New England Celtic Arts will present Master Cape Breton fiddler Jerry Holland at Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center on Monday November, 10th 2008 in So. Carthage, Maine starting at 7:00 PM. A pre-show jam will start at 6:30 PM.
Jerry Holland is a fiddler strongly rooted in Cape Breton, Scottish and Irish dance music traditions. An active performer and recording artist, many of his own tunes have entered the traditional repertoire around the world. His tunes, books and recordings have remained influential wherever Celtic music is played.
One of the finest Celtic fiddlers performing today, Jerry comes by his music honestly. His father was a musical man respectful of tradition. Jerry senior was over 50 when Jerry was born and this placed the budding musician directly into a vibrant older culture. From childhood on, a series of fortunate events put young Jerry in the company of many of the greatest Cape Breton musicians of the last generation – -Winston Fitzgerald, Bill Lamey, Angus Chisholm and several other less well-known fiddlers, including his father.
Traditional musicians always have a high respect for their sources. Jerry is no exception. In his childhood, Jerry’s father exposed him to some of the last generation’s greatest Cape Breton Scottish fiddlers. The beauty of traditional music lies in individual expression. Because Cape Breton was remote, its fiddle music and dancing kept to the old Scottish style, a tradition that Jerry Holland was raised to respect and support.
Jerry has taken his music to many parts of the world. Those places include Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Scotland, Finland, Germany, Mexico, England, France, USA, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, PEI, New Brunswick, Quebec, Alberta, Ontario and NWT.
For the past 25 years, life in Cape Breton has surrounded him by people who know and love the music. Digesting those experiences, a mature musician and composer has evolved. Today, his settings of older tunes and his own compositions usually pass the muster with the traditionalists.
Skye Theatre is located 3 miles West of East Dixfield village at 2 Highland Drive off Winter Hill Rd and US RT. 2 in South Carthage. Ticket price is $10.00 at the door. Reservations are required for this show. Call New England Celtic Arts at (207) 562-4445 for reservations and directions. More information at http://www.necelticarts.com.
