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Castle Keep

Castle Keep

New Jersey's premier English & Celtic
music duo since 1981

English, Irish, Scottish & Welsh
traditional folk songs with a bit of spice

FOR INFORMATION OR BOOKINGS,

contact: Jake Conte
(732) 238-4306
Email: DiskJakey@aol.com
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7272,
East Brunswick, NJ 08816

CONTENTS

* Home Page
* Who is Castle Keep?
* Clippings: What they're saying about Castle Keep
* Schedule: Upcoming events
* Products, Recordings & Services
* Projects
* Musings: Our comments & observations
* Guest Book: Your comments & observations
* To contact us

THIS SITE IS CURRENTLY BEING RENOVATED
IN ORDER TO MAKE IT EASIER
FOR YOU TO NAVIGATE FROM AREA TO AREA

Updated: 12 January 2000

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WHO IS CASTLE KEEP?

Formed in 1981, Castle Keep performs original arrangements of English, Irish, Scottish & Welsh traditional folk songs in a progressive style.

Castle Keep began by playing original arrangements of songs recorded by their main influences Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention and Pentangle.

In 1997 lead singer Jodee James began studying the Welsh language and Castle Keep (as of March 1999) has over a dozen Welsh songs in their repertoire, some becoming audience favourites.

Castle Keep features the expressive, clear vocals and guitar of Jodee James, accompanied by Jake Conte on guitar, mandolin, and electric 5-string bass. Eventually, he hopes to include hurdy gurdy and bowed psaltery (if his cats allow him to practice it at home).

Castle Keep Programs Available:
* A concert of English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh and an occasional Breton tune.
* A concert of ONLY WELSH songs and stories.
* A lecture/performance on "The History Of English & Celtic Music."
* CHRISTMAS IN THE BRITISH ISLES focuses on songs, customs, folklore and folktales around the holiday season.

TO CONTACT CASTLE KEEP:
Jake Conte
(732) 238-4306
Email: DiskJakey@aol.com

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CLIPPINGS

(What they're saying about Castle Keep)

"Castle Keep is an extraordinary duo, specializing in traditional English and Celtic folk songs, combining the richness of Jodee James' superb vocals with Jake Conte's skillful guitar, mandolin and flute."

--- Gale Simon-Bierenbaum
Coffee House Series
Loose Ends Restaurant

"They must be doing something right because they are gigging steadily every week."

--- Anne Leighton
THE MUSIC PAPER (August 1987)

RECORD REVIEWS
"A Taste Of"

"I'm not one to gush over tripe, so here are the facts. Castle Keep are good. The arrangements are inventive and compelling."

--- T.J. MCGraff, editor
FAIRPORT FANATICS, U.S.A. NEWSLETTER
DIRTY LINEN MAGAZINE

"This band is heavily influenced by various British folksters: Fairport Convention, Pentangle, Steeleye Span, Albion Band. Lead vocalist Jodee James immediately recalls the late Sandy Denny, Jake Conte is a wonderful player as good as any on mandolin. [On the recording]: Nothing new (that's the point), but well done. Let's say, as well done as any of the aforementioned groups...and that's saying a lot."

--- Brad Bradberry

SOUND CHOICE MAGAZINE
(Winter 1987)

"If you are/were attracted to the English folk-rock of Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention, and Pentangle -- and perhaps even if you aren't/weren't -- you will appreciate the work of Castle Keep. The focal point is Jodee James' clear, stylish voice. Jake Conte provides lead guitar, mandolin and bass instrumentation. Conte's bass is electric and is applied heavily, sometimes doubling with the mandolin on lead (a rather nice effect)."

--- Helen Perkins
THE HORNPIPE
(Folk music in the southern regions)
July-August 1987

"It's a thrill to know the Fairport [Convention]/Steeleye [Span] tradition -- the honest form of English folk rock -- is being preserved. It's a double treat to know it's in the hands of such a talented act as Castle Keep. The arrangements are engaging, the singing is grand, and the overall production is simply a delight. Jake Conte and Jodee James understand how to use rock elements in folk music without going off the deep end."

Dan Harmon, editor
THE HORNPIPE
(Folk music in the southern regions)
July-August 1987

"This tape comes recommended. Well put together, good choice of material --- what else do you want? American folk-rock is alive and well."

--- Michael Hunter, editor
FIDDLESTIX
(Australian Friends of Fairport)

TO CONTACT CASTLE KEEP:
Jake Conte
(732) 238-4306
Email: DiskJakey@aol.com

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LISTENING ROOM

Castle Keep's original arrangements of "The Blacksmith," "Claudy Banks," "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore," and "High Germany" (from the sampler "A Taste Of") can be enjoyed (and ordered on CD) by visiting our MP3.com web site:

http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/55/castle_keep.html

Click on below to listen to some of Jodee's Welsh songs, also at MP3.com:

http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/31/jodee_james.html

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SCHEDULE

Upcoming Events: 2000

NOTE: ALL DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
PLEASE CALL THE VENUE TO CONFIRM.

NOTE: Greene's Bean's has discontinued musical entertainment at both locations. Our performances scheduled for January to March 2000 have been unfortunately cancelled. We wish to thank Brian and the staff for the opportunity to play there.


February 5 Saturday 8:00 pm

PEOPLE'S VOICE CAFE
Washington Square Church Parlor, 133 West 4th Street,
New York, NY (212) 787-3903
Admission: $10. ($7 members


March 3 Friday 7:30 pm

BOOKMARKS
Pennington Center, 25 Route 31 South,
Pennington, NJ (609) 730-9333


March 4 Saturday 9:00 pm

22 BELOW
Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, 155 East 22nd Street,
New York City, NY (212) 228-0750 Admission: $5.


March 10 Friday 7:30 pm

BOOKMARKS
Montgomery Shopping Center, 1325 Route 206 North,
Skillman, NJ (609) 497-1655


March 14 Tuesday 7:30 pm

BARNES & NOBLE
869 Route 1 South, North Brunswick, NJ (732) 545-7966

March 17 Friday 8:00 pm

FAILTE COFFEEHOUSE
37 West Broad Street (Route 518), Hopewell, NJ (609) 466-6681

April 15 Saturday 12:15 pm

NEW ENGLAND FOLK FESTIVAL
Natick High School, West Street, Natick, Massachusetts,
(617) 354-1340
http://www.neffa.org/~neffa

(We will be performing a 30 minute set -- tentatively scheduled
12:15-12:45). This will be our first excursion into New England.

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NOTE: Our schedule is also posted on the online calendars:
"Musi-Cal" http://www.musi-cal.com
"Dirty Linen" http:www.dirtynelson.com/linen/special/tour.html

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PRODUCTS

RECORDINGS

Castle Keep: "A Taste Of"
4-song cassette sampler, featuring: "Claudy Banks" / "Red-Haired Boy," "The Blacksmith" / "Three Sea Captains," "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore," and "High Germany" / "Swallowtail Jig."
Cassette: $7.00 ppd. ($5.00 + $2.00 shipping)

"A Taste Of" is also available on CD from MP3.com. It can be ordered through the "Listening Room" link to our MP3.com web page.

Jodee James: "A Hint of the Red Dragon"
Sampler of Welsh folk songs and stories. Includes: "Dacw 'Nghariad I Lawr Yn Y Berllan," "Where Are You Going?," "Y Gwydd," "Cariad Cywir," "Harbwr Corc," "Trafaeliais Y Byd," "The Ships of Caernarfon," "Marwnad Yr Ehedydd," "Hiraeth Am Feirion," and "The Fairie Dog Story."
Cassette: $11.00 ppd. ($9.00 + $2.00 shipping)

Order both samplers on one CD or minidisc: $17.00 ppd ($15.00 + $2.00 shipping)

Please make checks or money orders, payable to: JOHN CONTE

VIDEO

A VHS videocassette of Castle Keep performing live for the Metuchen Cultural Commission is available.

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PROJECTS

A number of projects are in the works, including:
A Castle Keep Songbook
A new Castle Keep recording

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MUSINGS:

Our comments and observations

(This section contains our comments and observations about a particular event or performance.)

March 22, 1999
My wife commented and has been telling all of her friends that during a break in our performance at Barnes & Noble (Brick, NJ) Saturday night (March 20th), that some teenage girls were asking for Jodee's autograph while they were on the cafe line. My wife tells them that "They didn't ask for his autograph probably because he made some mistakes while playing some of the tunes."

Jake

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GUEST BOOK

Well, we don't have an official "Guest Book" yet, but email us at: Diskjakey@aol.com and let us know what you think about our little hamlet in cyberspace or a concert you attended.

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TO CONTACT CASTLE KEEP

contact: Jake Conte
(732) 238-4306
Email: DiskJakey@aol.com
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7272,
East Brunswick, NJ 08816