CORMORANT'S FANCY: An Evening at the Fairfield Inn

Cormorant's Fancy

An Evening at the Fairfield Inn

© 2006 Cormorant's Fancy

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Hard-driving songs, tender ballads, lively jigs and reels, and haunting slow airs, from the Celtic traditions of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and North America, by "the area's most energetic and spellbinding Irish Folk band."

notes

Cormorant's Fancy (cormorantsfancy.com)…

…performs Irish, Scottish and other Celtic and British Isles traditional and contemporary folk music. Featuring their own arrangements with fine harmonies and multifaceted instrumentals blending concertina, penny whistles, low whistles, guitar, bass, keyboards and bodhran, Cormorant's Fancy has quickly established themselves as one of the finest Celtic bands in central Pennsylvania. Venues have characterized Cormorant's Fancy as "the area's most energetic and spellbinding Irish folk band." Their name is based on the original Gaelic meaning of Dan Diviney's surname.

Oriskany Stringed Instruments, Huntingdon, PA, builds all guitars played by Cormorant's Fancy, as well as the bouzouki. Don't miss seeing luthiers Curtis Rockwell's and Johanna Mutti's gorgeous instruments at www.oriskanyguitars.com. Curtis plays and sings with the band when available.

November 2005 - What a beautiful concert you presented at the Music Gettysburg series. The musicianship of Cormorant's Fancy was absolutely outstanding. Whether you were doing a tender vocal or hard driving instrumental, the music was first rate. Plus it was filled with emotion and spirit, far beyond technical proficiency. This became obvious with the audience appreciation.... simply stated; the audience loved it. Great Concert, Great Music, Great Evening. You filled our cups. Thanks, Tom Jolin

(Note: Tom is a well known and respected local musician. He has performed for former Vice President Gore and for Garrison Keillor.)

September 2005 - Comments sent by another great Irish band in September 2005 - "Bill and I really enjoyed your band. Bill’s a trained professional live sound and recording engineer as well as a published choral music composer/arranger, and he was impressed with both your sound and the arranged nature of your music as opposed to the “jam session” feel that marks several other Celtic folk bands."

April 2005 - The ladies of (the once glorious) St. Joseph College, Emmitsburg, MD, class of 1965, were greatly appreciative of your super music during our class dinner. Since I have only been known to raise my voice in song once among my classmates (Four Green Fields), the ghosts of my Sligo/Leitrim ancestors... singers all... smile on your efforts. Slainte - Maureen from Georgia

March 2005 - You were just wonderful at the Wedding and afterward at the Fairfield Inn! The music was so special. Although we are five or six hours away, a group from my church is coming to visit friends later this Spring - and we will be coming on a Friday night to have dinner and hear you play! That was a highlight for me this past weekend. Please let me know when your new cd is ready for purchase. Blessings, as you share your joyful sounds, Paul from New Paltz, New York

August 2004 - My husband and I really enjoyed your performance. I am really impressed with the wealth of talent that comprises your group. Each of you has been blessed by the Lord with so much talent. You truly bring much joy to those who hear your music. I have shared our experience of listening to your music and singing with friends. It is my hope that I can one day be able to hear you again. God Bless You for the Joy You Bring Others!

Theresa from Connellsville, PA



Shortly after forming in the fall of 2003, Cormorant's Fancy began to perform regularly at The Fairfield Inn and continues to appear every 1st and 3rd Friday evening as well as other occasions, including the Christmas Season, New Year's Eve, St. Patrick's Day and Remembrance Day. The music on this CD, some of which was recorded live at the Fairfield Inn (tracks 1, 8 and 12), represents music typically performed there by Cormorant's Fancy.

The Fairfield Inn (thefairfieldinn.com)…
… dating to 1757, is one of America's oldest, continuously operated inns. After the Battle of Gettysburg, the Confederate Army, retreating west through Fairfield, stopped to eat at the Inn. In its 248 years the Inn has hosted famous Americans such as Patrick Henry, Thaddeus Stevens, Generals Robert E. Lee and J.E.B. Stuart, and Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower. Joan and Sal Chandon, proprietors, perpetuate the Inn's gracious tradition.

Musicians on Cormorant's Fancy: An Evening at the Fairfield Inn:

Dan Diviney: whistles and bodhran (plays Seamus O'Kane and Albert Alfonso bodhran, Michael Copeland, Silkstone and Susato high whistles and Chieftain low whistles) Alayna, Dan's granddaughter: “sound effects” in the live recording on track 1
Beth Folkemer: guitar, shaker, lead and backup vocals (plays Oriskany guitar)
Joel Folkemer: acoustic bass, bodhran, shaker, backup vocals (plays Brendan White bodhran)
Meg Folkemer: pennywhistle, lead and backup vocals (plays Michael Copeland and Clark whistles)
Stephen Folkemer: concertina, keyboards, backup vocals (plays Hayden duet concertina)
Curtis Rockwell: guitar, bouzouki, mandolin, lead and backup vocals (plays and builds Oriskany guitars and bouzouki, www.oriskanyguitars.com)
Andy Rosenfeld: bones, tambourine, other percussion, lead and backup vocals

The three Folkemers who are regular members of Cormorant's Fancy are from the same family--Joel and Margaret are Stephen and Beth's children. The youngest Folkemer, Nathan, sits in on occasion, as does Andy's wife Katie.

Cormorant's Fancy's current lineup includes Norman Nunamaker, fiddle.

The band has played in various other eateries and pubs. The group has been featured at the Adams County Irish Festival, Adams County Heritage Festival, Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts (State College), Fort Hunter Days, History Meets the Arts Weekend, Huntingdon Arts Festival, McLain Celtic Festival, Penn-Mar Irish Festival, and Summer's End Festival, as well as on several college campuses and at numerous private events. In addition, Cormorant's Fancy has performed in concert series including Mt. Gretna in the Park, Chambersburg Brown Bag Lunch Concerts, Music, Gettysburg! and others. Members have presented workshops at folk music events. Dan Diviney and Beth Folkemer coordinate the monthly Gettysburg Celtic music session.

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  • Cormorant's Fancy is a gifted band with a knack for gorgeous arrangements. This
    author: Rambles: a cultural arts magazine

    Cormorant's Fancy, An Evening at the Fairfield Inn (self-produced, 2006) It begins softly, gently, even tenderly. But An Evening at the Fairfield Inn with Cormorant's Fancy is not to be taken lightly! The album begins with "The Old Copperplate," but the subdued sound is only the barest hint of the full Cormorant's Fancy experience. No small band, this, the CD features the talents of seven devoted musicians. However, rather than hitting their listeners with a full blast of sound from the onset, they restrain that natural tendency in favor of a delicate arrangement that tosses melody and harmony lines back and forth among the group as they shift into "The Connachtman's Rambles" and "The Lark on the Strand." The band is Dan Diviney on whistles and bodhran, Beth Folkemer on guitar, shaker, lead and backing vocals, Joel Folkemer on acoustic bass, bodhran, shaker and backing vocals, Meg Folkemer on pennywhistle, lead and backing vocals, Stephen Folkemer on concertina, keyboards and backing vocals, Curtis Rockwell on guitar, bouzouki, mandolin, lead and backing vocals, and Andy Rosenfeld on bones, tambourine, percussion, lead and backing vocals. The songs begin on track two with a rousing "Arthur McBride," followed closely by a sweet rendition of "Leatherwing Bat." "Haste to the Wedding" is another Irish instrumental, again building slowly as musicians join in the dance. "Do You Love an Apple" sounds the first sour note; no fault to the musicians, really, but it's just a bad song celebrating a good woman's love for a bad man. Fortunately, the pace picks up quickly with a spritely "I Wish You a Merry New Year/Banish Misfortune" set, the Scottish nautical ballad "The Bonnie Ship the Diamond" and the light-hearted, slightly bawdy "The Light Dragoon." A pair of Scottish songs are mixed with Irish and Shetland tunes for track nine, which clocks in at 9:35 and is by far the longest cut on the album. "The Ash Grove," a warm and lovely Welsh song, follows. The album ends with a stirring, mournful recording of "The Waves of Kilkee," an Irish air, and the stately "Amhran na Leabhar (Song of the Books)." Cormorant's Fancy is a gifted band with a knack for gorgeous arrangements. This first taste of their music has whetted my appetite for more. Let's hope they're not strangers to the studio for long. by Tom Knapp Rambles.NET 17 March 2006

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