Tempest: Music from a melting pot
Ashland, PA
An Scathan, Jan. 1998
Thomas Larkin

The scene is the main tent at the annual Celtic Fest in Bethehem, PA, and the standing room only audience is caught up in the sounds emanating from the stage. The band responsible for these sounds is Tempest, and the atmosphere is electric. Traditional Celtic rhythms are being interpreted with a rock beat by a truly unique assemblage of musicians: a lead singer from Norway, a drummer from Cuba, a guitarist with roots in San Francisco psychaedlic rock, a Celtic violinist whose energy almost equals that of Eileen Ivers and a seasoned American rock bassist.

The vocals and instrumentals alike were energetic and exhilarating. Caught up in the excitement and energy generated by the performance, the crowd danced; claped and often broke out in cheers.Lief Sorbye and his band were dervishes, often themselves as excited as the audience.
"The key to the whole thing, " said Sorbye, "is the communication between the audience and the band. And that is what is exciting to us. It's fun to make records, but the real magic is in front of the audience because you can exchange that electricity. That's what makes it special; that's what makes each performance different from the other."

Sorbye was born in Oslo, Norway, and founded Tempest in 1988 after honing his skills with the acoustic band Golden Bough.  His goal has been to meld traditional folk with the music of the 70's, which he loved, and Celtic rhythms, which are both ancient and ethereal. What has emerged from this mix is a remarkable sound. 

Listening to this music, one can understand the diversity of the Celts because the music combines the many cultures touched by the Celts in their millenia of travel. There is an eclectic mix of different types of Celtic rhythms, not just Scottish and Irish, but the Gallician, even a flavor of Afro-Celt, and eastern/central European, with a touch of the Viking thrown in for good measure.

Commenting on this mix of diverse rhythms, Sorbye said, "When you trace the roots far back, you find out there's a lot in common, and in these days, with the level of communication so high, people borrow and steal from everybody so there is a new music emerging out of all this.

"We try to write in a traditional style, more or less, so that the mix between original and traditional is kind of an even blend. Hopefully, some of our new songs will become traditional songs a couple of centuries down the line. Much of the traditional stuff is two hundred years old, and it's good material. That's why its survived. We hope that with bands like us playing it, it will continue to survive, that people will continue to keep using these songs."

Playing and recording together since 1988, Tempest has recorded five albums, among them are "Turn of the Wheel" and their latest, "The Gravel Walk", both of which will get the old adrenaline going and would be a most welcome addition to any collection of Celtic music. The band plays almost 300 shows a year, a heavy schedule to be sure, but the members seem to thrive on the youthful energy generated by the hectic pace.
Asked what his hope for the future is, Sorbye said, "We just want to keep growing and reaching more people with our music. I feel privileged to be able to do what I am doing. It's a great way to make a living.

"We want to try to continue creating a little bit of a spirit that is uplifting. With world conditions being what they are, people need things to give them uplifting experiences, and we would like to be able to give them that without people going into drugs and the like. To bring out the positive energy in people is a big part of our purpose."

The members of the band along with Sorbye enhance that spirit after the performance by mingling with the audience, greeting as many of their fans on a personal level as possible. This personal touch is certainly not lost on the legion of fans who patiently wait to meet each band member in turn. On shaking hands with Sorbye, they are rewarded with a joyous gleam in his eye that confirms his heartfelt, "It's great to meet you. Thanks for coming." 

Tempest will begin its 1998 "Tenth Anniversary Tour" in California the third week in January and will continue into the fall throughout the United States. However, the band will tour the United Kingdom and Europe for the first time in July and August. Be sure to watch for Tempest during the upcoming festival season this year and make it a point to experience and electrifying performance.