Alesa Lajana
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Alesa Lajana

Band Folk Acoustic

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"Alesa Lajana - Celtic Gypsy"

Celtic Gypsy is a musical experience for Celtic fans. Lajana strips down some amazing jigs and reels and illuminates them on classical guitar. Opening with a medley of Ceol Si, Banish Misfortune and The Twins, Lajana does more guitar gymnastics than you can shake a shillelagh at, turning in a virtuosic performance. Work Song features some pretty mean slide guitar work in a dark and roiling arrangement. Lajana goes for a more straightforward classical feel on Prelude From Cello Suite No. 1 in one of the highlights on the album, but my personal favorite is Autumn Child, one of the darker and more intriguing songs presented here. Make sure you listen all the way to the end of Breizh/The Seagull as well, as Lajana does some truly inspired guitar work here.

Alesa Lajana hits all the right notes on Celtic Gypsy. Economic arrangements, unusual musical choices and virtuosic play make this a real keeper. Be prepared to give Celtic Gypsy your full attention. It demands it.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Please visit the following link to view review online:
http://wildysworld.blogspot.com/2009/03/review-alesa-lajana-celtic-gypsy.html
- Wildy's World


"Alesa Lajana - Breizh Seagull"

OK, it’s time for more of my guitar fetish. Alesa Lajana is from Queensland and plays both an acoustic guitar and acoustic lap-steel slide guitar. And she is amazingly good at it.

A few years back I went to a master class given by Tony McManus (who really deserves his own post and soon) at the Brunswick Music Festival. Best couple of hours I ever spent, he covered traditional Scottish and Irish bagpipe and fiddle tunes, blues, and jazz. I suspect Alesa has been though the same class and unlike me, paid really close attention.

You can hear what I mean at her MySpace site or her site. Scroll down until you find a track called “Breizh Seagull” and just let it wash over you. The twiddles are fantastic, she creates a complex and textured piece of music with her intricate finger style. - Duggup.com


"Praise from stars"

"She plays with authority, musicality, and also an unrushed quality that usually takes players years to come by - maturity in other words. She's one very impressive musician, and I look greatly forward to hearing more from her through what will doubtless be a long and successful career." - Jeff Lang


"Guitar Virtuoso"

"Alesa has managed to absorb and respond to various influences and turn them into something truly original and creative. Her playing of celtic music on dobro, for example, is unique. It's great to see creativity drive technique into new areas - and this is at the heart of Alesa's playing." - Tony McManus


Discography

'Ceol Si' (Independent Release)
'Home Calling' (Independent Release)
'Celtic Gypsy' (ABC Classics)

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Bio

Alesa Lajana is guitarist, singer and composer of remarkable talent. Aside from her instrumental work, she blends her intricate guitar skills with soaring vocals, enchanting audiences with her original compositions and the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland and Eastern Europe. She has performed at many festivals around Australia including the Woodford, National, Yungaburra and Port Fairy Folk Festivals. Alesa has composed music for short films such as “Aeroplane Dreaming” directed by Tristan Pemberton, and has appeared in concerts with Scottish guitar virtuoso Tony McManus, Jeff Lang and ABC Radio National Presenter Lucky Oceans to name but a few. Recently her latest album 'Celtic Gypsy' was released through ABC Classics.

Alesa grew up in Southern Queensland Australia and from an early age, she showed promise in Visual Art, Dance and Music. At 16 she took up guitar, inspired by some of the outstanding performers she had witnessed at Folk Music Festivals in Australia. She was later one of 3 people in Australia accepted into the prestigious Bachelor of Classical Guitar course at the Victorian College of Art, under the direction of Antony Field.

Alesa has been influenced by a wide range of musical genres, ranging from Bob Dylan to Augustin Barrios. Her enthusiasm for music was sparked after listening to folk artists such as Bela Fleck, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lang, Lunasa, Tony McManus and Ani Difranco. This led her to explore the traditional music of Scotland, Ireland, Eastern Europe and Spain, as well as Jazz and Bluegrass. She has a deep love of both Western and Indian Classical music. Her greatest inspirations to date are artists such as John McLaughlin, L. Shankar, Dusan Bogdanovich, John Coltrane, Mark O’Conner, Edgar Meyer and Yo Yo Ma.

Today, Alesa enjoys playing in a wide range of concert scenarios both in Australia and overseas. She works extensively in the arts industry not just as a performing artist, but also manages the infamous Shenzo’s Electric Stunt Orchestra, as well as performing with world class violinist Shenton Gregory.