When we were in Brittany, Dave and I accompanied Ellie and Jean Kérivan to a session at Radio Kreiz Breizh radio station in ‘deepest Breizh’. Jean had kindly arranged for Ellie to be interviewed and recorded. Christian Rivoallen, le (wonderfully warm and funny… and he’s a singer) directeur, welcomed us and regaled us with stories, as he showed us around and tried to explain in fast French how the radio station broadcasts its programmes….. fairies, pixies magic dust.. that sort of thing. (Thiiink I translated it ok…🙂.
Then he took us into the recording studio and Ellie played some traditional tunes (and two she’d composed herself) on domra and accordion. Jean, (he plays the Breton accordéon and teaches Breton dancing), accompanied her on one track. On another track, Dave accompanied Ellie on mandola, while I ‘clacked’ along (with all the subtlety I could muster) on a pair of wooden spoons that Jean had kindly given me.
Christian interviewed Jean, then Ellie, in French (bien sùr), while Dave and I tried to sit verrrry quietly in the corner! I think the gist was… Ellie being English, but having quickly developed a passion for Breton music and dancing. Also there was a discussion about the difference between English trad tunes, played mainly for themselves, and Breton tunes- played mainly for dancers and how that effects the music.
Christian then kindly gave Ellie and Jean CDs of the music recording session. We have much to thank Jean for, he has introduced Ellie (and hence us all) to the delights of Breton music and dancing.
Well today, I got an email from Ellie….
“WOO HOOOOOOO!” http://www.lulu.com/content/compact-disc/coincidanses/7248280
and there’s her CD, uploaded to a website. Here’s the cover:
Nice eh?
One Day One Life 