Crockett Entertained By World Renowned Celtic Tenors -
by Penny Lynn Webb (Houston County Life).

The sounds of their native Ireland grace the stage of the Crockett Civic Center as the world renowned Celtic Tenors performed on Saturday, December 3, 2011.

In a show hosted by the Piney Woods Fine Arts Association, the Celtic Tenors, Matthew Gilsenan, Daryl Simpson and James Nelson gave an awesome performance for those who ventured out on the stormy night to hear some of the finest music to ever have graced the stage. Throughout the evening the Irish gents entertained the crowd with not only their vocal gifts but their quick witted banter between one another and interesting stories about their lives and their touring. Songs of the evening included several Christmas classics, highlights from their new album Feels Like Home as well as Irish and Celtic favorites like “Danny Boy.”

To say the music was beautiful would be selling it short. Their performance was beyond phenomenal and much like what I imagine it would be like to hear the angels sing.

An after party for the group and PWFAA supporters was hosted at the Warfield House Bed and Breakfast. Those in attendance enjoyed the grandeur of the historic house and the lovely Christmas decorations as well as a large spread of hors d’oeuvres and beverages. During this event, the Celtic Tenors were entertained by the Owens Sisters of Grapeland who sang a beautiful medley of Christmas songs acapella. It was a lovely ending to a wonderful evening of some of the world’s finest voices in music.

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The Celtic Tenors sang a holiday concert with their droll Irish brogue and oodles of charisma Saturday evening at the Lied Center, Lawrence, Kansas. With tunes ranging from folk to opera to rock, the trio performed to an enthusiastic audience.

The Celtic Tenors brought their Irish brogue sound to the Lied Center on Saturday night in a “Songs of the Season” concert. As one of the numerous tenor trio groups that have developed in the last several years, Matthew Gilsenan, James Nelson, and Daryl Simpson have been singing together as the Celtic Tenors for eleven years. Along with musical director and pianist Colm Rogan, they offer an unusual repertoire of classical and pop, traditional and modern, as well as a free and easy style of performance not always seen in traditional operatic solo performers.
The evening’s fare was an interesting mix of genres. There were several traditional Irish tunes like “Finnegan’s Wake” and “Red-Haired Mary,” all delivered in rollicking good humor. They excelled, however, in fantastic, stacked, three-part harmonies in arrangements of some pop tunes like Randy Newman’s “Feels Like Home to Me,” and in traditional favorites like “The Holy City.” They also gave an aurally thrilling version of Stephen Foster’s “Hard Times,” one of several songs from their CD of North American music.
They are very charismatic performers, who interact easily with the audience. At various times during the performance, one or more singers would come down into the audience. One particularly memorable interaction came during a hilarious rendition of “Lay Down Sally” (yes, the Eric Clapton hit), when James Nelson staggered down into the house and into the lap of a woman in one of the front rows.
There were some serious moments, of course, and these contained some of the most beautiful singing of the night. The first half ended with Phil Coulter’s “Remember Me, Recuerdame,” a song becoming a signature Celtic Tenors piece, that features their individual solo voices as well as in some impressive harmony.
The requisite “Nessun Dorma” closed the main concert. It was one of their least successful numbers of the evening—in part because they acknowledged the audience’s expectation of this number by allowing audience participation. It is rather hard to imagine the aria as a sing-a-long, and it really doesn’t work as such; however, it was a crowd pleaser.
The Celtic Tenors' voices are quite distinctive: Simpson has a high, sweet tenor that is buttery smooth on a phrase. Gilsenan is also a high tenor with a flexible rich sound. Nelson’s is the closest to the heroic tenor model, and adds the weight and grounding to their harmonic blend. They have a remarkable and well-honed mix that one can discern even through the mechanical manipulations of sound systems.
Undoubtedly, classical purists scoff at the nature of a Celtic Tenors concert. The concert is heavily mixed, and the repertoire is generally more pop and folk than classical. Very little on the program requires the audience to work hard; however, these singers are a joy to watch, and there is sheer pleasure in hearing that unique Irish tenor times three in rich, generous waves of sound.
The most enthusiastic response of the night came to the Tenors’ only acoustic performance with the perennial favorite “Danny Boy.” It was a skilled, honest, emotionally nuanced performance that shows that these are musicians with a serious commitment to the integrity of everything they sing.

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I’m just back from a trip over the pond to the homeland and I can report that the Celtic Tenors new disc, Feels Like Home, was great company on the trip!

This 13-song CD celebrates the uplifting music of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, while borrowing a few songs from other cultures along the way. The feeling of getting touch with your roots was something important to the group in light of Ireland’s tough economic spot, according to tenor James Nelson.

“It is land of 100,000 welcomes, yet there is a lot of press about how our country is run by thieves and bankers,” he says.

“I am reading a book about the subject now called Snouts in a Trough. It turns your stomach, the level of corruption in government. We decided to do something positive and make the album warm in these times. We were blessed to be able to work with the RTE Orchestra and put fellow Irish musicians to work. It was an extraordinary experience!”

The Celtic Tenors are a three-man vocal group that includes Nelson, Matthew Gilsenan and Daryl Simpson. The trio has been working together since 2000, and the easiness between them is evident in the warmth of the songs.

The CD opens with “Going Home,” a poignant ballad written by American folk singer-songwriter Mary Fahl. “They say there’s a place where dreams have all gone/they never say where but I think I know/it’s miles through the night just over the door/on the road that takes me home,” the trio sings, a tip to the economic troubles before reassuring the listener on the chorus that “love waits for me around the bend and sorrows will come to an end.”

“Red Haired Mary” is one of those sassy songs that call to mind Maureen O’Hara’s Quiet Man performance. “Silent Sunlight” is a beautiful piano-based song by Yusef Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens. “When the heart is young and the night is done and the sky is blue/morning songbirds sing away/lend a tune to another day,” is a sample of the optimistic lyrics.

“We just happened to come across him in a studio in London a while back,” says Nelson. “We sang a traditional song in our native tongue for him.

“He loved our harmonies and suggested this gem of a song to us. We fell in love with it immediately. There was something very positive about it.

“We were looking for a theme for the new album,” Nelson reasons. “It just kind of happened by itself. In almost every one of the songs on this record, you’ll find a very positive and hopeful message. It’s even in the way that we sing.

“You have people from three very different and distinct cultures singing in harmony. It makes for a very positive image and a very powerful musical statement.”

The Celtic Tenors conjure up images of Ireland on this, their greatest CD to date, but they have an eye on their adopted American home as well. The rousing title track comes from the canon of Randy Newman.

“It works on many levels,” says Nelson. “We were drawn by the resonance of home and its place in our own loves. We spend a lot of time on the road, touring the world, and singing this song just seems to bring home just a little closer.”

Fair play to The Celtic Tenors for including an emotional rendition of Richard Thompson’s “Dimming of the Day.” This legendary songwriter from Fairport Convention is the quintessential Celtic folkie, yet his melody making talents are criminally underrated at times.

The group will be travelling around the world to support Feels Like Home. Nelson is excited to bring the album into the Cathedral of Sligo, where he first began singing.

“We go to the Middle East and then we start in Connecticut next month and will be there until Christmas. We are hoping to go to China at some point, so these are exciting times for us!”

I spoke with Nelson about the album and band dynamic. Here’s how it went.

How did you guys get together, and how did you arrive at your sound?
We’re all classically trained. We met at a Strauss opera. We were all steeped in that.
When EMI first heard us, they encouraged us to do more than the Celtic nations and further afield as well. The first album had songs from our homeland.

Because we do most of our work in the U.S. and Canada we included songs by Randy Newman, who wrote the title track. Three-quarters of our show is Celtic, with the rest deviating.

So, a record buyer is standing in a shop and is staring at album covers of yours, the Irish Tenors and the Three Tenors. What would you tell the buyer about why you are different?
We were inspired by the Three Tenors, to be sure. We did want to do a similar thing.
That said, our emphasis is on harmony. The big Three Tenors would have harmonized occasionally, but there is more emphasis on the solo performances. They also do a full symphony orchestra.
We mix it up. We do harmonies and sometimes we do symphonies. Often times, we do a capella three part harmonies and some shows are just us with a piano. I think we’d be bored if we were just belting out opera tunes. We just love creating harmonies.

Some groups are friendly and some are not, with the uncomfortable space being a source of creative tension. How would you describe your dynamic?
We often say it is a democracy, but we are more like brothers. I was best man when Matthew got married. I am told I am passive aggressive. I think Matthew invented it (laughs).

I wanted to use “The Valley” made famous by k.d. lang. It was a big disappointment and it is an example of the many disappointments between all of us. We don’t always get our way but that is a democracy.

We haven’t agreed all along but in this one, we think we did our best ever and that could be because we agree.

What can someone who never saw Celtic Tenors live expect from a show?
What we try always to do is mix it up for the audience. We will do an Irish song and then throw a curveball like Eric Clapton’s “Lay Down Sally” or an Air Supply song. We just sing songs we like and the audience seems to like it.

The house is on fire and you have to save your favorite CD in the house. What’s in your hand?
Jussi Bjoerling is a Swedish tenor --Pavarotti’s favorite. I just love his voice. There is a definitive collection of his that I would rush in to get.

Friends are coming over for dinner and you have to hide your most embarrassing CD. What’s in your hand?
ABBA Gold.

I love ABBA!
I know, so do I. The other lads tease me about it.

It’s interesting how a song takes on new meaning in a different circumstance, and one recent instance made me fall in love with ABBA all over again.

I do work with AIDS orphans. Last time I was in Kenya I heard the kids singing “Bare Necessities,” the Disney song. It has a whole new meaning in a Nairobi slum. They then sang “I Have a Dream” by ABBA and it gives you chills.

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It scarcely seems believable that "Feels Like Home" is the sixth studio release from The Celtic Tenors. It does not seem that long ago when three fresh-faced tenors emerged into the spotlight with some well-worked harmonies and a lot more subtlety than their Irish Tenor counterparts. James Nelson, Matthew Gilsenan and newest member Daryl Simpson have continued to find new fans, new markets and many new songs to record.

There is no high-concept to this new album, which follows on from 2009's "Hard Times", the trio's critically celebrated brush with Americana. For "Feels Like Home" there is a sense, and not just from the title, that the Celtic Tenors are returning to their roots. The opening track, an obscure number from US songwriter Mary Fahl which was featured in the film "Gods and Generals" sees James, Matthew and Daryl ease first time listeners into their music 'fingerprint'. But almost instantly the tempo is picked up in the lively traditional number "Red Haired Mary" which shows once more that classical training is no hindrance to a fast-paced Irish song (previous albums have contained the tongue-twisting "Fionnghuala" and "Spanish Lady").

As song interpreters the Celtic Tenors are at their pinnacle breathing new life into songs which have been hacked to death by countless pub singers. Their version of classics like "Danny Boy" and "Wild Rover" stand up to repeated listening and "She Moved Through To The Fair" has an ethereal quality which turns it from a lovelorn lament into something approaching a madrigal.

A bit less spiritual in tone is their cover of "No Frontiers", made famous by Mary Black. It is hard to cast aside Black's version of this song when you read the title, but the Tenors' take on it is quite different. Whether different means better, well that's a matter for the individual listener. Hand on heart I prefer the original. But there is no denying that the Celtic Tenors can pick apart the ingredients of a song and reassemble it to be more than the sum of its parts. "Better" will be familiar to any Boyzone fans, but it stems from songwriter Tom Baxter. The Tenors' take on it leaves both versions in the shade by some margin.

In the end, this album is not so much a return to their roots as the next step for a trio keen to share their love of music with the world. Many of the 13 songs on this album will not be familiar to the casual music fan. They are drawn from such diverse sources - traditional Irish, American folk, 90s rock, 60s troubadour, Welsh lullaby - that the musical taste needed to know them all would hardly exist in one individual. So while some of the songs have a familiarity which fans of the Celtic Tenors will appreciate, as a baker's dozen of "songs for songs' sake" they offer something new: an album not for lovers of Irish music, but for lovers of the Celtic Tenors.

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Marjolijn Sengers. Monday 11 April 2011
(Translated from Dutch to English by Rianne van Elswijk)

The Celtic Tenors call themselves cross-over artists, which means that they sing songs from just about every genre. Not that it matters what they sing – the three Irish tenors simply go for an evening of vocal top entertainment.

Matthew Gilsenan, James Nelson and Daryl Simpson are friendly and communicative, their singing is out of this world, and they have a very relaxed way of keeping the audience entertained. What I liked most is how genuine they are. They clearly enjoy performing, offering up nothing but themselves. No glitzy stage, no flashy light shows and no fancy dances – just three singers in black suits, accompanied by a pianist and a percussionist/guitarist.

At Het Speelhuis, The Celtic Tenors presented a programme that was “from heart to heart.”. They sang lovely songs, from all parts of the world, but predominantly from Ireland. They adapted their singing technique to the songs; while their operatic songs boomed, they kept their voices small for the more gentle songs. And when singing funny songs, they proved to have a great sense of humour as well. However, this had already become clear in the stories with which they introduced the songs, which were full of humour, as was the interaction between them, and with the audience, which was congenially involved in the concert through occasionally personal words. The audience was actively encouraged to clap and even sing along – and the singing along in particular was a real treat.

The Celtic Tenors, as seen in Het Speelhuis in Helmond on Saturday 9 April 2011.

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The Celtic Tenors learned one of Tony Bennett's great Orpheum
Theatre lessons Saturday night: Remove the amplification and you'll get the best
sound ever.

On an a cappella version of "Shenandoah," the three managed to bring chills
across the wide Missouri and back again.

The dip in American folk music, though, wasn't the trio's only venture beyond
the shores of Ireland. They hit parts of England, Italy, Hollywood -- you name
it -- admitting they've cheated on both the "Celtic" and "tenors" parts of their
name.

No problem. The three -- Mathew Gilsenan, James Nelson and Daryl Simpson -- had
a rich sound that worked well on a number of songs. Opening with a strong
"Ireland's Call," they demonstrated how they could stretch one song into three
parts.

While Nelson was the more operatic and Simpson the more pop, Gilsenan was
the go-to guy for the high notes. He came through repeatedly and also served as
the group's story teller. After detailing "Finnegan's Wake," Nelson admitted
they didn't really need to sing the song because Gilsenan (a ringer for James
Franco) had covered just about everything.
Because they can hit those high notes pretty effortlessly, the three got good
mileage out of Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" and did justice to a track from
Ennio Morricone's "The Mission."

Sometimes, though, it would have been nice to have heard one tenor, not three.
They all have their strengths; they all didn't need to be a part of a song.

Borrowing a page from most Branson, Mo., performers' playbooks, they did a
military salute but couched it in their own country's struggles. That gave
"Remember Me" a different meaning and a heft to Phil Coulter's lyrics.

The Sioux City Symphony Orchestra, meanwhile, did its best to stay out of the
trio's way. They accompanied them on several songs but didn't overwhelm or
detract. They played host; the Tenors were gracious guests.

For fun, the Celtic Tenors slowed down Eric Clapton's "Lay Down Sally" and
revealed what its words really were. At one point, they even resembled the Sons
of the Pioneers.

Versatile? Sure. Talented? Of course. But these aren't the Irish equivalent of
the Three Tenors or even the male version of Celtic Woman. They're simply three
guys who can sing well who just happen to hail from Ireland.
Titles, sometimes, are just that.

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The Celtic Tenors made their Madison debut Thursday night to a slightly less than packed Majestic Theater, who watched the trio show off their impressive pipes. The intimacy of the setting gave the Tenors a chance to interact with their grateful audience members.

Maybe all those other Celtic Tenors fans were simply waiting for their opportunity to see their heroes sing outdoors at the Irish Festival coming up in La Crosse. Maybe Thursday night's a night better spent staying in to sip Guinness, not going out to sample gorgeous vocal harmonies.

Whatever the reason, the Irish-born Celtic Tenors -- Matthew Gilseman, James Nelson and Daryl Simpson -- made their Madison debut to a slightly less than packed Majestic Theater. Fresh off the filming of their second PBS special yesterday in Baltimore, they showed off their impressive pipes, the intimacy of the setting gave the Tenors a chance to interact with their grateful audience members.

They did so early and often, teasing a fan who claimed to be able to speak Gaelic into singing along with a traditional Scottish shanty. (The fan politely declined.)

While the Tenors have been a staple at Irish festivals for nearly a decade, their between-song banter quickly made it clear they never planned to be pigeonholed. "We're really just a singing group," explained Gilsenan "And we sing what we like."
What they like, the audience liked, too. Sodabread staples like "I'll tell me Ma" and "Whiskey in the Jar" were obvious cornerstones in the set list. But the lads also went on a mini-international music tour that included songs from Italy (Ennio Morricone's "Nella Fantasia") Spain (Agustin Lara's "Granada") and Canada (Ian Tyson's "Four Strong Winds").

The Tenors sing with the practiced ease of singers who know each others voices like a comfortable pillow.

None of the three tried to dominate a song or showboat, and only occasionally did the piano work of the group's musical director, Colm Henry, overshadow the main attraction.

They sang Josh Groban. They sang Bob Dylan ("He's so Irish."). They sang several selections from their fifth album, "Hard Times," which focuses on Appalachian folks songs and takes its name from "Hard Times Are Gonna Come No More," a tune by the American composer Stephen Foster. The vocal highlight of this folk block was an a capella version of "Shenandoah," the song Gilsenan called "America's answer to 'Danny Boy.'"
And yes, the Tenors broke out that obligatory standby as well, laying their microphones down on the edge of the stage to belt out a heartfelt version that filled the Majestic's cavernous space.

The trio skipped their traditional intermission and sang for 90 minutes straight, climaxing with a heart-wrenching performance of "Remember Me", a song about Irish soldiers in the Spanish Civil War, before closing with an audience/classical opera sing-along. It's the sort of trick that probably plays better with a bigger crowd, but nobody seemed to be complaining.
And if you missed it? No worries. It's not too late to pack your day bags for La Crosse.

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Performance: The (3) Celtic Tenors with Irish (pub) songs, opera highlights, evergreens and folk. With the cooperation of soprano Donna Malone and Robbie Overson/guitar. Where: Spant!, Sunday evening. www.celtictenors.com

Between 2 performances by The Canadian Tenors in Gooiland, the extremely popular Celtic Tenors made an appearance at Spant! And as far as I am concerned, the winners are from Ireland. With a guitarist, backing tracks, a piano and occasionally the slender soprano Donna Malone, the gents treated their audience to a very pleasant garland of songs with introductions in English. Every now and then, they even threw a little “Bussums" into their comments. And indeed, the audience clapped along, and hummed along with the humming chorus from Puccini's “La Boheme" in “10,000 Tears", paraphrased by soprano Donna Malone.
And who doesn’t know “Pie Jesu" from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Requiem"? Unfortunately, the microphone made Malone’s soprano a little too sharp. After some practice, the audience also gave its all for the well-known “Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's “Turandot". I do not understand why the soprano used a microphone in the first place; singing “O Mio Babbino Caro" (Puccini, the notary opera “Gianni Schicchi") and Caccini's well-known “Ave Maria", she could easily have taken on the auditorium without one.

UNCOMPLICATED :

The Irish gentlemen – never trust a redhead – devoted a significant part of the programme to wonderful Irish songs, and casually claimed the great successes of English literature for their own country: “Joyce, Yeats, Shaw and Bram Stoker are all Irish, and we already have the euro as well". Such was the atmosphere of the evening.
The famous “3 Tenors" (Pavarotti, Domingo, Carreras) were obviously their inspiration, but these men reminded me of the legendary university campus performances of the Kingston Trio in the 1960s. No vocal showing-off here! Uncomplicated, beautifully sung, no fuss; they just did their job the way they were supposed to, by creating a wonderful program to delight their audience. And who wouldn’t sit up straight for “Whiskey in the Jar" - Irish whiskey is spelled with an e – and “Finnegan’s Wake"?
“Nella Fantasia" (from the movie “The Mission") and Bocelli’s “Con Te Partirò" (“Time To Say Goodbye") went down a treat, with Donna Malone in her bright red evening gown stealing the show. Another remarkable feat was that of Robbie Overson, who proved to be a very competent accompanist on his amplified guitar.
For the encore, the gents plucked a repetiteur of the Netherlands and Metropolitan Opera from the audience, the Irish Brenda Hurley. She currently works in our country, lives just around the corner from Spant! and really worked the piano keys for the encore “Nessun Dorma".
This ensemble is world-class.

A group called “The Three Celtic Sopranos" is currently touring Europe as well.

Tjako Fennema

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Entertainment/Community Monday, September 24,2007 Mount Vernon News
Celtic Tenors fill Memorial Theater with song
By MARK S. JORDAN
News Staff Reporter
MOUNT VERNON. Good concerts often make their appeal by delivering the unexpected. The Celtic Tenors scored their most potent moment in a Sunday-afternoon concert at the Memorial Theater with a song that wasn't directly Celtic at all. Their unaccompanied version of the old American folksong "Shenandoah" was hushed and intense, capable of bringing tears to the eyes of listeners though at least until one audience member coughed loudly over the final, fading chord. But, that aside, the performance of the song was riveting.
The other surprise of the afternoon was that the trio of singers did not sing that most stereotypical and hackneyed of all sentimental Irish songs, "Danny Boy". Had they performed it, though, I feel confident in saying that it would have been in safe hands.
The impressive thing about the Celtic Tenors is that they have solid operatic chops. Though James Nelson, Matthew Gilsenan and Daryl Simpson may wear their mantles as entertainers lightly, beneath the stage banter and corny jokes is a deep pool of talent, training and professionalism. These aren't just overblown pop singers or �American Idol" rejects.
Nelson has performed alongside classical luminaries of the likes of Katia Ricciarelli and Raymond Leppard, and controls a tonal range from soft, silky quiet notes to golden, ringing climaxes. Any seasoned opera fan could identify Nelson as "the real thing" within seconds. Pleasantly, though, he also proved relaxed as an entertainer, working the crowd and playing a good comic foil to the others between numbers. He would do well, though, to accept his physical size and move up to some more comfortably fitting clothes. He is a perfectly handsome man, even if he is well-padded, and there's no use trying to hide what's perfectly obvious, anyway. Incidentally, I speak from authority: Next to me, Nelson would seem downright slim.
The tall, thin Gilsenan has a powerftul, clarion voice that deftly mixes classical and pop styles. If lacking the golden gleam of Nelson's voice, Gilsenan's voice is nonetheless impressive, for he can deploy it in seemingly limitless fashion, with power and passion. His enthusiasm risks pushing him out of tune in places, but that is preferable to playing it safe.
Simpson has the smallest voice of the three, with a dark, saxophone-like coloring. But he deploys it with deft agility, singing intricate harmonies and inward solos. Simpson's moment of glory came in the comic folksong "Paddy McGinty's Goat". The singers acted out some of the characters of the song, none more surprisingly than Simpson when he sang the part of a young woman in a dazzling falsetto, replete with a shining high B-flat, completely unlike the woody timbre of his tenor voice. Perhaps Simpson missed his calling as a countertenor.
In addition to the folk songs, the tenors sang operatic selections, including an audience sing-along version of "Nessun Donna" from Puccini's "Turandot", an aria much on people's minds lately, considering the recent death of Italian opera superstar Luciano Pavarotti. They also performed, with less distinction, a number of pop numbers. There was less distinction to those numbers simply because on musical grounds, they weren't as memorable as the other folk songs and classics the tenors performed.
Guest-starring was soprano Donna Malone, who joined the tenors for a number of selections, including a lovely quartet arrangement of the "Barcarolle" from Offenbach's opera "Tales of Hoffmann". Malone also soloed in "0 Mio Babbino Caro" from "Gianni Schicchi" by Puccini, showing off her creamy voice to full effect.
Musical accompaniment and guidance was provided by musical director Danny Sheridan, who played piano. Pre-recorded backing tracks were used on a few numbers, but fortunately the arrangements weren't too overblown. Sheridan's accompaniments were both skilful and shrewd, completely dropping out in places to throw extra focus on the voices.
The concert was attended by a near-capacity audience that included many of the tenors' fans from Columbus, according to Community Concert publicist Dean Spearman.
"There are some people here who heard them in Columbus and liked them so much, they decided to drive all the way out here to hear them again", Spearman said. The entire audience was in agreement, offering the singers a standing ovation at the end and provoking an encore.

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2007-08-21 Amsterdam Concertgebouw published on www.hendrikalting.nl on Tuesday, August, 21 2007

Celtic Tenors at the Concertgebouw

Today, the Celtic Tenors (Matthew Gilsenan, James Nelson and Daryl Simpson) gave a marvellous concert at the Concertgebouw, here in Amsterdam. We own a few of their CDs, but had never heard the gentlemen live before. (A few years ago, a concert we were planning to go to was cancelled due to lack of interest.) By now, these three gents are so renowned that they sell out venues all across the world (and they will be touring the United States this fall). The programme was very diverse; Irish folk and drinking songs, opera, and pop songs. The trio seems very affable, which makes a concert a very pleasant experience.

In addition to that, these three gentlemen are incredible singers and masters of close harmony. We enjoyed the concert down to the very last note! A number of songs were dedicated to various people in the audience. "Shenandoah", dedicated to a few Americans in the audience, was warm, virtuoso and perfect; making you wish it would never end.... (Every now and then, a concert is so disappointing that you're better off listening to a CD. It seems that these tenors try to do even better live than they do in the studio.) They sang "Danny Boy" for a couple celebrating their golden anniversary, after being requested to do so by email. The Celtic Tenors are happy to do such things for their fans; as I said, they are a very affable trio….

The technical highlight of the evening might have been "Barcarole" (Offenbach), which had been arranged for four voices for the occasion. Along with soprano Deirdre Shannon, this song was performed at "goosebump level" (Deirdre, by the way, is tenor Matthew's sister). However, this concert was so excellent that you can't really speak of highlights or lows. Do not hesitate if they should one day perform near you: go!

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A Celtic Touch of Notes
by Noril pilpil

Bahrain has been really exposing itself to various genres of music from the eclectics of rock and roll to the conservative classical and slow musical repertoire. More and more artists were being brought to the country’s arena to offer its audience the taste of their products and last night’s ‘The Celtic Tenors’ Concert was not an exception.

The well known Upstairs and Downstairs Jazz restaurant has been the haven of the tenors as they disclose their musical strengths to the ears of hundred audiences. More than 10 songs were amazingly performed by 3 tenors namely: Matthew Gilsenan, James Nelson and Daryl SImpson during the first half and after the known Celtic Woman Deirdre Shannon joined them on stage of the show offering more spectacular harmonies and vocal symphonies with their musical director, David Munro, on piano.

The variety of songs sang ranging from melancholy melodies to romantic arrangements including some couple of musical pieces identified to Josh Groban ‘You Raise Me Up’ and Andrea Bocceli’s ‘The Prayer’ were definitely justified with the works of the tenors’ vocal power and efficiency. But also humor was not taken for granted. A couple songs were sung like ‘Patrick’s McGinty Goat’ giving a comedic atmosphere. The diverse selection of music rendered was much more proved as they performed “I’m All Out of Love�? of Air Supply taking the audience to cloud 9.

Up close and personal The Celtic Tenors are like life at its best. Vibrant and dashing gentlemen spiced up with a lone woman factor, Deirdre Shanon a complete package of holistic Celtic crossover entertainment. City Tribune managed to capture the group’s views on different aspects on their music.

How would you define your music?

James: To put it in general terms ‘Celtic Crossover’, Crossover because it’s a little bit of everything. We sing loads of classical music, Irish, pop and little bit of folk and country music. We are really trying to work well on mixing bits of everything so that both young people and old people would appreciate our music or audiences of all ages can have a taste of our music.

How are you different to other Tenor singers?

James: As I have said we play around to different genres of music. We are not putting limitations to what we sing and also whenever we delver a song we create a personal attachment to it. Because we are not just singing though our mouths but we always make sure that we sing from our soul and through our hearts.

What are your influences and inspiration in your music?

Matthew: it’s amazing for the three of us because we have different preferences when it comes to music. I personally all kinds of passionate music from ACDC and Metallica to Simon & Garfunkel and James love chorale music and the likes of ABBA. Daryl on the other hand is in to pop, jazz and blues. We like different sorts of things but the one thing draw us together is we have an absolutely insatiable love of opera. That’s the glue and that’s steadfast

How do you keep your voices for all these years?

Daryl: We have our own different routines. The key is to understand your own body preferences and define what works best with your body in a holistic approach. It takes a lot of discipline of course.

How did music affect your life?

Matthew: Music takes over our lives. For us it has been very addictive. It can become engulfing and consuming but at the same time it has the power to transform you to either the best or worst being.

Deirdre: It has an amazing effect on my life. I was very shy and timid during my early days, music and singing has been my outlet in boosting my self confidence and my relationship to people. It really gave me the way to express my innermost self and interact and be more sociable. It has a tremendous effect in my life.

A totally exhilarating experience that would really take anyone to a different level of emotional enchantment as they pour out their whole heart and soul in every melody that would come out from their vocal organs. These are the kind of shows that Bahrain deserve to have.

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2007-04-27 Knox United Church, Calgary reviewed by Kindah Mardam Bey
for Lucid Culture



Calgarians were treated to the sound of the dynamic triple threat of The Celtic Tenors featuring Deirdre Shannon on April 14th. The Knox United Church hosted the evening; with a crowded house, and stunning stained glass windows, this old brick building was a heavenly house to host some heavenly voices (and some biting humour...but we'll get to that later).

Before the quasi-Celtic-quasi-tenor performance, music of 1940s pelted out overhead and got everyone "In The Mood". As the crowd was enjoying the landscape and humming along to old favourites, seemingly out of nowhere, the Celtic Tenors started singing the official Irish Rugby Anthem. The audience was immediately spurred onto enthusiasm and a rather Irish-centric evening paired with classic Tenor songbook, with some pop and original songs thrown in to round off the eclectic evening.



I must admit to having a great bias, as I"ve seen the likes of The Chieftans, Carreras and Pavarotti, and I recently had the pleasure of reviewing Josh Groban in concert. So upon seeing a group that somewhat rolled all three into one, I was trepiditious; all too often doing too much can dilute any endeavour. I went in with high standards and high expectations, so imagine what a pleasant surprise The Celtic Tenors were when they exceeded my expectations and even could be considered on an artistic level equally as inspiring as The Chieftans, Pavarotti, Carreras and the Josh Grobans of the world. The concert hall was intimate, up close and personal, which lent itself to the well controlled and strong voices of each of the tenors.



James Nelson showed off his skills as a well trained classicalist with a controlled voice that would be the envy of any performer. Matthew Gilsenan sung with great enthusiasm, spirit and skill. Perhaps the most pleasant surprise was Daryl Simpson, as James Nelson described his voice as "high and agile", which seemed to be a fitting description. It was also crisp and rich to boot.

"Caledonia" was sung early on; it was gentle and luminescent, which was followed shortly after by Offenbach"s "Tales of Hoffman", to which Deirdre Shannon lent her voice for the first time. All the tenors but Matthew Gilsenan exited the stage and he sang the new classic, "The Prayer" with his sister Deirdre Shannon as heard on her debut album released late last year. Some songs came from previous CDs of The Celtic Tenors, like "Something Inside Me So Strong", which was an upbeat and powerful rendition.



Truthfully, the songs seemed to be a cohesive collection, but not a traditional variety of songs simply promoting their most recent release. I found this to be a more interesting aspect to the evening as you never knew what song would be next but had a feeling you would enjoy it anyway. So, when The Celtic Tenors decided to sing a great American classic called Shenandoah, it was without reserve that the audience embraced the tune that sung like a gentle hum from the Celtic Tenors.



Just before the intermission, the song "Remember Me" was dedicated to the brave Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. Post interlude was equally as pleasant as its predecessor. Anyone who was a sucker for Puccini (which I believe is virtually anyone whose heard his music is) would have enjoyed the classical crossover song "Ten Thousand Tears" which used the Humming Chorus from Madame Butterfly as its background music, morphing old and new; tried and true with experimentation. The Celtic Tenors also took Puccini out for another walk further into the set with "Nessum Dorma", which would have been considered "done to my own Grandfather"s specifications." A slight smile rose to my face as The Celtic Tenors used audience participation for the Turnadot classic under the guise of "The Calgary Chorus", but what seemed like a pyrotechnic style show and light display of using the audience as a monumental sized but cheaply paid chorus. With that said, "The Calgary Chorus" sounded spectacular!



Deirdre Shannon showed up again for the song "Still By Your Side" and soloed her most prestigious and well-known version to date of "She Moved Through The Fair". Deirdre came to each performance in a different frock, each equally as stunning as she is.



Mind you, the evening wasn"t all opera and ballads, the pop classic revisited by The Celtic Tenors on their most recent CD, but originally performed by Air Supply "All Out Of Love" was a romantic addition as the Irish lads handed out roses to women in the audience, showing they may have been singing they were all out of love, but at least the lads put their hearts into it.



Then the Irish took over, songs like "There"s Whisky In The Jar" added an up tempo beat and all out hilarity ensued with the song "Patrick McGinty" and a humorous skit reminiscent of pantomime (or ‘panto" as we say in England). In fact, on the whole The Celtic Tenors were interactive with their audience, pleasant, jokey and overall jovial beings. At times, The Celtic Tenors also sung in Gaelic, making them truly unique from the other Tenors performing today.

The Celtic Tenors showed themselves to have a great sense of humour (wickedly killer in some cases). On the flip side The Celtic Tenors also brought to the evening a great sense of trifecta harmony and a dedication to the quality of the sound that reverberated off the walls and ceiling, slowly encompassing their audience in musical excellence. They appeared on all accounts to be even better in person then on their CD.



The evening was concluded with the sweeping song "Time To Say Goodbye" for the finale. As they left the stage my heart sunk a little, realizing they had not paid homage to "Danny Boy", and as I previously stated in my CD review, was perhaps the best rendition of the song I have ever heard. As James Nelson, Matthew Gilsenan and Daryl Simpson took the stage one last time for "Danny Boy" sung acapella, I thought to myself, "No, this is the best version of Danny Boy I"ve ever heard." Catch The Celtic Tenors in concert if you can, it"s worth the trip to the box office.



A nice addition to the performance was a post show meet and greet with The Celtic Tenors for all the fans to get pictures and autographs and generally talk their ears off.



April 14th, 2007

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Great voices, great show from great Irish trio
By Peter Rusland, News Leader Pictorial
for the Duncan News Leader & Pictorial



Crystalline vocals and corny antics by the Celtic Tenors enchanted locals during Sunday's Cowichan Theatre visit.

The three mouthkateers staged a world-class show laced with laughs one minute then moving music the next during 3T's Valley debut.

They were joined by perfect pitch from singer Deirdre Shannon and ivory excellence from Scotsman David Munro.

Tenors James Nelson, Matthew Gilsenan and Daryl Simpson performed most songs in English with various nimble Gaelic numbers tossed in such as An Cailin Rua (The Red-Headed Girl).

Clapalong number The Mad Goat (An poc ar buile) was followed by madcap Paddy McGinty's Goat in the second half, complete with boisterous banter that went on too long for a vocal show.

But the dapper boys were all business during gospel-like You Raise Me Up, Scottish number Caledonia, ultra-melodic Ten Thousand Tears, war-dead tribute Remember Me, and a transcendent a cappella version of Shenandoah.

The threesome suggested Shenandoah is America's Danny Boy then flawlessly performed that famed Irish tune a cappella as a standing-ovation encore.

Soloist Shannon's vocals were the dessert on the delicious aural evening, especially during her shimmering version of She Moved Through The Fair.

Shannon also joined brother Gilsenan and Munro during The Prayer, plus 3T for the upbeat tune So Strong, French opera song Barcarolle and finale Time To Say Goodbye.

The singers used nicely choreographed steps throughout, respectfully standing apart or looking away from the soloist so as not to divert attention.

The Three Tenors aren't the Irish Nylons, but they sure have the same level of
professional polish and crowd rapport as Canada's a cappella kings.

Vocal concert rating: 9 mikes out of 10.

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Celtic Tenors provide a pleasant diversion

By David Williams
For Sunday Gazette-Mail

When March whistles in and St. Patrick's Day is lurking, the West
Virginia Symphony Orchestra consistently turns to Celtic music for
pops concerts. Friday night, "The Celtic Tenors" provided a nice
diversion, light, never overdone and with plenty of diverting moments.

The local orchestra never seemed completely engaged, but when it did
play it was on the mark. Most of the show relied on pianist-leader
David Munro's accompaniments (with Mountain Stage bandleader Ron
Sowell on guitar) and a lot of three-part singing by the tenors,
Matthew Gilsenan, James Nelson and Daryl Simpson.

The opening number, "Caledonia," may have been the highlight.
Chocolaty harmonies from the singers were layered over strings, harp,
horns and some grand bass drum notes.

A couple of pieces identified with Josh Groban, "You Raise Me Up"
and "The Prayer," worked particularly well for the singers. Plus, the
arrangements used the orchestra skillfully, avoiding the excesses of
many of David Foster's arrangements for Groban. "The Prayer" included
lovely singing by Deirdre Shannon, from the show "Celtic Women,"
bracketed by a violin obbligato by concertmistress Amelia Chan.

The singers did not stay just with Celtic songs. Puccini's "Nessum
Dorma," Three Tenors fare to be sure, was included and sung very
well. The singers coaxed the audience into singing the big climactic
tune, adding to the light-hearted air.

Shannon joined in on Offenbach's "Barcarolle" and Verdi's "Drinking
Chorus" from "La Traviata." She sang sweetly in "Will You Still Love
Me Tomorrow," but I spent that time trying to decide what color her
dress was, since it shimmered between green and blue with every
slight movement.

"Danny Boy" and "Shenandoah" were rendered in striking a capella
settings. Comedic moments abounded, like the well-known "Patrick
McGinty's Goat," and a smart jocularity ran back and forth between
the three soloists and Munro, who played his Scottish nationality to
the full.

The concert even includes a decent arrangement of Air Supply's "I'm
All Out of Love." I never thought I'd say that in a review.

The concert repeats tonight at 8 p.m. at the Clay Center.
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.......Some blame must fall on the Celtic Tenors for whipping the delegates up into a frenzy of love and dangerous high emotion with their rollicking version of the official Fianna Fail anthem, "The Legion of the Rear Guard."
Warming up the crowd? They did that and more. We were afraid there would be a riot.
When the final line came : "Wearied, outnumbered, undaunted, unafraid, God bless the Soldiers of the Rear Guard", the eyes of the party faithful went suspiciously shiny.
By God, that's us alright - and Bertie too - we'll never let them bring us down, you could see them thinking. (Nicola Anderson).

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from the Ulster Herald - Paul McGuire

SIX months after joining the Celtic Tenors, a period spent jetting back and forth to concerts throughout the world, Daryl Simpson returned to Omagh last Thursday to perform with James Nelson and Matthew Gilsenan at St Columba's Church. It has been a long time since Omagh was a regular port-of-call for such performers and the capacity audience was obviously not prepared to miss this opportunity. Those unlucky souls disappointed in the quest for tickets must wait their turn.
Launching straight into a high octane program with Granada they proceeded to defy any attempt at categorisation by singing songs as diverse as Caledonia, An Poc Ar Buile, Offenbach's Bacorolle, I'm All Out of Love, Mull of Kintyre and of course You Raise Me Up. In any event there is no real need to categorise their music. The Celtic Tenors realise that, to use the words of another noted performer, "most audiences want a simple song, a nice oul' melody and not too loud." The theme common to all was the intricate vocal arrangements and sheer energy invested in each song, whatever the genre. And it's always refreshing to see that while they treat the music with respect, they don't take themselves too seriously. It would be difficult to imagine some of their more temperamental colleagues using Paddy McGinty's Goat as a vehicle for poking some gentle fun at the whole 'tenor phenomenon.'

While all three members are classically trained, James Nelson might be described as an archetypal 'Irish' tenor, fearless in attack and never giving less than full commitment. A change of key in mid song, in preparation for James' solo, heralded the sort of anticipation generated by Mr Harte introducing Mr Canavan at a late stage in a Tyrone game. Matthew is considerably more urbane with a full rich singing voice and a commanding presence on stage, falling naturally into the role of compere. Daryl sang as effortlessly as ever, his years of experience now proving their worth as he soared to high C and beyond, in song after song. The technique and stamina involved in this sort of concert suggests that the comparison with athletes is not so far fetched.

They were joined for this concert by soprano Deirdre Shannon and the Omagh Community Youth Choir. Along with her many contributions to the evening, Deirdre provided one particularly electrifying moment during The Prayer from The Quest for Camelot, when she switched into full operatic mode for one passage. The choir and the individual soloists were worthy additions to the bill, with their performance merely a taste of their full repertoire, which hopefully we should have an opportunity to hear locally soon.

A few years ago, Daryl performed at a solo concert in Omagh and demonstrated his self-deprecating sense of humour on that occasion by recounting how a member of the audience had expressed surprise that she had paid for a ticket, only to discover that Daryl came from Omagh. With uncanny foresight he warned her that the next time she bought a ticket to hear him in Omagh, it would cost a lot more. How right he was and, as three standing ovations proved, it was worth every penny.

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So Strong is the follow-up to the Celtic Tenors' eponymous debut disc and marks a move away from a traditional, folk-based programme to a more commercial repertoire. The 16 tracks span operetta (Franz Lehár's "You Are My Heart's Delight") to an impassioned lament for the fallen of the Great War ("The Green Fields of France") to Paul McCartney's "Mull of Kintyre". The title track, "Something Inside So Strong" by Labbi Siffri, offers a more modern, light pop approach while a live take on Jimmy McCarthy's "The Contender" gives an indication of why their live shows have proved such sell-out successes.
Gary S Dalkin

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The performance of The Celtic Tenors in the venue De Maagd in Bergen op Zoom was very fascinating. They presented with their beautifully trained voices a crossover of Celtic Music, Classical Music, Evergreens and Pop. The voice of the Tenors filled the Hall expressively and they use them in every song to their best advantage. Niall Morris has a brighter more dominant voice; James Nelson a more full and broad sound while the natural sound of Matthew Gilsenan suits perfectly in between. As well as being adaptable vocal performancers, the Tenors proved to be very good entertainers. From time to time they performed melancholy songs, then more romantical songs. They proved to be wonderful in A Capella combinations and brought together their extraordinary musical performance of well-known melodies in a fresh and often humorous way. The Tenors came, fascinated and overcame.
Monique Meeuwisse

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>Houston County Life (Texas) - Penny Lynn Webb.
>Kansas City Metropolis (by Sarah Young) - Dec.10th 2011.
>The Irish Voice (USA) - Mike Farragher.
>"Timeless Tenors still going strong "
>Eindhovens Dagblad - Netherlands.
>Sioux City Journal, Iowa.
>The Capital Times (Wisconsin) - Aaron R Conklin.
>De Gelderlander, Netherlands. (Tjako Fennema)
>Mount Vernon News, Ohio, USA.
>Amsterdam Concertgebouw reviewed at www.hendrikalting.nl
>Bahrain Tribune
>Lucid Culture Article
>Great Voices, great show from great Irish Trio
>Sunday Gazette-Mail
>Irish Independent.
> Tenors present high octane performance for Omagh audience
>Amazon.co.uk
>Den Stem