Title:Concert By: Clandestine Released by: Caldonean Society Highland Games Released on: 2000 Rating (out of 10): 8 Date: 10/22/2001
Clandestine In Concert
About a year and a half ago, I wandered into the local Highlander Games the Arizona Caledonian Society hosts annually. It had the usual Scottish fare, with amateur bagpipe bands, Scottish folk singers, tartans, Scottish heritage wares for sale, Clan tents recruiting new members, Highland dancing, the caber toss and other Scottish games. But I began to hear a band that stopped me in my tracks.
It was a small group called Clandestine. There was such joy around that stage generated by Clandestine that I simply had to get the only CD they had with them that day—one called The Ale is Dear.
Comparing favorably to The Chieftains, Clandestine operate out of Houston and consists of four members: E.J. Jones on Highland bagpipes and flute, Jennifer Hamel on guitar and vocals, Gregory McQueen on fiddle, and Emily Dugas on percussion and vocals. Although they are small in number, Clandestine vary their play list, so their performance never becomes repetitious.
Lead singer Jennifer Hamel writes most of the songs and generally sings the slower ballads, but can use her soprano to harmonize well with Dugas’ rich alto. Both possess powerful voices and play an energetic acoustic guitar and percussion. I don’t recall hearing the two male members join in singing except for an occasional chorus.
My favorite selections are the numerous instrumental jigs they play, in which Jones plays some mean bagpipe themes with McQueen joining in for some great Irish fiddle licks.
E.J. Jones takes his bagpipe music seriously. He has been studying the instrument since age 11 and has participated in many world-class bagpipe contests. It’s a matter of time before he’ll one day be officially crowned as the world’s greatest piper; he creates some amazing sounds with the bagpipes.
He is in his mid-twenties, so there’s plenty of time for that title if he decides to compete for it. Meanwhile, he’s using his classical training and creativity to compose most of the instrumental portions for the group. Sometimes you’ll hear snatches of a traditional folk song that evolves into something unique.
I’ve seen jazz musicians, blues artists, and rock musicians go into jam sessions where they simply create as they play, but this was the first time I’d seen a traditional folk-style band do this. The other musicians would often look to Jones to see where he was going with his lilting pipes as they maintained the background rhythm.
How good are they? I’m hardly objective; I got hooked the first time I heard them. Never before had the local Caledonian Society ever had a featured band return for the following year’s Games, but when I heard that Clandestine would be returning this year, I decided instantly that I would be there through Sunday afternoon and catch as many of their sets as I could.
It was worth the second listen, and I now own all three of their albums, adding To Anybody at All and The Haunting to my collection.
Feel fortunate if you live around the Houston area; they play at McGonigel’s Mucky Duck once every month or so. Though Clandestine play most frequently in Texas, they do travel occasionally to Celtic festivals and Highland Games, so check their schedule at their official Web site: http://www.io.com/clandestine/
Even if you’re not close to any of the venues on Clandestine’s schedule, you can find a few samples of their music at their Web site (you can also find information for getting their CDs).
If you’re into traditional Celtic music with a modern and creative twist, you’ll enjoy Clandestine.
The Ale is Dear has just finished in my CD-ROM drive, and I feel better. This upswing in mood seems to happen each time I play a Clandestine album. I need to make a note to listen more often. This group is the real deal!
