American Fleadh Festival

Recently, New World Buzz attended the first American Fleadh festival. This traveling extravaganza of musicians, writers and dancers brought Irish and Irish-American culture to nine U.S. cities during June/July, 2003.

This year's Fleadh (pronounced "Flah") featured Black 47, The Saw Doctors, The Prodigals, Hothouse Flowers, Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul, Flogging Molly and special guest appearances. Each event also featured Irish Dance Troupes and a literary tent with well known Irish and Irish American authors and poets.

When the Fleadh festival reached Pittsburgh, NWB was there, covering the events of the day. Of all the performances, one of the most exciting was Irish-American violinist, Eileen Ivers.

Ivers has been described as "a virtuoso of the Celtic fiddle", and "the Jimi Hendrix of the violin". She and her band, Immigrant Soul, have been named All-Ireland Fiddle Champion nine times. They have opened for The Chieftains, Paula Cole, Patti Smith, and Hall & Oates. Ivers is also the musical star of Riverdance, and is a founding member of Cherish The Ladies.

NWB host Martin Curti had the opportunity to discuss with the acclaimed fiddle player her latest CD. Entitled 'Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul', which was released in February 2003 on Koch Records, this new recording continues to display why Ivers is hailed as one of the great innovators and pioneers in the Celtic and World music genres.

Stay tuned to New World Buzz to listen to Martin Curti’s interview with Eileen Ivers coming this fall to a computer near you.

(Shea Ballard is a freelance writer)