Summary
Format: CD
Genre: Folk/Celtic/”Meditative and reflective”
Tracks: 8
Playing time: 58 minutes
Availability (out of 3): **
Related website(s): http://alisoneve.co.uk; http://ritualitas.co.uk
My rating: 8/10
I like: The variety of sounds and moods, Alison’s voice as well as the harp, the arrangements
I’m less keen on : –
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I love the sound of a harp. It’s relaxing and somehow soulful, and when it’s Celtic harp playing folk melodies (traditional or contemporary) I think it’s almost magical.
I’d never heard of this player or album until they were brought to my attention by a fellow member of a review site. I took a punt, ordered two titles, and eagerly awaited their arrival!
Who?
Alison Eve has studied and taught singing. From her childhood she played piano, guitar and trumpet.
From around 1999 she decided to teach herself harp, and her website names Loreena McKennit and Clannad as strong influences.
Besides singing and recording in her own right, she seems to have quite a diverse range of styles. As well as singing in a folk vocal group “Messenger” and a female choir “nChant” she has also sung with a folk-rock “Eve And The Garden”, and even a heavy metal band “Ascentis”!
She plays at an increasing number of weddings.
Celtic harp
Unlike classical harp with its various pedals, Celtic harps have levers. They come in various sizes and with various numbers of strings, but essentially they have a wide pitch, giving the unique sound, the higher pitched strings creating an ethereal tinkling in contrast with the lower pitched ones. Alison Eve’s website describes three instruments that she has: a small harp with 25 strings, her main one, a maple large lever folk harp, and also an electric instrument harp made from carbon fibre. The photograph below from her website (used with kind permission) shows her with the second of these instruments, performing at a wedding.
In Ireland the harp has had a very chequered history; it was such a part of Irish culture that it came to be seen as a symbol of resistance to English rule and was banned for many years. It’s hardly surprising that for many years the harp did indeed serve as a symbol of Irish identity, and graced the back of coins from Eire for many years! Continue reading “Alison Eve: Time & Tide”
Folk/pop
Summary
Ralph McTell’s musical career has spanned almost 50 years. He is best known for his song “Streets Of London”, for which he won an Ivor Novello award. In 2002 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. 
mostlyacousticsteve 