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<\/p>\nThere\u2019s a strong cultural connection between Appalachian folk music and the traditional music of the Celts. That helps account for the enormous appeal in and around the mountains for musical presentations that showcase traditional Irish and Scottish music. Building upon that foundation, adding a modern twist and focusing on a holiday theme is Christmas with the Celts, a musical extravaganza that\u2019s modern and traditional all at once.<\/p>\n
Ric Blair recalls the first time he encountered Irish music, while studying music at a conservatory in Cincinnati. \u201cAs soon as we walked in the door, I heard the fiddle, the pipes, the bodhr\u00e1n and the Irish flute,\u201d he says. \u201c\u201dAnd there was something in my DNA that made me realize: That\u2019s what I want to do!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Blair\u2019s mother\u2019s family is from Derry in Northern Ireland, and his father is from Scotland, so he has a fair claim to what he calls \u201crich Celtic blood.\u201d But the group he formed more than a decade ago in Nashville uses the music of the Celtic traditions as a jumping-off point rather than a confining element. \u201cI grew up listening to country, bluegrass and rock\u2019n\u2019 roll,\u201d he explains. \u201cSo this group is kind of full-circle for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Over the years, Blair\u2019s band has featured players drawn from the best that both Nashville and the British Isles have to offer. Among the Americans is banjoist Matt Menefee, who also tours with Bruce Hornsby and Mumford & Sons. Dublin-born journeyman musician Patrick D\u2019Arcy plays Uilleann pipes. \u201cWe’ve had a number of different musicians depending on who\u2019s already touring and who\u2019s available,\u201d Blair says. The current lineup includes Fiachra O’Regan from Connemara,a touring member for more than seven years. \u201cHe plays pipes, whistles and Irish banjo,\u201d says Blair.<\/p>\n
Ric Blair muses on the importance of music as a centerpiece of Celtic traditions. \u201cIt\u2019s a culture that had to withstand 800 years of political oppression,\u201d he says. \u201cI think they turned to music because it was a way of forgetting about one\u2019s problems for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
And even when times are better, music plays an important role. \u201cThere are so many different ways to communicate,\u201d Blair says. \u201cBut we’re often missing that face-to-face contact, and I think it’s adversely affecting our emotional well-being. We need that interaction that music and dance and humor can provide.\u201d<\/p>\n
Coming together for the winter holidays provides an ideal opportunity to do just that. And Christmas with the Celts serves up an evening of that music, dance and \u2013 as the Irish call a good time \u2013 craic. Blair describes his holiday program as \u201can eclectic mix. We have very traditional tunes that we will perform with dance, some original songs, and also Christmas tunes that everyone knows.\u201d The latter are given a traditional-Irish-meets-modern spin. \u201cWe use Irish instrumentation,\u201d Blair explains, \u201cbut we\u2019ll add drum loops and synth pads.\u201d He says that some arrangements even draw upon jazz, \u201cbut with pipes, whistle and fiddle.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 2023 holidays marked the 13th season that Blair has presented Christmas with the Celts. The show got an early break a decade ago when it was broadcast on PBS stations across the nation. \u201cIt ran for three years,\u201d Blair says, noting that the program was broadcast on the BBC, in Ireland and Europe as well. \u201cIt immediately opened many doors for us,\u201d he says. \u201cWe started getting offers from booking agencies even before we had a manager!\u201d<\/p>\n
The program is rooted in tradition, but it changes from year to year. \u201cEvery year, we add something fresh,\u201d Blair says. \u201cWe\u2019ll add at least two or three new songs, but we also keep it familiar just to keep it familiar with respect to the Irish music traditions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though his band tours year-round playing its version of Irish- and Irish-influenced music, Ric Blair holds a special fondness for the holiday shows. \u201cThe performance includes some ancient Irish and Scottish carols that date back to the 1300s,\u201d he says. \u201cBut they\u2019re just as relevant today. And the songs are just haunting with those Uilleann pipes; I get chills even describing it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mixing those up with American carols and topping it all off with lively dancers and good-natured humor is a recipe for an evening of fun, and that\u2019s exactly what Christmas with the Celts sets out to do.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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