From Norway we get Marit Larsen. Marit is a singer, songwriter, producer and musician who’s songs have proven to be rebellious, constant travelers, including her forever encore «If a song could get me you» which, to this day, is still flying high in Germany and beyond. Her independent record label Håndbrygg Records was established in 2016, and is a direct nod to the connection between her enthusiasm for music and coffee (a whole lot of patience, dedication and love go into brewing both). As a teenager she was exactly one half of M2M. She currently lives in Oslo, Norway. Again from The Linda vault on the 2012 shelf here is Marit Larsen live at The Linda.
Teitur, left his homeland, the remote, beautiful, wild and weather beaten Faroe Islands in the far North Atlantic as a teenager. He was convinced that if he wanted to follow his dream of making his own music he had to go somewhere with the access to the technology and musical professionalism that he felt wasn’t available at home.
Since then Teiter has been traveling the world brining the music of the islands to the world, gaining a boatload of awards and international acclaim along the way, including collaborations with everyone from Rufus Wainwright to legendary composer Van Dyke Parks. Of Teiter, Van Dyke Parks said: “Teitur’s music reminds me why I go nuts over island music. Winning Teitur’s trust isn’t just funny business–it’s an honor to orchestrate for such an accomplished composer. Teitur is, in fact, totally continental!” This concert comes from the Linda vault circa 2012. Here is Tieter Lassan live at the Linda.
It’s hard to think of an artist in traditional Irish music more influential than Seamus Egan. From his beginnings as a teen prodigy, to his groundbreaking solo work with Shanachie Records, to his founding of Irish-American powerhouse band Solas, to his current work as one of the leading composers and interpreters of the tradition, Egan has inspired multiple generations of musicians and helped define the sound of Irish music today. As a multi-instrumentalist, he’s put his mark on the sound of the Irish flute, tenor banjo, guitar, mandolin, tin whistle, and low whistle, among others. As a composer, he was behind the soundtrack for the award-winning film The Brothers McMullen, co-wrote Sarah McLachlan’s breakout hit, “Weep Not for the Memories,” and has scored numerous documentaries and indie films since. As a bandleader, Solas has been the pre-eminent Irish-American band of their generation for the past 20 years, continuously renewing Irish music with fresh ideas, including a collaboration with Rhiannon Giddens on their 2015 album. As a performer, few others can make so many instruments or such wickedly complex ornaments seem so effortless. Music comes as naturally to Seamus Egan as breath, but his mastery of the tradition is only one facet of his plans to move the music forward. This concert, well it was just last week! From March on 2022, here is The Seamus Egan Project, live at the Linda.
Ester Rada’s cross-cultural sound is a deep reflection of the Israeli born Ethiopian’s heritage. Growing up in a highly religious Jewish family in more than modest conditions in one of the roughest neighborhoods of Israel, gave Rada the drive to change her way of life and fulfill her dream of creating music. Critics describe her genre mixing sound as "gracefully combining Ethio-Jazz, funk, soul and r&b, with mixed undertones of black grooves". She opened for Alicia Keys at her Israel concert, in front of 8500 people, receiving amazing critics from Alicia herself saying, "She is amazing". With strong influences from early 20th century soul power women such as Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald, a vocal range like Aretha Franklin; as well as a great appreciation for more contemporary black diva’s like Eryka Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Jill Scott; Rada is bringing a new voice to soul that is already spreading worldwide. Ester Rada played Central Avenue in 2014, here is Ester Rada live at The Linda.
Thanks for listening to Live At The Linda, recorded live at The Linda: WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio. For more information on this show or any upcoming events follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or visit thelinda.org.
