Ellery Klein

Happy New Year to all!

The moose plays the cello
The deer, the fiddle,
123, 123, time to di**le ay-di**le!

Today's date is 123123. Waltz into the new year!

This looks exciting!!! The cover art is from the Boston College Irish Fiddle Festival, which I listened to and tore apart for several years in my quest to learn Irish music. Two great institutions in Irish music partnering on a joint project can't help but yield great things.

Irish Music in Boston and New England: ITMA and BC to Partner on Joint Project A digital exhibit led by ITMA with Burns Library as a partner will document Irish music in Boston and New England. The project will receive assistance from Burns Library intern Andrew Caden.

Looking forward to BCMFest 2024 on Jan 13 with the Boston All-Star Ceili Band!

The December 2023 Power Tune is ...Father Kelly's Reel. https://youtu.be/0_cdqjXHlnI?si=ey5Vd0ERD0sFG24e

An old classic. You may already know it. If so, play along! It's December. It's cold! You want comfort food - old familiar friends that remind you of days gone by. Like cheeseburgers, hot chocolate and Mexican wedding cake cookies.

If not, time to learn it, because we'll be playing it at the next Powers Music School Learners' Irish Music Session on December 21, 2023.

What's your comfort food when your version of "the holidays" roll around? Let me know in the comments!

December 2023 "Power Tune:" Father Kelly's Reel It's December. It's cold! You want comfort food - old familiar friends that remind you of days gone by. Like cheeseburgers, hot chocolate and Mexican wedding...

We need royalties for 2023's media outlets: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/nov/30/spotify-smaller-artists-wrapped-indie-musicians?CMP=share_btn_fb&fbclid=IwAR0uDJCKu29GVvPHQPT9T8s5O04821rLelEZr_Vpd5_8H17w6ju4cjLxiug

Spotify made £56m profit, but has decided not to pay smaller artists like me. We need you to make some noise | Damon Krukowski What its Wrapped campaign doesn’t say is that indie musicians and labels are treated terribly, and deserve a better deal, says Damon Krukowski

November's "Power Tune!" for the monthly Irish music learners' session in Belmont, MA: The Snowy Path slip jig.

Next session is December 21, 7:30-8:30 PM at Powers Music School in Belmont, MA. Link for more info in the comments.

NOV 2023 "POWER TUNE" : THE SNOWY PATH SLIP JIG Hello!!!We moved the monthly learners Irish Music session at Powers Music School to THURSDAY nights this fall 2023, as we felt Fridays weren't cutting it for...

It's that time of year again!!

'll be playing and teaching at Fiddle Hell in Westford, MA, Nov 3-4, 2023, and I invite YOU to attend this amazing event in person!

FH runs Nov 2-5 and will have:
- 325 live workshops to learn from
- 20 live concerts to enjoy
- 35 live jam sessions to join, for fiddle, mandolin, cello, guitar, banjo, & singing, from beginner to advanced levels.

65 instructors -- experienced & supportive teachers, and wonderful & inspiring players -- will cover Bluegrass, Blues, Cajun, Cape Breton, East European, Electric, Irish, Jazz, Jazz Manouche, Klezmer, Latin, Mexican, New Acoustic, New England, Old-Time Southern, Québécois, Scottish, Swedish, and Swing styles.

Historical and technical workshops are also on the program. Workshops and jams are designed for Beginners, Low Intermediates, High Intermediates, and Advanced players, although you can attend any sessions you like.

For more info and to register, see:

Home - Fiddle Hell IN-PERSON: Fiddle Hell will be an entirely in-person festival in November. Meet up and jam with your old friends and make new ones! Sessions will not be recorded for replays online.

WGBH will be saying goodbye to Brian O'Donovan this Saturday on A Celtic Sojourn 3 PM EST, and you can stream it from wherever you are.

Music brings us together, in both our grief and our joy. Join us to celebrate the life and lasting musical legacy of Brian O’Donovan this Saturday, October 14 at 3pm for a special edition of A Celtic Sojourn Live.

Hosted by Brad Paul, "A Farewell Edition of A Celtic Sojourn" will feature Brian’s friends and colleagues from Boston, Ireland and beyond sharing their memories and songs. Listen on 89.7 or stream at gbh.org/celtic.

As someone who wasn't formed in the New York Irish music scene, I didn't know of Kathleen Collins until someone announced her death recently.

But I was immediately smitten with the music on this link a fellow music friend from Western Massachusetts posted.

Kathleen was born in New York where she excelled at Irish fiddle and step dancing, and after marrying Joe Burke, lived in East Galway for many years. In 1966 she was the first American-born Irish musician to win the all-Ireland.

"Kathleen returned to New York in 1973 and, with piano accompanist Jimmy Mahon, recorded Traditional Music of Ireland, a much-praised LP released in 1976."

Too often, the contributions of excellent women musicians are soon forgotten. I'd love to lift up the music of Kathleen Collins and play a tune in memory of a another great woman fiddler that paved the way for me and many of my fellow musicians playing today. Do give her a listen and let her music fill the air.

From The Bridge — Kathleen Collins Kathleen Collins was born in Manhattan in 1940. Her father Bill was keen to give his children a solid Irish music and dance education, so took Kathleen and her brothers Dan, Dave, and Billy to dance classes given by Kerry master James McKenna and fiddle lessons with Mayo man John McGrath. Of the fou...

If you're going to be on Cape Cod this weekend, join me, Kieran Jordan, Laurel Martin and John Coyne for another installment of our "Stop & Listen" project inspired by the natural world. https://www.beyondtheboundscapecod.org/events/?fbclid=IwAR04yEgCF3c_ezcyQzN7XzSkOLISaNeVXlnc2ARVoMLW5mZjgD8PWDfenHU

Events | Cape Cod, MA | Beyond the Bounds Beyond the Bounds consists of event performers in Cape Cod, MA. Contact us today to schedule a booking.

Powers Music School will be running their fall Workshop Week October 24 -28, 2023. Check out the schedule for lots of great workshops at only $10 each.

I'll be teaching the following workshops:

"Learn a New England Tune with Harmony," open to all ages. Thursday, October 26, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM

And "Introduction to Creative Ability Development" Thursday, October 26, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Workshop Weeks — Powers Music School - Two weeks of fun and interactive classes taught by local and regional teaching artists. Workshops encourage creativity within our faculty, bring accessible music and arts programs right to you, and provide a fun way to learn about music together! Check it out

Back home in Boston just enjoying the memories from a fabulous weekend in Appleton, Wisconsin with the Bow Tides. Starting Wednesday we'll be in La Veta, CO for the Spanish Peaks Intl Celtic Festival: the festival that started it all with the invite to do an online concert back in the summer of 2020.

Thank you Irish Fest of the Fox Cities for a truly wonderful few days - you’re the Apple-ton of our eyes! 🍎😆

Huge shoutout to Matt Miller for having us at your festival for the first time & to the team of staff & volunteers who pulled everything off without a hitch. 💪🏼

On our way to our final festival of the year - Spanish Peaks International Celtic Music Festival 🎉

I had a great time meeting and playing a few tunes with Ryan Young at Pittsburgh last week- highly recommend getting out and supporting him at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA next Monday. He's performing with our local guitar legend Matt Heaton!

Matt is thrilled to be backing the fabulous on the last three dates of his (rather epic!) US tour. Come catch one of the remaining shows!

Sat 9/16 St Matthew’s Church, Wilton, CT

Sun 9/17 Blackstone River Theater, Cumberland RI


Mon 9/18 Club Passim, Cambridge, MA

Massachusetts folks, it's getting harder and harder for artists, actors and musicians to find space for rehearsal and creative endeavors in this state.

Can you support the Creative Space Preservation Act?

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE CREATIVE SPACE Preservation ACT — MASSCreative Action Network Support the Creative Space Preservation Act by endorsing the legislation, encouraging your elected officials to co-sponsor, and sharing with your networks.

The Bow Tides is on a Spotify playlist, if you'd like to pull it up and listen to some great fiddle music tonight!

Our music was recently added to some fabulous Spotify playlists - check out this one below which includes music from some of our favorite fiddlers (Liz Carroll, Natalie MacMaster, Eileen Ivers & many many more! 😁)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Q610Iqk4LPhqJ1PO8eFMl?si=O_keqh6BScKVUx5XdCEi2w

Can't wait to see some of you all this summer!!!

☘️🎉Our festival season continues later this week, starting with Cleveland Irish Festival!

Can’t wait for an epic summer and a return to some of our favorite festivals!

⭐️Pittsburgh Irish Festival

⭐️Irish Fest of the Fox Cities

⭐️Spanish Peaks International Celtic Music Festival