This is the third album from “Na Fianna”, the irish folk trio from Buenos Aires, Argentina. The title refers to the war chant performed by the band of warriors and hunters led by the mythical hero Fionn mac Cumhaill, most notably in the stories of the Fenian Cycle.
NF’s members are passionate students of the traditional performing styles and techniques alive still in the most relevant musicians from Ireland. With subtle and melodious arrangements they entwine leading instruments like fiddle, flute, and guitar in a charming tapestry that vividly evokes the shores and green plains of sweet Erin. The songs in the album remind the mood of Tannahill Weavers’ arrangements, and for sure “Dord Fiann” is a perfect resemblance of their lively shows and will be an atractive jewel for all NF’s fans.
Surprisingly this album issues a couple of original tunes “The Humours of Ballymona” & “Lifeboat Mona’s Reels” composed by Alejandro Sganga, who plays fiddle, mandolin and lead vocals. It also includes Uillean Pipe in some tracks for the first time, performed by NF’s flutist and whistler Matias Espinosa. Xandru Reguera plays acoustic guitars in a style wrought by his own, combining techniques ssel-taught from his spiritual masters Michael O’Domnhaill and John Doyle, he also plays bodhran in track 10, and bouzouki in track 2 & 3.
The story of the band begins in 2001 with meetings of the former co-founder of Bran, Xandru Reguera, and Alejandro Sganga who had the chance to play in the past with Bran too. From that joint-venture, Na Fianna was born.
Their music is based on the folk rhythms of Ireland, and spans from air, hornpipes, Jigs, polkas, songs and sea shanties, to wild reels. In August 2004, toured for a month by the West Coast of Ireland visiting the Counties of Antrim, Mayo, Galway and Clare sharing "sessions" with musicians from the height of Frankie Gavin and Sharon Shannon with a great impact on the Irish media and being interviewed by RTE (Radio & Television Ireland), the tour brought the arrival in December of that same year of a team of the TG4 (Irish language TV in Ireland) who filmed a show of the band for the "Féilte" which was issued for all of Ireland in January 2005.
In March 2005, NF’s issued their 1st CD "Music and Songs from Ireland "published in a bilingual version for South America and Europe.
In February 2006 after the return from a new trip to Ireland recorded their second album "Flaming 'Tunes" which was issued in March 2006 while still performing on stages
at Buenos Aires and other places from Argentina.
“Dord Fiann” was issued in March 2008, as a self-production, with Xandru Reguera as Recording Engineer . Eric Giles, who participated in the past in the recording of Bran’s “Awen” album, took care of a refined mixing and mastering along with NF’s members.
In brief, lilting jigs and lively reels, along with three songs and a nice rendering of O’Sullivan’s March ,are performed along the album with Irish taste and love. Surely, after it’s first audition, the listener will expect more songs, a slow air, and more uillean pipe takes, but the yearning for a fourth album will probably slow down anxieties till then…Track List
1. Fraher's Jig/Monaghan Jig
2. O'Sullivan's March
3. The Merry Blacksmith / The Tailor's Thimble / Sheehan's Reel
4. Spancil Hill
5. Pretty Maggie Morrisey/Walsh'sHornpipe
6. O'Keefe's/The Humours of Ballymona/Hayden's Fancy
7. The Mug of Brown Ale/Blarney Pilgrim/Jimmy Ward's
8. Toss the Feathers/The Red-Haired Lass/ Ivy Leaf
9. The Lifeboat Mona
10. The Star of Munster / The Old Bush / Vincent Broderick's
11.Whelan's Frolics /Langstrom'sPony
12. Sally Brown / The Blackthorn Stick/ Ryan's Favourite / Rolling Waves
For more information:
watch music videos, and listen to free streaming mp3s at http://www.myspace.com/nafianna
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