A musical marriage in Barga this afternoon as two top class Irish musicians, Niall Vallely and Karan Casey, both took time out from their busy touring schedules for a very brief stay in the city to be joined in marriage at the Palazzo Pancrazi in Barga Vecchia. Karan Casey is one of the most influential – and most imitated – voices in folk music. It’s hard to find anyone who follows Irish or American folk who has not fallen in love with Casey’s distinctive voice, as fragile as it is fierce (the Washington Post calls her “the Irish equivalent of Emmylou Harris”). “Setting her clear voice in arrangements that mix traditional and modern instruments, she maintains the taut, quivering ornamentation of old ballad style, singing tales of love, war and murder with a gentle gravity.” New York Times
Niall Vallely is from Northern Ireland. His parents, Brian and Eithne Vallely founded of the Armagh Piper’s Club -- a group that for over three decades has fostered the revival of traditional music in Ireland, his brother Cillian plays the uillean pipes and low whistle, another brother Caoimhin, plays classical piano, tin whistle and fiddle.
In 1998 Niall released a solo album of contemporary and traditional tunes from Ireland and Scotland. He also composed the tunes and produced the Karan Casey’s album for children “The Seal Maiden”.
Cillian Vallely plays with the Irish band Lunasa which released an album last year featuring a new tune from Cillian on the uillean pipes called ”Road to Barga”. He played a rendition of this tune in Piazza Salvo Salvi after the marriage to warm applause from the assembled crowd.
Karan Casey site is here | Niall Vallely site is here | Lunasa site is here
Lunasa will be touring the states and Canada this month:
USA:Fri Sep,07 07 Philadelphia Irish Fest Philadelphia, PASat
Sep,08 07 University Of Hartford Hartford, CT
Sun Sep,09 07 Night Eagle Festival Binghampton, NY
Wed Sep,12 07 Liam Maguire’s Falmouth,MA
Thu Sep,13 07 One Longfellow Square Portland, Maine
Fri Sep,14 07 Chicago Celtic Fest Chicago, IL
Sat Sep,15 07 Chicago Celtic Fest Chicago, IL
Sun Sep,16 07 Cincinnatti Celtic Fest Cincinnatti, OH
Mon Sep,17 07 School for Creative & Performing Arts Cincinnatti, OH
Tue Sep,18 07 The Fenian’s Irish Pub Conklin,MI
Wed Sep,19 07 PJ McIntyres Irish Pub Cleveland, OH
Thu Sep,20 07 The Arab American National Museum Dearborn, MI
CANADA:
Fri Sep,21 07 Festival Place Sherwood Park, AB
Sat Sep,22 07 Gateway @ SAIT Calgary, AB
Sun Sep,23 07 West End Cultural Center Winnipeg, MB
Click on the link below to hear Cillian Vallely playing ”Road to Barga” in the piazza in Barga Vecchia