We mentioned earlier this year the coming true of a dream line up of Thomas Bartlett, Dennis Cahill, Martin Hayes, Iarla Ó Lionaird, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh; and today the name of the band and their first concert were announced via Facebook:
“THE GLOAMING is Thomas Bartlett, Dennis Cahill, Martin Hayes, Iarla Ó Lionaird, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh The Gloaming is a collective of remarkable individual talents who share a musical aesthetic. The five came together to explore new music at Grouse Lodge Studios is West Meath in early 2011. At once they made music that is at once both ancient and utterly new. New York pianist Bartlett, sean-nos singer Ó Lionaird, Chicago guitarist Cahill, fiddler and hardanger innovator Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and fiddle master Hayes is a group of virtuoso musicians yet it is a band with a sound all of its own. Sparse and beautiful. Authentic and tune-filled. And capable of raucous power. The band make their debut at The National Concert on Saturday 20th August. Further tour dates in August will be announced soon…
The Gloaming are in no particular order…
Iarla Ó Lionaird : Iarla Ó Lionáird grew up and learned his craft in the musical heartland of Cúil Aodha in the West Cork Gaeltacht. Ó Lionaird established himself both as a masterful exponent of Sean Nós Song and as a pioneer in its renewal and development. Always an artist on his own journey Ó Lionáird signed to the prestigious Realworld label in the mid 1990’s he would go on to make many ground breaking recordings with the multi million selling Afro Celt Sound System. His solo career was inevitable and would begin with the acclaimed and powerful “Seven Steps To Mercy” (Realworld Records). Produced by Michael Brook, the album saw Ó Lionaird create a new and unique work in which is his voices soars with power and tenderness. He went on to release the soundtrack for “I Could Read The Sky” and the “Invisible Fields” (both on Realworld Records) which melds electronic soundscapes with sean nós to stunning effect . He releases his latest solo album later this year.
Martin Hayes : Martin Hayes’ unique sound, his mastery of the fiddle, his acknowledgement of the past and his ability to place the tradition within a wider contemporary context, combine to create a unique and insightful interpretation of Irish music. He has drawn inspiration from many musical genres, but remains grounded in the music he grew up with in East County Clare where the tradition he inherited from his late father, P. Joe Hayes, was the formative influence on his musical accent and ideas. He has recorded two acclaimed solo albums, “Martin Hayes” and “Under the Moon” on the Green Linnet label and three duet albums with Dennis Cahill: “The Lonesome Touch”, “Live in Seattle”, and “Welcome Here Again”. His latest release is Triúr sa Draighean with Peadar Ó Riada and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh.
Dennis Cahill : Dennis Cahill is a master guitarist, a native of Chicago born to parents from the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. He studied at the city’s prestigious Music College before becoming an active member of the local music scene. Cahill’s spare, essential accompaniment to Martin Hayes’ fiddle is acknowledged as a major breakthrough for guitar in the Irish tradition. In addition to his work with Martin, Dennis has performed with such renowned fiddlers as Liz Carroll, Eileen Ivers and Kevin Burke, as well as many Irish musicians on both sides of the Atlantic. He is a sought after producer for musical artists whom he records in his own Chicago studio and is also an accomplished photographer
Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh : Dublin-born Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh plays traditional and contemporary folk music on fiddle, 5-string viola and hardanger fiddle in small intimate listening venues. In 2007, he released Where the One-Eyed Man is King, an adventurous, self-produced little EP: Caoimhín has recently been studying the work of contemporary folk fiddlers from other countries, including Nils Okland, Dan Trueman and Johan Hedin, and has been writing new material that continues to explore that region where Irish traditional music begins to disintegrate. He has recently been involved in two acclaimed recordings, Le Gealaigh/A Moment of Madness with Brendan Begley and Triúr sa Draighean with Peadar Ó Riada and Martin Hayes.
Thomas Bartlett : Thomas Bartlett, aka Doveman, grew up in Vermont, and began playing ukelele at age three, after the wardens at his daycare found him strumming a block and decided he could probably put resonant strings to good use. He began playing piano at age five, and never stopped — dropping out of high school to study in London with Maria Curcio, one of the 20th century’s greatest classical music teachers. Thomas went on to Columbia University for a year but dropped out, again — this time to concentrate on his classical music studies, until he dropped out, again! — this time to play with bands. He quickly become one of the most in-demand sidemen in New York City. Thomas has played or recorded with Antony & the Johnsons, Nico Muhly, Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, The Frames, Bebel Gilberto, Arto Lindsay, The National, and Yoko Ono. And that’s just the famous ones. He makes music as Doveman. When listening to this music you should keep in mind artists such as Frederic Chopin, Cat Power , Keith Jarrett, Talk Talk. His latest release is the eponymous Doveman on Brassland.
The indefatigable Conor Byrne (this time with MPI Bands) has been busy putting together a concert featuring many of Ireland’s top acts to raise money for the Japanese Red Cross.
