Back in the 1970s, there was an Irish folk music revival with the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem (the man of a thousand songs), Clannad, The Chieftains, Planxty, and the Bothy Band. This was a scene that I followed because I had a basement bookstore in mid-town Manhattan, where I imported books from Ireland, as well as vinyl records and tapes for sale. This project lasted for ten years. When I moved to Dutchess County in 1989, my interest in music shifted to classical music.
In 2004, a new trio was formed, The Gugenheim Grotto, with Mick Lynch, Kevin May, and Shane Power. They offered a new twist to Irish folk music, featuring a personal twist (as Bob Dylan did for American music and The Beatles did for England). The Guggenheim Grotto presented an eclectic mix of intimate statements, witty comedy with surreal humor, and delicious harmonies. Some critics labeled them as Irish indie music, but they defied categorization over six albums. One song, “Philosophia” (from their 2005 album, Waltzing Alone put them on the larger global map in 2007 when Steve Jobs put that song recording on the first Apple iPhone demos to charm the American audience and display audio quality.
Will Chase has directed and produced a forty-five-minute documentary on the two creative dynamos of the group, Kevin May and Mick Lynch (who now lives in upstate New York). The documentary presents a visit to Ireland, where Mick and Kevin meet to reminisce about their songwriting partnership in their last duo album, Storyman, with droll analysis and improvised nostalgic wit. The documentary is a fast-moving flick that invites the viewer to watch it more than once. Brotherhood and humor are the focus, just as it was in the marvelous song lyrics they wrote. This was the premiere viewing of this well-edited, entertaining, and genial film, which I hope will appear sometime soon on PBS.
After the film screening, Patrick Trettenero, Executive Director of The Stissing Center, interviewed Mick and Will, who both spoke with delightful wit about the film-making process and the difficulties they faced.
Mick performed a mix of old and new songs, one being the first public performance about a dysfunctional political system. He sang “Philosophia,” “Told You So,” and “Rosanna” from Waltzing Alone; “Wisdom,” “Ruby Heart,” and “Wings and Feathers” from The Universe is Laughing album, as well as songs from other albums. As a singer, Mick has a wonderfully charismatic voice, a distinctly fluid guitar rhythm and sound (as well as an ability to whistle music like no one I have ever heard). Will, who has a good voice, joined Mick on stage to sing one song.
It seems remarkable to me that at The Stissing Center, local history is being made with wit, exuberance, and what the French call éclat!
If you are not familiar with The Gugenheim Grotto, you can listen to many of their superlative songs on YouTube. Their songs are unique.
