As you probably know,'Poitín' is pronounced 'potcheen' and is that famous Irish firewater distilled from wheat and rye! It's also a trad celtic band who are not averse to a little experimentation into the realms of jazz (we've got a brilliant saxophonist who doubles up on low whistles and tin whistles). But don't let that put you off! We're firmly grounded in the pub session tradition and like nothing better than sitting round a table in the corner of a cosy pub and bashing out old favourites.
Stuck out here in the wilds of the Czech Republic the mind starts wandering and the bodhran player, Jeremy, has just started working with Pavel Cengery of Mortal Destiny (www.soundclick.com/mortaldestiny)on some Czech folk and death metal projects(the mind boggles!!!)But he's not wearing a black leather kilt and eyeliner (yet).

Here's what they said about us on the Free MP3s Celtic Music Magazine (thanks, Karen J. Brady!)...
'It seems an odd combination...Celtic music from a Czech band, but it turns out that in the 1990s, the Czechs were just beginning to rediscover their Celtic roots, especially in the west, where the ruins of a Celtic fortress still remain. The history of the land is as interesting as the music of Poitin, who perform not only dreamy ballads, but also rollicking pub sing-a-longs, scintillating jigs, and thundering reels from Ireland, Scotland and England.

Since they formed, Poitin has undergone a metamorphosis as far as their sound, incorporating more progressive elements into their traditional repertoire. With their new album having caused a bit of controversy with the addition of a saxophone, the band promises something that even traditionalists will enjoy. Nothing wrong with a fresh sound. And that is precisely what Poitin brings to the world of Celtic music.'


Here is a wonderful Irishman giving his recipe for real poitin -http://www.irishflutes.net/mef/poitin.htm
And here is an ancient recipe for making the stuff...

Poitin
Jack writes ...
This is an 1842 recipe for poitin - I have modified it for modern "ease-of-use"
boil 5 gallons of water and pour it over a mix of ten pounds of rolled oats (unflavored oatmeal) that has had a pound of 6 row barley (ground) and mixed in to it.
Allow this to sit until it is cool enough to add yeast, then add a dry ale yeast and 15 drops of liquid beano (or three of the pills). When you add the yeast/Beano enzyme to the cooled mash the stuff may be thick - like stiff oatmeal- don't worry. The yeast breaks it down with the beano as it is fermenting. Within a day it will be a liquid with grain floating in it.
ferment until dry
double distill in a potstill.
Don't age drink it white.
From what I have read, oat whiskey is the ONLY spirit to have totally died off. The last commercial distillery was in Ireland- and it shut down in 1975. Oats are a relatively expensive grain, as well as being very sticky, so distillers don't like it very much. If it is filtered well, and run on a water-bath still (or an ice water/wok still) there should be no problem.
(From http://homedistiller.org/wash-grain2.htm#poitin)



I've now uploaded all the tracks from our first album for your delight and delectation- as you may know, it's no longer available at concerts because we sold out!
We're now on You Tube so you can see us motley bunch performing at the Angel Music Bar in Pilsen http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PoitinCZ

The Brobdingnagian Bard himself, the loverly Marc Gunn, included us in his Podcast#27. If you'd like to listen to this show and any of his other excellent programmes you can go here.... http://libsyn.com/media/bellobard/IrishCelticMusic-027.mp3

I've now uploaded our 10th Anniversary Concert from September 2006 at Zach's Pub-I hope it gives you an idea of the flavour of what went on that momentous night! It's unedited and just as it came through the mix desk, so there's all sorts of bumpiness and umming and ahhing and you can even hear me attempting to speak Czech. It was really special beacause we managed to reassemble the band as it existed 10 years ago with all the original members. It was outside in the courtyard of the pub on a balmy September night...sit back and enjoy....
......if you want to see us live, I've uploaded a video of us at the Angel in Pilsen- thanks to Martin 'Bond' Nozar for that- it's a compilation of stuff from that evening....

You can also listen to more music, see us in our gallery and tons of other stuff at our Czech website www.poitin.cz. (don't worry- if you can't speak Czech there's an English version- just click on the little flag ;)



3rd CD RELEASED on own label September 2006!!!! HOT DAYS available at concerts or mail order from our official website www.poitin.cz

HOT DAYS track listing:
1)Step It Out (04:01)
(Step It Out/Gan Ainm-trad. song & reel, arr. Poitín)
2)Saxy Jigsies (05:26)
(The Monaghan Jig/ Pull the Knife and Stick it in Again- trad. jigs, arr. Poitín)
3)Who Are You? (04:30)
(trad. arr. Poitín)
4)Springtime Frolics (04:11)
(Lucy Campbell/ Springtime Frolics/ The Flowers of Redhill- trad. reel/ reel by Jan Brabec/trad. reel- arr. Poitín)
5)Crazy Man Michael (03:33)
(words and music by D. Swarbrick & R. Thompson)
6)Hot Days (07:16)
(Ciúnas gan Uaigneas/Hot Days/The Kinegad Slashers- slow air by Jakub Siegl/ jig by Jan Brabec/ trad. jig-arr. Poitín)
7)Midsomer (03:49)
(Island Memories/ Julia Delaney- hornpipe by M. Lennon & trad. reel, arr. Poitín)
8) A Bucket Full of Mountain Dew (02:27 )
(trad. arr. Poitín)
9)March Flowers (03:41)
(slow reel by Jan Brabec, arr. Poitín)
10)For To Free (05:04)
(Banish Misfortune/ Coleraine/ An Irishman's Heart to the Ladies- trad. jigs, arr. Poitín)
11)I Was a Young Man 03:39)
(trad. arr. Poitín)
12)Saxet (05:36)
(Master Crowley/ Eileen Curran/ Lilac Reel/ Glass of Beer- trad. reels, arr. Poitín)
13)Curragh of Kildare (03:24)
(trad. arr. Poitín)

Line up:
Jeremy King - zpìv/vocals (1,3,5,8,11,13) bodhrán (1,2,4,6-8,10-12)
Jaroslav Macháèek - housle/fiddle (1-4, 6-13) vokál/backing vocals (1,8)
Helena Marková - high whistle(7,10) low whistle (1,4,6,7,9,10,12) soprano sax (2,3,6,11-13) alto sax (12)
Jan Brabec - bouzouki (1-3,6-8,10-13) high whistle (4,6,9) vokál/ backing vocals (1,8,13) maraca (4,13)
Jakub Siegl - kytara/guitar (1-13) vokál/ backing vocals (1,8)
Tomáš Machalík (j.h./special guest) - didgeridoo (2,11)

and finally (if you've got this far, congratulations!!!) some Sound Click stats- we've had 3 number 1 Sound Click hits and a further 9 top tenners- so thanks to you all for listening to our music. Slainte!!