NEWS

updated 9th oct 2006

Before I begin I must apologise for my neglect of those of you who tune in expecting some news in the news section of this site. I know that web news like this is normally called a blog but this isn't so much a blog as it is a look back at what I have been up to since my last ramblings. Any of you who know me would think I could go on for hours (and possibly days) on this topic but the writing down factor plays a big part in the lack of update of this news section. In summary, I am not that fond of writing and so a blog turns into a 'slog' or 'sblog' (a slow web log).

And so my 'sblog' since 21st January 2006...

Straight after Celtic Connections in early Feb, myself and Kris Drever mixed our new cd 'Honk Toot Suite' (HTS) to be released early next year at Celtic Connections 2007 (Jan/Feb). We mixed it in Invergordon, Scotland at Pete Rawson's studio, Redwood Studios and it sounds great. It will be released on Compass Records, just as my solo cd 'Through the Round Window' was. The reason for the time lapse between mixing and release is due to the business of both myself and Kris, usually at different and unsynchronised times, with our other music stuff - me with Salsa Celtica, and Kris with, what it seems like, everyone. More of this later.

Towards the end of Feb myself and Toby Shippey of Salsa Celtica headed for my old home town of Dublin for the premiere of 'Driving Lessons' at the Dublin Film Festival. During the Summer of 2005 we 'acted' in this film, along with the rest of Salsa Celtica, as the band 'Salsa Celtica'. Jeremy Brock wrote us into the movie when he was listening to us while he was writing!! In the movie we performed a few Salsa Celtica numbers, including Toby and my tune, 'Cumbia Celtia'; the first track from the 'El Agua de la Vida' cd. We did a pretty good job of 'acting' as ourselves for the whole minute or two we were on screen!! Our music featured in a few places including the closing scene of the movie. 'Driving Lessons' was written and directed by Jeremy Brock and stars (along with us of course!!) Julie Walters, Laura Linney, and Rupert Grint. I think it will be on ITV this Autumn - I saw adverts for it in their Autumn preview 'montages' anyway!!

'El Camino', my first full album with Salsa Celtica was launched at a party in Bill's Jazz Cellar in Edinburgh on the 1st March. We had a few guests with us including the wonderful Eliza Carthy who features on 'Grey Gallito', a highlight of the cd. A great night's launching was had by all. The album was released on the 6th March on Discos Leon and can be bought from the Salsa Celtica website.

We started our UK 'El Camino' tour in Gateshead at the Sage on 23rd March and finished on 29th April in Glasgow before heading for a great few days in Iceland, playing in Reykjavik and wallowing in the 'Blue Lagoon'. Over the course of the UK tour we hit England, Wales, Scotland, Orkney and Hoy over about 27 dates including another trip to Maida Vale Studios to do Andy Kershaw's Show once more.

In early May we headed for the Isle of Rum for the Sound of Rum Festival and had a ball. As well as with Salsa Celtica I played a number with the great and influential 'Frog in Throat' band with all the young-ones including some of the Croft No. Five guys, Kevin O'Neill, and Salsa's own superyouth Ross Ailslie.

In June we went to Lugo in Asturias for a night and had fun with the great Frankie Delgado and equally partying Iain MacLeod. We returned home for a gig with Eliza Carthy at the Wychwood festival where we met up with the Aberfeldy guys along with supersoundandmysteryjuicehero Tim Matthew. A trip to Barrow-in-Furness followed a gig in Swindon and led to an exhilarating pre Moonwalk (Breast Cancer awareness walk) gig in Edinburgh's Meadows.

We went to Cardiff on the 1st July for the Worldport Festival at St. David's Hall. The following weekend we played at Richard Wilson's birthday party in Chelsea Gardens in London. He had specifically requested us and paid us a great honour by thanking us for coming to play at his party - a thing he didn't expect us to do. We had a great day andmet some nice people before watching Italy stroke France in the World Cup Final in a pub in Chelsea!

Enough of Salsa Celtica stuff: myself and Kris Drever headed for beautiful Orkney and the fantastic home of the best little Folk Festival on the planet, and the 18th-century light beacon Lighthouse, North Ronaldsay. We were invited by the effervescent purveyor of all that is folk and fun on North Ronaldsay, Marion Muir, and she looked after us grandly. The stick-man that is Erik Laughton (plays on HTS with us) from the 'Hope' joined us on North Ronaldsay and buoyed the whole affair resplendently. Gavin Firth ably helped out on the second gig. Many tabloid features appeared delighting in our perfomances and activities. We wound up the weekend in Kirkwall at 'Fusion' drawing in the stagglers from the festival along with a crowd who I'm sure after the praise we sung toward our North Ronaldsay Folk Festival experience, will be cueing up to go next year. After we again played our hearts out (and Kris sung out his) we followed with pied-piper-like effect the piping and fiddling hero Andy Cant into the bowels of Kirkwall. A wonderful weekend surely to be the winner of 'Scots Trad Music Awards', 'Festival of the Year'!! Vote for North Ronaldsay Folk Festival here.

Kris and myself then headed for Germany but after a great first night rain cancelled play for the 2nd gig. Disappointed we retired for a tune to the local public house, who's owners were running the festival, and we left feeling much happier than before we went in.

After a few days in Dublin I returned to Edinburgh for rehearsal before a quartet of great gigs with the Salsas; Appleby Jazz Festival, WOMAD in Reading, and two days (and nights) at the Cambridge Folk Fest. Appleby was laid back and involved a folky set with Ross, Kenny, Phil, Toby and myself before the Latino's and jazzers joined us for full Celtic-Salsa-ness. Womad was fabulous; we opened The Siam Tent on Fri afternoon and knocked the house (tent!) down. We lolled around all day listening, eating and generally enjoying ourselves and listened to lots including the wonderful Anoushka Shankar who closed the very same Siam Tent. We were sad to have to rush away; Womad is great. I want to go back every year.

Cambridge was a different more folky affair which is also right up my alley. More Fun, FUn, FUN. We again played in the afternoon, filmed by BBC on the main stage. A signing followed and then the lolling began once more. We met lots of old friends and hung out. I retired to the Dervish's hotel and we played tunes 'til morning - Kris Drever landed in about 3 am. We closed the BBC stage the next night and then followed a lovely party tune which again went 'til morning, this time behind the main stage in the artist area. Old friends and new were involved including Mike McGoldrick, Charlie McKerron, Ross Martin, and Sara Watkins and Chris Thile of Nickel Creek.

The start of August saw another Salsas Jazz Festival sell-out return to Edinburgh's Queen's Hall. This was followed by a quick trip to Faro, Portugal for La Linea. Myself and Kris squeezed in a Festival Folk at the Royal Oak for Paddy Bort. Following a couple of Edinburgh Festival radio shows the Salsas returned to the Famous Spiegeltent for three really enjoyable tea-time gigs. Early gigs let you loose for fun very early in the evening!! Dougie, Toby and me even managed a little time to fit in a red carpet walk into the Edinburgh Film Festival's premiere of 'Driving Lessons' at the wonderful Dominion Theatre in Morningside. Oh! and I also succeeded to squeeze in a move back to Edi from Manchester where I had been kind-of living (in between gigs and travelling) for the year. I got to see the Reds at home a few times and fit in a few tunes with the Mancs.

We played with the Salsas at the 2006 World Equestrian games in Aachen town centre to about 6000 people at the start of Sept. Two Scottish festivals followed - the Islay Jazz festival and The Hairth O' the World Festival in Knockengorach, Dumfries and Galloway. We enjoyed both greatly with the absence of mud at Knockengorach this year being greatly appreciated. Bognor Regis then called, for the UK 2006 Salsa Congress. Dancing and more dancing was the order down south and the clothes left little to the imagination!

Look out for Kris Drever's new cd 'Black Water' on Reveal Records due to be released on 23rd Oct. it features Kate Rusby, John McCusker, Ewan Vernal, Eddi Reader, Roddy Woomble, Andy Cutting, Ian Carr, Donald Shaw, Roy Dodds, and Andy Seward.

Just now I have a few weeks off, and am reclining in Edi, before we are off to WOMEX in Seville (Salsa Celtica are the only UK band invited) and then to Germany for 4 dates bringing us into Nov.

But before that I have an extra special visit to Ireland for my Grandmother's 80th birthday - yes, Ethna Coyne, she of 'Through the Round Window' fame who started her recording career at the tender age of 75 is going to be 80 on the 15th Oct. As always she continues to inspire me musically and socially with her tales of 'the cool head and the long step'.

Byeeeeeeee for now and I hope you continue to enjoy the (possibly fortunately) not too often updated 'sblog'. Keep an eye out for the random updates. ÉC

 

 

updated 21st jan 2006

Since 30th March 2005 then...

I went to Shetland and did a few gigs (as usual). I played a couple of nights with the Alison Brown Quartet (which was Alison Brown and Garry West with John Doyle and Andrea Zonn for this visit) and a night with Sean O'Donnell and Paul O'Driscoll (borrowed from other bands for the job). I also played at Da Final Fling with/as Six Foot Ginger with Andrew Gifford (Fiddlers Bid) and Martin Green and the one remaining member Sean O'Donnell after he was abandoned by the rest of his band. Finlay MacDonald also asked if I would play with him for the finale of Da Final Fling and we wound it up at the Legion on "the two most scary instruments of the festival". Look at this site for pics and clips of the festival. And how can we forget the ostrich egg that the Old Ropers brought which we ate with bacon as an omelette at Alan Longmuir's hoose. We had a great farewell on the deck of the boat.

May saw lots of Salsa Celtica work including an English and Welsh Tour which started in style on the way to Wales in Tim's van!!

Gigs in June started with a great gig at Torphichen in Scotland. Kris Drever (guitar & vocals), Ross Hamilton (double bass) and Erik Laughton (bodhran & snare) played with me. Then it was back to Salsaland with some lovely gigs at the Oran Mór, Glasgow, and a mad mad gig for a ball-time Oxford University!!

We lost a great musical friend in June, Joe Scurfield of the Old Rope String Band. He will be sadly missed by more than us but we will miss him lots as well.

July saw us tour with the Salsas in Canada (one pic from Belleville, Ontario); we had a great time and met lots of old and new friends. As the rest of the band headed for Cape Breton I flew home for my brother's wedding - I got in some trouble over that one!! I don't know which was worse: missing gigs or final wedding preparations!! A trip to Kavala in Greece was beautiful as was a fantastic gig at the Leith Folk Club once again with the great Kris Drever.

We were also involved in 'Driving Lessons' a new film due for release very soon directed by Jeremy Brock (Mrs Brown etc.) starring Julie Walters, Rupert Grint, and Laura Linney. We did a couple of scenes and there are a few Salsa's songs in the movie (including Cumbia Celtica which I co-wrote).

August was a bit quieter with gigs in Edi, Milan, Stirling, Germany and Wales with the Salsas (this time we made Brechin), and further gigging with Kris. Myself and Kris were getting closer to finishing our cd - more on that later!!

September was quieter again (purely on the gig front) seeing a move for me to Manchester for a while, more recording, and some Salsas gigs.

October saw preparations for the new Salsa Celtica cd 'El Camino' which is to be released on March 6th and a bit more recording for Kris and my new cd.

We went into the studio in November to record 'El Camino' with Salsa Celtica and a smooth and enjoyable time was had by all. This was preceeded by a few preparation and honing gigs in Edi and the Weej (Edinburgh and Glasgow for the uninitiated).

December was cd photo time all round; for both me and Kris, and Salsa Celtica. We had a great sell-out show at the new concert hall in Perth which finished our Salsas' shows for the year. Kris and myself did the last of our recording for our cd and a trip home to Ireland for Christmas and New Year rounded off the year in style.

The year started once again with Celtic Connections (this time 2006) as we did a show for BBC Radio Scotland's Celtic Connections Show at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow. We were finished our show by 6 pm and party time was once again upon us. As has become usual for this time of year I once again met and played with my great friends that are the Alison Brown Quartet, again at the Old Fruitmarket - another great gig, this time meeting the wonderful Joe Craven who was over with ABQ. Hannah's tour managing is going down a treat.

January is not over yet and CC2006 rages as I write, but I am back in Manchester for a while trying to catch up on it all.

See you later...

 

updated 30th march 2005

I'm back again...

Well I finally made it to the States for St Paddy's Day and did a show with Matt Heaton, Liz Carroll, John Doyle and Karan Casey and her band, Niall Vallely, Robbie Overson, Paul Meehan and Chico Huff. The show was Brian O'Donovan's St Patrick's Day Celtic Sojourn and was at the wonderful Somerville Theatre in Boston. We had a great show, which was not unexpected based on the wonderful musicians involved, and it was recorded for WGBH (radio) and may very well be available for public consumption some time. view pics

While in the Boston area I was looked after royally by Matt and Shannon Heaton of eatsrecords. I did a show at Springstep with both of them and along with the above mentioned Celtic Sojourn Show, a few other gigs with Matt along the way. I got to hang out at the Burren once again and had a few tunes with the Boston based musicians.

Of course life goes on back on these shores too and I was no sooner off the plane from the states when dear Toby of the Salsas informed me that I had a soundcheck in an hour and a half!! Last Saturday (26th) we completed 4 nights at Edinburgh's own Jazz Club, Henry's Cellar Bar - a welcome return for Salsa Celtica which first formed there ca eight years ago. The place was heaving, sweaty and vibey for the duration and we played some new tunes for the upcoming recording which we are about to do.

We first do a gig in Falkirk at the Town Hall (2nd April) and I get a chance to catch up with some old friends from my Chemistry days (daze) at Grangemouth which I am looking forward to with anticipation/intrepidation.

After the recording stuff (I am also doing some with Kris Drever) it's off to Shetland for their 25th Folk Festival which I am looking forward to - catching up with some Shetland friends and travelling musicians (Alison Brown and gang included) is always great fun.

And that takes me to my birthday...but we won't mention that!!

Don't forget to sign my guestbook if you visit and remember, Christmas is always just around the corner and when it comes to pressies, aren't cd's very handy??!!

Bye-for-now...

 

updated 24th feb 2005

Well I have been pretty lazy of late writing news so I do apologise...

Where do I start - prob near where I left off after the end of Sept!! We had a quiet enough month in October with Salsa Celtica apart from a great gig at the new Eastgate Theatre which is absolutely beautiful and a joy to play in. We also played a small gig for Elle MacPherson and her pals in October too after which we had a loooong journey north to Tarland which resulted in a wonderful and exceptionally hospitable night from the locals.

Somewhere in all this I went home to Ireland for my brother's engagement party and had a lovely night even getting in a tune with my grandmother Ethna Coyne on a banjo borrowed last minute form the great Dave Boyle who always gets the latest of calls and fields them with such aplomb.

November had also a bit of traveling; a great night with the Salsas at The Arches in Glasgow, and a trip to Northern Ireland for the Kelly (TV) Show and The Belfast Festival. I also did a couple of solo-type gigs; one at the Carrying Stream Festival in Edinburgh with Kris Drever (guitar and vocals) and Conrad Ivitsky (double bass), and one in Salisbury again with Kris.

At the end of November I filled in for the great John Martin with 'Kevin MacLeod's Springwell' on St. Andrew's night. I had a really enjoyable gig with Kevin MacLeod, Jack Evans and George Duff even though before the night itself it seemed I would never get to the end of all the new tunes and songs I had to learn!! I'm really lazy sometimes and they kept me on my toes!!

December was quieter with a cold cold gig on an OUTDOOR stage in Newcastle with the Salsas. It may have been cold but we had a good time and got everyone a groovin'. I had a great end of 2004 start of 2005 with Hogmanay at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh with Salsa Celtica and of course partied all night afterwards - no early next morning London flight this year.

January as always has Celtic Connections and this year was no exception and I met up and played once more with Alison Brown and her Quartet which included Andrea Zonn and John Doyle. I also played with John at his 'solo' gig. We had a couple of fantastic nights at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall to capacity crowds with The Transatlantic Sessions led by Aly Bain. Others involved were, Mike McGoldrick, Donald Shaw, Karen Matheson, Donald Hay, Ivan Drever, Dick Gaughan, Maartin Allcock, and Americans, Alison Brown, Garry West, Bruce Molsky, Russ Barenburg, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Mindy Smith and Lex Price.

A couple of weeks later I teamed up with Mike McGoldrick again and we were joined by Ed Boyd and John-Joe Kelly for a great night in Leeds run by fiddle player Des Hurley.

Things are gearing up at the moment for the new Salsa Celtica recording and some unusually small gigs in line with that are happening late March at Henry's Cellar Bar in Edinburgh so that should be enjoyable. Recording is planned for April/May.

 

updated 23rd feb 2005

Check out the new guestbook and leave a little message.

GUESTBOOK
View - Sign

 

updated 1st feb 2005

We were all saddened by the news that Martyn Bennett died on 30th January 2005, following a long struggle with cancer. Our thoughts are with his family.

 

updated 29th sept 2004

I played with Salsa Celtica at the last night of Proms in the Park in Hyde Park, London on 11th Sept in front of 40,000 people. Also on the bill that night were The Corrs, Bjorn Again and the wonderful Evelyn Glennie. Terry Wogan was there to keep Steve Kettley of Salsa Celtica happy!! Following this was a quick visit to Italy again with Salsa Celtica which included a lovely diversion in the form of a fantastic meal and day in Venice on top of the gig in Vicenza.

Last weekend I was in Ireland at the wonderful Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival. I played at the first of these festivals in 2002. This year had the pioneering Earl Scruggs at the age of 80 playing his first gig in Ireland. What a coup for Chris and Kathy to bring him and his band over from the States for such an event. Other players at the festival included among a long list of banjo players and others, stateside visitors Dirk Powell and Riley Baugus with whom I enjoyed one heck of a banjo finale at the end of the last festival concert. Dirk and Casey Driessen and myself had a little bit of fun after that with a few corridor tunes. Mayo may have lost the All-Ireland football final that day to the dismay of many people passing through the town on their way home from Dublin that evening but banjo-mania continued long into the night in Longford. (My mother Mary wasn't too pleased about the result of the football either and my Grandad Fleming would have banged his fist in resignment!!)

 

updated 9th july 2004

Following on from the Salsa Celtica English tour was the Scottish tour!! Shetland and Orkney were mental affairs when the hospitality overflowed but that is not to say that the rest of Scotland didn't live up to this. Suffice to say that a great time was had by one and all. This was the first extended tour that I did with 'The Salsas' and I came out smelling like a new pin!!

One of the many highlights of both tours had to be the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London's South Bank where the band sold-out (as they did at many venues) and raised the roof with all 900 people dancing in their seats, aisles and anywhere else they got a chance to boogie. The Lino Rocha fan club was out in full force.    view qeh photos

This followed a great night at the Inverness, Eden Court and preceeded another great night at Rothes Hall, Glenrothes. A lot of travelling for one small banjo player in a big Salsa band...

The Summer season is starting to hot up after some recent transatlantic and banjo gigs which you can read more about in the TOURING section. These involved a quick visit to the States for the 14th Annual Irish Connections Festival in Boston which had a stellar line-up. After this a weekend at the Bath Banjo Festival made for a welcoming return to this part of the world.

Salsa Celtica are about to begin a string of dates which include; Hitchin; the National Theatre, South Bank, London; Belgium; The Skye World Music Festival; Loch Lomond; The Latin Quarter Festival, Dublin when Éamonn gets a chance to play at home in Ireland for the first time with Salsa Celtica; The Edinburgh Jazz Festival; Forfar; Aberdour; the Celtic Fusion Festival in Castlewellan, Northern Ireland; before two gigs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival at the Spiegeltent.

Along the way there are some solo banjo-type gigs which keeps the diddley soul happy!!

 

updated 29th march 2004

I have just finished the English tour with Salsa Celtica taking in Chichester, Milton Keynes, St Helens, Hebden Bridge, Liverpool, Colchester, Norwich, Birmingham, Leicester and a session for the Andy Kershaw radio show recorded on St Patrick's Day for BBC Radio 3 at Maida Vale Studios London which airs Sunday 4th April.

Another visit to London is planed for 16th April when Salsa Celtica play at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank as part of the La Linea festival which has acts such as the great Eddie Palmieri, Omara Portuondo (the first lady of the Buena Vista Social Club) and Calexico among this years lineup.

This date comes towards the end of an extensive Scottish tour which started with The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh last Thursday and finishes in The Cottier Theatre, Glasgow via among other places, the North Isles, Orkney and Shetland. Other stops include Findhorn, Aberdeen, Inverness, Fort William, Oban, Glenrothes.

This will see me into May when more Salsa Celtica dates are planned. Check out the gigs page for further info.

 

updated 15th february 2004

At first glance my Celtic Connections 2004 seemed quiet but three gigs with Salsa Celtica - including a TV gig for BBC4 and TG4 (in Ireland) - and three gigs with Alison Brown Quartet (which was actually a quintet this year with special guest Andrea Zonn on fiddle and vocals) made for quite a busy festival.

Along with Dermot Byrne and John Blake we had a sell-out gig in Carlow in Ireland on 6th Feb (well sold out based on a comment by John - 'when the shadow of the front row covers your set list you know the place is well packed'). Thanks to Ger, Dave and Michelle for a great time.

Things are now gearing up for a few busy months ahead with Salsa Celtica who I tour England and Scotland with in March and April. Then follows a busy Summer; check listings for details etc.

Check out the touring section for photos and info of past gigs. This section is also updated periodically.

 

updated 21st november 2003

I performed on 'Traveling Folk' with Archie Fisher on Thursday 21st November for BBC Radio Scotland; interview and music with the wonderful Kris Drever. Listen to this show online at the BBC Radio Scotland 'Traveling Folk' site by clicking on the 'Listen Again' link.

I am featured on tradmusic.com Q&A interview section this month. Click here to read what he had to say about his music and influences.

Don't forget the gig with Mike McGoldrick, Kris Drever and Aaron Jones at the UK's best folk Club - BBC Radio 2 2003 Folk awards voted - the Edinburgh Folk Club, The Pleasance, on Nov 26th.

Also check out BBC Radio Scotland on Tues 9th December for the Celtic Connections' live celebration of Radio Scotland's 25th Anniversary. This live performance from the Paisley Abbey will feature Salsa Celtica (who I am playing with) and Irish band Kila. It should be some celebration so come along if you can or tune in if you can't!! This show will also be available on-line, again from the Radio Scotland site on the Celtic Connections page.

 

updated 1st october 2003

We record Irish TV Show 'Geantraí' for the Irish language station TG4 on 23rd October. Geantraí is on location in Glasgow, Scotland after doing another on-location in Manchester two nights previous. Check back to gigs page to see location of recording which is located in a Glasgow pub.

On the Halloween weekend I will play at the internationally renowned Return to Camden Town Festival in London, now in its 5th year.

fRoots magazine described last years festival...
'Ambitious programming, accomplished musicianship, expert teaching and skilful organisation were the keys to this year's huge success. Long may RtCT thrive!'

Fellow 'Through the Round Window' musicians Dermot Byrne of Altan and Tom Morrow of Dervish, along with renowned multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Garry O'Briain will join me at the festival to play at the London Irish Centre on 31st October. Other musicians on the night include Johnny Connolly and Charlie Lennon.

I will also do a banjo workshop at the festival on Sat 1st Nov.

Just confirmed for New Year, I will play with Salsa Celtica at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland. Shooglenifty will also play on the night with Salsa Celtica closing the Hogmanay party festivities.

updated 26th august 2003

The summer has included visits to Holland, Italy, Germany, England, Ireland and of course home in Scotland on the odd occasion.

A brief visit to England with the extraordinary talents of Michael McGoldrick, Dezi Donnelly, Kris Drever and John-Joe Kelly was a feast of music and band member meetings. Following this was a big night of music in Irish-Manchester, a gig with all of the above plus Ewan Vernal and Tim Edey and other special guests including wonderful tin whistle player Grace Kelly and Michael's niece.

In August I toured in Ireland as a guest with the Alison Brown Quartet getting to spend some more time with the great people in this band. Including the ever growing Hannah, Gary and Alison's 13 month old daughter, who learnt to walk in Ireland and walked out onto the huge National Concert Hall stage in Dublin clapping back at the rapturous crowd as she arrived and waving as she said goodbye. A star in the making no doubt!!

During the fabulous Edinburgh Festival I played two sellout gigs with Salsa Celtica at The Queen's Hall and The Famous Speigeltent and am due to play the final night of the festival (before the fireworks) at the reknowed Folk at the Oak series in Edinburgh's own Royal Oak.

I am due to do some trio gigs with Fine Friday's Kris Drever and Dervish's Tom Morrow in early September.

 

updated 14th may 2003

I am to play the Galway Arts Festival on Saturday July 19th.

I am working on and off with Salsa Celtica over the Summer months having recently played the "Burns an' a' that!" Festival in Ayr on May 11th.

Also, another trip to Ireland with the fabulous Alison Brown Quartet is planned for August.

Now buy both 'through the round window' and Russell's House cd 'Russell's House' on this site using 'PayPal'.

See pictures with Salsa Celtica at the Queen's Hall on Friday 7th March.

Check out the recent review of 'ttrw' in FRoots.

 

updated 26th february 2003

Over three weekends at Celtic Connections 2003 I played with the Alison Brown Quartet at the Fruitmarket, Salsa Celtica at the Barrowlands, and Eddi Reader (for 'Hummingbird' at both the Fruitmarket, along with ABQ, and at the Royal Glasgow Concert Hall, along with her big band and the RNSO). I also made late night appearences with Dervish, Danú and with Mike McGoldrick's big band on the closing night.

I have recently been working with Salsa Celtica on their new cd 'El Agua de la Vida' (see review). I have co-written a track on the cd with trumpet player Toby Shippey producing a type of Colombian dance/tune called a cumbia - with tenor banjo. We recorded this in early December.

I recently did an interview with Áine Hensey on Sunday 5th January on RTÉ Radio 1, Ireland, for the programme 'The Late Session'.

And also did 'Traveling Folk' with Archie Fisher on Thursday 9th January for BBC Radio Scotland; interview and music with the wonderful Kris Drever.

Both these shows are available on-line at the relevant sites (given above) for a limited period.

 

CD RELEASE

Éamonn's new cd 'through the round window' (ttrw) was released in the US by Compass Records on Aug 13th 2002 and in Ireland on October 4th 2002.

It was due for release in the UK on the 28th of October 2002.

The cd has being doing very well and continues to get extensive radio airplay around the world. It has received some great reviews and along with previews to festivals etc. there have been a number of press and media articles about Éamonn.

TOURING

JUNE 2004

Éamonn played at the 14th Annual Irish Connections Festival in Boston in June. A solo gig with John Doyle knocked the house down whilst re-newing old times. A gig with John, Alison Brown, Garry West (both of the Alison Brown Quartet) and Andrea Zonn, joined by Heidi Talbot and Tony McManus sent happy tunes throughout the festival grounds during the Compass Connections Set.                                             view boston photos

This festival had a stellar line-up including Lúnasa, Seán Keane (with the quare men Seán, John and Damien), Sharon Shannon with Pauline Scanlon and Solas. Great times were had catching up with all of the above some of whom - Séamus, Winnie, Eamonn and Mick - he hadn't seen for in the region of 10 years.

A special time was had at The Burren with Tommy and Louise McCarthy from Clare and now Somerville, Boston, the always mad and perfect hostess, Ger Cooney and Peter Molloy, some class of a man. The place was hopping on the Monday following the festival and there was no going to Martha's Vineyard to visit relations 'til the Tuesday like it or not!!

After this a weekend at the Bath Banjo Festival made for a welcoming return to this part of the world where the world of the banjo took over. Éamonn was teaching at this Festival along with the legendary 5-string player Bill Keith, clawhammer player Ken Perlman and the Dutch plectrum player, Tom Stuip. A gig at the Festival with Flook's fantastic guitarist Ed Boyd rounded off the weekend as well as meeting up again with the great 5-string player, Leon Hunt. Éamonn also got to play a cello banjo over the weekend which was truly fantastic. Click here to see some photos thanks to Ros.

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FEB 2004

Éamonn, Dermot Byrne (Altan) and John Blake in Carlow, Ireland.

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JAN 2004

Celtic Connections 2004 with Salsa Celtica and Alison Brown Quartet.

The Wee Folk Club, Edinburgh with Kris Drever. Another capacity crowd Wee Folk Club show for Éamonn and Kris.

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DEC 2003

Paris with Salsa Celtica          view pictures

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NOV 2003

Éamonn, Dermot Byrne (Altan), Tom Morrow (Dervish) and Garry Ó Briain at The Return to Camden Town Festival in London. Charlie Lennon and Johnny Connolly joined the guys on the stage for two encores.   view pictures

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OCT 2003

Éamonn, Michael McGoldrick (Capercaille et al), Kris Drever (Fine Friday et al) and Aaron Jones (Old Blind Dogs et al) at the Edinburgh Folk Club.

With Kris Drever and Aaron Jones and Claire Mann for the TG4 Geantraí Irish TV program recorded in Glasgow    view pictures

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MAY 2003

Éamonn is just back from Shetland 2003, his third time in as many years. He played there as the 'Éamonn Coyne Trio' featuring Tom Morrow on fiddle and Séamus O'Dowd on guitar and vocals, both from Irish 'supergroup' Dervish.

Fun was had with many bands among them 'La Volée d'Castors' from Quebeq, Swedish maestros 'Vasen', the legendary Ralph McTell, and the luminary 'Old Rope String Band'. Tunes were also had with all the aforementioned and many others, including 'home visiting' locals, maintaining the high level of artist interaction at the festival that he enjoyed on his other visits.

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NOV 2002

Éamonn was sorry to miss the Ennis Trad Festival 2002 in Ireland due to illness at which he was to play with Dermot Byrne, Tola Custy, Siobhán Peoples, Pat Marsh and Paul O'Driscoll. Hopefully he will be able to make up for this soon and not least at next years festival.

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OCT 2002

Éamonn performed at the first Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival in Longford, Ireland, in October. Along with the legendary 5-string player, Bill Keith, Éamonn hosted a banjo extravaganza at the final concert which featured such players as Alison Brown, Pete Wernick, Ken Perlman, John Carty, Mick Moloney, Tom Hanway and Junji Shirota on 4- and 5-string banjos. Éamonn also guested with the Alison Brown Quartet and Irish super-group, Dervish.

It wasn't all banjos at the festival however and other musicians featured at the weekend, apart from the aforementioned, included, Sean McGuire, Paddy Keenan and Tommy O'Sullivan, Davy Spillane and Kevin Glackin, Finbar Furey, Paddy Glackin and Micheál Ó Domhnaill, Maurice Lennon, and the Lee Valley String Band. An incredible line-up and an amazing festival; long may it continue.

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OCT 2002

Éamonn also played at the wonderful Celtic Colours 2002 Festival in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, with among others, Alison Brown, Phil Cuningham, Carlos Nuñez and Howie MacDonald as well as solo. This, Éamonn's third visit to Cape Breton, was every bit as good if not better than the previous ones. What a Festival and what a time we had in the highland house!!

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Further touring details can be found on the gigs page

ARTICLES

- JigTime.com, Dec 2003   view

- The Herald, Scotland, Dec 2002   view

- Interview for 'The World' program Oct 28th   listen

- The Halifax Herald, Nova Scotia, Canada   view

- What Compass Records say about 'ttrw'   view

 

 

REVIEWS

- NetRhythms, Feb 2004   view

- FRoots, Feb 2003   view

- The Irish Times, Jan 2003   view

- Penguin Rental Ltd., Mich G. Nielsen, Feb 2003   view

- Rambles, Nicky Rossiter, 8 Feb 2003   view

- The Irish Examiner, Dec 2002   view

- The Irish World, Nov 2002   view

- Hot Press, Nov 2002   view

- FolkWorld CD Reviews, Issue 24 12/2002   view

- columbiagypsy.net CD Reviews   view

- Scotland on Sunday, Nov 3, 2002   view

- Sunday Herald, Nov 2002   view

- The Halifax Daily News, Nova Scotia, Canada   view

- www.paythereckoning.com   view

- Cambridge Folk Festival
  with Alison Brown Quartet    view

- Rockzilla.net website     view

- Allmusic.com website     view