With Special Guests: Carl Novotny: Guitar Joe Trump: Percussion Suzanne Taylor: Piano All lyrics available at www.thecelticconspiracy.com Songs of Love and Murder is the fourth of 4 releases reflecting the music and song, as featured in Hanz & Kathryn's very successful touring shows. Hanz Araki and Kathryn Claire , joined by special guest artists, musicians and dancers lend their individual expertise, lyrical knowledge and love of Celtic music to four, theme-based concerts that present some of the strongest and most beautiful elements of the Celtic tradition. Two of USA's most beloved touring musicians turn their talents to the UK, with a mind boggling schedule of releasing 4 CDs in one calendar year. The 4 CDs reflect their 4 different seasonal shows which they have been delighting audiences all across the USA. We at Copperplate are delighted to be collaborating with Hanz & Kathryn and hope to enlighten the UK to these two brilliant musicians. This, their fourth CD collection of Songs of Love and Murder. The murder ballad is a mainstay of the folk idiom in many cultures, perfected in Scotland, Ireland and England long, long ago. Shakespearean to the downright macabre. Songs of Love and Murder is a collection of traditional murder ballads - - - as well as a few dance tunes (jigs and reels with some grissly titles) to keep your feet stomping. Also by Hanz & Claire Kathryn and available from Copperplate A Winter Solstice Celebration As I Roved Out, Songs of Spring The Emigrant's Song, The Laborour's Lament.
Also available from Copperplate:
Hanz Araki & Katherine Claire: As I Roved Out.: Songs of Spring
Hanz Araki & Katherine Claire: The Emigrant's Song
Hanz Araki & Katherine Claire: A Winter Solstice Celebration
Track Listing
- I Buried My Wife & Danced On Top Of Her
- Lord Thomas & Fair Elander.
- Helen of Kirkconnell.
- Unlucky in Love.
- The Banks of Red Roses.
- Wellington's Advance/Off to the Races
- Seven Gypsies.
- Cobbler's Daughter.
- William Taylor.
- Little Musgrave 1 & 2, Sword in Hand.
- The Cook, The Thief, The Hag, This is my Love.
- Annan Waters.
Biogs:
Irish flute player Hanz Araki is the quintessential world music musician. After six generations, the name Araki is synonymous with the Japanese shakuhachi (an end-blown bamboo flute) which Hanz mastered making his professional debut in 1988.
After four years of concert appearances and teaching at the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo, Japan, Hanz returned to his hometown of Seattle, WA and found himself drawn to the world of Celtic music. The penny-whistle and the Irish flute became his single-minded focus, and jigs and reels became a second language. His unique style and passion were soon recognized and met with high praise.
Hanz also discovered his voice was well-suited to the songs of Scotland, Ireland, and England and is highly regarded for his interpretation of folk songs in what is one of the most exciting living traditions.
After several tours across the US, Canada, and the UK (first with the Juno Award winning Paperboys, then Casey Neill) as well as a return to Japan, now as a well-respected Irish flute-player, Hanz moved to Portland, OR in 2006. This move proved to be most fortuitous as it led to the musical partnership with Oregon-native
Kathryn Claire.
A self-taught guitarist and accomplished vocalist and fiddle-player, Kathryn has asserted herself in a new generation of traditionally-inspired musicians. Early classical training gave her a strong foundation, but naturally gave way to her own creative inclinations. Her violin-playing exhibits a technical grace which is matched only by her truly captivating voice. While she possesses the rare ability to move seamlessly across genres, her love and deep respect for traditional music has long been a driving influence, and those roots can be heard in her own original music, as well as her own distinctive take on folksongs.
Kathryn and Hanz quickly discovered a shared love of harmony -- and a well-matched work ethic -- and a creative process began that has produced a tremendous body of work. Their shared passion for traditional music is magnetic and they have become a favorite at music festivals and venues in the US and abroad. Frequent collaborators include Cary Novotny, Joe Trump, and Cal Scott (US); Takeaki Nagahama, Hirofumi Nakamura (Japan) and Aiko Obuchi (Japan).
Press Reviews
R2 March/April* * *Songs Of Love & Murder is the fourth CD recorded in just one year by the proli?c American duo, Hanz Araki and Kathryn Claire. It's a collection of well-known murder ballads and related tunes.
The son of lrish and Japanese parents, Araki's father is grandmaster of the shakuhachi Japanes flute. Claire studied classical violin and voice, but is also a self-taught guitarist and songwriter. Residents of Portland, together they have amassed an impressive body of award-winning albums.
ln addition to singing, Araki plays flute and Claire plays fiddle and guitar. They are supported by Cary Novotny (guitar), Joe Trump (percussion) and Suzanne Taylor (piano). Araki plays a lyrical low whistle counter-melody to Claire's lovely rendition of 'Helen Of Kirkconnell', while a simple but effective piano accompaniment underpins Araki's singing of the haunting ballad, 'The Banks Of Red Roses'.
The songs are broken up with flute and fiddle tune sets accompanied by relentless percussion, which I found rather too intrusive, particularly on 'Unlucky In Love'.
Songs Of Love & Murder was recorded live, and the arrangements are simple but in keeping with the songs. It's not going to set the world alight, but it's well performed and is an enjoyable listen nevertheless. Keith Whiddon
