Dalla was formed by Neil Davey and Hilary Coleman towards the end of 1999 and combines members of the two families who have been integral to reviving interest in traditional music from Cornwall.
Neil Davey and his three brothers started in the 1970s with the band Bucca and their album was released on Plant Life Records. They went on to other bands and started traditional dance groups that have proliferated throughout Cornwall.
Hilary Coleman and her family have worked with community groups to organize festivals and traditional celebrations. She has reintroduced the clarinet into Cornish music and her brother Will Coleman is responsible for encouraging Cornish bagpipe music. Hillary continues to play a key role in Cornish music affairs as a performer a composer a promoter of Cornish language through music and as an organizer of many events raising the profile of local traditional music in Cornwall.
Dalla often perform for dancers and Noze Looan, a recent development in Cornish dancing similar to the Breton Fest Noz and inspired by a sound tradition and a sense of fun. As an alternative to a Troyl (Cornish ceilidh or barn dance) it provides an evening of dances that are accessible enough not to need a caller. You can join in a dance if and when you like and just pick it up as you go along by watching others.
Cornwall is a small Celtic land (roughly the size of Luxembourg or Brunei) jutting out into the Atlantic ocean halfway between Ireland and Brittany. It is a small land with a great history. A history with its roots firmly in Celtic culture but also an extremely cosmopolitan history buzzing with a host of other influences due to ancient maritime links with and waves of emigration to and from all parts of the world.
When you see Dalla live you will see three of Cornwall’s foremost traditional musicians playing Cornish Celtic / World music on an array of instruments including clarinet, bouzouki, fiddle, guitar, accordion and percussion with songs in Cornish (a Celtic language similar to Breton and Welsh) and in English. Some of the material is old some new and all of it is Cornish. Outside influences can undoubtedly be heard in Dalla’s music however and this is as much a product of Cornwall’s own rich cosmopolitan history as it is of the diverse backgrounds and adventurousness of the individual members.
Dalla are frequently joined on stage by Bec Applebee who adds backing vocals and percussion. At larger events Pete Kubrick-Townsend joins in on bass and there is also often the added visual spectacle of display dancers doing slick pieces specially choreographed for Dalla’s music using traditional Cornish steps.
Discography:
A Richer Vein (2001)
More Salt! (2004)
Rooz (2007)
Cribbar (2010)
K5 (2013)
website: www.dalla.co.uk
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
