If I like Loreena McKennitt, who else might I like?

[Linda Slater]

Debra (debra...@gsb.uchicago.edu) wrote:
: I've played Loreena McKeenitt's last two records to death (The Visit
: and the Mask and the Mirror.) I don't care as much for her earlier
: stuff. Does anyone have any suggestions on other artists who do work in
: the same vein? I've tried buying Celtic samplers (some of the Narada
: ones) but I haven't come across anything else very appealing. I also
: like Cape Breton fiddling, or any fiddling really, and pipes. Any
: suggestions?
: --Debra

If you're into Cape Breton fiddling and haven't heard Natalie MacMaster
yet, you should give her music a try. Ashley McIsaac is another Cape
Breton fiddler of note, although I much prefer Natalie's fiddling style
to Ashley's -- he's much more "aggressive-sounding" and has taken of late
to "jazzing up" his repertoire by playing things such as the fiddle
version of "Staying Alive" (from Saturday Night Fever). Natalie is much
more traditional in her approach and is great to see live as she steps
dances the entire time she's playing. Ashley does a bit of step-dancing
too, but not to the extent Natalie does.

As for people who are like Loreena McKennitt.... I can't think of anyone
who is a dead-ringer to her sound-wise, but in terms of people who are
doing what she does -- namely, stretching the boundaries of a certain
musical tradition by mixing in sounds from other cultures -- I would
suggest the following:

Sheila Chandra: mixes East Indian vocal styles into music from a wide
range of traditions (including Celtic, Spanish and Middle Eastern). The
two albums of hers I'm familiar with are Weaving My Ancestors Voices and
The Zen Kiss.

Andy Irvine: formerly of the Irish group Planxty; his album East Wind
(with uillean piper Davey Spillane) was a sort of Bulgarian-Irish fusion.
If memory serves me right, Andy was the one who introduced the bouzouki
to Ireland after his travels in Greece and Eastern Europe.

If you liked the middle-eastern aspects of Loreena's Mask & Mirror you
_might_ like the Robert Plant/Jimmy Page (both formerly of Led Zeppelin,
in case you're too young to remember) live album "No Quarter". Page and
Plant performed with a group of middle eastern musicians, and I think
produced an interesting mixture of middle eastern sounds combined with
their normal bluesy, "dinosaur-rock" style.

I'm sure there are many more performers who are into the ethnic fusion
thing, but those are the few I can think of off the top of my head. And
I should reiterate that these people DON'T SOUND LIKE Loreena McKennitt
-- I can't think of anybody who does -- but they do seem to have a
similar approach to their music (if that makes any sense? :-) ).

-- Linda Slater
lsl...@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca

[richard william lindstrom]

Sheila Chandra & Loreena McKennitt have shared my 5-CD changer very
frequently, I must admit! I like "Weaving my Ancestors Voices" &
"The Zen Kiss" very much, and I would also recommend her CD "Roots
and Wings" very highly. It's sort of an intermediate step between
her early Indipop work & her Real World CDs. You might also want
to check out some of the stuff on the Real World label. I've got a
growing collection of their catalog, and I've never been disappointed
with anything they put out...

Alison Becker

--
<> Richard W. Lindstrom / Archaeology: <>
<> rw...@midway.uchicago.edu \ It may not have much of a future, <>
<> Russian Bronze Age, Bones, / But it has one hell of a past. <>
<> Ditch digging. \ "Have Trowel, Will Travel" <>

[Ian Craig Breaden]

You might also try Heidi Berry, an English vocalist who does a sort of
pop/folk fusion along the lines of Sandy Denny. She has several albums out
in England, but the only one that, I believe, is still available is simply
entitled "Heidi Berry." Another one you might find used is an EP and LP on
one disc, entitled "Below the Waves, and Firefly." Both are terrific.

[Mark Stewart]

Alison Becker, alias richard william lindstrom
(rw...@kimbark.uchicago.edu) wrote:

: Sheila Chandra & Loreena McKennitt have shared my 5-CD changer very

: frequently, I must admit! I like "Weaving my Ancestors Voices" &

Try also:
Capercaillie
Altan (more trad - nice female vocals)
October Project (not Celtic at all really, but more great voices)

Cheerio!
Mark Stewart
ste...@trenton.edu
--
Visit NJFOLK, a resource guide for folk music in New Jersey
http://www.trenton.edu/~stewart/njfolk/

[Debra]

In article <DHGFL...@tigger.jvnc.net>
ste...@beast.Trenton.EDU (Mark Stewart) writes:

> : Sheila Chandra & Loreena McKennitt have shared my 5-CD changer very
> : frequently, I must admit! I like "Weaving my Ancestors Voices" &
>
> Try also:
> Capercaillie
> Altan (more trad - nice female vocals)
> October Project (not Celtic at all really, but more great voices)

Thanks everyone for your great suggestions! At least I have an idea
what to look for at record stores now!
--Debra

[ChrisRHood]

Try Clannad, Enya, Maire Brennan, Kate Price, Connie Dover, Capercaillie,
Altan...No one really sounds just like Loreena but all of the
aforementioned have wondrous voices in their own rights:)
Happy listening...

Nothing's Forgotten,
Christine (Chris...@aol.com)
Spirit of Sherwood--The Official Robin of Sherwood Fan Club & Cybermerries
Email list:)
Weekend in Sherwood IV--A Robin of Sherwood Convention
Check out our RoS webpage at http://www.interport.net/~logomanc/ros.html

[Patrick Meyer]

>I've played Loreena McKeenitt's last two records to death (The Visit
>and the Mask and the Mirror.) I don't care as much for her earlier
>stuff. Does anyone have any suggestions on other artists who do work in
>the same vein?

If you liked the lush voices and harmonies i would recommend October Project.
No Celtic influence but wonderful stories with amazing voice and harmony. An
aural tapestry. Currently Loreena and October Project share my changer in the
1 and 2 spots, have been for the past 4 months.

[Robert d'Arkal]

October Project is a great band. Also, do not forget Renaissance,
a big "Old-Ways" mailing list favourite. Also not much Celtic
influence here, but the vocals are wonderful.

If you love the harp, I would also recommend the belgian band
Meghan (nearly unfindable stuff, however).

--
Robert d'Arkal
10054...@compuserve.com
-------------------------------------
Close your eyes, look into the dream.

[Craig Miller]

You might also enjoy:
Sileas (a female harp/vocal duet from Scotland)
Kim Robertson (American new-age harpist)
Therese Schroeder-Sheker (Harpist/vocalist, early-music and original
material)

-----
Craig Miller
Harbinger Solutions

[tightp...@gmail.com]

On Wednesday, November 1, 1995 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-5, Linda Slater wrote:
> Debra (debra...@gsb.uchicago.edu) wrote:
> : I've played Loreena McKeenitt's last two records to death (The Visit

> : and the Mask and the Mirror.) I don't care as much for her earlier
> : stuff. Does anyone have any suggestions on other artists who do work in

I will be checking this list soon. LM is such a talent but I think she is busy raising kids ATM.

[meg20...@maricopa.edu]

Try Faun! You'll love the vocals and feel. It's the closest thing I've come to finding something like Loreena Mckenitt. :) <3

Megan

[fionake...@gmail.com]

Hi! I just went looking to find similar artists to Loreena McKennitt, too! I went searching because I'm building a Facebook Ad for my music and can't think of many people I'm similar to. My latest album is broadly categorised as contemporary folk and blends world music elements with lyrics based on many of the world's great spiritual traditions. I use a lot of similar instruments to Loreena. Check out Fiona Kernaghan, The Art Of Being - on Spotify, iTunes and the usual places. :)

[Andy Baird]

I just recently discovered Ana Alcaide. Her album "La Cantiga del Fuego" is the closest I've managed to find to LMs sound to date. It was what actually inspired me to try and find more artists with a similar sound which is how I wound up on this ancient thread. Best of luck!