David Kincaid, a Civil War reenactor in the 116th Pennsylvania (part of the original Irish Brigade in the US), and member of the rock band 'The Brandos' does an excellent job conveying the excitement, hardship, spirit and homesickness of the Irish Union soldiers of the Civil War. Many of these songs were nearly lost to history to the likes of 'Dixie', 'Battle Hymn of the Republic' and other 'usual' Civil War songs. A few did not even have melodies noted or provided, so he carefully researched different tuens of the era to find one to suit each individual song in both it's words and to catch the essence of the feelings of the soldier who may have sang or written it.
It is by far the best recording of Civil War music I've ever heard, not the usual 'parlor music' that most living history musicians play.
Liz Knowles, Jerry O' Sullivan and John Whelan are a few notables that accompany him on fiddle, whistles and pipes, and accordian/concertina to give each and every song, though written in the US, a purely Irish sound.
I did forget to mention in my first comment, though, that all of the songs are period-written during or before the Civil War era except for 'Free and Green' on track #9. David and a partner of his (whose name escapes me right at the moment) wrote it in the 1980's when en route from France to Ireland with an Irish band on board their ship. (The name of which he doesn't give in the sleeve notes)
Irish in the American Civil War
David Kincaid, a Civil War reenactor in the 116th Pennsylvania (part of the original Irish Brigade in the US), and member of the rock band 'The Brandos' does an excellent job conveying the excitement, hardship, spirit and homesickness of the Irish Union soldiers of the Civil War. Many of these songs were nearly lost to history to the likes of 'Dixie', 'Battle Hymn of the Republic' and other 'usual' Civil War songs. A few did not even have melodies noted or provided, so he carefully researched different tuens of the era to find one to suit each individual song in both it's words and to catch the essence of the feelings of the soldier who may have sang or written it.
It is by far the best recording of Civil War music I've ever heard, not the usual 'parlor music' that most living history musicians play.
Liz Knowles, Jerry O' Sullivan and John Whelan are a few notables that accompany him on fiddle, whistles and pipes, and accordian/concertina to give each and every song, though written in the US, a purely Irish sound.
# Posted on August 16th 2004 by Oranaiche
Addendum
I did forget to mention in my first comment, though, that all of the songs are period-written during or before the Civil War era except for 'Free and Green' on track #9. David and a partner of his (whose name escapes me right at the moment) wrote it in the 1980's when en route from France to Ireland with an Irish band on board their ship. (The name of which he doesn't give in the sleeve notes)
# Posted on August 16th 2004 by Oranaiche