Loreena McKennitt
**********1965, Morden, Canada. Celtic harpist, keyboardist and singer Loreena McKennitt rose to prominence in her native Canada in the mid-80s with a series of independently released albums. The daughter of a livestock dealer, McKennitt's earliest ambition was to become a veterinary surgeon, though she abandoned her studies soon after she discovered Celtic music. While busking in Toronto, she recorded two cassette-only albums which were sold independently - an independence of spirit which can still be seen in the fact that, despite her worldwide success, she continues to be self-managed. Elemental included readings of W.B. Yeats and William Blake poems, plus beautifully performed versions of traditional material such as 'She Moved Through The Fair' and 'Carrickfergus'. Parallel Dreams explored Celtic influences in addition to the music of America's indigenous peoples. Warner Brothers Records saw the commercial potential of her work, despite the fact that a lot of her lyrics were taken from classical poetry and drama. The Visit was compared with the music of Kate Bush and Enya, and went on to sell half a million copies. Mask And Mirror continued her exploration of world religion, a theme also tackled in her 'traveller's diary' which accompanied the release. Songs such as 'The Mystic's Dream' attempted to meld the links between Judaic, Celtic and Christian mysticism. The elegant Palau De La Música Catalona in Barcelona, Spain, was chosen as one of the venues to promote the album, with her band now featuring Steve Lucas (double bass), Rick Lazar (percussion), Kiki Misumi (cello), Brian Hughes (guitar) and Hugh Marsh (violin).**********
Hanson
**********This precocious group of American teenagers shot to the top of the UK and American charts in the summer of 1997, with an energetic blend of Jackson 5-styled harmonies and crafted pop/soul melodies. The Hanson brothers, Isaac (b. 1981, Tulsa, Oklahoma; guitar/piano/vocals), Taylor (b. 1983, Tulsa, Oklahoma; keyboards/vocals) and Zac (b. 1986, Tulsa, Oklahoma; drums, vocals), are part of a wave of remarkably talented young performers, including Ben Kweller and country star Lee Ann Rimes, currently emerging from America. Raised in Tulsa by music-loving parents, the Hansons also lived for short periods in Trinidad, Ecuador and Venezuela as a result of their father's work. Brought up musically on Time/Life compilations of classic fifties and sixties music, they began writing and performing publically as a group in 1992 when Zac was six years old, including a performance at the May Fest Arts Festival in Tulsa. Two self-distributed CDs followed, along with extensive live performances that honed their instrumental abilities. Playing at the South by Southwest Music Convention for unsigned bands, they linked up with manager Chris Sabec, who finally landed the group a deal with Mercury Records after they had been dismissed as unmarketable by several other companies. Their debut single, the self-penned 'MMMBop', entered the US singles chart at number 16 before climbing to number 1, and also topped the UK charts. Middle Of Nowhere followed, recorded over a period of five months with 'name' producers Steve Lironi ( Black Grape, Space) and the Dust Brothers ( Beck), and featured four of their own songs alongside collaborations with established songwriters, including Barry Mann and Cynthia Weill. An exuberant blend of traditional pop and soul the album was well on the way to being one of the year's biggest sellers, aided by their hip and MTV -friendly 'slacker' image.**********
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