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| "All right...take
everything you thought you knew about Celtic music and throw it out of the
window. School is out and the rules have changed! The next generation of
young Cape Breton musicians are wailing out centuries-old traditional
celtic tunes with a totally modern appeal. Leading the assault of
hand-clapping, foot-stomping, skull-rattling rhythms...Slainte Mhath."
The Slainte Mhath (Gaelic for "good health to you") sound draws from a wide range of influences. This high-energy group features traditional instruments associated with the Celtic genre and adds drumbeats, hooks, and sub-bass lines, all augmented with contemporary arrangements. The diverse and cultural background of Slainte Mhath includes the musical versatility of Lisa Gallant (bodhran, fiddle and step-dancing), Boyd MacNeil (octave mandolin, fiddle, guitars and percussion), Ryan MacNeil (keyboards and percussion), Brian Talbot (drums and percussion) and John MacPhee (Highland bagpipes, Scottish reel pipes and Irish flute). The band's debut CD, 1995's Prophecy, was nominated for a 1998 East Coast Music Award in the Best Instrumental Artist category. The CD was re-released in 1999, complete with a couple of brand new tunes, under the title Slainte Mhath. At a show in Guelph, Ontario, the band sold 100 copies of the CD in just 20 minutes!
Slainte Mhath has a growing fan base worldwide, having toured across Canada, the U.S.A., England, Scotland, Sweden and Denmark. The young group has honed its chops considerably. Last summer, Slainte Mhath's momentum grew overseas with a tour that set a ground breaking collaboration with BBC Radio Scotland, featuring a daily diary on their Web site and leading them to a BBC Folk Award nomination in the 'Horizon' category -- the first East Coast artist to receive a nomination from the BBC Folk Awards. With VA, Slainte Mhath embarks on a new part of their musical journey. Jump aboard, get ready to go -- it's definitely an enjoyable trip into a new century of Celtic music making. |
Hi Lisa! Thanks for allowing us to do an interview with you.
Where did you pick the name Slainte Mhath from?
Ryan and Boyd's grandparents were Gaelic
Speakers and they thought naming the band in Gaelic would be a nice
idea. After Slainte was suggested by a friend of their family,
Ryan then suggested Slainte Mhath and well, it stuck.
For someone who is new to your music, how would you describe it?
Progressive Celtic!
What musical background do each of the members
have? Do you all have formal training?
Ryan began Royal Conservatory training for piano at the age of 7, then continued studying piano at St. F.X. where he was enrolled in the Jazz program. Boyd began studying Classical violin at the age of 4 from Dan MacDonald, a very through trained musician. Ryan and Boyd come from a very musical family where Scottish and Irish traditional music has been and still is heard constantly around their home. Lisa studied violin with Dan MacDonald as well and has studied Cape Breton Dance since she was 6. She also comes from a very musical family. Brian took drums in school, but is mainly self-taught (I guess we've all taught our selves a thing or two!) He gained a lot of experience playing with the band Bemus Ton and through playing with the Summertime Revue. John studied the pipes at the college of piping in Summerside, PEI (began when 8 years old), at the Gaelic College in St. Ann's, Cape Breton and he also lived in Scotland for a year studying the different styles of piping played there. We've all taken band in school (most of us on different instruments then those that we play in Slainte Mhath). Ryan, John and Lisa played alto sax, Brian and Boyd played drums. What instruments does the band play?
Here are the instruments we play in our
show:
Boyd: Fiddle, Guitar, Octave Mandolin,
percussion (inc. the sewer-pipe!)
Ryan: Piano and percussion
Lisa: Fiddle, Dance (tap shoes are as good
an instrument as any!!), bodhran and percussion.
Brian: Drum-kit, percussion and Bass
John: Highland pipes, small pipes, border
pipes, bass and percussion
What's the status on your upcoming CD?
We're taking June to work on new material
and if everything works out as we're hoping, we should be recording in
the fall.
How do you choose the tunes you're going to record?
Well, if we hear a tune we like, we keep
playing it and arranging it until we're satisfied and if we're really
satisfied with an arrangement we'll record it.
What's your take on why Celtic Music, especially Canadian, is so popular these days in other parts of the world? Do you think shows like Riverdance and Lord of the Dance had something to do with it?
Well, in general, Celtic music is fun and
danceable. It seems people all over the world have just recently
caught on to how carefree and enjoyable Celtic music can be. And
yes, I do agree that Riverdance and Lord of the Dance have had quite a
bit to do with that realization. I think both shows introduced
Celtic music to many people here and a broad.
Who are some of your musical influences?
We listen to many different kinds of music,
hard to just name a few.
What do you enjoy to do when you're off the road?
Clean the van!
What have been some of the highlights of your
career so far?
Opening for groups such as the Chieftains,
Great Big Sea, La Bottine Souriante, Natalie MacMaster, Ashley
MacIsaac, Runrig, Leahy, The Irish Descendants and The Barra MacNeils,
Playing in the theatre production Needfire, on the Dini Petty and
Vikki Gabereau shows, Playing at festivals as wonderful as the Tonder
Festival in Denmark, the Celtic Connections festival in Scotland, the
Vancouver Folk festival, Celtic Colors Festival and all of the other
great Canadian festivals, Touring Sweden and Denmark and most
definitely seeing so much of our own country.
What was it like to perform in the show Needfire in Toronto a couple of years ago? That would be wonderful exposure for the young band!
We met and got to know so many great
people during the Needfire Production. We learned a lot about
performing and a lot about working in such a large group.
What are some of the pronunciations of your name
you've heard over the years?
Oh, there are so many! Lets see,
Slant math and Slanty Math are kinda popular, the latest was Saint
Moose!
Is there a place that you have yet to tour that you would like to visit?
Australia.
Now for some more entertaining questions!
What's your favorite TV show?
The guys say, 'The Big Labousky' and we
all love 'The Simpson's'.
Who are your favorite singers/instrumentalists?
Bela Fleck, Steven Cooney, Less Claypool
and a billion others!
Lisa Gallant (for Slainte Mhath) |
"The next big group to come out of Cape Breton!" - Natalie MacMaster "Flying bagpipe tunes, fizzing fiddle reels, complete with Stax-style funky guitar rhythms, and percussion arrangements that take on an African groove!" - Rob Adams, The Herald (Glasgow) "One of the unofficial winners of the main stage showcase sessions (at the ECMA's in Charlottetown, PEI)." - Tim Arsenault, The Chronicle Herald "Just when you think music can't amaze you anymore, along comes a group that proves you wrong...Nothing less than a superb performance." - Daryl Mombourquette, City White Alert Magazine "Slainte Mhath, along with Scott MacMillan, represent the progressive edge of East Coast music that's breaking new ground between traditional, jazz and classical forms." - Ron Foley MacDonald, The Daily News "The partnership of Ryan MacNeil's piano and Bruce MacPhee's pipes, locking on to one another and motoring through the dance steps with irresistible swing...their arrangements reveal a level of intelligence and imagination that bodes well for the future." - Sue Wilson, The Scotsman (Review on Celtic Connections) "(They) create a distinctive, rollicking sound that surges with energy." - Steve Harder, The Mail Star "Other bands in their genre earn more hype and more attention but these people can actually play!" - Steve Sharratt, Charlottetown Guardian |
For Slainte Mhath's current tour dates, visit their website at http://www.slaintemhath.com |
For more info on Slainte Mhath, check out their website at http://www.slaintemhath.com or email them at info@slaintemhath.com Management: Encore Management Group, Sherri Taylor, Artist Manager, 66 Shore Drive, Suite 1, Bedford, Nova Scotia, B4A 2C6, Ph: (902) 832-2843, Fax: (902) 832-3925, sherri@encoremanagementgroup.com Booking Info: The Agency Group Ltd, Jack Ross, Ph: 416 368 5599, Fax: 416 368 4655To order Slainte Mhath's CD's - in Canada, visit HMV's website, in the US, visit Portland America's website and overseas, visit Greentrax Records website. If you're interested in more Canadian Celtic Music, visit www.islandviewcreations.com/canadacelticmusic
Congratulations to Catherine Creary, the winner of Slainte Mhath's "VA" CD!
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There's
a youthfulness abounding in the Celtic music scene these days. It's fresh,
energetic and fused with a sound that has a rich international flavour.
It's Slainte Mhath (pronounced Slawncha Va). The innovative Cape Breton
quintet is keeping its traditional roots firmly planted, with a
determination to making 21st century Celtic music and bringing it to a
global audience.
Slainte
Mhath's new sounds explode on their new album VA, a title which is meant
to represent the phonetic pronunciation of Slainte Mhath's last name. VA
takes the fiercely talented young generation of musicians to another realm
of creativity -- combining those deep traditional influences with
modern-day nuances that will set popular culture on its ear.
