselankum

ARTIST: Chris Eldridge
WORK: Little Sadie [4:09]
RECORDING: I Am A Pilgrim: Doc Watson at 100
SOURCE: FLi Records/Budde Music
INFO: https://linktr.ee/iamapilgrim 

ARTIST: Cinder Well
WORK: Crow [6:52]
RECORDING:  Cadence
SOURCE: Free Dirt Records
INFO: https://lnk.to/cadence

ARTIST: The Gloaming
WORK: Reo [6:52]
RECORDING: 3
SOURCE: Real World Records
INFO: realworldrecords.com