Since the early 1970s, Brittany has experienced a tremendous revival of its folk music. Along with flourishing traditional forms such as the bombard-biniou pair and fest-noz ensembles incorporating other additional instruments, it has also branched out into numerous subgenres.
Tri Yann is a French band from Nantes who play folk rock music drawing on traditional Breton folk ballads.
Battlefield Band is a Scottish traditional music group. Founded in Glasgow in 1969, they have released over 30 albums and undergone many changes of lineup. As of 2010, none of the original founders remain in the band.
Alan Stivell is a Breton and Celtic musician and singer, songwriter, recording artist, and master of the Celtic harp. From the early 1970s, he revived global interest in the Celtic harp and Celtic music as part of world music. As a bagpiper and bombard player, he modernized traditional Breton music and singing in the Breton language. A precursor of Celtic rock, he is inspired by the union of the Celtic cultures and is a keeper of the Breton culture.
Manau is a Breton hip hop band formed in 1998, known for their fusing of traditional Celtic melodies with modern hip hop beats. It was initially composed of Martial Tricoche, Cédric Soubiron, and Hervé "R.V." Lardic until Lardic's departure and replacement by Gregor Gandon. Although the band is currently based in Paris, all of the members can trace their roots back to Brittany. The group's name comes from the old Gaelic name for the Isle of Man.
Dan Ar Braz is a Breton guitarist-singer-composer and the founder of L'Héritage des Celtes, a 50-piece Pan-Celt band. Leading guitarist in Celtic music, he recorded as a soloist and with Celtic harp player Alan Stivell. He represented France in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996.
The bombard is a contemporary family of oboes widely used to play traditional Breton music, where it is considered emblematic. A bombard player is known as a talabarder.
Symphonie Celtique, subtitled "Tir na nOg", a folk-rock album by Alan Stivell, originally released as a double LP in 1980 by CBS France, catalogue number CBS 88487. In 1987, it was published by Rounder Records in CD 11523. Digitally remastered and reissued on CD by Disques Dreyfus, catalogue number FDM 36196–2.
Chemins de Terre is a folk rock album by Alan Stivell, originally released in 1973. It was produced by Franck Giboni. It was retitled From Celtic Roots... in the United Kingdom and Celtic Rock in Germany.
Héritage des Celtes is a folk-rock album by Dan Ar Braz and Héritage des Celtes musicians, released in 1994 by Columbia France, catalogue number COL 477763 2.
Celtic Wedding is an album of traditional Breton music performed by the Irish band The Chieftains. The album features guest performances by Breton artists Nolwen Monjarret, Bernard Pichard, Alain Guerton and Michel Bertae. Nolwen Monjarret later appeared on the Chieftains' 1991 album, The Bells of Dublin, performing "A Breton Carol" with the band.
Renaissance de la Harpe Celtique or Renaissance of the Celtic Harp is a 1972 record album by the Breton master of the Celtic harp Alan Stivell that revolutionised the connection between traditional folk music, modern rock music and world music.
Les Ramoneurs de menhirs are a Breton Celtic punk group formed in 2006. Its members include Éric Gorce on the bombardon, Richard Bévillon on the bagpipes, the traditional vannetais singer Gwenaël Kere and Loran, guitarist from the group Bérurier Noir. They play concerts at fest noz as well as normal rock concerts. Most of their songs are sung in the Breton language.
Cécile Corbel is a French and Breton singer, harpist, and composer. She has released five albums of original music and worked for Studio Ghibli as a composer for its 2010 film, The Borrower Arrietty. Corbel sings in many languages including French, Italian, Breton, and English and has done songs in Spanish, German, Japanese, Irish, and Turkish. Her lifelong partner is songwriter Simon Caby, who is also her co-composer.
À l'Olympia was Stivell's first live album, recording at L'Olympia. It was released by Fontana in 1972.
Pop-Plinn is a traditional air of a Breton dance transformed into pop music by Alan Stivell. The "Dañs Plinn" is a fast and physical dance where the dancer makes two small jumps by holding the arm of his neighbors.
Again is the Alan Stivell's seventeenth album released in 1993 under the Keltia III label by Disques Dreyfus and Sony Music in France. He registers again his greatest successes of the seventies with updated arrangements and help of prestigious guests : Kate Bush, Shane MacGowan from the Irish group The Pogues, the Senegal singer Doudou Ndiaye Rose, the French singers Laurent Voulzy and Breton singers Gilles Servat and Yann-Fañch Kemener.
AMzer – Seasons is the 24th album by Breton musician Alan Stivell, released on 2 October 2015 through WorldVillage in France and other countries. "NEw' AMzer" was the first single to be released from it. This track was also released as a promotional video.
Emerald is the 23rd album by Breton musician Alan Stivell, released in 2009. The album celebrates Stivell's 40-year career since 1970's Reflets (Reflections), his first album as a singer. It's a return to the roots, a return to the violin and to folk-rock, and both an ever innovative approach, playing on electric harp and bagpipes prototypes and in musical arrangements that are as eclectic as they are original.
"Me zo ganet e kreiz ar mor" is an autobiographical poem by the Breton-language writer Yann-Ber Kalloc'h which celebrates the island of Groix, where he was born, and describes his parents' struggles and his own. In a setting by Jef Le Penven it has become one of the most popular Breton-language songs, performed by Alan Stivell, Yann-Fañch Kemener, Julie Fowlis and others. The title has several variants, including Me zo ganet e kreiz er mor and Me zo gañnet é kreiz er mor.
