I love Irish Music, I love history, I love Tequila and I love Whiskey. So how could I not love the Chieftain’s new album San Patricio. An album which:
“The musical soul of two nations, Ireland and Mexico, are movingly brought to life in San Patricio, the latest international collaboration by six-time Grammy winners The Chieftains – the leading practitioners of Irish traditional music for the past four decades”
The album takes it’s theme and name from John Riley, an Irish immigrant to the US, recruited to fight against the Mexicans.
However, when Riley learned that he would be fighting fellow Catholics, he formed a battalion of about 200 men — (the San Patricios or St Patrick’s Battalion ) to fight with the Mexicans.
After several fierce battles, the San Patricios were captured by the US army, who viewed them as traitors and punished them, executing some.
Now The Chieftain’s have successfully merged two vastly different (IMO) musical styles into something beautiful and engaging.
It’s definitely worth a listen, if nothing more than the music, yet the story itself is pretty incredible.
My favorite tracks are
- Lulliby of the Dead – A haunting Uilleann pipes dirge.
- Marching to Battle – The intro music on the video below
- Danza de Concheros – A Mexican themed dance with Mariachi Guitars and tin whistles.
Here is a clip on the behind the scenes to give you a taste.
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