Irish Music & Dance Associationhe a master fiddler, but he also played the concertina and was a composer, singer, step dancer, set dancer, storyteller, and singer. One wonders how

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Irish Music & Dance Association

28th Year, Issue No . 2

February 2010

Feabhra

The mission of the Irish Music and Dance Association is to support, coordinate, encourage and promote high quality activities and programs in Irish music, dance and other cultural traditions within the community.

Inside this issue:

Day of Irish Dance Sunday 3/14 ~ 11am-5pm

Irish Celebration Wednesday 3/17 ~ 10am-5pm

At Landmark Center in Downtown St. Paul across from Rice Park. Check our website for updates to our schedule of performers!

A 2-day celebration of all things Irish for the whole family!

If you are interested in being a volunteer for our 2010 Irish Celebration or Day of Irish Dance please fill out the volunteer form found at our website

http://irishmusicanddanceassociation.org/home.html We can't do it without all of our wonderful volunteers!

During this year's Day of Irish Dance at the Landmark Center, as if hundreds of highly talented, perfectly coiffed and lovely/handsome dancers weren't enough, IMDA is offer-ing a series of concerts in the Weyerhaueser Auditorium in the lower level of the Land-mark Center. For the price of a $6 ticket, fans of Irish music can enjoy, among other no-table performers: Laura MacKenzie, Bush Fellowship recipient, together with guitarist Gary Rue; the lush harmonies and Irish-language singing of the Giggin' Siles; the unique sounds of Erin Rogue, making Irish traditional tunes their very own; perennial Renais-sance Festival favorites and not-so-secret Irish music aficionados The Dregs; and last year's audience favorite, Rumgumption, closing out the day with traditional Celtic tunes that will leave you with your toes tapping and your feet trying to figure out a jig step or two. Spread the word, on the winds, the waters, and Facebook -- come enjoy an after-noon of Irish music the likes of which you'll see nowhere else! (And all for $6!)

Tune of the Month 2

Gaelic Corner 3

February Calendar 6-7

An Leabhragán 9

Ceili Corner 10

St. Paul Artist Paints

Ireland

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IMDA Grant Recipient 5

Rince na Chroi Concert 8

Solas at the Cedar 11

IMDA's Day of Dance to include Showcase Concert Series

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�une of �he on�h The IMDA Board is:

President: Lisa Conway

Treasurer: Mark Malone

Secretary: Jan Casey

Board Members: Suin Lowary Ruth McGlynn Anne Alcocer

Editor: John Burns

Advertising: Open Seat

IMDA Board Meetings are open to the membership. The Board meets regularly on the First Tuesday of each month at 6 pm at Perkins in HarMar. Members are en-couraged to verify the time and location shortly before, as meeting times and locations can change.

Contact Information Write to:

Irish Music and Dance Association 236 Norfolk Ave NW Elk River, MN 55330

Call: 612-990-3122

Newsletter Submissions We welcome our readers to submit articles of interest, news, and notices of events to be published in the news-letter. The deadline is the 20th o f the preceding month. Send to: [email protected]

This month’s tune is a hornpipe composed by Junior Crehan, as played by Paddy O’Brien. Paddy got it from Sean O’Driscoll, who lived here for a number of years before returning to his native Cork. Martin “Junior” Crehan (1908-1998), from Ballymakea, Co. Clare, was steeped in the traditional culture of West Clare. Not only was he a master fiddler, but he also played the concertina and was a composer, singer, step dancer, set dancer, storyteller, and singer. One wonders how he found time to work on his farm and raise five children. According to his daughter Ita, who produced a 2-disc tribute album to Junior called The Last House in Ballymakea, “Working on [the] land and being so close to nature was the source of inspiration for many of his compositions.” He won an All-Ireland medal for composition in Mullingar in 1953, and his tunes are widely played and recorded. Twenty of his tunes and songs are transcribed in Martin Junior Crehan: Musical Compositions and Memories, 1908-1998. Junior was also one of the founders of the Willie Clancy Summer School. Ita says that “Junior respected, listened and learned from the generation who went before him. He, in turn, gave generously of his talents and knowledge, always emphasizing the importance of handing down our traditions, and advised, ‘that anybody who has a song, a tune, a story or a dance should pass them on and not bring them to the grave.’” This particular tune appears on various recordings, such as the Mulcahy family’s early self-titled album. Apparently, Junior’s grandson Kevin Crehan also recorded it on his solo CD, An Bhabog sa Bhadog. I wish I could get my hands on Kevin’s album, which is said to be a great example of West Clare fiddling, but it seems to be out of print. Don’t play this hornpipe too fast, else you’ll warrant one of Junior’s sayings: “Who won the race?” Usual disclaimers: Any transcription errors are my own. The notation here is not meant to be a substitute for listening. It is simply an aid to learning the tune.

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Here I go, putting together another string of words. We usually use focal, in Irish, to mean "word". You sometimes see people at Irish festivals wearing stickers bearing the legend, Cúpla Focal, which means, "a couple of words," indicating that the wearer knows just a little bit of Irish. If I quote you "word for word" in English, I'll do that "word on word," or focal ar fhocal, in Irish. And if I don't understand some of the words you use, I will look them up in my book of focail, that is, in my foclóir or "dictionary." Perhaps the Irish are wiser than we, for in English, "A word to the wise is sufficient," but in Irish, they catch on twice as fast: Tuigeann fear léinn leathfhocal, "The learned man understands half a word." Presumably such an individual can pick up on even the merest gaoth an fhocail, "the wind of the word," meaning the slightest hint. Many "word" expressions are very similar in Irish and English. As in English, focal can be used for "word" in the sense of a promise, of giving someone your word. An focal mór, "the big word," refers to boasting and exaggeration, so when we hear, focal mór agus droch-chur leis, a sort of "big word and bad follow through" expression, we are talking about someone who is "all talk and no action." Sciorradh focail, slipping or sliding of a word, or titim focail, the falling of a word, refers to a "slip of the tongue" in English. Focal is not the only "word" word available in Irish, the term briathar is also used. Briathar Dé, for example, is the most common way of saying, "the word of God." But focal is more common for "word" in most applications, especially when you are learning Irish in a class or workshop, where briathar is mainly used for its other meaning, a "verb." (Oddly, briathar can be either either a masculine or a feminine noun.)

Rest assured, you can count on Gaeltacht Minnesota to continue to share a focal or two with you here, every month. Indeed, ár bhfhocal dhuit air, "you have our word on it."

Thanks so much to everyone who pitched in, stopped by, contributed a door prize, or sent in a donation during our January fundraiser. We were glad to be "home" at The Dubliner Pub, and thanks to Tom for hosting us year after year. We had great music from

our favorite local musicians, including Forty Shades of Green, Legacy, and Martin McHugh with a few fine associates, and lovely songs from good friends -- thanks to Kevin for pulling the musicians together. The afternoon came to a rousing finish with an exciting dance performance by Rince na Chroí, with our deepest thanks to Katie for giving us a great show, at rather short notice. And, as always, thanks to Suin for making things work! If you missed our fundraiser, you can still make a donation. This is the only time in the year that money actually flows into the organization, and the funds we raise support our ongoing free weekly classes, and subsidize our workshop fees so we can make them as affordable as possible. Visit www.gaelminn.org/gaelevent.htm for details on where to send a donation, or more information about the fundraiser. We would also like to welcome our new students, who have been taking our Introduction to Irish Gaelic class through St. Paul Community Education. The next opportunity to join our regular classes will be through our spring and summer workshops, and we're still working on the schedule for those events. Is fearr focal sa chúirt ná punt sa sparán

A friend in court is better than a pound in the purse Will

�he �aelic �orner By Will Kenny

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Connemara Landscapes, a new series of paintings of Ireland by St. Paul native, Joseph Byrne, opens January 22nd in the Groveland Annex at the Groveland Gallery, 25 Groveland Terrace in Minneapolis. Byrne exhibits his work throughout the U.S., most recently at First Street Gallery in New York and at the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma. Byrne’s newest body of work takes him back to his maternal grandmother’s homeland on the west coast of Ireland. This series of paintings is based on his observations of the huge Roundstone Bog in the Connemara region. Roundstone Bog is topographically complex with its unique, low-lying “blanket bog,” as well as lakes and rocky outcrops.

Born in St. Paul, Joseph Byrne attended St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota and the University of Iowa in Iowa City, where he earned his MFA in painting. He is a past member of First Street Gallery in New York where he had three solo exhibitions. He is currently a member of Zeuxis, an independent association of still life painters from

across the country. Byrne has received numerous fellowships and residencies, including an artist-in-residence fellowship to the American Academy in Rome and two MacDowell Colony Fellowships. Byrne lived in Northfield, Minnesota where he taught at Carleton College for 13 years. He now resides in West Hartford, Connecticut, with poet Clare Rossini and their son Francis, where he teaches in the studio arts program at Trinity College.

Byrne explains: "My paintings are, to some extent, fictional constructs that represent a long and delicate negotiation between what is out there in the world—the objects in a still life; the

rocks, hills, or bodies of water in a landscape—and my own personal response to them. This most

recent body of work is based on the landscape of the huge Roundstone Bog in the Connemara

region of west Ireland. My fascination with this area is both personal—this region is where my

maternal grandmother was from—and conceptual. The geological history of the bog is

fascinating, and the contemporary characteristics of this austere landscape present visual

problems that intrigue and challenge me as a painter. As in all of my work, it is the relationship

between perception,

representation, and

a b s t r a c t i o n t h a t

fascinates me.

The artist will be present at the opening r e c e p t i o n F r i d a y , January 22nd from 5-8 pm. This opening reception and exhibition run concurrently with the exhibition in the main gallery, New Landscapes, by Kit Wilson.

St. Paul Artist Exhibits Irish Landscapes

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�midiríní* By Copper Shannon (*Irish for ‘Bits and Pieces’)

Congratulations! Seven dancers from Escalate Irish Dance recently traveled to Santa Fe, New Mexico to compete in the CRN USA Qualifying Round. All seven qualified for solo competition in the CRN Irish Open at City West in Dublin, Ireland in May 2010!! These dancers train with Erin Cooney, ODCRN at Escalate Dance and Theatre Studio in Maple Grove. Erin has been teaching Irish dance throughout Minnesota since 2002 and is a qualified teacher with Cumann Rince Naisiunta. Best Wishes! Sarah van Sickle has assumed her job as Executive Director of Irish Fair Minnesota and will soon be moving into the new Irish Fair office at the Celtic Junction. Sarah is a certified festival manager who has assisted over 600 different events at Harriet Island, including large festivals, concerts and national event tours. Good on ya! All the best to Michael Sturm & Charley Beekman, from The Langer's Ball on their new venture – Twin Cities Irish Music Podcast and TCIrishMusic.com. The guys want to help connect the community of Irish musicians in the Twin Cities and expose more fans to the wide variety of Celtic influenced music in this area - to shine a spotlight on the amount and the quality of talent that some just think of as "normal".

Monica Nigon, recent IMDA grant recipient, is a passionate young fiddler who has been making music with her family since she was four years old! Monica grew up listening to her mother playing in an Irish and bluegrass band and looks forward to the chance to jam with her brother, who plays guitar, when he’s home from college. Monica has classical violin training “with a fiddle tune tossed in here and there.” Monica studies every traditional musician’s CD she can find, and continues to take lessons. She has been deeply influenced by her teacher, John Reed, who often discusses musicians he’s studied with in Ireland and shares videos of great performances.

Monica, who lives in Zumbrota, MN, joins family friends to play in the Bitter Creek Band, performing Irish and bluegrass tunes along with American favorites for a variety of audiences, including nursing homes, fundraisers, and area restaurants and coffee shops. She recently played for a fundraiser for the Zumbrota Area Arts Council. .

Monica will use her Educational Grant to study with Theresa Bourke at the Fiddler’s Retreat in Tipperary, Ireland next summer. .The 3 day program includes morning study with a focus on the techniques and stylistic features that make the tunes sound uniquely Irish. Afternoons are for sightseeing, the evenings for Irish sessions, and the program includes a homestay with an Irish family. Monica looks forward to deepening her knowledge of genuine Irish music.

The Irish Music and Dance Association is pleased to help this dedicated young fiddler continue her study of Irish music.

Young Musician Continues Family Tradition

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IMDA Community Calendar February 2010 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

February 1 6pm Learners Irish Session Keegan’s Pub

February 2

7pm Pub Quiz 9pm Irish Whiskey Night Keegan’s Pub 7:30pm Folk Jam w/ Bill Watkins Merlins Rest

February 3

7:30pm Ceili Dance 9:30 pm: Live Music Dubliner Pub 7pm Ceili Dance Class Conway Recreation Center 7:30 Pub Quiz Kip’s Pub 7:30 Pub Quiz Merlins Rest 7pm Traditional Session Kieran’s Pub

February 4

7pm Pub Quiz 9pm Irish Whiskey Night Keegan’s Pub 7:00pm Set Dance Class The Ivy Building

February 5 8pm Crowley & Hartman Kip’s Kilt Night & Trad Irish Music Merlins Rest

9pm Irish Brigade Kieran’s Pub

9pm St. Dominic’s Trio Kieran’s Pub

February 6 2pm First Saturday Ceili Dubliner Pub 1pm Acoustic Jam 9pm Live Music Merlins Rest

8:30pm Imbolc Celebration and Ceili Powderhorn Park 9pm Irish Brigade Kieran’s Pub

February 7

6pm Advanced Irish Music Session Keegan’s Pub 7:30 Pub Quiz Merlins Rest

February 8

6pm Learners Irish Session Keegan’s Pub

February 9


February 10


February 11


February 12 8pm Crowley & Hartman Kip’s Kilt Night & Trad Irish Music Merlins Rest 8pm Solas Cedar Cultural Center

11pm Elevation Kieran’s Pub

February 13 1pm Locklin Road Woodland Hill Winery, Delano 1pm Acoustic Jam 9pm Live Music Merlins Rest 3pm 2nd Saturday Ceili Merlin’s Rest

9pm Hounds of Finn Kieran’s Pub

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February 21

6pm: Advanced Irish Music Session Keegan’s Pub 7:30 Pub Quiz Merlins Rest

February 22


February 23


February 24


February 25


February 26 Kilt Night & Trad Irish Music Merlins Rest Center for Irish Music Concert and Fundraiser The Celtic Junction


February 27 5pm Locklin Road Woodland Hill Winery, Delano 1pm Acoustic Jam 9pm Live Music Merlins Rest


February 28


March 1


March 2


March 3

7:30pm Ceili Dance 9:30 pm: Live Music Dubliner Pub 7pm Ceili Dance Class Conway Recreation Center 7:30 Pub Quiz Tournament Kip’s Pub 7:30 Pub Quiz Merlins Rest 7pm Traditional Session Kieran’s Pub

March 4


March 5 Kilt Night & Trad Irish Music Merlins Rest

March 6 1pm Acoustic Jam 9pm Live Music Merlins Rest

February 14


February 15


February 16

Mardi Gras Party 7pm Pub Quiz 9pm Irish Whiskey Night Keegan’s Pub 7:30pm Folk Jam w/ Bill Watkins Merlins Rest

February 17

7:30pm Ceili Dance 9:30 pm: Live Music Dubliner Pub 7pm Ceili Dance Class Conway Recreation Center 7:30 Pub Quiz Kip’s Pub 7:30 Pub Quiz Merlins Rest 7pm Traditional Session 7:30 Pub Quiz Kieran’s Pub

February 18 7pm Locklin Road Cork’s Pub


February 19 7pm Locklin Road Maple Grove Arts Center 8pm Crowley & Hartman Kip’s Kilt Night & Trad Irish Music Merlins Rest A Little of the Ready O’Donovan’s Irish Pub

9pm Tim Malloys Kieran’s Pub

February 20 1pm Acoustic Jam 9pm Live Music Merlins Rest 7:30pm 3rd Saturday Ceili Oddfellows Hall A Little of the Ready O’Donovan’s Irish Pub

9pm Tim Malloys Kieran’s Pub

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Rince na Chroi, a St. Paul-based Irish dance school, will kick off the Irish-festival season with its fifth annual concert, “From the Stage to Your Heart,” Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. at Concordia University’s E.M. Pearson Auditorium. After last year’s two shows sold out in less than an hour, owner and founder Katie Stephens Spangler added a third performance to satisfy demand. The Saturday evening performance will feature only intermediate-level dancers and higher, along with Irish music groups Two Tap Trio, Green Tea and the Minnesota Police Pipe Band. The Saturday and Sunday afternoon shows will feature the fast-paced Irish dancing of all 170 Rince na Chroi dancers, from toddlers through adults, accompanied by the Two Tap Trio. This is not the first time Stephens Spangler, 30, has

responded to high demand. Along with working a full-time job, she has grown the school from just 15 students to more than 170 in its seven years since opening, which has meant adding more classes each year to accommodate, and hiring and managing seven instructors. As the school has grown, so has its local fame. Rince na Chroi, whose Gaelic translation means “dance of the heart,” has been featured numerous times by media such as KARE11, the CW Twin Cities, KSTP, WCCO, the Star Tribune and the Irish Gazette, among others. The dancers have had the opportunity to perform with popular Irish acts such as Gaelic Storm, Danu, Searson, Two Tap Trio and the Minnesota Police Pipe Band. Stephens Spangler, a Milwaukee, Wisc., native and University of St. Thomas graduate, traveled the world for more than a decade as a competitive Irish dancer, ending her career at the championship level, the highest in Irish dance competition. Two Tap Trio will perform at the recital for its fifth year. The high-energy, St. Paul-based trio melds Irish jigs, reels and songs with 21st century musicianship to create a traditional yet modern sound. Founding member Brian Miller has performed throughout the U.S., Canada and Ireland with bands such Bua, the Doon Ceili Band and the Tommie Cunniffe Trio, and has recorded two albums. Green Tea will perform at the 7:30 p.m. Saturday performance of “From the Stage to Your Heart” for the first time this year. Mixing Celtic roots with rock, pop, folk, jazz and funk, Green Tea has built a new generation of Celtic music with its dynamic, high-energy shows. The group has made a name for themselves in the Midwest, performing at the Green Bay Packers 2008 Tailgate Tour and the Irish Fair of Minnesota’s main stage in 2009, and among other significant Irish festivals. Flute and whistle player John Coletta is one of the best “hands” players in the world. The Minnesota Police Pipe Band (MPPB) will also perform at the Saturday evening performance. The MPPB is a nationally recognized pipe and drum corps that performs and competes throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as playing at funeral services for Minnesota police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty. In 2006 they were honored to perform for the President and other dignitaries in Washington, D.C. Classes at Rince na Chroi are offered Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, and Sundays, depending on level. Prospective dancers are welcome to visit classes throughout the year. Tickets to “From the Stage to Your Heart” are $15 and can be purchased beginning at noon on Feb. 1 through Ticket Works at 612-343-3390 or online at www.ticketworks.com. For lesson or show inquiries, call (651) 645-4292 or visit www.rincenachroi.com.

Rince ma Chroi Hosts 5th Annual Concert

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Although National Poetry Month doesn't officially start until April, February is a good month to read poetry. Winter continues gray and unrelenting in the North, and poems lend themselves to reflection and connection to the universal human experience. Ireland has been famous for turning out great written poetry since the sixth century; and undoubtedly had a poetry tradition before that. Making poetry and song was as natural as breathing to Irish people; hence, choosing even a few modern Irish poets for this month's overview leaves out a tidal wave of modern Irish masters. I'll choose three for this column, but if you're inspired to look further, investigate the Center for Irish Studies at the University of St. Thomas and their excellent publication, The New Hibernia Review. It is a rich resource and highly recommended. Here are three of my favorites, with apologies to a dozen not mentioned here: Seamus Heaney is the undisputed master of modern Irish poetry. By turns profound, sly, heartbreaking and wise, Mr. Heaney describes the human condition with compassion and deep understanding. My favorites (among many books of poetry, prose and plays) are The Haw Lantern (1987), Spirit Level (1996), District and Circle (2006). Michael Coady is my current favorite Irish poet. Writing with almost musical rhythm and lyricism (not surprisingly, as he is a musician in a musical family), Mr. Coady writes eloquently of mortality, community, memory and family legacies which go back centuries. I recommend you start with Oven Lane (1987) and One Another (2003). Frank Ormsby is known as a hard-hitting chronicler of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, but also writes touching poems of sharing the love of sports with his father (particularly horse-racing), becoming a dad himself, and the mysteries of love and friendship. Read all about it in The Ghost Train (1995). Although all of these were originally published in Ireland and may be hard to find in America, try the University of St. Thomas bookstore. I bought most of these books at UST, which uses these as textbooks for Irish literature classes. And do yourself a favor and check out the Center for Irish Studies at St. Thomas; they host many Irish poets and other writers in their excellent (and free) lecture series. Irish poetry is rewarding and illuminating, guaranteed to enrich your reading experience. Sherry Ladig, a regular contributor to this column, is a Saint Paul Irish traditional musician and interpretive

guide at The Schubert Club Museum.

An Leabhragán

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The Center for Irish MusicThe Center for Irish MusicThe Center for Irish MusicThe Center for Irish Music The Center has incorporated as an independent non-profit.

Come check us out at The Celtic JunctionThe Celtic JunctionThe Celtic JunctionThe Celtic Junction

836 Prior Avenue, St Paul MN

Please check the website for information on our full range of instruction in traditional Irish music, language , culture and fun.

For class schedule and other information call or email 612612612612----669669669669----3013 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Or visit our website

www.centerforirishmusic.orgwww.centerforirishmusic.orgwww.centerforirishmusic.orgwww.centerforirishmusic.org Dedicated to Handing Down the Tradition

�eili �orner By Bhloscaidh O’Keane First Saturday Afternoon Céilí - Dubliner Pub, 2162 University Avenue in Saint Paul, from 2:00 to 5:00. The suggested donation is $2.00 per person. The dances are taught and called by Paul McCluskey.

Third Saturday Night Céilí - Odd Fellows Hall, 2380 Hampden Avenue in Saint Paul, from 7:30 to 10:30. The suggested donation is $3.00 per person. The dances are taught and called by Linda Doran.

Irish Dance Classes:

Tuesday Nights NEW!

Irish Social Dancing for Adults - at The Celtic Junction, 836 North Prior Avenue in Saint Paul at 7:30 PM. Come dance in the newest, swankiest studio in town, with natural light and genuine sprung wood floors! Group and couples dancing is led by our experienced Loma mor Irish Dance Club teachers. Class runs year-round and beginners are welcome at any class. $8 per person.

Wednesday Nights

Dubliner Irish Pub - 2162 University Avenue in Saint Paul. Learn Irish dancing in a genuine Irish pub with a wooden floor that has known a whole lot of dancing feet. Steps and dances are taught by Súin Lowary. Basic beginning steps are taught beginning at 7:30 (please note the time change), with advanced lessons and dancing continuing until 9:30 PM. Year-round; no children, and must be of legal drinking age to remain past 9:00 PM. Free.

Conway Recreation Center - 2090 Conway Street in Saint Paul. This class is held in a park and recreation gym, and is taught by a trio of fine dancers/instructors, Ginny, Becky, and Dan, who will provide plenty of special attention for your particular level of experience. The class runs from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. Year-round and open to all ages. Free.

Thursday Nights

The Ivy Building - 2637 - 27th Avenue South in Minneapolis, right along the Midtown Greenway. Set dances are taught and led by Tim McAndrew, usually with live music. Dancing from 7-10pm, year-round. $7 per person. Lots more information at: Lóma mór Irish Dance Club, www.lomamor.org

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Just tear out the above form and send it with a check made out to “IMDA” to: The IMDA Membership Coordinator

236 Norfolk Ave NW Elk River, MN 55330

Name: Today’s Date:

Address:

Membership Type:

New? Gift? Renewal? Corporate? Family?

Interests:

(Mark all that apply)

Music

Dance Theatre Gaelic Volunteer

Where did you hear about the IMDA Newsletter?

IMDA Membership Want to know what’s going on in the local Irish scene? Interested in music, dance, theatre and culture? Be the first on your block to subscribe to the IMDA Newsletter. It’s a mere $20 for an annual individual membership and $25 for a family membership. Sign up yourself or sign up a friend, but whatever you do, support your local artists!

Phone Number:

E-mail:

Would you prefer to receive your monthly newsletter electronically via e-mail? _____ YES _____ NO (Faster delivery and full color photos!)

Solas at the Cedar Cultural CenterSolas at the Cedar Cultural CenterSolas at the Cedar Cultural CenterSolas at the Cedar Cultural Center On February 12, the Cedar proudly welcomes back contemporary American-Irish band Solas, the same week their brand new album The Turning Tide (Compass) gets released! The new album features a mix of traditional Irish tunes performed with the group's usual impeccable flair and style, and their defining takes on a choice se-lection of contemporary songs. In for the Solas treatment this time are some heavy hitters: Bruce Springsteen's Ghost of Tom Joad, Richard Thompson's Poor Ditching Boy, and Josh Ritter's Girl in the War. Their extraordinary new vocalist Máiréad Phelan has clearly settled in well, and the group is reaching unscaled heights with this latest project. The doors open at 7:00 pm; the show starts at 8:00pm. Tickets are on sale now from the Ce-dar Ticketline (612-338-2674 ext 2), Cedar outlets, and online at Ticketweb. $18 advance, $20 day of show

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Postmaster: Time/Dated Material

236 Norfolk Ave NW Elk River, MN 55330

All are welcome, Lessons begin at 7:30 pm

Documents

Irish Music & Dance Associationhe a master fiddler, but he also played the concertina and was a composer, singer, step dancer, set dancer, storyteller, and singer. One wonders how