From: L.W.
Posted: November 31, 2005
Subject: November Tour Show at Coalesce Bookstore, Morro Bay, CA

Thanks very much for the great fun at the Coalesce Bookstore. My grandfather was absolutely tickled about the birthday song and comfortable chair. We both had a fabulous time. . .

From: Michael Timpanaro-Perrotta, Host
Posted: October 31, 2005
Subject: Autumn Concert at the Sounding Board House Concert Series

Hi,
I wanted to thank all of you for the wonderful concert this past Saturday. It was great having you back, and to a sell out crowd at that. Please add me, if I'm not already, to your mailing list for your concerts. My house is open to you any time you want to come back. Till then, best wishes to you all.

peace,
Michael

Thank you...
The Center really enjoyed having you here and would love to have you back again. We got rave reviews on your show from the attendees and will keep in touch for another date in 2006.

Take care,
Susan

I soooo much enjoyed your concert last night (sorry about the heat). I
was one of the volunteers....and had the luck to have a seat near the front.

You are not only a joy to hear, but to watch also. Many times musicians
have such a serious look. Your smiles and manner really add to your
performance. There were so many compliments and requests to have you return.

I bought 4 of your discs. I am a professional artist, and I am always
looking for music to inspire me and keep my creative flow going while I
work. I hope to later purchase the others. I also grew up on the Oakland/Berkeley border....so that was an extra bonus.

thank you......thank you.
S. H.

"I SO much enjoyed Broceliande's performance at PantheaCon this year, that I bought 3 CDs and have listened to them all until they're burned into my brain. I think you all are absolutely awesome musicians, and I love your tasty choices in songs, and even tastier arrangements. Consider yourself well-buttered with praise! You know those earworms, those songs that get stuck in your head? I woke up this morning with "He Who Drinks is Immortal" stuck in mine. Thanks a lot! Seriously, I'd much rather have Broceliande songs running thru my head than most of what I hear in the muggle world these days."

B.F.

Okay,
so I finally dragged my can out to a concert last Saturday night (at St. Alban's Church). It was the CD release party (their fourth disc, I think) for a group called Brocelïande , which dubs itself as Celtic and Early Music. Didn't know what to expect but hoped to hear a few trad tunes.

What I heard was one of the most talented four musicians I have ever seen, in terms of versatility, quality of arrangements, musical feel etc.

Two women, two men all wonderful singers, very much in tune. One of the women (Margaret Davis) plays harp, various recorders, a bit of bodhran and has a beautiful singing voice. The other woman sings and plays cello, viola de gamba, kamanche (Persian gourd fiddle). One of the guys plays mostly guitar, but also melodeon and whistles (coupla Gens that could stand an upgrade). A really good whistler and he did that weird upside down thing (turning fipple upside down), which I still don't get. The other guy sings, plays oboe, octave mandolin, guitars and used a low whistle once.

Their repertoire is fairly incredible. At times, they all stood up and sang a few a cappella madrigals, perfectly. Other tunes included Burgundian branles, Spanish Cantigas, old Gaelic tunes and just a wide variety of music from Medieval and Renaissance days and even an original tune. They have mastered the art of layering singing with instrumental accompaniments and ultra-subtle shifts of musical emphasis. They played a slip jig set and the notable inclusion was using a cello along with harp, whistle and guitar. I am still not sure I like cello with the trad but they way they did it was pretty convincing. Every tune they did had something about the arrangement that was unique, interesting and beautiful to hear.

They are hard to define but ultra artistic. If they come into your town, I urge you to hear them. They are masters of musical art and originality. I NEVER praise this way unless I mean it and I'm very critical. Further, when I saw their purple hippie YE OLDE clothes, I was all ready to dismiss 'em as vegan, hemp-suckin' cotton clad nutcases but damn they are good!...

The Weekenders
on Chiff & Fipple

Hi,
I wanted to say how much I loved the December concert at Cal Tech, down here in Southern California. I'm very glad I was sent a notice. When I went to the website, I was dismayed to see "The Starlit Jewel" no longer available for sale. It remains my favorite of the Tolkien CD's, my sister and I like to dance to it and sing along. I took her to the winter concert, and we were just dying to get up and jig through the hall!

Sincerely,
L. M.

Margaret and all of Brocelïande,
I don't know how to thank you for coming to Los Angeles and playing here on Sunday at the Celtic Arts Center. It was only through a series of small circumstances and intuition that I came to find myself there to hear you. It was my first time there. As soon as you started to play, very large and deep emotions bubbled to the surface. With each song, I had tears flooding my eyes (and I was hoping nobody saw - because there was no logical reason for it!). Your talent, passion, and collective/individual soul moved me very very deeply. So much so that I bought two of the three CDs you were offering during the break - only to 'win' the third at the drawing afterwards! I sobbed deeply again at every song listening to your self-titled album on the way home in the car. It was some kind of response/appreciation to beauty. Music has always been important to me and I've been a performer for most of my life... I just needed to thank you for an amazing afternoon. You are all so beautiful, individually and collectively. I wish I could get to know you all better. Some day, should I ever get handfasted (gotta meet the right woman first!) I would like to have you perform for the ceremony.

Peace & Love,
Randy

 

Email Margaret

For general information about shows, call Margaret at
(510) 569-0437
or Karl at
(650) 856-6445.

Read our tour diaries and see a list or our past performances.