Govannen - Healing Waters
The Legends of the Chalice Well
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Chris
Conway - |
tin
& low whistles, keyboards, acoustic 9string guitar, zither, theremin, bamboo flute, kalimba, percussion, vocals |
Dan
Britton - |
bodhran,
percussion, acoustic guitar, vocals |
Bridget
McMahon - vocals,
bodhran
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Adele
McMahon - violin
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special
guest
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Vikki Clayton - vocals 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 12 |
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1 |
The
Chalice |
2 |
The
Maids of Mourne Shore |
3 |
The
Spirit of the Well |
4 |
The
Wayfarer |
5 |
A
Stór mo Croí |
6 |
The
Yew Tree Knows |
7 |
The
Butterfly |
8 |
The
Heart of the Well |
9 |
Silver
Rainbow/Gwezenn An Avalou |
10 |
Lady
of the Lake |
| 11 |
Cad
é sin don té sin |
12 |
The
Chalice in the Well |
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Legends come to life.
Celtic
traditional and new atmospheric music combine with beautiful
results celebrating the healing waters of The Chalice Well
at Glastonbury.
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background
Chris
was asked to make a Celtic new age album and he immediately
thought of the band Govannen who usually played more mainstream
Irish music.
He then chose his favourite tunes and added some of his
own, plus some atmospheric music ideas and got the band
members to add their parts.
Vikki was keen to be involved in the project and her contributions
were icing on the cake.
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influences
Alan
Stivell, Paul Winter, Donal Lunny, Brendan Keenan, Diaouled
Ar Menez, The Moving Hearts, Gwerz, Clannad, Vidna Obmana,
Robert Rich, Stephan Micus
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trivia
Govannen's best selling album.
Everyone
involved was thrilled with how this album came out. The
Chalice Well now stock it in their shop.
Some tracks were used on a DVD about the Welsh legend The
Mabinogion.
CC's favourite track -The
Yew Tree Knows
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reviews
The
Healing Waters collection evokes a magical place. I visited
the Chalice Well last week for the first time. You have
certainly caught the spirit of the location. The track Cad
E Sin Don Te Sin is
exceptional. Your low whistle solo is spine-tinglingly sumptuous.
Mike C. Devon, UK
What
we thought: Magical and transporting
I really loved listening to this CD, and I have taken
it home! don't tell anyone! - Anne
The
Holistic Directory
A
quartet of Chris Conway (flutes, synths, guitars, etc.),
Dan Britton
(bodhran, guitars, etc.), Bridget McMahon (vocals, bodhran),
Adele McMahon (violin), with occasional guest vocals from
Vikki Clayton. Govannen took their name from the Celtic
Blacksmith God, and HEALING WATERS is apparently inspired
by "The legends of the chalice well".
All
very Celtic folk styled, with a slightly sweet symphonic
edge, the over-riding feel is of an Alan Stivell album,
so Stivell in fact that it's surprising that there are
no harps on it, although there are many harp-like sounds.
It's all pretty rich and quite overblown really, sometimes
a little like the music in "The Lord Of The Rings"
films, and also with a hint of Andreas Vollenweider. It's
all quite evocative, and I could well imagine a crowd
of mystic people standing around a mist shrouded well.
Audion
Magazine
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track
by track |
1.
The Chalice 5.40 (Conway)
Zithers ring out this new tune by Chris, which has a magic
processional feel. One can imagine the chalice being carried
at the head of a procession up the Glastonbury Tor.
Chris - zithers, tin whistles, keyboards, percussion
Dan - percussion
Vikki - vocals
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2.
The Maids of Mourne Shore 5.11(trad Ireland)
When sung with WB Yeats's words this traditional Irish
tune is the well known song Down By The Sally Garden.
"Sally" is a corruption of the Gaelic word for
willow. This tune is given the chill-out feel by Govannen
in this version.
Chris - tin & low whistles, keyboards, percussion,
vocals
Dan - bodhran, percussion, vocals
Bridget - vocals
Adele - violin
Vikki - vocals
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3.
The Spirit of the Well 2.17 (Conway)
A quiet interlude with the healing waters of the well
and some water spirits. Vikki & Bridget duet beautifully.
Chris - zither, keyboards, water sounds
Bridget - vocals
Vikki - vocals
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4.
The Wayfarer 6.29 (Conway)
Chris wrote this tune 15 years ago and has played
it in all kinds of combinations. Though written in Breton
and medieval styles, the skip in the beat is pure Conway.
Bridget's lovely spirited voice again features.
Chris - tin & low whistles, keyboards, acoustic 9string
guitar, percussion
Dan - bodhran
Bridget - vocals
Adele - violin
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5.
A Stór mo Croí 3.04 (trad Ireland)
An Irish ballad - which translates as "O Love of
my Heart" - is a stunning feature for the violin
of Adele, and often played at the start of Govannen concerts
Chris - piano, keyboards
Adele - violin
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6.
The Yew Tree Knows 7.57 (Conway)
This is another magical Conway concoction featuring his
low whistle. Inspired by Yew trees like the ones at Chalice
Well, just up the hill for the Vesica Pool, and their
longevity - if trees could talk... The yew was a sacred
tree to the Druids and the Celts. Archaeologists found
the remains of a 2000 year old yew stump near the Well,
and it is likely that there was a processional pathway
of yews in ancient times.
Chris - low whistle, zither, kalimba, keyboards, percussion
Dan - percussion
Bridget - vocals, harmonizer
Adele - violin, harmonizer
Vikki - vocals
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7.
The Butterfly 2.44 (trad Ireland)
A favourite Irish jig of many, and a regular feature at
Govannen concerts. The African kalimba, (thumb piano)
add a spring in the step to this version.
Chris - tin & low whistles, keyboards, kalimba, percussion
Dan -, acoustic guitar
Bridget - bodhran
Adele - violin
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8.
The Heart of the Well 2.10 (Conway)
The healing waters return, with Adele's violin shining
again, shadowed by Chris's bamboo flute.
Chris - bamboo flute, keyboards, water sounds
Adele - violin
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9.
Silver Rainbow/Gwezenn An Avalou 3.10
(Conway/trad Brittany)
These tunes were bookends to the song Silver Rain on Chris's
debut '95 Sounds Like Rain songs album, so it is with
fondness that Govannen made these new arrangements. The
2nd tune is a traditional Breton tune Chris heard from
legendary band Diaouled Ar Menez.
Chris - tin & low whistles, acoustic 9string guitar,
keyboards, percussion, vocals
Dan - bodhran, percussion,
Bridget - vocals
Vikki - vocals
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10.
Lady of the Lake 6.47 (Conway)
An atmospheric piece with Vikki's ethereal voice playing
the lady with sword rising from the mist and water. Also
featured is Chris's beloved theremin perhaps taking the
role of Excalibur.
Chris - keyboards, theremin, water sounds
Bridget - vocals, harmonizer
Adele - violin, harmonizer
Vikki - vocals
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11.
Cad é sin don té sin 5.02 (trad Ireland)
The title loosely translates as "Since it's no one's
concern, no one should care". It features the low
whistle. A well known Irish song, Chris first heard pipe/whistle
maestro Brendan Keenan play it.
Chris - low whistle, acoustic 9string guitar, keyboards,
percussion
Dan - bodhran, percussion
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12.
The Chalice in the Well 2.14 (Conway)
A legend states that the Holy Grail or Chalice was hidden
in a stream above the Chalice Well, thus giving the well
water its renowned properties. Mixing the themes of The
Chalice, and the Well interludes paints the scene in the
mind.
Chris - zither, keyboards, water sounds
Vikki - vocals
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Produced
by Chris Conway |
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original release artwork
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