PRESS RELEASE
"A Man You Don't Meet Every Day "
Hector Mac Isaac Releases CD/DVD June 9th
Antigonish’s Hector MacIsaac is one of the maritimes finest
singers of traditional Scottish, Irish and Newfoundland
songs. Having put aside his music for his law carear,
Hector is finally about to release a long awaited CD that
contains 15 songs and includes a 1 hour DVD documentary
that tells the story of Hector and his uncle Jerome Downey,
“ a man you don’t meet every day” This special CD/DVD
combonation will be launched at a concert on June 1st at
the St.F.X. Auditorium.
Hector’s mother Frances MacIsaac (nee Downey) was born in
the Codroy Valley on the West Coast of Newfoundland, the
eldest girl in a family of thirteen. She migrated to Nova
Scotia and married Dan H. Mac Isaac and had twelve children
of her own. Hector is her youngest, and from a very early
age he developed a love of singing and folk songs. As a boy
he frequently travelled back to Newfoundland for singing
sessions with his mother's brother Jerome Downey, a highly
regarded singer in the Codroy Valley. A bond developed
between Uncle and Nephew rooted in a passion for good songs
and a love of singing.
As a teenager and a young man Hector Mac Isaac became
somewhat well known in the Antigonish area but dropped out
of sight in 1985 to pursue a livelihood. Although no longer
singing in public (except on a very few special occasions),
Hector continued his visits to the Codroy Valley to sing
with his Uncle Jerome.
In 2004 Jerome Downey was diagnosed with Alzheimer's
Disease prompting Hector brother Daniel to bring along his
long time videographer friend, Peter Murphy, SeaBright
Productions, to capture one of their music sessions. Having
produced a number of documentaries for TV on Celtic Music
including Buddy MacMaster, Master of the Cape Breton Fiddle
), the seed of "A Man You Don't Meet Every Day " was
planted. That was the first of many trips in order to to
capture the majic of Newfoundland, the music and the man
that inspired the CD.
Meanwhile back in Antigonish, Hector began to record a
"demo" CD with his daughter Emma, a talented singer in her
own right, at the prompting of musician and friend, Ian
Bryson. The idea was for their personal
enjoyment.--"something to have for my old age", says Hector
with a smile. Hector and Emma continued to work on the CD
with recording engineer Bryan Melanson of Highball Sound
Recordings in Antigonish and the project semed to take on a
life of its own .
Hector was blessed with the incredible good fortune of
being joined by his old friends, the inimitable Junior
Fraser and the incomparable Stan Chapman whose "love of
traditional music is only surpassed by their ability to
play it" . Along the way they were helped by the musical
wizardry of Tim Robertson and Ian Bryson.
The result is a combination CD and DVD which captures the
bond between two tremendous singers (joined by the next
generation Emma), and preserving a rich and unique body of
song . It is "important stuff" in the words of the famous
Folklorist and Lecturer, Dr. Margaret Bennett of
Scotland .
Hector Mac Isaac , Stan Chapman , Junior Fraser , Tim
Robertson, Ian Bryson and Emma Mac Isaac will perform live
in concert at the St.F.X.University Auditorium (under the
Chapel) on June 9 ,2007 ,at 8:00 PM . This "must have"
CD/DVD combination will be available for purchase at the
concert for the special price of $20.00 .
Tickets for the concert are available at Brendan's Fairway
, Webb's Superstore ,Brosha's Short Stoppe, Lismore
Variety, Needs,and Gary's Groceries