Author: Press Officer

This is the second recording from Mick O’Brien (uilleann pipes/flute/whistle), Emer Mayock (flute/whistle/pipes) and Aoife Ní Bhriain (fiddle, viola, concertina) of music collected by James Goodman (1828-96) in the southwest of Ireland in the mid-nineteenth century.

The manuscripts, held at Trinity College Dublin and now published in two volumes by the Irish Traditional Music Archive are of great significance because they preserve much of the traditional music of the south of Ireland as it was sung and played in the years before traditional culture there was devastated by the Great Famine of the 1840s.

This recording draws primarily from the second published volume while occasionally revisiting the previously explored initial volume. The manuscripts continue to reward repeated visits and provide new possibilities when viewed new and in a different light.

What the trio present on this new recording is a compelling selection from over one thousand tunes in the distilled edition exemplifying the range of material contained there while including some more unusual items unearthed this time around.

Having received a TG4 Gradam Ceoil Award in 2014 for their collaborative role in the revival of the music of the Goodman manuscripts, this recording marks a development in the trio’s musical approach, at times enlarging the instrumental palette and adding layers or paring things right back. The resulting sound is in places quite different from the previous recording having continued to develop through live performance for a number of years now.

Available on CD from January 22, 2021:

www.custysmusic.com
www.claddaghrecords.com
www.itma.ie
www.pipers.ie
and as a Digital Download at goodmantunestrio.bandcamp.com

Following his 2020 success of hitting Number 1 on the Ireland Top 100 Songs chart with “Dark Rosaleen” and being shortlisted on the ballot for the Grammy Awards for his critically acclaimed song “The Old Man On Patrick’s Street”, Cork singer/songwriter Roy Buckley is set to release another highly anticipated self-penned single called “Devil Rose” on January 26 th 2021.

Shifting artistically from songs highlighting social issues such as homelessness and emigration, this time we are offered a different side to Buckley’s song writing style with this tale of the drop dead gorgeous, heart stealing temptress known as “Devil Rose”… the narrative suggests she has a wicked soul cunningly hidden behind the mask of her pretty disguise causing many men to fall for her irresistible charm… usually not realising their ill-fated destiny until it is all too late… the piano bar / jazz club element almost makes the listener feel as though they have wandered into Buckley’s own personal modern-day speakeasy !!

In studio, Devil Rose came to life through the hard work of an incredible team of producers, engineers and session musicians… from starting the recording process at Wood Street Studios with Buckley’s late great friend Lawrence White to completing the final mix at Kitten Lane recording studio with Keith Clancy & Aidan O’ Mahony.

Like Buckley’s 2020 releases, Devil Rose was mastered by Grammy Award winning mastering legend Adam Ayan at the world class Gateway Mastering facility in Portland, Maine, USA. Adam Ayan’s diverse clients include superstar artists such as Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, Taylor Swift, Queen, Bruce Springsteen, and the Foo Fighters to name a few…

Roy Buckley is a singer, songwriter, musician, entertainer and recording artist from Cork City, Ireland. Since childhood he has “collected” Irish music and song, and in 2012 established the hugely successful “Song Collector Sessions” concert series, with over fifty productions under his belt since then.

Among many of Ireland’s greatest artists, guests at the concerts have included Aslan’s Christy Dignam and Joe Jewell, the late great Liam Reilly of Bagatelle, The Black Donnellys, Leslie Dowdall, Stockton’s Wing frontman Mike Hanrahan, the maestro Phil Coulter, and many more…

The concerts also led to a podcast.. interviews with leading lights in Irish music such as Finbar Furey, Phil Coulter, John Spillane, Sean McGuinness, The High Kings, and more.. The “Song Collector Podcast” is available on all platforms..

Internationally, when not “grounded” by Covid-19, Roy Buckley spends several months of the year touring and performing at festivals and events all over the world. Audiences in Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Finland, Estonia, Holland, Norway, the UK and the USA have enjoyed this Corkman’s music, comprehensive knowledge of folk music, and unique storytelling voice.

Phil Coulter recently described Roy Buckley as “The Last of the Great Balladeers”, while iconic songwriter Pete St. John, who personally asked Roy to sing his songs “Tara Tansey” and “Waltzing On Borrowed Time” called him “The Voice of Munster”.

His Summer 2020 release about homelessness, “The Old Man on Patricks Street” reached No.2 on the Irish Download chart, and made it on the first round of shortlisted songs in the running for the 63rd Grammy awards in two categories – “Song of the Year” and “Record of the Year”.

During 2020, Buckley was invited by Phil Coulter to collaborate on a recording of the song for Coulter’s Lockdown Lounge series, as well as recording many of Phil Coulter’s other classic songs.

When asked about his Grammy consideration, Buckley said “I am thrilled to have a song I wrote make it on the ballot for the Grammy Awards, it has been a very exciting journey. I am very proud to see an Irish folk song go this far in the Grammy process.”

The follow up single, “Dark Rosaleen” won great acclaim in autumn, reaching Number 1 on the Ireland Top 100 Songs chart in less than 16 hours of being released and has resonated strongly among Irish emigrants around the world.

“Devil Rose” Roy Buckley’s latest single, will be released on Tuesday, January 26 th , 2021… It will be the first time this story of the alluring seductress will be available worldwide on all download and streaming platforms.

While Buckley has started archiving the songs of Ireland and beyond with video productions for the brand new Song Collector Sessions YouTube channel project, he already has plans in place to release more new singles throughout 2021.

Tá’n t’Ádh Liom – Is a reflection on unexpected grace or luck, a guitar song in Irish, this recording came about from a chance opportunity to call in on an old friend for a cuppa tea after a long time of isolation. 

Rónán Ó Snodaigh, better known for his singing with the group Kíla, has had weekends at home for the first time in thirty years as all gigging stopped. He spent the year writing songs, playing and practising music and reflecting over his career.  2020 has been a year of ups and downs for Rónán and Kíla, live touring came to an abrupt halt midway through their European St Patricks weekend tour while they have had big successes from their work in film with an IFTA win for their score for the Oscar longlisted Irish film Arracht, and their collaboration with Bruno Coulais on the score of the recently released Cartoon Saloon film ‘Wolfwalkers’ winning much critical acclaim. Rónán is currently working on a solo album which will be released in 2021.

Myles O Reilly, film maker and musician, also found his life and work turned upside by the pause in live performances. Through the opportunity of borrowing a Moog, an early analogue synthesizer, Myles has spent much of 2020 creating and composing ambient electronic music under the name Indistinct Chatter. October saw his first release; ‘Cabin Lights Off’ which was RTÉ1 album of the week. 

Myles has spent much of the last 10 years accompanying musicians as they tour and play to audiences, documenting their work on film, giving viewers unique insight into artists and their work and artists a platform to showcase their work through crafting magnificent videos available free to watch through www.arbutusyarns.net. 

Tá’n t’Ádh Liom was recorded from a live performance at Myles O Reilly’s home. 

It was mixed by Myles and mastered by Seán Mac Erlaine. 

‘Being an attempt at an independent individual I didn’t expect to be lent a hand by anyone; Angels, Grace, Gods or otherwise. It appears I have been helped a lot along the way and maybe I have just stopped long enough this year to notice how lucky I have been and how much grace has been bestowed on me.’ – Rónán Ó Snodaigh

www.ronanosnodaigh.ie
www.indistinctchatter.site
www.facebook.com/ronanosnodaigh
Instagram: @myles.o.reilly

With a new year come new beginnings and with a revitalised sense of purpose, The Art Crimes Band will release their first single of 2021 with the soulful ‘In The Dark Of The Evening’ on January 29.

Recorded during 2020, ‘In The Dark Of The Evening’ attempts to channel the late night soundscapes of the early 1980s L.A. studio “golden era” pioneered by the likes of Quincy Jones, Toto and Steely Dan, thanks to the singles production at the hands of drummer Niall Dennehy and Fender Rhodes-heavy arrangement by Shiori Okawa. The single addresses mental health and the effects of isolation. The song’s lyrics offer a message of hope, love and friendship amidst a tuneful melody and deep funky groove reminiscent of D’Angelo, Jill Scott and Stevie Wonder.

The band’s first album Radio on the SUGO Music record label in 2015 reflected a group still searching for their groove. But now armed with a brand new single and fresh studio album in the works they have solidified a firm foundation in the R&B/Soul sound under which they are right at home. Band members include Gary Baus (Alto Saxophone), Stephen Kirby (Guitars), Niall Dennehy (Drums & Percussion), Grace McMahon (Vocals), Tim O’Leary (Bass) and introducing new member Katie O’Donnell (Piano & Keyboards).

Hampered by COVID19 the final stages of the single’s production employed a poignant workaround that saw its guest backing vocal choir send in their takes by smartphone. The “Lockdown Choir” consists of Colm Hayes (Kudos, The Mandolas), Colette Forde (Runaway Retros), Clare O’Mahony (The Songs Of Joni Mitchell), Alan Murphy (Rhythm Republic) and, Kevin Morrison and Rob Foley (One Horse Pony). The single was co-written with Kevin Morrison from the alt-roots & blues outfit One Horse Pony and was recorded at Flashpoint CC Studios in Cork city where the band write, record and produce exclusively. The single’s slick sound was accomplished by legendary mastering engineer Miles Showell (The Beatles, Phil Collins, Police, Amy Winehouse, Queen) at Abbey Road Studios, London.

“This is a pivotal moment for us as we turn our backs on the typical bar gigging scene of 8 years and we will now focus solely on developing our career as an original outfit” says drummer Niall Dennehy. The pandemic lockdown enabled The Art Crimes Band to re-evaluate the bands trajectory and new single ‘In The Dark Of The Evening’ is the first step with a new album expected later in 2021.

Facebook: @theartcrimesband
Twitter: @artcrimesband
Instagram: @theartcrimesband