Keeping the tradition alive

Some may not believe that a fiddle, guitar and harp could make people feel happy and sad at the same time.

But members of the Celtic Tradition know it's true. In fact, this is the way they want their music to be -- contradictory, enjoyable and pure.

"Celtic music conveys many emotions, such as both joy and sadness," said member Joe Ross of Roseburg. "It soothes the soul and feeds a hungry heart. ... The music has the beauty, power and ability to be many things to many people."

The group is comprised of three members. Ross plays the guitar, mandolin, hammered dulcimer and concertina. Besides his involvement with the Celtic Tradition, he also performs bluegrass, folk and children's music locally.

Janet Naylor lives in Eugene and plays the harp. Originally from New Zealand, Naylor has won national awards for composing and arranging in the Scottish tradition. She has also taught Celtic harp workshops in Oregon, California and Canada.

The last band member, Linda Danielson, also hails from Eugene. She plays the fiddle and is known throughout the region as an expert in Celtic fiddle stylings. Together, she, Ross and Naylor have performed at numerous festivals and small venues since 1997, and they will be entertaining crowds again at the Palace Gallery in Oakland on Friday.

Their acoustic music, Ross said, is the music of Celtic-speaking peoples -- including the Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Cornish. The song lyrics also revolve around similar themes, such as love, happiness and religion.

But at the same time, the music can easily veer from the traditional and "cross-fertilize" into country and bluegrass, Ross said. This is one example of how artists can find their freedom and individuality while adhering to a traditional framework.

"It's a structure that allows for personal expression," Ross said. "In other words, don't belittle the very traditions that you're trying to stretch. If done right, it's very rewarding and a great creative exercise. But, to reinvent tradition, you first must live and breathe the tradition itself."

This is done through knowing the music, respecting it and appreciating its natural graces and flowing rhythms, Ross said. And that's what he and his band strive to accomplish.

"You must have the feel of the music ... where it's coming from, where it's been, and then incorporate your own life's experiences," he said. "That becomes the musician's fingerprint or personalized signature sound."

So far, Ross and Naylor have recorded their sound on a couple CDs. The first was produced in 1998. Titled "The Harper's Reverie: Irish Music of Turlough O'Carolan," the Celtic music project features 12 different instruments played by six Oregon musicians. These artists play the timeless songs of O'Carolan, one of the last Irish harpers who died in the mid-1700s.

The other CD, "The Crazy Zoo: An Animal Songfest," was produced in 2000 with the aid of Ross, Naylor, Danielson and other area musicians. The family sing-along album was nominated for a Parent's Choice Foundation award after it was released.

Naylor said she enjoys the music she creates and she enjoys working with others who share her passion. As long as these two fundamentals remain constant, she will continue to share her artistic vision with those willing to listen.

"We like playing music together, we enjoy it," Naylor said. "If we stopped enjoying the music we play together, that's when groups don't last."



* You can reach reporter Erin Snelgrove at 957-4208 or by e-mail at esnelgrove@newsreview.info.