Episode 23: The Forge

The Forge (http://www.theforgemusic.com) are a traditional Irish music group, of whom Brian O'Donovan (A Celtic Soujourn - WGBH) says "A new band shows up on the scene and immediately seems destined to make an impact.  The Forge are a bright new name in the American Irish music scene. Paying homage to their traditional roots while creating something new.”  The members, Maeve Gilchrist (harp, voice), Cara Francowicz (fiddle), Nicole Rabata (Irish Flute), and Anna Colliton (Bodhran) are all distinguished as soloists and side musicians on other projects across the musical spectrum, but decided at a session in the wee small hours at a music festival to become a group.  This was a very informational chat for me, as the Forge shed light on their embellishment and arrangement techniques.  Music featured includes selections from the group's website (Dever the Dancer, Sweet Rosemarie, The Blackbird, and  and a set made up of Bold Dougherty/Palm Sunday/The Legacy) plus a selection from Maeve Gilchrist's CD Song of Delight (called "Take off Your Coat") which I included to illustrate Maeve's harmonic invention and way of crafting an intro to a tune.