Dalla
Encyclopedia
Dalla is a dance band in Cornwall
known for providing music for Noze looan
dances.
Members play the clarinet, bouzouki
, fiddle, guitar, accordion and percussion. They sing in both Cornish
and English.
Various members of Dalla formerly played in Bucca, Sowena, and other bands. The music displays influences from these previous sounds. Dalla often appear with many additional instruments, which vary from event to event.
, encouraging the formation of 'Noze looan
' bands, particularly by younger people and influencing bands such as The Red Army (band)
, Pentorr and Tezen Koynt. They have been involved in numerous Cornish music projects, run by Cumpas
such as 'kick up your heels' in which young people from across Cornwall played in a large underground concert at Carnglaze Caverns
, or the 'crowders and horners' project, to encourage processional Cornish music and dance.
Just Cornish described Dalla as "possibly the most popular contemporary Cornish music group ever."
(Note that though Dalla has a 'core' of two to three members they rarely perform without additional musicians, and on such occasions when there are only two they are usually referred to as the 'dalla duo'.)
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
known for providing music for Noze looan
Noze looan
Noze looan is a style of Cornish-Celtic dance, and associated music and events similar to the Breton Fest Noz. Noze Looan is late Cornish for "happy night" ....
dances.
Members play the clarinet, bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
, fiddle, guitar, accordion and percussion. They sing in both Cornish
Cornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
and English.
Various members of Dalla formerly played in Bucca, Sowena, and other bands. The music displays influences from these previous sounds. Dalla often appear with many additional instruments, which vary from event to event.
Influences on Dalla
Dalla's Myspace profile cites their influences as:- PlanxtyPlanxtyPlanxty is an Irish folk music band formed in the 1970s, consisting initially of Christy Moore , Dónal Lunny , Andy Irvine , and Liam O'Flynn...
- Bleizi Ruz
- Groupa
- Bothy BandBothy bandA bothy band is a musical group which comes from the farming culture of nineteenth century Scotland. At that time agriculture was relatively labour-intensive. As a result large farms often had a small community associated with them, the farm toun. This was made up of married couples who lived in...
- Ti Jazz
- Triona Ni Dhomnaill
- Battlefield BandBattlefield BandBattlefield Band is a Scottish traditional music group. Founded in Glasgow in 1969, they have released over 30 albums and undergone many changes of lineup. As of 2010, there are no founder members in the band....
- Tannahill Weavers
- ChieftainsThe ChieftainsThe Chieftains are a Grammy-winning Irish musical group founded in 1962, best known for being one of the first bands to make Irish traditional music popular around the world.-Name:...
- Jan GarbarekJan GarbarekJan Garbarek is a Norwegian tenor and soprano saxophonist, active in the jazz, classical, and world music genres. Garbarek was born in Mysen, Norway, the only child of a former Polish prisoner of war Czesław Garbarek and a Norwegian farmer's daughter...
- Brenda WoottonBrenda WoottonBrenda Wootton was a Cornish poetess and folk singer and was seen as an ambassador for Cornish tradition and culture in all the Celtic nations and as far away as Australia and Canada....
- Alan StivellAlan StivellAlan Stivell is a Breton musician and singer, recording artist and master of the celtic harp who from the early 1970s revived global interest in the Celtic harp and Celtic music as part of world music.- Background: learning Breton music and culture :Alan was born in the Auvergnat town of Riom...
- AbDeli
- GwerzGwerzGwerz is a type of folk song of Brittany, a Celtic region in France.In Breton music, the gwerz tells a story which can be epic, historical, or mythological. The stories are usually of a tragic nature. The gwerz is characterised by an often monotonous melody and many couplets, all in the Breton...
- Lunassa
- Fela KutiFela KutiFela Anikulapo Kuti , or simply Fela , was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick.-Biography:...
- Kate RusbyKate RusbyKate Anna Rusby is an English folk singer and songwriter from Penistone, South Yorkshire. Sometimes known as The Barnsley Nightingale, she has headlined various British national folk festivals, and is regarded as one of the most famous English folk singers of contemporary times...
- Altan
- La Bottine SourianteLa Bottine SourianteLa Bottine Souriante is a folk band from Quebec specialising in traditional Québécois music, often with a modern twist.Formed in 1976, they have toured extensively through North America and Europe. As well as the traditional accordion, fiddle, guitar, piano and double bass, the band added a...
- Ayub OgadaAyub OgadaAyub Ogada is a musician from Kenya. Ogada was born in Mombasa and is one of the Luo people of Western Kenya.He received his first exposure to Western culture early on. When he was six, his parents , toured the college circuit in the U.S...
- Skolvan
- Bundu Boys
- Sidney BechetSidney BechetSidney Bechet was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He was one of the first important soloists in jazz , and was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist...
- Ali Farka ToureAli Farka TouréAli Ibrahim “Farka” Touré was a Malian singer and guitarist, and one of the African continent’s most internationally renowned musicians. His music is widely regarded as representing a point of intersection of traditional Malian music and its North American cousin, the blues...
- I Suonatori
- Kevin Burke
- Andy IrvineAndy Irvine (musician)Andrew Kennedy 'Andy' Irvine is a folk musician, singer, and songwriter, and a founding member of the popular band Planxty. He is an accomplished player of the mandolin, bouzouki, mandola, guitar-bouzouki, harmonica and hurdy-gurdy....
- Stella (Rambisai) ChiwesheStella ChiwesheStella Chiweshe is a Zimbabwean musician. She is internationally known for her singing and playing of the mbira dzavadzimu, a traditional instrument of the Shona people of Zimbabwe...
- The Boys of the LoughThe Boys of the Lough-The early years:Their first album, called Boys of the Lough consisted of Aly Bain , Cathal Mc'Connell , Dick Gaughan and Robin Morton ....
- Silly Sisters
- Filarfolket
- VärttinäVärttinäVärttinä is a Finnish folk music band which was started as a project by Sari and Mari Kaasinen back in 1983 in the village of Rääkkylä, in Karelia, the southeastern region of Finland. Many transformations have taken place in the band since then...
- and millions more…
Influence of Dalla
Dalla has greatly influenced Cornish musicMusic of Cornwall
Cornwall has been historically Celtic, though Celtic-derived musical traditions had been moribund for some time before being revived during a late 20th century roots revival.-History:...
, encouraging the formation of 'Noze looan
Noze looan
Noze looan is a style of Cornish-Celtic dance, and associated music and events similar to the Breton Fest Noz. Noze Looan is late Cornish for "happy night" ....
' bands, particularly by younger people and influencing bands such as The Red Army (band)
The Red Army (Band)
The Red Army are a Cornish anti-music band. Their songs often contain recurring themes, usually venting the band's anger against people and institutions that they have/had moral disagreements with...
, Pentorr and Tezen Koynt. They have been involved in numerous Cornish music projects, run by Cumpas
Cumpas Ltd.
For the city in Sonora, Mexico, see: CumpasCumpas Ltd. is a registered charity which promotes Cornish music and dance. It was founded in 1996 by Hilary Coleman and Frances Bennett. Its original name was Cornish Music Projects. Cumpas is a Cornish word meaning shipshape or proper job.It promotes...
such as 'kick up your heels' in which young people from across Cornwall played in a large underground concert at Carnglaze Caverns
Carnglaze Caverns
Carnglaze Caverns consists of three man-made caverns formed as part of a slate quarry in the Loveny Valley, near the village of St Neot, Liskeard, Cornwall, England...
, or the 'crowders and horners' project, to encourage processional Cornish music and dance.
Just Cornish described Dalla as "possibly the most popular contemporary Cornish music group ever."
Review
In the Cornish Guardian, Bert Biscoe is quoted as saying "There is an intelligence that inhabits and underpins the various activities of Dalla . . . "Members
- Hilary ColemanHilary ColemanHilary Coleman is a Cornish musician, song-writer and promoter of Cornish culture. Active in music since the 1980s she is currently a member of the Cornish Folk Music group Dalla, which has issued four CD records. Among the instruments she plays is the clarinet. She is a Director of Cumpas Ltd...
, clarinet, bass clarinet, vocals - Neil Davey, fiddle, bouzouki
- Bec Applebee, vocals, percussion
- Steve Hunt, vocals, guitar, crowdy crawnCrowdy-crawnA crowdy-crawn is a wooden hoop covered with sheepskin used as a percussion instrument known in western Cornwall at least as early as 1880. It is similar to the Irish bodhrán. It is used by some modern Cornish traditional music groups as a solo or accompaniment instrument...
(Note that though Dalla has a 'core' of two to three members they rarely perform without additional musicians, and on such occasions when there are only two they are usually referred to as the 'dalla duo'.)
Origins
Dalla started out as a more traditional folk band in the early 1990s called 'The Jack and Jenny Band', to little critical or commercial acclaim. In 1999 they became Sowena, a more professional sounding band with a sturdier core and greatly increased promotion. Two years later, the band underwent a second transformation as remaining additional members left and Neil Davey joined to complete the classic Dalla sound.Albums
- A Richer VeinA Richer VeinA Richer Vein is the debut album by Cornish folk band Dalla. It was released shortly after the demise of Sowena, and affirmed Dalla as more than a watered down version of their previous achievements....
(2001) - More Salt/Hollan Mouy (2004)
- RoozRooz (Cornish music collection)Rooz is third album by Cornish folk band Dalla. It was released in 2007, also as a download.Some of the songs in the album are in the Cornish language.-Musician line-up:*Hilary Coleman: Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Voice, Whistle, Rock Smashing....
(2007) - Cribbar (2010)