Cheoil Binn [key-’ol bin] - Nominated for two Music New Brunswick Awards
Irish for sweet music (specifically played by a redheaded fifteen year old fiddler)

 

1. Cross Country Set
2. The Skinner Set
3. Polkas
4. Tullochgorum
5. The Flying Pig
6 Sunshine Set
7. Ta mo ghar thar Saile
8. The Birthday Set
9. The Snowy Path
10. The One With All The Reels
11. The Hills Where We Walked
12. Jigs Set
13. The Reels I Wrote
14. The Blacksmith’s Set

 

In planning this CD I had big ideas for a major production and big sound. However after writing a few tunes, searching for others, and consulting with my good friend, Carolyn, I kept coming back to the Irish/Celtic style. Although I’ll always throw in some old time, Appalachian, Ottawa Valley and even some classical pieces etc. I decided I’m basically Irish/Celtic on the inside...And that’s cool. That’s me!

Making the sets for this CD was a blast. They’re all so different and they were all “found” in different ways. I wrote five of the tunes on my own. “The Hills Where We Walked” was co-written with Carolyn when we were preparing to go to Celtic Colours International Festival. We couldn’t find exactly what we were looking for so we wrote it ourselves!

It was actually at Celtic Colours where I decided I absolutely had to learn “Tullochgorum.” I heard so many great versions, I had to have my own. “The Skinner Set” was inspired by Ashley MacIsaac, who I met at Celtic Colours and performed with this year.

“The Snowy Path” was really fun to arrange. I knew I wanted to play it but I’d heard it in both C# and D - I couldn’t decide how to play it so I took my usual “do it all” attitude.

Going to the fleadhs in both New York and Ireland has been a big part of my playing. I love to go there not for the competition but for the seisiuns so I can learn all the tricks the other musicians know. That, and a big old photocopied music book that’s been out of print since the early 1900s influenced a lot of the sets, especially “The Blacksmith’s Set”, “The Slow Air” and “The Polkas”.

Some of the sets I arranged were for performances, which is my favorite thing in the world. It’s an amazing feeling being on stage and just thinking of it brings a smile to my face. The feeling I get when playing music is unlike any other. Stronger than just loving it. I live it. I guess that’s where I get the energy and life in my arrangements and pieces. It’s what makes everything...sweet.

Credits

Kathleen Gorey-McSorley: Fiddle, Feet, Vocals; Carolyn Holyoke: Piano, Accordion; Patrick Lamey: Guitar, Banjo; Ryan MacNeil: Uilean Pipes, Whistle, Low Whistle
Produced by: Andrew MacRae, Kathleen Gorey-McSorley, and Carolyn Holyoke
Engineered by: Andrew MacRae; Recorded at MasterTracks Recording Studios www.mastertracks.ca; Additional recording by Jamie Foulds at Soundpark Studios, Cape Breton www.soundpark.ca.
Photography: St. Andrews shoot by Ann Manuel and Alison Willms; Fredericton
shoot by Mary Beth Gorey; Graphic Design: Outreach Productions
© 2010 Kathleen Gorey-McSorley. All Rights Reserved. Made in Canada.

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Caitlin is Ainm Dom
My Name is Kathleen

1. The Irish Set
2. Fleadh Tunes
3. Michael's Mazurka
4. Carrigtwohill
5. Catherine's Reel
6 Mrs Pineo's Farewell
7. Me
8. Our Waltz
9. Slip and Slide
10. The Irish Squirrel
11. The Ollie Set
12. Carolyn
13. The Garden
14. Johnny on the Tobique

Credits

Musicians

Kathleen Gorey-McSorley - Fiddle and hard shoe
Kimberly Holmes - piano
Skip Holmes - guitar, mandolin and bouzouki
Carolyn Holyoke - piano and accordian
Danny Crain - bass guitar
Karl Gans - percussion
Jill Kozak - penny whistle and bodhran
Jane Ogilvie - harp

Over the years there have been tons of people who have helped me in all kinds of ways and I’m sure there will be more. You guys rock! Thanks to: Mom and dad – I love you! I love you! I LOVE YOU! My entire family – I love you too! Katharine Arseneau, Ceilah Keats and Alison Willms – you guys are the best friends ever. My Fiddle teachers, Krista Touesnard and Silby Roy – You are two amazing women. Others who have inspired and encouraged me – Mary Ronayne-Keane, Carolyn Holyoke, Helen McKinnon, Helen Edgar, Gerry Pugh (Fletch, ha ha), Rhonda Connell, Guy Paul Laroque, Sharon Stanford-Rutter, Maureen Steeves, Shane Cook, Gordon Stobbe, Tom Wilkinson, Sherryl Fitzpatrick, Ann Manuel, Kimberly and Skip Holmes. Your kindness, guidance, encouragement and most of all your friendship mean so much. And thanks to everyone else who has ever done anything for me.

Photography by Mary Ellen Nealis, Graphic Design by Shannon Ackerson at Outreach Productions.

produced by Danny Crain, Engineered & Mixed by Andrew MacRae. A Production of Master Tracks Recording Studios.

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"I’ve had dreams all my life. When I was little I would watch the Grand Ol’ Opry with my dad. It was my dream to play the fiddle. When I started playing the fiddle my dream was to be good. Once I reached the advanced level my dream was to record my own CD. Now, at the age of 13, these are dreams come true, and I still have a million more."

Kathleen Gorey-McSorley

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"The CD, … is in my opinion, a tour de force. Wonderful in every possible way. Kathleen and you guys MUST be so very proud of this body of work…"

Mary Ronayne-Keane, Composer/musician, Co. Cork, Ireland

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I am so proud Randy's and my song "Our Waltz" is included!!!! You did a beautiful job.

Kathy Chiavola, Composer/musician, Nashville, TN

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I love her version of Catherine's Reel. Those key changes really sound great! It's always fun to hear different fiddlers throw in their own twist to your tunes. The rest of the CD is also an excellent listen.

Denis Richard, Composer/musician, Dieppe, NB

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