Kristen

Kitty Donohoe -- a CD release celebration, a concert in the park, and my thoughts on Northern Border

 

On Sunday, June 22, Kitty Donohoe celebrated the release of her new CD Northern Border, a project 2.5 years in the making, with a concert and an Irish music session at The Irish Pub in Lansing.  I was only able to attend for a few minutes due to a conflicting commitment, but I went long enough to visit with some folks, buy my copy of the CD, and listen to a couple of songs.  What stood out to me in the short time I was there was the friendship among many of the folks in attendance, and how much those folks loved the music.  I was sitting in a back corner of the room so I could slip out unnoticed when needed, and I saw many hugs and laughs exchanged among the crowd, saw many familiar faces, and heard much applause after each song played before my exit.  When I did head out to the parking lot, the lot was filled to capacity, and no less than three cars vied for my parking spot upon my departure.  Clearly, a good time was being had by all, and I was sorry I couldn't stay.

 

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to see Kitty perform a full concert just three evenings later, when she played in the band shell at St. Johns City Park on Wednesday, June 25.  I had never been to the park in St. Johns before this show, and I was very impressed by it.  The area around the band shell was clean, well landscaped, well cared for, and well lit.  The band shell itself had a built in sound system, and there was a striking mural of trees and clouds painted across it's entire inside wall.  The floor of the band shell was about two feet off the ground.  Just in front of it was a beautifully designed and cared for flower bed of brilliant color, just in front of that was a sidewalk, and on the other side of the sidewalk was the grassy area where folks could set up their chairs or blankets and enjoy the show.  Best of all, the grassy area was a hill, so those further back were higher up and didn't have to worry as much about their view being obstructed by those in front of them as sometimes happens with outdoor shows on flat ground.  The weather was also with us this night, and despite some rain earlier in the day, the concert evening was dry with a mild breeze and a bit of sunshine.  For me, it was the ideal environment for relaxation -- a comfortable blanket, a soft breeze of fresh air, and fabulous music. 

 

Kitty was accompanied by David Mosher, who played fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and sang harmony.  They performed several songs from Northern Border mixed in with a number of Kitty's well-known Michigan songs, a couple of older favorites, a couple of instrumentals, and a powerful cover of the appropriate Gershwin classic Summertime.  It was a good size crowd, people seemed very into the music, and it looked like Kitty sold a lot of CDs both during the intermission between sets and after the show.  All in all, it was a fabulous evening, and well worth the effort to attend a show with a bit of a drive in the middle of the work week.

 

I listened to Northern Border all the way home, and have been listening to it almost exclusively since I bought it.  After hearing so many of these songs live over the last couple of years and eagerly awaiting the release of the CD, it drew me in from my first listen.  Not having any formal music training myself, my thoughts about it are far less a technical analysis and much more a personal one.  I'm simply inspired to share the things about each song that captured my attention in the hope that others might be drawn in, too, and want to listen themselves.  Admittedly, my thoughts are not unbiased, as I've been a fan of Kitty's music for about three years now.  They are just the musings of one woman passionate about the music with which she surrounds herself.

 

Northern Border contains ten songs.  Nine were written and composed by Kitty, and the tenth is the traditional Irish tune Shady Grove.

 

Come On Girls -- This is the opening track, and it perfectly captures spirits I try to live by -- the importance of living life instead of letting it pass us by, and the joy found in doing the things we love and sharing them with others.  Listening to it, particularly with the three part harmony throughout, reminds me of three of my dearest friends.  We all live in different places, and the four of us can only get together a couple of times a year at most, but we make the most of every moment when we do, and just share the joy in being able to be together.  I can't listen to this song without smiling, and the whistle tune nestled in the background (called Tar Road To Sligo) could lift even the heaviest of spirits. 

 

When I Was The Queen -- I love this CD from start to finish, but if pressed to pick a favorite song, this would probably be it.  I absolutely love story songs, and this is one of the best I've heard.  It's a true story about a trip Kitty took to Nova Scotia one summer many years ago.  I believe we never know when a person, an event, or an experience will impact the rest of our lives.  That Kitty not only recognized the impact of this particular summer and its emotions, but was able to put it into words so poignantly, is a true gift.  This needs to be heard to be properly appreciated, and I love the mood created by the instrumentation behind the words, particularly that of the mandolin and whistle. 

 

Pierre and Marie -- Longtime fans of Kitty's music will recognize this delightful couple from her previous Bunyan And Banjoes release and live concert sing-alongs.  This is basically the same song as previously released with a different chorus, and it's still a crowd favorite.  I've yet to attend a live performance where the audience doesn't participate where asked on this one. 

 

Dangerous Boys-o -- I find a wry humor in this song, and I'm struck by the opening lines describing a 14-year-old as "falling through life without a parachute," an apt description for the trials and tribulations of adolescence.  The harmony vocals are also gorgeous on this one, and I find they stick in my head and contribute to making the song memorable. 

 

Winter Dark -- This one is basically a poem set to music, and the words are spoken rather than sung.  I find the instrumentation, particularly the keyboard and violin, excellent support for the words, and think it helps enhance the mood created by the lyrics.  Winter has never been my favorite season, but this song is a quiet reminder of some of the sounds and images I do enjoy about it.  When you've lived your whole life in Michigan as I have, winter is part of your memories of home, and this song brings some of those back for me.

 

Kid With A Gun -- The first time I heard this song, which was during a live concert, it gave me chills, and the CD version has much the same effect, particularly with the full instrumentation of guitar, uilleann pipes, banjo, bass, steel guitar, and jews harp.  During my junior year of high school, one of my classmates brought a gun to school.  Unknown to me at the time, he had it on him in a class we shared while he was sitting next to me taking an exam.  It turned out to be unloaded, but I've never forgotten how I felt when I learned about it later, and I often think of him when I listen to this.

 

100% Chance Of The Blues -- I love the bluesy feel and the inclusion of the saxophone on this one.  Kitty's vocal, rich and smooth with just the slightest edge in all the right places, is also particularly compelling.  I love the vivid mental imagery this song creates, not because all the images are necessarily beautiful, but because all of them are real.

 

Shady Grove -- This song is just plain fun for me every time I listen to it.  It's always been a favorite of mine when Kitty's played it live, and the recorded version captures the same fun spirit delightfully well.  I can't sit still when I listen to this, and I'm always tapping a foot, tapping a hand, humming along, etc.

 

There Are No Words -- Kitty wrote this song in the wake of 9/11, and it won a well-deserved Michigan Emmy award.  I identified with it upon my first listen, as it expressed what I felt that day as I became aware of what was happening in the world far outside my windows.  Like many, many others, it is a day that will live in my memory for a long time to come.

 

Every Small Thing -- This song is simply beautiful.  The gorgeous instrumentation of piano, cello, and violin is a perfect combination behind Kitty's gentle words, and her vocals are stunning, displaying an incredible range and depth of feeling.  I feel empowered by strength and comforted by peace each time I listen, and this song is quietly becoming a new favorite.

 

Thanks for reading, and if anything I've said inspires you to seek out this music live or on CD and have a listen, thanks for that, too.  Until the next show...