Watercarvers Guild is one of the best contemporary acoustic ensembles in the Northwest.
Featuring Darrell Casey and his sons David and Nathan, Watercarvers
Guild is a trio of multi-instrumentalist/singers who have been
playing together since David and Nathan were old enough to
pick up instruments. While they only decided to form into a
three piece band in 2000, their lifelong rapport (not to mention
their refined skills as musicians and singers) is evident from
the moment they hit the stage.
With an onstage arsenal that
includes guitars, mandolin, piano, recorder, bouzouki, electric
bass and three voices, Watercarvers Guild has a habit of
sounding a lot more than a typical folk trio, putting together
some of the best melodies and most intricate arrangements.
While their music shows influences of Celtic, bluegrass, pop
and folk, it’s the elaborate dialogue between instruments
and voices that is the signature sound of Watercarvers Guild.
Music is clearly its own language for this family band and
one that they speak fluently.
 Watercarvers
Guild has performed at major festivals all over the Northwest,
including the Festival at Sandpoint, the Sweet Pea Festival
and the Juan De Fuca Festival. They have also performed at
some of the region’s best performing arts and music venues:
the Myrna
Loy Center, the Panida Theatre, the Tower Theatre in Bend
and the Tractor Tavern in Seattle.
The group released their debut CD in 2000 and recorded a live
CD in 2002. That same year they headlined at the Big Sky Music
Festival with Tim O’Brien and
Chuck Pyle.
Another 2002 highlight for the band was opening for Darrell’s
cousin, Nollaig Casey and
guitarist Arty McGlynn, while the
duo was in Seattle performing at the Tractor Tavern on
their first US tour. Nollaig is one of Ireland’s most
gifted musicians and holds several All-Ireland titles for fiddle
playing and traditional singing. Arty has recorded and toured
with all of Ireland’s major traditional artists as well
as Van Morrison.
This unique performance at the Tractor marked the first time
in 150 years that these two lines of the Casey clan were back
together playing music. But thankfully, it won’t be the
last. Watercarvers Guild invited Nollaig to perform on
a few songs on their CD, Balladeers and Aeronauts.
The
London pub balladeers
Turned their chairs against the hearth
To tell any listening ears
How Vincent Lunardi revisited earth.
“Sailing
Away” by David Casey |
For more about Watercarvers Guild, visit Media.
"They were an instant hit with our discerning
crowd. From the first notes, their performance brought a
hush over a festival crowd of nearly 2,000 people, as our
patrons leaned forward to hear the intricate finger guitar,
eloquent mandolin and melodious voices blending in sync.
I highly recommend Watercarvers Guild to anyone who is interested
in presenting the finest musicianship complemented by perfect
harmony.”
Dyno Wahl, Executive Director, The Festival
at Sandpoint
"These guys are great! -- The band has
real cohesion; each player is clearly in tune with the other
-- listen to the blend and balance of instrument and voice
-- these carefully arranged elements lend both weight and
grace to the stories they tell. This rare quality of musical
intimacy can only come from years of experience and a profound
attention to the craft of songwriting and performance. Highly
recommended!"
Tom Loewe, Host "Notes From Above",
Ave Maria Radio
More about Nollaig Casey
Nollaig Casey is one of Ireland's most gifted musicians, with
her own unique way of playing traditional Irish music on the
fiddle and such an utterly distinctive sound that it would
be impossible to mistake it for that of anyone else. This “sound” is
so attractive to other musicians that there exists hardly any
major Irish artist of the last twenty years with whom she has
not worked.
Nollaig has recorded and worked with Enya, Van Morrison, Sinéad
O’Connor, Nanci Griffith, Ricky Skaggs, Rod Stewart,
Emmy Lou Harris, Steve Earle, Dónal Lunny, Mary Black,
Frances Black, Carlos Nuñez, Jim Rooney, Andy Irvine,
Moving Hearts, The Indigo Girls, Spandau Ballet, Elvis Costello,
Christy Moore, Liam O'Flynn, Dan ar Braz, Sharon Shannon, Maura
O'Connell, Dick Gaughan, Paddy Keenan, Seán Keane, Liam
Clancy & Tommy Makem, Máirtín O'Connor and
her sister, the innovative and influential harper, Máire
Ní Chathasaigh, among many others.
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