MP3 Cara - In Colour
Traditional Irish Songs and Tunes with a slightly modern approach. No drumkits and electric guitars, but two beautiful female voices, two flutes, fiddle, guitar, bodhran and piano.
13 MP3 Songs
WORLD: Celtic, FOLK: Modern Folk
Details:
Having formed only last year, Cara have already gained a top-band status and are much celebrated by audiences and the press wherever they perform. This may partly be due to the fact that despite being a rather new band, none of Cara''s members is actually new to the world of folk and traditional music; each of the musicians has already gained experience in other renowned bands, such as DeReelium, Steampacket, Adaro and More Maids, as well as in various studio projects.
In particular, people are raving about the voices of Gudrun Walther and Sandra Gunkel. These two singers breathe new life into traditional ballads and they also sing their own contemporary songs which sometimes may result in cold creeps. On the Irish Flute, Claus Steinort is not only brilliant in technical and stylistic terms; his distinctive tone and his expressive style make his playing truly unique. Along with Gudrun Walther on the fiddle, who according to "Dirty Linen" "could certainly hold her own in any Irish musical setting", they form a perfect match when "glueing" tunes together. Jürgen Treyz has developed his own complex style on the guitar. His sound is characterised by harmonically and rhythmically thought-out backings and charismatic solo-parts. Rolf Wagels plays the bodhran, the Irish drum. He has a reputation for being the best player in the German-Irish scene and is well-known in Ireland, too. Along with Sandra Gunkel''s sophisticated piano-backing, guitar and bodhran form a colourful, interwoven world of sound which goes far beyond any traditional approach.
Storytelling and outstanding arrangements
A blend of traditional songs and tunes as well as the band''s own compositions can be heard on the album "In Colour". Wether it''s a traditional American text that has been supplemented with a new lament-like melody (Sailor Boy), an amusing story written and sung by the two singers in the style of old traditional ballads (The King and the Fair Maid), an old English text about a serial killer (Sir John) with a new melody and an almost pop-like touch, or a contemporary-style song (There''s a Light) - along with the traditional songs (Three Ravens, False, False) they form a whole that has ist roots in the joy of storytelling. When it comes to instrumental tunes, Cara''s strength - apart from their ability to play together so precisely and full of dynamics - lies in their outstanding arrangements. Piano and guitar introduce new rhythmic elements that are only distantly related to the old ceili-band-backing, strings sweeten sudden key changes, a variety of flutes play along in several voices, and the bodhrán sometimes appears like a whole drum kit. Throughout the whole recording, you can sense the strong connection the band members have to traditional Irish music. Even a melody that would never be considered "Irish" at all, like the 10/8 tune And off he Went with its Balkan appeal, fits perfectly in with the overall picture.