¡VAMONOS! EDITOR

My love of music includes all genres (yes, dear, even hip-hop) but there are certain types of music that stir me more than others - gypsy music, swing of any sort, blues, bluegrass and the music of Ireland. (I rarely miss the broadcasts of 'Thistle Shamrock" on Sundays from NPR.)

The Celtic moods, the stories and rhythms, the power, the introspection and the passion of the people come through in songs that range from sweet to frenetic, from simple to rhythmically complex, sometimes all within the same song.

Like chocolate, I find it difficult to pay attention to anything else once I've started indulging.

Now this is exciting: next week brings two opportunities to indulge in one of Ireland's most renowned traditional bands, Dervish. (How lucky we are to have a band of this calibre performing in our neighborhood. They arrive in New Mexico fresh from touring California and performing at the Austin Celtic Festival, and then it's on to Holland in December, Ireland in February and elsewhere in the US through 2007.)

In 2006, Dervish has marked 15 exciting years on the road together and the year started with the publication in the USA of the Dervish Songbook by music publishing giants Hal Leonard Corporation followed by extensive touring.

In a career filled with busy years, 2005 was one of the busiest yet, starting off with a trip to China in the company of Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister - pronounced TEE-shock) Bertie Ahern. With some Irish shows slotted in to field test new material being co-written with the likes of Sharon Vauehn (co-writer on Jimmy Buffett's current multi-Platinum album), Mark Simos and Brendan Graham, the dust barely settled before the band headed off on the first of three US tours in 2005.

The year had an early high point with news coming through during the
Chinese trip that the readers of Ireland's premier music magazine Hot Press had voted the band Best Traditional/Folk Group, in a poll graced with acts of the caliber of Planxty, Altan and Lunaa.

The decision, taken by Sligo Borou Council in early 2004, to award Dervish the freedom of the Borough of Sligo cements their place as something akin to a force of nature in Irish traditional music. Their achievements have marked them out as a breed aboce, raising them into the exalyed company of poet W.B. Yeats who was the first person to be awarded the freedom of Sligo.

With the release of their highly acclaimed album "Spirit" in June 2003,
and "A Healing Heart" in 2005, Dervish once again demonstrated that when it comes to contemporary Irish folk music they truly have no equal. Their unique ability to create music of immense passion and verve coupled with their stunning virtuosity make Dervish a formidable force in world music. From the Great Wall of China to packed stadiums in the holy Land, Japan and more recently the greatest music festival in the world, Rock in Rio, Dervish have come a long way in fifteen years.

Dervish will be performing at the Flickinger Theater in Alamogordo at 7:30p.m., Tues. Nov. 14.  Tickets are $24/$18/$10. Call for information: 437-2202.

Dervish will also perform at 7:30 p.m. at the Macey Center on the New Mexico Tech campus in Socorro, Fri. Nov. 17. Ticket for this performance are $14/$12/$10. Call for informaiton: 835-5688.