Folk duo to perform in Tulla

THE Island Music Club presents Chris Newman and Máire Ní Chathasaigh at the backroom in Minogue’s Bar in Tulla on Saturday, October 13.

Chris and Máire’s performances are described as rooted but eclectic, emotional but adventurous, a breathtaking blend of traditional Irish music, hot jazz, Bluegrass and baroque, coupled with evocative songs, striking new compositions and Chris’ delightfully subversive wit.

 

This much-loved duo from the folk premier league has a rare ability to combine true virtuosity with spell-binding entertainment.

Máire is one of Ireland’s most important and influential traditional musicians. In 2001, she received the traditional musician of the year Gradam Cheoil TG4 “for the excellence and pioneering force of her music, the remarkable growth she has brought to the music of the harp and for the positive influence she has had on the young generation of harpers”.

She began to play the harp at the age of 11, when a West Cork background steeped in the oral tradition led her to develop new techniques making it possible for her to play traditional music on the harp in a stylistically accurate way.

She won the All-Ireland and Pan-Celtic Harp Competitions several times and in 1985, recorded the first harp album ever to concentrate on traditional Irish dance music, The New-Strung Harp. Her approach has been profoundly influential wherever in the world lever harps are played. Harp festival performances worldwide have included a recent solo concert at the 11th World Harp Congress in Vancouver in July 2011.

Meanwhile, Chris began to play guitar at the age of four and at 14 played his first paid gig in a folk club, going on to become a prolific composer, arranger and record producer.

According to Chris, one day in 1985 he decided he’d really rather play interesting music than pursue interesting pay cheques, so he turned his back on the commercial world and returned to his folk roots. He has since concentrated on composition and playing the traditional music of these islands and beyond.

In addition to his work with Máire, Chris toured until 1997 as a member of Boys of the Lough in North America, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Estonia, Denmark, China and Italy. He has been principal guitar tutor for Newcastle University’s Folk BMus course since its inception. His new solo CD, Still Getting Away With It, was recently released to critical acclaim.

Tickets for the event are available on the doors, which open at 9.15pm.