SEPTEMBER Monday 12. BRECHIN, Angus. Gardner Memorial Church, 8.00 pm.
After long sojourns in Europe superb Irish traditional trio CRAN come back to Scotland to play at the Brechin Arts Festival 2005.
CRAN comprise some of the greatest names in Irish traditional music: DESI WILKINSON (flutes and vocals) is one of the leading exponents of the traditional Irish flute, both at home and abroad; SEÁN CORCORAN (lead vocals and bouzouki) is known internationally as one of the leading singers in the Hiberno-English and Gaelic traditions and also as a researcher and teacher; RONAN BROWNE (uilleann pipes, flutes and vocals), the piper in the original recording of RIVERDANCE, is widely regarded as one of the great virtuosos of the uilleann pipes and has carved out an international reputation both as a concert performer and session musician.
CRAN’s output since their first epoch-defining 1995 release THE CROOKED STAIR has been a benchmark in Irish traditional song and music. A three-piece with a huge sound that has filled vast halls like the Circus Krone in Munich they can also create an atmosphere as intimate as an Irish fireside. THE ROUGH GUIDE TO IRISH MUSIC says of them: “Stunning vocal arrangements and immaculate musicianship generate sounds of astonishing depth and unstoppable force.”
CRAN’s concert performances are a dazzling display of technical virtuosity combined with fun and humour, banter and stories. The core of their repertoire is their native Irish material - bubbling dance music or haunting slow airs on flute and pipes, and vocals ranging from the highly-ornamented sean-nós songs of Connemara to the rollicking port a’ bhéil or mouthmusic of Donegal. Their Hiberno-English song repertoire (songs from Ireland in English) covers the entire gamut from the old story-telling “long ballads” to lively comic songs of “pure divilment and rascality”. They also include material from the related Scots-Gaelic tradition and from the other Atlantic Celts, the Bretons.
CRAN’s concert is part of the BRECHIN ARTS FESTIVAL 2005 (10th - 18th September) which also includes early music with Scotland’s leading professional vocal ensemble CAPPELLA NOVA, poetry and storytelling with the Aberdeen poetry group SPRING TIDES, exhibitions, workshops and outdoor events including live folk music on board the CALEDONIAN RAILWAY steam train! (More information and bookings are at > www.brechinartsfestival.org> )
For the duration of the Arts Festival, local establishment THE CALEDONIAN HOTEL is hosting a REAL ALE WEEK with a wide selection of Scottish and English real ales as well as malts from every corner of Scotland, excellent home-cooked food and live traditional music open sessions, plus very comfortable rooms for the tired visitor! (to contact the Caledonian Hotel phone 01356 624345)
Hope to see you there!
Best Regards,
Manuel Balaguer-Cortes
I like Cran. I like Cran, too.
Dale, how is this different? Looks like the same guys to me.
Kevin Krell
Maybe they all go t haircuts (?). 
djm
Hoppin’ up and down
like a herrin’ on a griddle.
The cran is the standard measure for caught fish, particularly herring:
http://www.sizes.com/units/cran.htm
Who but the British would come up with 37 1/2 gallons as the basis of a unit of measure 
?
If you can’t wait until September, “Cran” are doing a performance in Dublin on Sunday 7th August. Venue is “The Tailor’s Hall”, Christchurch, Dublin.
The e-mail I got said that: “Places are a bit limited, so check with Jason at 086 2781339 if you want to reserve a ticket.”
I think he’s referring to the board member, Cranberry (aka Cran).
I have Cran’s “Lover’s Ghost” CD and it is really good.
Cheers,
Aaron
Since this was first mentioned in July, I thought it worth reminding anyone around Brechin about this concert.
There’s a rare chance to hear 3 of Ireland’s finest musicians in Scotland on Monday 12th September . The trio “Cran” are appearing at the Brechin Arts Festival in Angus. They are Sean Corcoran, on vocals and bouzouki, Desi Wilkinson on flute and whistles, and Ronan Browne on uilleann pipes and whistles.
Information can be obtained from : mailto:info@brechinartsfestival.org
I’d say there’s a possibility they may be joined for a few tunes by Tiarna, Ronan’s sister who is a very fine fiddle-player, and lives “down the road” in Fife. This happened last year in Edinburgh, and the sound was mighty.