Croagh Patrick backdrop to American band's new music video
LOUISIANA Cajun, Creole-inspired dance music and Croagh Patrick as a backdrop – not a mix you come across everyday but it works exceptionally well.
The Reek is one of a number of Irish beauty sports featured in a video for American band Zydeco Revelators.
Like the title of the song, 'Let's Have Adventures', Phil Passantino went on an adventure around Ireland to film the music video last November. A religious minister in New Jersey who plays the melodeon, Cajun style, Phil had long wanted to make the pilgrimage up Croagh Patrick for spiritual reasons.
He explained: “I love it for its pre-Christian history as well as its Catholic heritage. This past November, I attempted to climb the mountain while visiting Westport. It was a beautiful clear day, believe it or not, but quite windy, so I climbed as high as I safely could, and filmed some music video footage with the peak in the background, while the winds whipped my scarf.
“It was my artistic offering to God and the mountain.”
Phil later filmed in the Mayo countryside and around Galway and County Clare, including the stunning pre-Christian site at Poulnabrone portal tomb.
The Zydeco Revelators came about after Phil visited Louisiana several years ago and fell in love with the music of the Cajun accordion (melodeon).
He explained: “I taught myself to play the melodeon and formed a band called Zydeco Revelators. We perform Louisiana Cajun and Creole-inspired dance music in the New York City area - very fun and high energy.”
Phil got to enjoy a few tunes during his visit to Ireland. “While visiting Westport, I got to enjoy some incredible live melodeon playing by Stephen Doherty at Matt Molloy’s pub. I found the beautiful piercing tone of his melodeon to be strikingly similar to the Cajun accordion’s tone. And sure enough, Stephen told me his instrument was built in America.
“In Galway, I saw John O’Halloran perform at Taaffe’s Bar, and I heard the same striking Cajun-style tone, and he said his melodeon was actually made in Louisiana.
“I’m fascinated by these connections between the Irish and Louisiana traditional cultures. I hope Zydeco Revelators’ song and video, 'Let’s Have Adventures', is a worthy contribution to this international dialogue.”
Phil was right at home in Ireland, as he explains: “I have Irish ancestors. My grandmother’s first cousin was Ed Sullivan, whose television show The Beatles performed on.
“I’m always in search of my roots and even speak a little bit of Gaelic.”