Press Release ALAW New CD ‐ Title/Label/(Cat.No): Melody / Taith Records / (TRCD00016) Distribution: Proper Music Release date: Monday 9 September 2013 Website: www.alaw‐band.com/ Photo credit: Paul Michael HuGhes “We wanted to make this CD a celebration of melody; in particular, a celebration of some of the beautiful and often unusual melodies of Welsh traditional music”. The melodic strength of the material is one of the very first things to strike the listener. The haunting beauty of the tunes is given a fresh, contemporary feel as this remarkable trio is unafraid to bring their own musical experiences to the arrangements, finding rhythmic and harmonic ideas within the tunes that constantly surprise and excite those who hear them. ALBUM LAUNCH 6 September 2013 These ‘other’ musical experiences include (collectively) work with Melody will be officially launched Szapora and the Ian McMillan Orchestra. ALAW is also a trio with family at the NorweGian Church Arts and Generational connections. Dylan Fowler (Guitar, mandocello) is the Centre, CARDIFF. stepfather of Oliver Wilson‐Dickson (fiddle, voice) and the two had 7.30pm. Tickets: worked toGether for some time as a duo; eventually they invited Jamie www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/67306 Smith (accordion), a colleaGue of Oliver’s, who had been playinG in Jamie **See paGe 3 for details of four post‐ WOMEX dates with Ebo Taylor*** Smith’s Mabon, to join them and ALAW was born. “ALAW means melody” says Oliver “it is also a Welsh name. We were keen to put toGether a project that had Welsh music at its heart. Welsh folk music” he continues ”has not had the same deGree of exposure as its Celtic cousins. Wales has a fantastic variety of distinctive and beautiful melodies, which we are keen to celebrate and hopefully, in the process, Generate more interest in Welsh folk music.” The arranGements, whilst drawinG deeply on ALAW’s own musical travels, are responses to the rhythmic and harmonic ideas contained within each tune. For example, a mode containinG both major and minor sixths (a feature of some of these tunes) inspires a wealth of harmonic possibilities. These melodies have found their way to the Group by various routes. Some come from the Welsh folk dance tradition, like ‘JiG Owen’ and ‘Tŷ Coch Caerdydd’. Some have been learned at sessions, such pieces as ‘Welsh Morris’ and ‘Gyrru’r Byd o ‘Mlaen’. Others, such as ‘Gwen Lliw’r Lili’ and ‘CraiG y Ddinas’, are melodies from sonGs (thouGh the melodies seem older than the words recorded with them). Some have come to the trio throuGh recordinGs, such as ‘Y Ddau Farch’ sunG by Meredydd Evans or ‘Ffarwel i f'Ienctid’ played by Sian Phillips. Others they found in books, includinG ‘Cariad Newydd’ and ‘ErddyGan y Crythwr Du Bach’ from Nicolas Bennet’s 1896 collection Alawon fy Ngwlad (The Lays of my Land) and ‘Glyn Nedd’ and ‘CraiG y Ddinas’ from Maria Jane Williams’ 1844 collection Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morganwg. All of the above are melodies for which ALAW have developed Great affection. With ’Melody’, they amply and consummately communicate this passion. John Crosby music publicity/PR -- 26 Milward Crescent, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3XZ Tel: 01424 713904 Mobile: 07920 260824 Email: [email protected] Web: www.johncrosby.plus.com Band biographies Oliver Wilson‐Dickson plays with The Devil’s Violin Company and Jamie Smith’s Mabon. Described by R2 maGazine as 'an expressive and exceptional fiddler' he also reGularly collaborates with storyteller Daniel Morden, with whom he appeared for four consecutive years at the National Theatre and toured throuGhout the UK. As a session musician, Oliver has contributed to many recordinGs from Cartoons for the BBC and a BAFTA award winninG film soundtrack to CDs for Warner International. As a composer he has written music for staGe productions and BBC Radio 4 drama. He also plays in the house band on the Welsh TV show Noson Lawen. www.fiddle.orG.uk Dylan Fowler was born in Tripoli, 1956 but brouGht up in the Rhymney Valley, South Wales. He has been a professional musician now for close on 30 years and in that time has been active in many areas of music as a performer/ composer and arranGer. His musical palette draws on his experiences in contemporary European jazz, traditional music from the Celtic diaspora – particularly his Welsh heritaGe and his extensive experience as a collaborator with musicians from countries such as India, BulGaria, Serbia, Bosnia, Finland, Norway, Canada, Germany and Italy. As well as various Group activities he has a developed a reputation as an international soloist as a Guitarist and has two cds released on the prestiGious German label, Acoustic Music Records which have received excellent reviews. ‘This is music with heart, soul and, above all a bullish determination to iGnore recoGnised boundaries.’ Chris Jones – BBC online reviews. www.taithrecords.co.uk Jamie Smith is one of the UK’s finest accordionists and writers of new acoustic music. He is a folk musician who specialises in the music of the Celts, unearthinG and presentinG tunes and sonGs rarely heard, from places such as the Isle of Man and Galicia in northern Spain. Born in South Wales, Jamie, aGed 28, fronts the international Celtic band Jamie Smith’s Mabon. With Mabon Jamie has performed all over the World: Grand outdoor spectaculars in France, folk festivals in the UK, delirious allcomers in Mexico, forest parks in Italy, waterfront shows in Australia and castles in Poland. The band has released four albums to date, all featurinG Jamie’s oriGinal compositions, which he has recently published in a book of his music called Tunesmith. www.jamiesmithsmabon.com Some additional notes on the songs and tunes by Oliver Wilson‐Dickson 1. Glyn Nêdd / Gyrru’r Byd o ‘Mlaen 4:21 The Glen of Nêdd / Kick the World Before Me One of the first slow airs I learned. This Goes into our take on a popular Welsh slip jiG. 2. Cariad Newydd / ErddyGan y Crythwr Du Bach / Dawns Forys 3:53 New Love / The Little Black Crwth Player’s Tune / Welsh Morris Both the first and second tunes in this set come from Nicolas Bennet’s 1896 collection Alawon fy nGwlad (The lays of my land) ‐ they have evolved in the playinG. Dawns Forys I learned from sessions. 3. JiG ArGlwydd Caernarfon / JiG Owen 4:04 The Lord of Caernarfon’s JiG / Owen’s JiG Lord Caernarfon’s is a popular set dance tune, and features in Playford’s dancinG master (1650). The title is curious since the tune isn’t a jiG. So we paired it with JiG Owen, which definitely is. 4. Y Ddau Farch / Gwêl Yr Adeilad 3:21 The Two Steeds / Behold the BuildinG This sonG tells a story of two horses in conversation on a mountain. The older is tellinG the younGer about the harsh reality of life as a worker. Pan oeddwn ar foreddydd Ai ddy didl… Yn rhodio mas o'm cyfudd Cyfarfod wneuthum a dau farch Yn ymGom ar y mynydd Dywedai y cel Gwanna Nawr wrth y ceffyl cryfa Fe fum i undydd yn fy mharch Yn Gystal march a thitha Pan es yn hen Glyhercyn Ces Gario yd i'r felin John Crosby music publicity/PR -- 26 Milward Crescent, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3XZ Tel: 01424 713904 Mobile: 07920 260824 Email: [email protected] Web: www.johncrosby.plus.com A beth ddiGwyddodd i fy rhan Ond GoGred Gwan o eisin Tynasant fy mhedole Gyrasant fi i'r mynydde A thra bo anadl yn fy ffroen Ni ddeuaf byth tuaG adre! From Canu'r Cymru II (P Kinney, M Evans) collected in CerediGion. Early one morninG ALAW will be touring in the four days immediately after I was walkinG about my land WOMEX with the Ghanaian guitarist EBO TAYLOR When I came upon two horses In discourse on the mountain 27 Oct ‐ Welfare, YstradGynlais 28 Oct ‐ Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells Said the weaker horse 29 Oct ‐ Ucheldre Centre, Holyhead To the stronGer horse 30 Oct ‐ BorouGh Theatre, AberGavenny I was once, in my prime Theatr Mwldan and Creu Cymru present a major tour of Wales, As fine a steed as thee presenting the best world music performers who have selected to appear in showcases at the global international music event When I went lame WOMEX. This year, WOMEX 13 will be hosted by Cerdd Cymru, I Got to carry corn to the mill in Cardiff, between 23 ‐ 27 October. The Gorwelion ‐ Horizons And what happened to my share Wales‐wide tour will take four leading international WOMEX 13 But a handful of chaff showcasing artists and pair them up with four top Wales based musicians or groups for a sensational performance of world They pulled off my horseshoes music from leading international and Wales based exponents. Drove me to the mountain This tour is a part of the WOMEX 13 Legacy programme led by And while there is breath in my nostrils Cerdd Cymru: Music Wales. It aims to bring the best in global I will never return home music to audiences across the nation, ensuring that WOMEX 13 is an all‐Wales event. 5. Gwen Lliw’r Lili / Hud y Frwynen 6:07 Lilywhite Gwen / The Charm of the RushliGht We Got this dark and passionate melody from Maria Jane Williams 1844 collection: Ancient and National Airs of Gwent and MorGannwG (ANAGM). Without question the best book I have ever purchased. 6. CraiG y Ddinas 3:45 Dinas Rocks Also from ANAGM this melody is also joined for the last time throuGh by the folk sonG Y Gwyth (The Wood).