I'm watching Season 2 of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. I love this show so much. But the commentary by Joss Whedon on “Innocence” made an interesting point that I thought rang true as well for my CD, Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers.

In it, Joss said,

“The show works only if it resonates… People like to talk about the horns, the fangs, and the makeup…, but the fact of the matter is, the only thing that separates this show from any other… is the kind of emotional resonance that we can get to by playing the entire thing as true life, just a little bit wonkier.”

That quote sorta rang with me on a few different levels. On the one hand, I think the reason Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers has done so well is because my goal with it was to make it as traditional sounding as possible. I wanted it to be Irish trad music first. And a CD about cats separate.

Consequently, I've received a lot of comments from people who listen to it and remark on the high production value (special thanks to my producer Ari Koinuma, who has a new CD out!). The CD goes beyond the novelty of music about cats and provides fun, traditional music.

Now, that raises an interesting thought. I was privy to a recent discussion about the Austin Celtic music scene and the lack of traditional music, which is sort of bollocks. Yes, The Tea Merchants are going their separate ways next year, I believe (so get their CDs while you can). But they fit the mold of trad music. Whereas, if you lack a fiddle or flute (I was seriously lectured once by a Celtic musician who told me these were essential qualities of “good” Celtic music), or you don't sing with a brogue, then often you are shunned, or at least brushed casually under the rug.

Perhaps for trad music he was right for now. But there are many different styles of “Celtic” music. And personally, I would hate to see good music, Celtic or otherwise, dismissed because they don't have have those qualities. Great music has emotional resonance, whether it is wonky cat music, typical pub songs, or finely tuned fiddle.

I think I got sidetracked in my thought process. Oh well…