At Celtic New Year time a playlist plus word on Rory Gill: a new hope for Irish jazz

Beannachtaí na Samhna oraibh go léir
(Samhain blessings to you)
– the pagan Celtic New Year, Samhain, coincides with Halloween

Chill of winter
a slowly failing fire
faltering desire

Darkness of Darkness
we meet on our way
in loneliness
– from the John Montague poem ‘Ó Riada’s Farewell’

• More from marlbank: our favourite Celtic New Year song, a Magic Time number from Van Morrison. Plus jump into a wanderings themed playlist inspired by John Spillane’s great song ‘All the Ways You Wander’ with lots of jazz in the blend and word on rising star the former Bourbon Street Jazz Trio Northern Irish guitarist Rory Gill. He plays the Lough Erne Resort regularly with a singer, and I heard him with the tenor Andrew Irwin in the summer. Last year he was playing the blues on bass guitar with Chicago Blues band Sidewalk Boogie, read about them doing ‘Dark Eyes’ below:

Sidewalk Boogie down the Gasworks conjure ‘Dark Eyes’

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