Whanganui Musicians Club continues to showcase exciting new music from across the many important traditions inspiring our creative talent. Last week it was jazz, and this week it is Celtic sounds with Rennie Pearson and Bob McNeill, two of the country’s finest exponents of that music.
Rennie grew up in Wellington with Celtic music in his blood. Having heard the traditional music of Ireland and Scotland on his parents’ CDs as a baby, he grew up knowing he just had to learn to play like that. He picked up the flute at the age of eight, learning by ear in Irish music sessions under the guidance of Galway-born flute player Pat Higgins. With Irish music as the cornerstone of his knowledge, he then went on to delve deeply into the traditional music of Scotland and maritime Canada, gaining proficiency in a wide range of different instruments along the way.
For his current tour, featuring music from his latest solo album From Across the Seas, Rennie brings with him a collaborator from the quartet Criu (Irish for ‘crew’), formed in 2018. Pearson and McNeill take a mixture of original and traditional folk tunes and songs and arrange them in new and exciting ways, drawing inspiration from both old and modern musical styles to weave a tapestry of rhythms, melodies and songs that will transport the listener to faraway lands and have their toes tapping and hands clapping. Two virtuoso players with a new slant on live folk music, full of energy; and at the heart of their show is the “lift” — Celtic music at full tilt.
This will be an exciting event. Do not miss it!
The Details
