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debut album, ‘Y Gwenith Gwynnaf’, released
in 2006 (Sain SCD 2504), heralded a significant new
talent in the world of Welsh Folk music, and this second
album will certainly consolidate her reputation. ‘Sidan
Glas’ (blue silk) displays the whole range of
her talents, as harpist and singer, as composer and
arranger.
It is an exciting collection of new, contemporary arrangements
of Welsh traditional music and songs, the playing firmly
rooted in the heart of the tradition, yet showing a
fresh and innovative approach. Rhythmic and vibrant
dance tunes and both lively and hauntingly beautiful
folk songs combine to create a perfect showcase of Welsh
traditional music at its best.
Joining Gwenan are several renowned instrumentalists
– the guitarist Maartin Allcock (Jethro Tull,
Fairport Convention, Bad Sheperds), fiddlers Stephen
Rees (Crasdant) and Angharad Jenkins (Calan), flautist
Dafydd Roberts (Ar Log) and percussionists Dewi Ellis
Jones and Asian music scene phenomenon Kuljit Bhamra
(Bend it like Beckham, Bombay Dreams), together creating
a colourful tapestry of diverse musical influences whilst
yet remaining true to the Welsh folk music tradition,
giving prominence to the harp and voice.
Gwenan’s strength as an artist lies in the fact
that she comes from the heart of the Welsh tradition
and is well versed in all its aspects, both as a musician
and as a musicologist in her own right, familiar with
the history and background of the songs and tunes. She
sings and plays therefore in complete sympathy with
the tradition, but is always looking for new ways to
develop and interpret it, as this album shows, with
great style. She has immersed herself in the thriving
folk music scene of contemporary Wales, performing extensively
in Wales and beyond, at festivals such as The Edinburgh
Harp Festival, The Caernarfon International Harp Festival,
Celtic Colours (Nova Scotia, Canada), North American
Festival of Wales, Lorient Inter-Celtic Festival (Brittany),
World Harp Congress (Dublin) and Celtic Connections
(Glasgow). She is a regular accompanist at various Eisteddfodau,
a member of Y Glerorfa (the new Welsh folk orchestra)
and is an exponent of the uniquely Welsh art of Cerdd
Dant (singing poetry to harp accompaniment). She brings
all this experience, and all these musical influences
to bear on this album, as genuine and as enjoyable a
piece of Welsh folk culture as you will ever hear.
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