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The musical group Castlebay played Celtic music for all who passed by yesterday at 1 p.m. in Union Central. The University of Maine Celtic Studies Student Association sponsored the performance.
Much in the tradition of a coffeehouse format, Julia Lane and Fred Gosbee entertained the crowd that had gathered by recounting Celtic histories and singing and playing beautiful pieces reminiscent of Ireland, Scotland and especially of Maine. The duo was pleased to give their first performance at the University of Maine, as Gosbee is an alumnus, and two of Lane’s children are students here.
According to the Portsmouth Herald, Castlebay is “enchanting; mellow and dynamic,” but they are truly much more than that. Their voices complement each other very well; Lane’s soprano voice was strong and sweet, while Gosbee’s baritone sound was melodic and entirely pleasing to the ear.
On top of their vocal ability, the pair has many other talents to share. Lane is an expert on the Celtic harp, which she taught herself to play. Her harp was certainly the first thing that caught your eye. The harp is beautifully crafted by Gosbee himself and decorated with mother of pearl. Three years old, it is made of spruce, cherry and maple, with strings made of nylon and steel.
Gosbee played a variety of instruments including a handmade 12-string acoustic guitar and several different woodwinds and fiddles.
The first familiar song to catch my attention was “I’ze the B’y.” They performed a variety of tunes, each with its own particular story and lineage, from soft and sad ballads to lively jigs. Most of the best songs were fun to listen to, like the instrumental Mackerel Jig and a song about not wanting to get out of bed on a chilly morning entitled, “Up in the Morning Early.”
Some of the pieces were so full of emotion that they came close to bringing tears to the eyes of the audience that was gathered, such as the “Christ Child Lullaby,” sung by Lane.
The most astounding piece of the afternoon however, was a song written by Lane for her father in 1996, called “Run before the Wind.” The chorus is inspiring,
“May there always be safe haven from the storm/May the sun glow softly on your skin/May the stars shine bright,/May the dawn come clear/And may you always run before the wind.”
From Round Pond, Maine, both of these talented musicians have been performing together for 15 years. They are well traveled and try to make a trip each year to Ireland and Scotland to play and gain more knowledge and experience. This January they will be performing at the Celtic Connection Festival in Glasgow, Scotland.
If you missed Castlebay, the Celtic Studies Student Association recommends that you visit their Web site, www.castlebay.net. For more information about the CSSA you can contact Forrest Lancaster, or the group’s faculty advisor, Kay Retzlaff on FirstClass. The organization was assembled about a year ago, and today they are 30 members strong. Much of their activities have been devoted to fund raising, so that they can bring more performers like Castlebay here to campus.
Bangor Daily News