Celtic cornerstone
Behind the scenes with bouzouki master Erick Morningstar

Greetings, dear readers. This last weekend, Durango lost one of its most beloved musical community members, Michael Burke. In 1995, Michael founded the Durango Bluegrass Meltdown alongside his wife, Sandi, and was an enthusiastic and ardent supporter of Celtic music in Durango. I will always remember that Michael came to the very first Six Dollar String Band show and gave us ruffians good, helpful feedback for tightening our wiley sound. He was that kind of guy. Caring, thoughtful, intelligent and a man of strong conviction. There will be far more words coming, far more insightful than I can provide, to help elucidate and capture the legacy and spirit of Michael and his impact on our musical landscape. For now, let’s all lift up our glasses for a “Slainté” to dear Michael.

In no small part because of Michael’s efforts, our local festival season is quickly approaching. And, first up on the docket is the Durango Celtic Festival (for which Michael sat on the board), celebrating its 10th anniversary March 29-31 at the Community Concert Hall. The Durango Celtic and Irish music scene is alive and kicking, and in celebration of the festival, I decided to sit down with local bouzouki and bodhran player Erick Morningstar. I met Erick shortly after I moved to Durango in 2007. We met through a small house church and quickly discovered each other’s nerdiness for bands like the String Cheese Incident and EOTO. Erick has been the rhythmic cornerstone for some of Durango’s most beloved Irish music bands including Giant’s Dance, Patrick’s Crossing and, more recently, Tom Ward’s downfall. I hope you enjoy a small snippet of my chat with one of Durango’s most hardworking and unsung musical giants. Slainté, and may this nascent equinox bring you the luck of the Irish.

What is a session and what makes a good session a good session?

An Irish music session is when a variety of musicians gather to play Irish tunes on either flute, fiddle, banjo, guitar or bodhran, generally. It’s usually at a bar or pub. A great session has a core group of people who play really tightly together and at the same time are welcoming of other musicians who are coming to explore and ease into learning the music. The best sessions are high energy, for sure.

There’s a musical component to a session, but there’s also a social and relational element, right?

Absolutely. It’s hard to put your finger on it sometimes. I’ve been to other sessions that aren’t warm. Maybe the music is great, but when it doesn’t have that welcoming, warm spirit – that’s a big piece of what it’s all about. I’ve been to sessions in Durango with world-class musicians who tell us there’s something really special about what we have here in Durango. 

We played in tons of sessions together at the now-defunct Irish Embassy. How has the transition been now that we no longer have that cherished spot?

The music is still alive and well. We’ve moved to a couple different places. These days, we are playing at Durango Beer and Ice Company on Sundays from 12:30-3:30. There was a period of time where we were playing at 11th Street Station in the back. And Michael Burke is the one who set that up.

Rest in peace, Michael. Let’s take a second.

He loved Irish music. He invited my bands to play in the Celtdown at the Meltdown. I always felt a connection with him. Michael kept coming to the sessions even after he had a stroke and couldn’t play. My band Patrick’s Crossing played at Ska this last St. Patrick’s Day, and we sang one for him, “Parting Glass.” We are going to miss him for sure. He was a big part of Irish music in Durango. To Mike.

This is the 10th year of the Celtic Festival. What are you looking forward to?

Personally, a couple of highlights are bands like Super Trad. These three guys are great. The Jeremiahs are returning. These are absolutely world-class musicians who come to play, and the cool thing is, they love to hang out and talk with people. They’re super approachable. There’s going to be workshops, ceilidhs, sessions. 

To play in a band for 15 years is a long time. What feeds your soul and helps keep you going? 

The music I’ve gravitated toward is music that connects with me and makes me want to dance. You can tell when music comes from the soul. It’s not just entertainment, it’s someone’s art; music that is melodic and grooves and … is authentic and comes from a genuine place. That’s what Irish music does for me. I love to play for the sake of the tunes. I’d be having the same enjoyment either in someone’s home or on a stage. 

What’s on the horizon for you musically?

Since I’ve gotten into Irish music, I’ve gotten more attracted to the rhythm accompaniment. Guitar players like Tony Byrne, Ross Martin and bouzouki players like Adam Rhodes. I’m exploring how to play the bouzouki like a bodhran. I’m taking little bits of their influence to find my own tone and style. I’m inspired by players who know the notes and know the tunes and who are playing with their whole body, their whole soul.

The Durango Celtic Festival takes place March 29-31 at the Community Concert Hall. For info. or tickets, go to:  www.durangocelticfestival.com