Michael Hall
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Michael Hall

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"Mike Hall's CD Release"

Over the past few years Michael Hall has made his mark on the world of Cape Breton fiddle music. Unlike so many of today’s young players, he didn’t grow up on this island surrounded by friends, neighbours and relatives who played. Originally from New Brunswick, he spent a lot of time playing the accordion while growing up, but even there the influence of the Cape Breton music seeped into his mind and soul and he was hooked.
One of Mike’s main influences was Alex “Lewis” MacDonald, an Inverness County fiddler who lived in Saint John. Alex had a nice swing to his playing and a good variety of tunes. I remember him playing at fiddlers festivals in Glendale and he was already an elder statesman in the fiddle world, well respected by the other players and those in the musical know. Mike also learned from pianist Maybelle Chisholm McQueen, who spent a number of years in the same area.
Eventually, Mike made the move and followed his musical heart to Cape Breton where he continued to soak up the music, spending a lot of time around Cheticamp and rapidly developing into a respected player in his own right. And now, he is about to release his first recording of fiddle music, a spirited and powerfully played CD called A Legacy Not To Be Forgotten.
Engineered by Paul MacDonald, the recording was done at the home of Alex and Minnie MacMaster in Troy. Joel Chiasson provided the piano backup, with Mike adding in some guitar as well. There are a few airs, a march or two, but mainly it’s a solid secession of high-powered strathspeys, reels and jigs. Before the first cut is over, you’ll be tapping your fingers and stomping your feet.
Included on the CD is an interesting addition, a cut of the playing of the late Alex “Lewis” MacDonald, lifted from a party recording done some years ago. From this cut you get a sense of his playing, and possibly an understanding of his influence on a young Mike Hall.
Mike will be busy over the next week. On Saturday afternoon he holds the official launch for A Legacy Not To Be Forgotten at Rollie’s Wharf in North Sydney and that evening he is joined by Marc Boudreau and Joel Chiasson for a dance at the Westmount Legion. On Tuesday Mike joins Donnie Campbell and Pat Chafe at the first of a summer-long series of concerts at the Wagmatcook Cultural Centre.
Be on the lookout for A Legacy Not To Be Forgotten. This is a very good CD, one that I particularly enjoyed. I’m sure that you will as well. - Cape Breton Post - Dan MacDonald


"A Legacy Not To Be Forgotten"

“He has a lift to his playing that makes you take notice. He had the dancers on the floor early and they stayed there all night, appreciating every note of every tune. He may not be that well-known yet but he certainly will be shortly.” – Dan MacDonald, Entertainment columnist, Cape Breton Post on fiddler, Michael Hall.

Michael Hall is quickly becoming a familiar figure to Celtic music fans in the region. Now that the New Brunswick-born fiddler with Newfoundland roots is living in Sydney, he’s regularly scheduled to play at most of the better-known Cape Breton venues in the coming weeks and months.

A Legacy Not To Be Forgotten is the name of Michael Hall’s new CD, and he held his first release party on June 13th at Rollie’s Wharf in North Sydney.

Born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick, Hall was introduced to music by his father, Sean Hall, a man with French Acadian and Newfoundland roots who had a passion for the subject. Michael began step-dancing at age three.

By the time Hall was eight he was playing the accordion and getting his first exposure to Celtic music by listening to a variety of Scottish and Irish tunes – all the while developing a French Acadian style to his playing. Clem Dube also introduced Michael to the music of Howie MacDonald and The Rankins. At the age of 14 he recorded his first CD, a recording which featured accordion music.

“It wasn’t a big seller by any means, but it earned me a showcase during the 1998 ECMA in Halifax,” said Hall.

There are a number of Inverness County connections to Michael Hall and his new CD.

First of all the CD itself is a tribute on the part of Michael to one of his early mentors: Saint John fiddler Alex Lewis MacDonald, originally from Harbourview/Port Hood.

“I met Colleen MacLellan, daughter of Maybelle Chisholm MacQueen, in Saint John, NB at a round and square dance in the mid 1990s, and she gave me Alex Lewis MacDonald’s phone number. I looked him up, and twice a week for about four or five years I visited him. Alex helped me so much in gaining an appreciation for the Cape Breton style of fiddling. He was a wealth of knowledge, and he had a real feel for how Cape Breton fiddle music is conveyed,” says Hall, who said it became evident to him when he was to record his first fiddle CD that it would pay tribute to Alex Lewis MacDonald.

“He was a very generous man. Over the years as I got older the visits became less frequent, and I had a call in 2005 or so where I learned that Alex wasn’t feeling well. I went over to visit him and played music for him for a couple of hours. His wife Mary came and put out four or five fiddles and told me that it was Alex’s wish that I have a good fiddle. She asked me to try them all out and to choose the one I liked. She said that Alex wanted me to have a good fiddle,” Hall told The Oran this week.

Alex Lewis unfortunately passed away earlier this year after spending time in a Hampton, New Brunswick nursing home. Hall played at his funeral.

When the opportunity to make his own CD arrived, Michael was fortunate to gain access to a video recording of Alex Lewis MacDonald playing fiddle.

“I decided to include a cut of Alex’s on the recording. It’s the final cut. I was fortunate that my producer Paul MacDonald was able to extract it and clean up some of the noise on the original DVD. I wanted to pay homage to Alex Lewis. He’s a big part of me, and he really helped me get the ball rolling,” said Hall.

Hall made his first visit to Cape Breton in 2001.

“There was a birthday party happening for Maybelle, and she introduced me to pianist Jason Roach, and we were soon playing all over the Island,” he said. Later, he had the chance to play on Jason’s CD which was done at Lakewind Sound.

Another Inverness County connection to Hall’s new CD is the fact that it was recorded live in the living room of Minnie and Alex MacMaster (parents of Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMaster).

“I was hoping to find a house ceilidh setting with good acoustics and an upright piano in the Sydney area and wasn’t having much luck. Then I discussed it with the MacMasters who were open to the idea and very supportive. I wanted the recording to take place in a relaxed setting and for it to have energy. I think we were successful. Sometimes in a recording studio you can lose some of those dynamics,” said Hall.

Michael began poring over tunes, books and tapes back in January of this year in selecting material for his recording.

He was looking for tunes that were traditional but ones that for the most part weren’t too often recorded in recent years. Hall also includes two of his own compositions on the CD. One of the tunes is a reel written for his parents on the occasion of their anniversary, and the other is a jig he wrote in memory of Alex Lewis MacDonald. - Inverness Oran - John Gillis


Discography

Debut Fiddle Album "Mike Hall - A Legacy not to be forgotten"

Celtic Colours International Festival Compilation CD (Odyssey Records ~ 2009)

Photos

Bio

Michael Hall - Bio

Born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick, Mike Hall was introduced to music by his father, a man with French Acadian roots who had a passion for the subject. By the time he was eight Mike was playing the accordion and getting his first exposure to Celtic music by listening to a variety of Scottish and Irish tunes while developing a French Acadian style to his playing.

He received his first fiddle at the age of thirteen and quickly became enamoured with the music of Cape Breton players like Natalie MacMaster, Howie MacDonald, Jerry Holland, Brenda Stubbert and Ashley MacIsaac, all musicians who had readily available commercial recordings.

It wasn’t until he made his first visit to Cape Breton in 2001 that Mike realized the depth of the culture and sheer volume of the music. This experience drew him back to the island repeatedly, culminating with a permanent move in 2008. For him, Cape Breton is now home. A chance meeting with Cheticamp pianist Jason Roach during his initial visit has lead to engagements across Cape Breton and Mainland Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New England and beyond.

His precise and lively style is perfect for dancers and welcomed by listeners, and this has continued to make him a popular player for house parties, dances, concerts and festivals.

Michael Hall has now released his first Cd "Mike Hall - A legacy not to be forgotten", backed by Joel Chaisson on Piano, which allows fans all around to listen to his unbelievable drive to the Cape Breton fiddle tradition.

QUOTES:

“He has a lift to his playing that makes you take notice. He had the dancers on the floor early and they stayed there all night, appreciating every note of every tune. He may not be that well-known yet but he certainly will be shortly.” - Dan MacDonald, Entertainment columnist, Cape Breton Post

"My first thoughts when I heard Mike's playing were - Damn, I wish I could play like that! I havent enjoyed a record out of the Cape Breton music scene as much as Mike's in the last 17 years, since a Buddy MacMaster recording. I have to say if this what New Bruinswick can produce, I might have to move there." - Ashley MacIsaac, World Renowned Celtic Fiddler

Management/Booking:

Jerry Holland Jr.
juniorpromotions@bellaliant.net