One Year, Week 19, 20 & 21 - Celtic crew, Cwps & Cwrs Madog

Yes, now a year late...

The Celtic crew... I haven't seen much of them lately.  But last summer we were still playing football (lost to Penrhyncoch 11-3... one funny game!) and playing "Beans" and speaking Welsh and Mgoiyu... that sort of thing.  It was time for Enrique to leave.  Back to Columbia.  It was sad to see him go, the end of an era I suppose.

One Year, Week 14 - Recording with Julie

Dreams...

This is it... here...

All that I left behind, this long journey, all culminates in this moment.  I don't think I could have dreamed up something so unbelievable, so incredible...

I have written often about Julie.  Julie was the one and only Welsh singer that caught my attention all those years ago.  Her music is what inspired me to take an interest in Welsh music.  Her voice is the voice I hear at night, the voice that carries me forward on my journey.

How is it that I'm now recording with my guide and mentor... I don't know.  But I do know that I now count both Julie and Ceri "Ffliwt" amongst my closest friends.

One Year, Week 9 - The Party

The Party...

I went to The Party on the weekend.  It was surreal.


But before I get into that, I should say this.

It starts here... about four years ago, I had three or four harp lessons with Siân James.  It was the first time I ever played the harp.

One Year, Week 8 - Abergwaun, Manorbier, Fernhill in Rhosygilwen

I'm well behind on the blog now... by at least eight weeks!  The next few entries will be rough...

Let's see...

Easter... I don't remember much except that I had a great chat with Catrin.  She's a real character, great laugh and great storyteller!

At some point, I made my way to Pencader and had a quick play with Julie, Christine and Ceri "Ffliwt".

Week 52 - St. David's Day, Poetry, Corelw, Telynau Teifi

I had wanted to celebrate St. David's this year in the actual St. David's but I had stayed in Cardiff after the gig with Sild.  I figured the capitol would be just fine.  On my way downtown, the bus driver said, "The route's changed today.  I guess there's some sort of march on."

So that wasn't a good sign as the "march" he was referring to was actually supposed to be the St. David's parade.  Needless to say, the "march" was very meagre.  Not too many Welshies take to the holiday I guess.  Fair enough.  I suppose it's more for ex-pats and us foreigners.  Shame.  I used to really enjoy handing out daffs and eating welsh cakes.

Week 47 - Jet-lagged in Aber and Pencader

I'm ridiculously jet-lagged right now.  I shouldn't be this bad.  I keep alternating days of sleeping in unbelievably late and then next waking unbelievably early.

I got my hair cut, and spoke Welsh with the hairdresser, Meinir.  She was quite nice to chat with.  I understood virtually everything that was said.  Though I found I was a bit too serious in Welsh... I couldn't make any funny little comments.  But it did feel good to feel vaguely fluent.  Of course, that feeling never seems to last...

I was back at the Welsh classes and started a new class that's at a higher level.  I understood very little but it was a really great challenge.

Week 35 - part 1 - Llydaw

Well, I got a gig in Brittany, mostly through plain old luck.  Tomos "trumpet" was supposed to go there with Julie for this gig but his wife decided to have a baby that week.  Well, not so much decided but you know what I mean...

Anyway, I was happy to sub in.  Julie drove (as I can't drive standard unless it's an emergency) and we left in the late afternoon to catch the over-night ferry from Portsmith.

Week 34 - part 3 - Abercych

On the weekend there was finally another Abercych Twmpath.  This Twmpath is a great event hosted by Simon which brings the little village together and people of all sorts - Welshies, hippies and arty people alike.  I think it's got to be one of my top favourite events.

Elsa showed up there with a couple of family members.  It was great to see Elsa though I didn't have much of a chance to visit with her at the actual dance.

Week 31 - Pencader Jam Session and a visit to Dolgellau

Steff playing the mandola

I can't remember how or why, but for some reason I made a trip to Pencader.  I think I decided to drag Gwil down there for another little jam session.  Actually, now that I think about it, this may have been the time Gwil discovered he was going to Pencader because I told Julie over Facebook that he was... even though I didn't ask him.  Funny!

Anyway, Steff showed up for part of the evening.  Man, he's a phenomenal player!

Week 8/9 (Day 56-58) - tunes with Julie

Well, it's been awhile and I'm having trouble remembering now all the things that have happened.  And quite a lot has happened.  So forgive me if the next few posts are somewhat spotty.
Here we go...

I traveled to Julie's house in Pencader.  Ceri Ffliwt was away in Cornwall celebrating May Day and doing some recording with Christine Cooper.  Anyway, traveled to Pencader on the bus carrying my harp and my trombone and my knapsack (or rucksack?).  That was interesting.  One fellow on the bus leaned over to me and said, "I brought my harp to the party but no one asked me to play."  Yeah, that's about right.  Guess it's from some song.

Anyway, Julie met me at the bus stop and she helped carry my trombone up that big long hill.  We chilled out for a bit and ate some nice food.  Then we started playing and it was amazing!  Julie's voice is so beautiful and emotive.  We worked on some Welsh traditional tunes and some more on her originals.

Day 11 - Pencader

Alright, this is the CD that I first heard Julie Murphy and Ceri Rhys Matthews.  I also heard them on an album backing Siwsann George.

This is a must buy, absolutely.  I must have heard this back in 1995 or so.  (Recent edit - just talked to Martin about this, he figures it was in 2000 or so... oops!)  I had been very discouraged by what I had heard coming out of Wales.  Most of it was either too cheesy or too operatic for my taste.  Mainly too cheesy.

You know, each to their own.  If you're into opera, hey, why not.  To be honest, I'm into any type of music be it ska, funk, folk, pop, jazz, bluegrass, whatever...  I don't even need Welsh music to be particularly Welsh, if you know what I mean.

For me personally (and I can only speak for myself) there are really only a couple of things that I listen for when deciding if music is good or not.

The first is honesty.