Journey with The Chieftains to the special places and
people of the home countries that formed the band's musical soul. Derek Bell,
Kevin Conneff, Martin Fay, Sean Keane, Matt Molloy and Paddy Moloney tell the
tales of their earliest memories of Irish music. Their thoughtful and often
amusing stories capture the emotion behind the scenes of every performance.
Features special guests Ashley Mac Isaac, Altan, Steve Cooney, Van Morrison,
The Ballyfin Set Dancers, Tommy Peoples, Michael Kelleher, Seamus Hynes, Los
Lobos. 90 minutes. While the CD version of Water from the Well has
been rightly praised for bringing the Chieftains back to their roots in
traditional Irish music, the DVD documents an even fuller and more private
story. Shot in the band members' most personal haunts all over Ireland--their
homes, flutist Matt Molloy's pub, church halls--Water from the Well finds
Molloy, group founder Paddy Moloney, harpist Derek Bell, fiddlers Martin Fay
and Sean Keane, and bodhran player-vocalist Kevin Conneff speaking openly
about the band's remaining artistic challenges after 35 years. Moloney, long
the Chieftains' most enthusiastic proponent of collaborations with musicians
from other traditions, marvels at the group's long road of international
experimentation while also pining for his childhood days of neighborly jam
sessions. The impish Bell confesses to thoughts of mortality, as well as his
concerns over whether the Chieftains can be traditional "purists" again. The
band's most ardent fans will enjoy all this discussion, but even Chieftains
newbies will be thrilled by the many configurations of band members and
friends (many of the latter renowned Irish-music performers in their own
right) who play (and play and play) reels and jigs while nursing pints at
local watering holes. Look for Van Morrison, Barney McKenna, Seamus Begley,
the Kilfenora Ceili Band, and a very sweet meeting of Moloney and the boys
with the angelic girls of the Belfast Harp Orchestra. Stepping outside the box
for a moment, the Chieftains share a duet with Los Lobos that becomes a lovely
highlight. Special features on the DVD include a short documentary about the
Chieftains' gorgeous work in Spain and Cuba. --Tom Keogh