MARCH/APRIL 2010 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM SPOTLIGHT Judith Burrows

Matt Molloy, ry Cooder, paddy Moloney, Kevin Conneff, seán Keane James Minchin THE CHIEFTAINS Finding a vivid common ground between Ireland and Mexico

The IrIsh are deservedly proud research, Moloney began finding similarities of their talent for telling tall tales. But even between Mexican and Irish musical traditions. Chieftains founder paddy Moloney had a “It was fascinating,” he says. “and where I hard time believing the story behind his didn’t hear an Irish tune, I made one up!” group’s ambitious new album, San Patricio, Not that the translation was always based on the story of a battalion of Irish easy. “There are times where their rhythms expatriates who fought against americans jump a bit in the middle of the piece, whereas in the Mexican War. our rhythms are sort of set,” he observes. “There’s a Catholic Irishman, John riley, “you hear the off-beats of the guitar and the who came from Galway to america,” explains back line jumping back and forth. It’s difficult Moloney, who co-produced the album with enough, but terrific when you get into it.” roots maven ry Cooder. “he was given a Meanwhile, Cooder’s knowledge of rifle and told to go down there and shoot Mexican styles came in handy, as did his Catholic Mexicans under the command of address book. “I was 90 percent of the protestant generals. That was what he had way done, and he introduced me to some left behind in Ireland!” of the singers and acts that I wanted, plus Instead, riley defected to the Mexican some of the sounds that were missing,” army and helped to form saint patrick’s Moloney says. Battalion. They fought five battles before among the talents the group tapped being defeated just outside Mexico City were linda ronstadt, van dyke parks at the Battle of Churubusco. “It was their and actor liam Neeson, who served as alamo, you might say,” Moloney notes. “But narrator of the climactic battle scene. there was no surrender.” “When liam was finished, he was full of What could have been a eulogy became passion!” recalls Moloney. “he said, ‘Boy, if a celebration in the Chieftains’ hands. The somebody’s going to do a film, I want to play goal, says Moloney, was “not to make it a the commander!’” doom-and-gloom thing, but expand it and hollywood, you’ve been alerted—and use all the lovely colors of their music from the soundtrack is all ready. all the regions of Mexico.” after delving into –Bob Cannon 18

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