June 23-29, 2005

musicpicks

Frank Malley

by Mary Armstrong

Folk/traditional

He's got the kind of smooth, powerful voice that could have made him famous, but that wasn't Frank Malley's plan. "I don't do it for money," he says. "I'm not interested in living out of a car, traveling from folk club to folk club."

So Malley, a singer of traditional songs with a special love for his Irish heritage, focused on performing locally. He has chaired the Ceili Group festival and its grounds committee. He's also volunteered for decades at the Philly Folk Festival (look for his workshop in traditional songs this year), and annually performs at the Heritage Dance Festival.

He will be debuting his new CD, The Captain's Old Dog, at the Mermaid this weekend. "I know these songs are incredibly important and they are not being recorded," he says. "I want to preserve the beauty and poetry for the next generation, those folks who don't have a collection of vinyl records."

Malley was prodded into action last year when doctors diagnosed a discomfort as a death sentence. Happily he has made a remarkable recovery and this summer's Tuscan vacation will be family reunion rather than leave-taking. He's feeling quite well, indeed. "I fully intend to busk in the streets of Lucca when I'm not visiting Cinque Terre."

Thu., June 23, 8 p.m., free, Mermaid Inn, 7673 Winston Rd., 215-247-9797.