Italian teacher and company bring Celtic music to area
In a dim room filled with smoke and the sound of clanking bottles, the unexpected sounds of ancient Celtic music comes from the stage and fills the Spanish Moon.
It is Irish Night at the local bar, where Italian professor Garrett McCutchan and his colleagues Kate Kane Laborde and Les Strickland pick up their instruments and form the band “Tis Ourselves,” a traditional Celtic band.
Formed two years ago by Laborde in an attempt to supply Baton Rouge with a Celtic scene, the band plays traditional and original pieces of predominantly Irish music.
“I thought that it was a shame that Baton Rouge did not really have Celtic music,” Laborde said.
Celtic music, which is characterized by hard, fast drum beats and the lively sounds of acoustic guitars and fiddles, has been made popular by movies like “Braveheart.”
McCutchan, who received his doctorate in comparative literature and has taught at LSU for 18 years, translated many French and Italian songs and poems.
“It is great to go back to your roots,” said McCutchan, who plays the fiddle, guitar and banjo and has Irish heritage. “I came to Louisiana from North Carolina, fell into this group and loved it ever since.”
Laborde also attributes her love of Irish music to her ancestry.
“My love for the music and the dance started with my interest in genealogy,” she said. “Some of my ancestors were established Irish musicians and dancers. Once I started looking at my family, it was hard to let go. It grabbed me. On a personal level, it explains who I am.”
The group, which was invited to play at the State Fair, also plans to participate in an antebellum re enactment in April.
“We love to play for people who can appreciate history and music,” McCutchan said. “It’s great to see a growing interest in what amounts to great bar music.”
Tim Basilica