Goltraige - Sorrowful strains of music

"That’s an air of Celtic mythology around the Sorrowful Strains of Music released by the trio Goltraige who are based in France. Goltraí was one of the three strains of music played from the harp of the ‘Good God’ of the Gaelic Gods; Dadga who was a king in the fairy race known as Tuatha de Danann. Goltraí, being the sorrowful element in that it was meant to ‘make women cry’. The other strains were that of Geantraí, the joyful strain and Suantraí which was purported to lull people to sleep. With Goltraí as its theme, the musical abilities of Evelyne Pourrat, Jérémie Mignotte and Jean Banwarth entwine the melancholy with the continental as they take on traditional songs such as Kilkelly and Dougie MacLean’s Caledonia that depict the loss of loved ones through emigration. The equally sombre versions of Army Dreamers and The Lass of Glenshee encapsulate the mood of despair again through differing versions of bereavement that are enhanced by the mournful aura of the instrumental. Pouratt’s vocal showcases the emotion with a gentle poignancy whilst Mignotte’s flute provides a lilt of tender expressiveness that is echoed by the strings of Banwarth, especially in the delicate rendering of Eleanor Plunkett. This lifts slightly with some nicely paced reflective flute and string in the finale; The Funky man of the House. Each track is essentially traditional yet is uniquely delivered with a European flavour that intrigues. The theme might be that of sorrow yet the outcome of the album is that of pleasure; a lovely listen."
Eileen McCabe - Irish Music

Musicians :
Jean Banwarth (guitar, bouzouki)
Jérémie Mignotte (wooden flute)
Evelyne Pourrat (voice, guitar, diatonic accordion)
Guest : 
Pierre Banwarth (bodhran)