Steve Fairclough - Featuring at the Irish Guitar Festival
Steve Fairclough is a veteran of the UK Fingerstyle Guitar Scene. Throughout the 1990’s he was the Demonstrator for Takamine and Parker Guitars working across Europe and the USA on a steady diet of tours, clinics and concert shows that brought him many accolades as a ‘Guitarists Guitarist’.
After playing the All Star Guitar Night in 2000 he stopped touring to concentrate on his other love, composition and production and has run his own highly successful company Steve Fairclough Sound Design for many years now. He is the UK Clinician for Breedlove guitars, and indeed has his own range of Fairclough Guitars on the market in the UK and throughout Europe.
On YouTube…
Gareth Pearson - Performing at the Irish Guitar Festival
A recent article on Gareth published in the UK “Acoustic” magazine said this,
Gareth Pearson is no average guitar player. He is in fact a living record of what can be achieved with an applied mind and a great passion for pursing what it is you love doing. Having only just begun playing the instrument in recent times, he has developed a distinctive style and execution to his playing that has earned him the greatest of accolades from world renowned players. In less than five years he has grown from a relatively unknown guitar appreciator to a fully fledged professional who now performs in many parts of the world.
With influences such as Chet Atkins, Tommy Emmanuel and Merle Travis, Gareth’s arsenal of techniques represents a broad gamut to be entertained by, even if one cannot see his fingers move, as they dance with great fluidity. These opinions of popularity are continuing to grow further as guitar greats including Jan Akkerman and Tommy Emmanuel have invited and requested Gareth’s company on tour. Add to this his characteristic vocal signatures and you have one of the world’s most developed new guitar players that has fully blossomed.”
Acoustic Magazine, October 2008.
Along with Tommy Emmanuel and Jan Akkerman, Gareth has toured and performed with Andy Mckee, John Renbourn, Ray Davies of the Kinks, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, and other well known guitarists and musicians. Gareth’s influences are wide, but his own distinctive voice is clearly audible in his own compositions. In performance, his “Exuberance of Youth” as one fellow musician put it, is clearly evident.
Content source: http://www.garethpearson.com/about/
John Cruz : Performing at Irish Guitar Festival
Although John grew up in Hawaii, it wasn’t until he moved to the East Coast in 1983 that he developed his own style as a singer songwriter. During his 12 years in the Northeast, John cut his musical teeth in subways, coffeehouses and bars in New York’s Greenwich Village, as well as in the clubs and local haunts from Martha’s Vineyard to the Boston area. While attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, John ventured in to acting and dancing, which strengthened his command of the stage.
He spent six years in theatre and dance companies, performing everywhere from Lincoln Center to Washington D.C. As a member of the prestigious New World Theater, John played the lead role in “The Dance and the Railroad,” by Tony Award winning Broadway playwright, David Henry Hwang, of M. Butterfly fame. John’s outstanding performance was nationally recognized in the finals of a collegiate drama competition.
John returned to Hawaii in 1995 to help his brother Ernie record his album. At the time, Ernie was in the immensely popular band, the Ka’au Crater Boys. He invited John to play bass with them and to play his own songs during their shows. The exposure to large crowds gave John’s music a substantial fan base before it was even recorded. When his first album, Acoustic Soul was released in 1996, it made an artistic and commercial impact like few other recordings in Hawaiian musical history.
Acoustic Soul to date has sold about 100,000 copies in Hawaii alone. John produced the album himself and released it on his own label, Lilikoi Records. It spawned the radio hits “Shine On,” “Sitting in Limbo” and “Island Style,” which has become a local anthem. Most songs from the album still receive daily radio airplay and can be heard on numerous compilation CDs, in hotels, airports, shopping malls, school music classes, commercials and just about everywhere else music is played within the state. Acoustic Soul won two Na Hoku Hanohano Awards in 1997 — one for Contemporary Album of the Year and one for Most Promising Artist.
In 2005, John added the Grammy Award to his list of honors. His original song “Jo Bo’s Night” was featured on the compilation CD Slack Key Guitar Volume 2, which won the first Grammy ever awarded for Hawaiian music.
Over the years, John has attracted some stellar fans. Stars like Jack Johnson, Jackson Browne, Jimmy Buffett, Lisa Loeb, Trey Anastasio and others, have shown their support in various ways. John co-wrote a song with Trey called “A Case of Ice and Snow,” which was released on the Phish frontman’s solo CD, Bar 17. World Champion surfer Kelly Slater featured three of John’s songs on his DVD, “Letting Go,” in 2006. Jack Johnson has released “Island Style” on several CDs and plays it frequently in concert. John joined Robert Plant and Allison Krauss, along with other quality singer songwriters, on the WMVY radio compilation CD, Fresh Produce Volume 4, with his hit song “Missing You.”
In October 2006, a documentary film on his life, “Made of Music – The Story of John Cruz,” debuted at the Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival in Honolulu. A few weeks later, it was honored with the Aloha Visionary Filmmaker Award at the Molokai Film Festival. It features John’s signature candor and wit, as well as a personal story that tugs at the heartstrings, and music that will delight and inspire. Jack Johnson, Jackson Browne, Kelly Slater and Jake Shimabukuro add color and insight to an already powerful story.
John is the official spokesman for Sprint Hawaii’s Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, which donates free ukuleles to school music programs in need. He visits classrooms and gives surprise performances to inspire kids to achieve and believe in themselves.
John’s recent touring has included stops at the massive Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Summerstage in New York’s Central Park, Carnegie Hall and prominent national venues up and down both coasts. He headlined four galas during Barack Obama’s inauguration and played 14 shows at the prestigious SXSW (South by Southwest) music festival in Austin, Texas in March 2009, as one of the first Hawaiians ever invited to showcase there.
John has distinguished himself as one of the most talented artists that has ever come from Hawaii and was named the Best Singer Songwriter by Hawaii Magazine in 2008. After a classic hit first album, this well-earned reputation became even more solidified when he released his long-awaited second album, One of These Days in 2007. After its debut week, the album landed firmly at #1 in Hawaii, #2 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart for the Pacific Region and #6 on the Billboard World Chart. Critics described it as “brilliant” and “one of the year’s finest albums, local or otherwise.” The Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts gave the CD its highest honor in 2008, by awarding John the Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Contemporary Album of the Year. It delivers more of the warm, heartfelt melodies and passionate, soulful vocals that John’s fans have grown to know and love.
John Cruz Website: www.johncruz.com/
Freddie White - Performing at the Irish Guitar Festival
The maestro of quality music…
Freddie White is appearing at The Irish National Guitar Festival @ TLT Concert Hall, Drogheda on Fri. 9th April
Freddie White has long been synonymous with music of the highest quality. Whether interpreting songs by his favorite writers, such as Randy Newman, Tom Waits, John Hiatt and Guy Clark, or performing his own classy compositions, Freddie’s live performances are nothing short of legendary.
Freddie has been part of the fabric of the live music scene in Ireland since the 1970’s and his albums continue to sell well, amongst his loyal and new-found fan base.
Born in Cobh, County Cork into a musical family, by age thirteen Freddie was playing in school bands and by seventeen playing professionally. At nineteen, he moved to London, where he busked in subways, and developed his unique voice and guitar style.
In 1974, he was a founding member of ‘Scullion’, together with Philip King and Sonny Condell. Later he formed ‘The Fake’, regarded as one of the seminal Irish bands of the late ‘70’s. Next came The Freddie White Band formed in 1978, which toured with Eric Clapton that year.
His first album, Live on Tour, recorded by Nicky Ryan while touring with Clannad, brought him national attention. His second album, Do You Do, was the biggest selling Mulligan Label album of 1981. With these early albums, Freddie introduced an eclectic repertoire of music, which spanned musical genres and eras, to an Irish audience. Long Distance Runner was launched in 1985, and it featured original songs such as ‘Goodbye This Time’, ‘Down Without A Fight’, and the hit single ‘Frozen Heart’, which was co-written with Johnny Duhan. His fourth album, ‘Close To You’ continued this trend, with most of the songs self-penned. In 1994, he released ‘Straight Up’, a collection of fourteen songs recorded live by DanDan Fitzgerald. ‘My Country’ was released in Ireland in May 1999. A collection of eleven songs co-written with Ann O’Sullivan and based on the poetry of Don O’Sullivan. The album was co-produced by Freddie and Declan Sinnott, renowned for his work as producer and arranger with Sinead Lohan, Frances Black and Mary Black and as lead guitarist with Horslips and Moving Hearts.
In May 2002 the 2-CD set Lost and Found was released, comprising digitally re-mastered versions of two of Freddie’s best selling early albums, albums, namely, Live on Tour and Do You Do, under the watchful eye of original producer PJ Curtis. The re-release was warmly welcomed not only by the many whose original vinyl copies had long since worn out, but also by those who delighted in discovering these classic recordings.
In 2004 Freddie released an all-new studio album entitled Four Days in May. Recorded in Dublin with some of Ireland’s finest musicians over a four-day period, it showcases Freddie’s songwriting prowess and unerring choice of songs worthy of remarkable reinterpretation.
Freddie White New CD – Stormy Lullaby
In 2004, Freddie White returned to Ireland after many years living in the USA.
Since then he has regularly toured Ireland and Europe and during the past year has dedicated himself to the development of his latest recording, collaborating with songwriters Jimmy MacCarthy and Jim Barrett.
Released on February 1, 2008, ‘Stormy Lullaby’, is a stunning collection of moody tracks in which Freddie White’s musicianship and voice shine through. He has once again teamed up with his old cohort DanDan Fitzgerald to produce this gem. The album has an acoustic feel thanks to the input of a small, tight group of musicians from his native Cork. ‘Stormy Lullaby’ is a collection of eleven songs. Some tracks are newly written, while others (not previously recorded by Freddie) have proven their worth by becoming firm favourites with his live audiences. ‘Stormy Lullaby’ showcases what Freddie does best – that is ‘get inside’ and deliver heartrending, troubled love songs in a manner guaranteed to stop you in your tracks. It is often said of Freddie that he does not merely ‘cover’ great songs; more often than not he improves on the originals. Indeed, if this were not the case, he would surely be more highly revered for his own songwriting accomplishments. His keen ear for quality songs, undisputed talent for interpretation and exemplary songwriting skills, stand out in this, the newest and most intimate offering from Freddie White, to date.
Freddies website: www.freddiewhite.com
Andy Irvine: Featuring at Irish Guitar Festival
Andy Irvine has enjoyed a long and successful career as a traditional Irish musician. He has travelled the world as a solo artist and as a member of legendary Irish groups such as Planxty and Patrick Street and more recently Mozaik. Throughout his extensive career he has maintained and developed the qualities in his music, which endear him to his audience and fellow musicians alike. After his introduction to the world of touring with Sweeney’s Men in 1965, he continued to travel the world, leaving the band in 1968 to pursue his wanderlust. He travelled through Bulgaria, Romania and Yugoslavia, studying the music traditions and styles of these nations. It was these journeys which led him to adopt the bouzouki in his performance. This new instrument allowed him to develop his own style while learning that of the Balkan countries he visited.
On his return to Ireland, Andy formed Planxty with fellow musicians Christy Moore, Donal Lunny and Liam O’ Flynn. Planxty went on to achieve huge success and legendary status, reigniting traditional music as a popular genre. While Planxty took a break in 1967, Andy took the time to record another piece of work with Paul Brady. The two recorded a classic album together, simply entitled “Andy Irvine & Paul Brady”. Planxty regrouped from 1979 – 1983. When the group permanently disbanded, Andy began his solo career. He recorded his first album “Rainy Sundays….windy dreams” shortly after. His second album was “Parallel Lines” a duo album with the great Scots troubadour, Dick Gaughan.
Taking a break from working solo, Andy formed a band with Donal Lunny and some European friends called Mozaik. They completed one European summer tour before Andy returned to his solo and collaborative work. These collaborations led to the formation of Irelands first traditional “super group” Patrick Street. The group consisted of Kevin Burke (Bothy Band), Jackie Daly (De Dannan) and guitar maestro Arty McGlynn. The group toured from 1987–1990, releasing three albums in the process. They would regroup in 1993 to release a further five albums, although in between Andy recorded two solo albums. One of these albums consisted of entirely Balkan music, which Andy had learned on his earlier travels. In 2002, Andy finally formed his “dream band”, Mozaik, with Donal Lunny, Dutch guitarist Rens van der Zalm, Hungarian bagpiper Nikola Parov and American fiddler Bruce Molsky. The group have completed tours of Australia, Europe and America and have released two highly acclaimed albums.
Andy continues to tour the world with Mozaik as well as Patrick Street. He has also completed a brief series of reunion concerts with Planxty and Paul Brady in the last few years. His constant touring is testament to the fact that he is still as passionate about his music as when he began. As a musician and a living icon, Andy Irvine will remain in the Irish music scene for a long time to come.
On Andy Irvine…
His forte, his genius is playing his mandolin, mandola and bouzouki. I have never heard such clarity of sound, such perfect and precise rhythmic variations or such brilliant melodic figures from this family of instruments. San Francisco Examiner
“Irvine’s voice and accompaniment combine in a spell-weaving fashion, his story songs so fully animated that it’s easy to understand how some cultures get along just fine without cable TV.” Los Angeles Times
The Noam Chomsky of Irish Balladry chisels out a new motherlode of sung literature. A bloody
masterpiece. Irish Times
“What makes an evening with Irvine so special is that every note he picks and every line he sings comes from the heart. Everything he touches is performed with honesty and conviction and his playing is never less than breathtaking. By any measure Irvine is one of the towering talents on the International folk scene.” Sydney Morning Herald
His artistry is quite simply unique and his voice is as liltingly evocative as ever, the songs as pointed and poignant, beautiful and sad. Never tire of the road, Andy! Independent
Andy Irvine is Ireland’s Woody Guthrie, with a philosopher’s ear and a prophet’s passionate voice. He is also a stunning singer and instrumentalist who weaves melody and texture, harmony and rhythm, into a rich tapestry of present and past. Si Kahn
“I love that record. I absolutely love that record.” [Andy Irvine/Paul Brady, Mulligan Album, 1976] Paul Brady
Eduardo Niebla Experience - featuring at the Irish Guitar Festival
Hailed as one of the world’s great guitarists, Eduardo Niebla appears at the Festival with his internationally acclaimed trio to present ‘poignantly poetic… and truly breathtaking.’ (Scotsman) flamenco gypsy jazz. Inspired by tours to India and Jordan and his adopted Yorkshire homeland, Eduardo’s stunning compositions are interwoven with a myriad of Eastern colours and his passionate flamenco roots.
“Niebla is the king of Latin guitar, a world-class virtuoso.” Time Out
In an acclaimed 30 year career Eduardo has worked with many top artists including Nishat Khan (sitar), Lol Coxhill (sax), George Michael & Craig David. He has written music for festivals, films and plays, including for the BBC, and recently wrote the music for the Yorkshire Planetarium with poetry by Ian McMillan.
A spellbinding evening of passion, verve and fleet fingered virtuosity from one of the most potent forces in flamenco jazz fusion.
“A formidable guitarist and master of today’s generation… hugely enjoyable… experimental…with many stunning moments. Unbelievably invigorating.” SONGLINES
More info:
www.eduardoniebla.com
www.youtube.com/nieblatheguitarist
Mike Krum - featuring at the Irish Guitar Festival
In March 2007, Mike Krum took the rock stage, and has not looked back. He and his band have primarily been playing (and packing) New York venues, including The Mercury Lounge, The Knitting Factory and The Canal Room. In September 2007, Mike Krum released his first self-titled independent EP, a quintet of songs written by improvisation! Mike’s first full LP, a set of meticulously crafted and fine-tuned rockers and ballads, is set to be released early summer 2008.
The Pat McManus will play the Irish Guitar Fest
Pat McManus is prehaps best know for his previous band Mama’s Boys,which he formed with his brothers John and Tommy in the eighties. Mama’s Boys, although very young, soon proved to be a great success in the Rock World and were one of the greatest rock bands to come out of Northern Ireland,with Pat being the writing and driving force behind the band. In Ireland the band are prehaps best known for their No.1 hit ‘Needle in the Groove’ and during the eighties and nineties toured the world working along side such acts as BonJovi, Sting, Ratt, The Scorpions, Hawkwind, Thin Lizzy, Wishbone Ash, Deep Purple, Marillion, Rush,Twistered Sister and so,so many more. They held the house record for the prestigious Marquee Club in London and were the only unsigned act to play the Reading Rock Festival. During their career the band recorded eight albums and scored hits both at home,as well as in America and Japan.
After the untimely death of Pat and John’s Brother Tommy from Leukaemia in 1994, the brothers were not sure if they would continue. After a break and some time of reflection they got back together and formed Celtus, producing a sound which blended their early traditional roots,with a strong rock feel and dance beats.They were quickly signed by Muff Winwood to Sony Records and went on to record four highly acclaimed CD’s. As Celtus Pat and John quickly made their mark in the music industry, receiving awards for their music and scoring chart hits.
In 2001 Pat chose to return to Ireland to live and at this point was mostly writing for other artists, film and television across all genres of music. During this time Pat returned to his roots, having once been the youngest ever fiddle player to win the ‘All Ireland’ in the adult category. Pat recorded with many Traditional artists and was involved in the ‘Hidden Fermanagh’ and ‘Erne Rising’ projects with whom he represented Ireland in both Europe and America.Culminating in representing Northern Ireland at the Prestigious ‘Smithsonian Festival’ at the White House in Washington.He also wrote,recorded and performed with Sligo based band ‘ Indian ‘ during this time.
By 2006 Pat was ready to get back to ‘Rock’n'Roll’ and form his own band, writing and releasing his first solo CD.The Blues/Rock CD ‘In My Own Time’ was released in August 2007 and shortly afterwards the present line-up was settled.Gordon Sheridan was first recruited on Bass and shortly after Paul Faloon on Drums.Gordon and Paul have provided a strong,driving ,rhythmic force which backs up Pat’s incredible guitar skills perfectly.Indeed it has been said in the press,with the furiously energetic Gordon and the phenomenal Paul on drums that prehaps Pat can take it easier.Yet Pat never takes it easy and lives up to his nickname ‘ The Professor ‘ everytime.
In November 2008 the band recorded the live DVD/CD ‘Live and in Time’ in France, responding to the request of many fans and it has proved more than popular since it’s release. In April 2009 Pat and the band started recording the new CD ‘2PM’ , whilst still filling a busy Summer’s touring !The CD was completed at the end of August 2009 and was released in September 2009 at a launch in Paris. For ‘2PM’ Pat wrote fourteen new compositions,which all showcase his truely exceptional talent as both a writer and multi-instrumental player. Such tracks as ‘Rough Diamond’, ‘Chasing Away the Blues’ and ‘Law of the Jungle’ have already become firm favorites with the fans.
So with a full schedule ahead well into 2010,another live DVD to be released beginning of March 2010 and the next new CD expected in Autumn 2010, recording again for the third time with producer and friend, Shaun ‘Mudd’ Wallace.The band continue to entertain everywhere they go playing their brand of Blues/Rock with a hint of the Celtic,but always with the philosophy of giving and having a real good time!!!
Recent journalistic quotes/soundbites include:
“A master virtuoso of the six strings” Metal France
“Mo-nu-men-tal” Blues Magazine
“Don’t miss him” Sensation Rock
“Indispensable” Paris What’s On Magazine
“A ‘concert shaped’ breath of fresh air” Rock Hard
“He seeks notes you might not expect” Guitar Magazine/France
“Infinitely fresher than half the hack blues ‘prodigies’out there, It works!” Classic Rock Magazine/UK
“An album with a huge sound,which breathes the most efficient of blues rock” Blues Magazine
“The Professor is back and what a pleasure” Volumenbrutal
More info on the Pat McManus Band and Pat’s Discography,can be found on www.patmcmanus.co.uk
Also at http://myspace.com/patmcmanus
Sophia Johnson always wanted to be a guitarist. Transfixed by Michael J Fox’s rendition of Johnny B Goode in Back To The Future, the deal was sealed by her guitar, banjo, dobro and steel-guitar playing dad, Stewart, encouraging ‘proper’ classical guitar lessons but peppering the serious musical education with Beatles and Chuck Berry riffs.
Sophia Johnson will be playing at the Irish Guitar Festival
A busy 2009 included a US tour which saw The Toy Hearts play major festivals and shows in Indiana, Oklahoma, Austin, Dallas, Houston and Nashville and a European tour with the multi IBMA award-winning Steep Canyon Rangers. 2010 started with the band travelling to Nashville to record their 3rd album, slated for release in the summer. Produced by Grammy-nominated David Mayfield, of nu-Bluegrass pioneers Cadillac Sky, the album features performances from 8-times IBMA bassist of the year Missy Raines along with members of cutting edge Nashville Bluegrass bands Cadillac Sky and The Infamous Stringdusters and promises to push the unique Toy Hearts sound further than ever before.
You’ll find out more about the Toy Hearts on their website: www.thetoyhearts.com
Preston Reed
You may experience a strange sensation when you watch Preston Reed live for the first time. It starts with a sharp intake of breath. Seconds later, your jaw swings on its hinges, your eyes become dinner plates and your brain fizzes as it computes themusical madness being relayed by your ears. You feel light-headed, because you haven’t breathed for two minutes. Don’t be alarmed. These are all perfectly normal reactions to witnessing the guitar visionary of the 21st century. Preston Reed is a one-man revolution. The 53-year-old New Yorker tweaks the nose of musical convention, pokes the eye of accepted wisdom, and burns the rulebook of the past. His unique style is impossible, unfathomable, unthinkable, as with blurred hands he taps, tickles, slaps and soothes his instrument, fusing polyrhythmic percussion with emotive melody to create a sonic landscape. Each piece is a symphonic tidal wave, yet Reed only needs one acoustic and ten fingers to send it crashing onto audiences across the planet.
“Spectacular… the best one-man show this reviewer has seen since Bruce Springsteen… A terrific performer” The Irish Independent
There’s a clear line in the sand when it comes to the journey of Preston Reed. It was drawn in the summer of 1988, as the guitarist sat in his Minneapolis apartment and searched for a way to break out of a musical rut. Until that point, Reed’s path had been familiar. He was a child of the ’60s, and cites his earliest memory as The Rolling Stones’ hit The Last Time, whose classic lick led him to early flirtations with the ukulele and a grounding in basic chords courtesy of his father. He wrote his first song at eight – a number called The Lonely Night – before a course of regimented classical lessons wilted his passion. But fate wasn’t finished with Preston Reed. At 15, the bug bit again, as Reed attended a Hot Tuna show in New York and was floored by the bluesy fretwork of Jorma Kaukonen. That night, his guitar was retrieved from the closet and took up permanent residence on his lap, with Reed drawing inspiration from acoustic legends like John Fahey and Leo Kottke, and developing his own voice along the way. He was still just 17 when whispers of his talent buzzed through the music circuit following a live debut in support of beat poet Allen Ginsberg at the Smithsonian Institute.
Preston Reed
“… widely thought of as the world’s most gifted guitarist” Total Guitar
Starting with 1979’s Acoustic Guitar, a volley of thrilling albums spread Reed’s reputation, and by 1988 he had signed a major deal with MCA with the help of his friend, country singer Lyle Lovett. But behind closed doors, the guitarist was frustrated. Though spellbinding by any standards, his playing had reached a plateau; his muse held in a stranglehold by the physical limitations of the instrument. Then the thunderbolt struck. Reed wiped his technique clean, stepped into the void and made his first attempt at the two-handed fretboard attack that would change his trajectory forever. Creatively and commercially, things would never be the same again. If Reed were the type of musician to look back, he could reflect on three decades of glories including gigs with Bonnie Raitt and Linda Ronstadt, burgeoning sales of his 15 (and counting) studio albums, sold-out venues across three continents, untold hits on YouTube and the praise of both the man on the street and fellow six-string pioneers like Al DiMeola and Michael Hedges. If he were a statistician, he might refer to the 1997 live satellite broadcast on Turkish television that saw an audience of 120 million in 17 countries flood the switchboards after his performance.
But Preston Reed doesn’t deal in nostalgia. Twenty years after he changed the face of the acoustic guitar, this trailblazer still tours and records with a passion that flows into the hearts, heads and feet of his audiences, and continues to push his musicianship to a place where other guitarists fear to tread. Nobody knows where Preston Reed’s journey will take him next – not even the man himself. The one thing we know for sure is that it’ll be one hell of a ride.
