Joy Dunlop – Caoir
Ten years on from previous solo album Faileasan (Reflections), multi-disciplined and bi-lingual singer Joy Dunlop offers up Caoir, an inviting and highly accessible traditional Scots Gaelic/ folk album.
While ten years is a long time to wait for a follow up, Joy Dunlop has released two collaborative albums between times – Fiere with genre challenging duo Twelfth Day and more recently Dithis (Duo), a wonderful blend of classical and traditional in the company of her classical pianist brother, Andrew Dunlop.
Indeed it’s a wonder Joy Dunlop found the time for Caoir at all – aside from being a well-known BBC Scotland and BBC Alba weather presenter, she is part of the Speak Gaelic team, co-presents a Scottish and Irish language podcast and has since become director of the annual World Gaelic Week.
Additionally, she was involved in January’s Celtic Connections, presented BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Traditional Musician of the Year and hosted a televised event celebrating fifty years of the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture.
She is also involved in the Covid Choral Workshops (which have successfully continued beyond lockdowns).
And you can add in dancer, journalist and educator.
In short, a true and passionate advocate for all things Scottish Gaelic, including, of course, the music – which she voices beautifully, coupled with deft and delightful phrasing.
That aforementioned passion is at the heart of the Caoir (started late 2019 but, like so many musical projects, much delayed by the Covid pandemic); a genuine lifelong love for the music brings out the evocative nature of the songs, the lyrics and, title fittingly (Caoir means fiercely burning, a blaze of flames, flashes) the warmth embedded in traditional songcraft.
Additionally, Joy Dunlop chose to record with a full band for a bigger and vibrant sound, featuring the in demand talents of drummer Ifedade Thomas, fiddle player Mhairi Marwick, guitarist Ron Jappy, bassist Gus Stirrat (who also recorded the album) and Euan Malloch on electric guitar.
Caoir also pushes on the boundaries of traditional/ Scots Gaelic music – do not fret, trad. purists, we’re not talking alt-rock trad by any means; this is more about the desire to musically stretch without ever losing the heart, or meaning, of the songs.
Or, in Joy Dunlop’s own words, "for those who don’t speak Gaelic, with this album, I wanted to capture the sentiment of the songs; whether the listener understands Gaelic or not, whilst adding new engaging elements to the music."
While ten years is a long time to wait for a follow up, Joy Dunlop has released two collaborative albums between times – Fiere with genre challenging duo Twelfth Day and more recently Dithis (Duo), a wonderful blend of classical and traditional in the company of her classical pianist brother, Andrew Dunlop.
Indeed it’s a wonder Joy Dunlop found the time for Caoir at all – aside from being a well-known BBC Scotland and BBC Alba weather presenter, she is part of the Speak Gaelic team, co-presents a Scottish and Irish language podcast and has since become director of the annual World Gaelic Week.
Additionally, she was involved in January’s Celtic Connections, presented BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Traditional Musician of the Year and hosted a televised event celebrating fifty years of the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture.
She is also involved in the Covid Choral Workshops (which have successfully continued beyond lockdowns).
And you can add in dancer, journalist and educator.
In short, a true and passionate advocate for all things Scottish Gaelic, including, of course, the music – which she voices beautifully, coupled with deft and delightful phrasing.
That aforementioned passion is at the heart of the Caoir (started late 2019 but, like so many musical projects, much delayed by the Covid pandemic); a genuine lifelong love for the music brings out the evocative nature of the songs, the lyrics and, title fittingly (Caoir means fiercely burning, a blaze of flames, flashes) the warmth embedded in traditional songcraft.
Additionally, Joy Dunlop chose to record with a full band for a bigger and vibrant sound, featuring the in demand talents of drummer Ifedade Thomas, fiddle player Mhairi Marwick, guitarist Ron Jappy, bassist Gus Stirrat (who also recorded the album) and Euan Malloch on electric guitar.
Caoir also pushes on the boundaries of traditional/ Scots Gaelic music – do not fret, trad. purists, we’re not talking alt-rock trad by any means; this is more about the desire to musically stretch without ever losing the heart, or meaning, of the songs.
Or, in Joy Dunlop’s own words, "for those who don’t speak Gaelic, with this album, I wanted to capture the sentiment of the songs; whether the listener understands Gaelic or not, whilst adding new engaging elements to the music."
Opening number 'Jigs' is steeped in the traditional.
Built off a simple rhythm, Joy Dunlop's lovely lyrical cadence (Gaelic "mouth music" – "puirt à beul") is accompanied by some sweet fiddle playing and deft guitar backing.
Following track, 'Ged is grianach an latha' ('Although the day is sunny'), is a slower in tempo, melancholic "waulking song" (a traditional Scottish/ Gaelic folk tune sung while women were producing homespun woollen cloth, tweed or tartan).
Not so much melancholic as poignant is 'Am Bràighe' ('The Braes'), an early 20th century tune written for the Cape Breton village of Margaree; here it acts as a beautifully performed song of longing.
Each of the ten songs on Caoir is worthy of mention, but particular highlights include lost love lament 'Cadal Cuain' (the English translation of the title – 'Sleep of the Ocean' – helps tell the tragic tale), the jaunty 'Port Na Cailliche' ('The Old Crone’s Tune') and the joyful 'Puirt à beul' (a quartet of dancing songs in one).
On the latter Joy Dunlop again shows her crisp and clean rhythmic mastery of mouth music.
Closing number 'Reels' (a pair of them to be exact) is the perfect bookend to 'Jigs;' Joy Dunlop once again delivers in a mouth music cadence while the band drive the song to its folk ‘n’ roll conclusion.
Accompanied (in CD format) by a 24-page booklet that reprints the lyrics in both Gaelic and English along with background on, and origins of, the songs, Caoir is a highly accessible journey through traditional musical landscapes.
It's also an invitation to discover more about the culture, history and language of Scots Gaelic, from one of its biggest and most passionate champions.
Now excuse me while I nip off to ask Miss Dunlop what the weather is going to be doing tomorrow.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Purchase Caoir and other Joy Dunlop albums and merch at: https://www.joydunlop.com/shop/
Built off a simple rhythm, Joy Dunlop's lovely lyrical cadence (Gaelic "mouth music" – "puirt à beul") is accompanied by some sweet fiddle playing and deft guitar backing.
Following track, 'Ged is grianach an latha' ('Although the day is sunny'), is a slower in tempo, melancholic "waulking song" (a traditional Scottish/ Gaelic folk tune sung while women were producing homespun woollen cloth, tweed or tartan).
Not so much melancholic as poignant is 'Am Bràighe' ('The Braes'), an early 20th century tune written for the Cape Breton village of Margaree; here it acts as a beautifully performed song of longing.
Each of the ten songs on Caoir is worthy of mention, but particular highlights include lost love lament 'Cadal Cuain' (the English translation of the title – 'Sleep of the Ocean' – helps tell the tragic tale), the jaunty 'Port Na Cailliche' ('The Old Crone’s Tune') and the joyful 'Puirt à beul' (a quartet of dancing songs in one).
On the latter Joy Dunlop again shows her crisp and clean rhythmic mastery of mouth music.
Closing number 'Reels' (a pair of them to be exact) is the perfect bookend to 'Jigs;' Joy Dunlop once again delivers in a mouth music cadence while the band drive the song to its folk ‘n’ roll conclusion.
Accompanied (in CD format) by a 24-page booklet that reprints the lyrics in both Gaelic and English along with background on, and origins of, the songs, Caoir is a highly accessible journey through traditional musical landscapes.
It's also an invitation to discover more about the culture, history and language of Scots Gaelic, from one of its biggest and most passionate champions.
Now excuse me while I nip off to ask Miss Dunlop what the weather is going to be doing tomorrow.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Purchase Caoir and other Joy Dunlop albums and merch at: https://www.joydunlop.com/shop/