The IrishSea SessionsFriday 22 October 2010Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Carlene Anglim has been a fiddleplayer for nearly 27 years. She firstpicked up the violin age 6, went onto win Traditional Irishcompetitions, classical grades, andbecame professional age 17 afterwinning the BBC2 YoungTraditionalMusician of the Year in1993. Since then she has crossedmany genres, played onmanyalbums and toured extensively.

Colette O’Leary was born in thehighly musical area of SliabhLuachra in Co. Kerry in the southwest of Ireland. Her musicalcareer began at the age of fivewhen she took her first pianoaccordion lesson. By the age ofeighteen, she had won two All-Ireland titles.

‘I’m very excited about all of usgathering together under oneroof and creating great music inLiverpool. I’ve played inLiverpool a few times now andalways felt the spirit of the peopleand their appreciation of musicwas pretty special’.

Lizzie Nunnery has played ahost of venues and festivalsacross the UK including support

for ChrisWood, J.D Southerand JimMoray. She’s madenumerous appearances on BBCRadio including a liveperformance on Radio 3. Herdebut album, Company ofGhosts, was released by FellsideRecordings in April 2010. She isalso an award winningplaywright, with her mostrecent stage play Intemperance,receiving a 5 star review in theGuardian. Her play with songs,The Singer, was broadcast onBBC Radio 4 in November 08and she co-composed thesoundtrack to her short film,Monkey Love, broadcast onChannel 4 in September 2009

Born in Donaghmede on Dublin’sNorthside in 1975, DamienDempsey is the voice of thatunderclass and the quintessentialIrish singer songwriter. Animposing six foot two, he is aformer amateur boxer and asurvivor of street gang culture.The Times recently describedDempsey as ‘the BobMarley ofIreland’; a comparison whichholds true when one witnesses thedevotion of his audience and hischarismatic persona on stage.This singular stage presence wasnurtured by the legendary IrishFolk singer Christy Moore whomentored a shy, young Dempsey.In 2008 Dempsey recorded a setof traditional songs with theDubliners, he said ‘I want to givethe young kids an alternative tothe newMTV generation,gangster rap, Britney Spearsandmaybe get them interested intheir own history.’Hewasrecently invited to support BrianEno at the Sydney Opera Houseas part Eno’s inaugural LuminousFestival, and was asked by U2 tosupport them at the Croke Park.

Irish button accordionwizardDavidMunnelly brings newexcitement and depth to traditionalmusic while drawing for inspirationon pastmasters including theRoaring 20’s FlanaganBrothers.TheDavidMunnelly Bandexploded onto the scenewith hitalbums in Europe and Japan, dualCD releases inNorthAmerica, anda full tour schedule. ‘They are acreative force at the true epicentreof Irish traditionalmusic.’(liveIreland.com). David has touredand performedwith TheChieftains,DeDanaan, and other legendaryIrish artists. David also composed& recorded the original soundtrackfor the TG4 special Solas sanDorchadasm for which hereceived the 2004Composer of theYear Award.He also received the2005Composer of the Year Award.

Photo: Carlene Anglim

Clandeboye YoungMusician ofthe Year and ‘Accenture’Musician of the Year 2006 whichwas presented by the President ofIreland. She was recently a ROSLCompetition Finalist in Feb 2010and was awarded the ‘YoungArtists Platform Award 08/09’and Eimear has also just wonFirst Prize ‘Best Performer’ byunanimous vote at the Sir JamesGalway InternationalMasterclasses 09 in Switzerland.Eimear also performs with IanProwse’s Amsterdam.

‘I am really looking forward toworking together with greatmusicians creating somethingunique for what I think will bequite a special performance’.

Becky Taylor is one of the fewfemale exponents of the Uilleannor Irish Pipes in England today.Well renowned as a soloperformer and teacher, Becky hasperformed at folk festivals andevents in the UK and Europe forthe last 20 years.

Executive Producer: Simon Glinn / ProductionManager: TobyMills / Lighting Design: John King /Marketing: James HanksPress andMedia Production: Stuart Almond / Print Design: Paul Hooley

Thanks to: North Liverpool Academy; Hope Street Hotel; The Huyton Fatties; Jake Roney and all at Liverpool Irish Festival

Jacqui& Bridie'sFolk Club50th Yearand FinalNightSunday 23 January7.30pmLiverpoolPhilharmonic HallTickets £15, £20

In 1964 JacquiMcDonald, with herlate singing partnerBridie O'Donnell,formed the first full-time British femalefolk duo. They alsocreated Liverpool'scelebratedmonthlyFolk Club, an earlyplatform forperformers such asEwanMacColl & PeggySeeger, Martin Carthy,Barbara Dickson, TomPaxton, Maddy Priorand Phil Ochs.

Join Jacqui McDonaldand her friends for thelast ever Jacqui &Bridie's Folk Club. Afabulous line up ofsingers andmusiciansfrom the club's pastand present celebrateJacqui & Bridie's rolein the history ofLiverpool's musicscene.

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Welcome ...... to the first Irish Sea Sessions - a speciallycommissionedmeeting of musicians for LiverpoolIrish Festival 2010 to explore the musical andcultural connections between Liverpool and Ireland.The line up is a mixture of fine traditionalinstrumentalists and singers, and others whostarted out in pop, rock and even punk, but who assongwriters have found themselves inspired bytraditional music from Liverpool and Ireland.

Liverpool Irish Festival is now one of themajorcelebrations of connections with Irish culture in theworld, and has a strong track record in presentingvery high profile artists. The Festival’s inspirationgoes back to great sessions onMount Pleasant lastcentury, and the early Festivals were built on greatpub sessions. Yet the Festival has not attempted toproduce specific new collaborations on this scalebefore. Liverpool Philharmonic are contributing tothe Festival by bringing together all of these topmusicians, to produce something absolutely uniqueto this year’s Festival.We are also in discussions withpartners about extending the project in future yearsto include Belfast and Dublin, and to develop themusical themes, and to bring othermusicians to thesessions. I suspect in future years there will be acertain cachet about being able to say that you wereat the very first Irish Sea Sessions in 2010.

Simon GlinnExecutive Director of Liverpool Philharmonic Hall& Events, Vice-Chair of Liverpool Irish Festival.

About this evening’s session ...This great meeting of minds andmusical talent is directed bydouble bass player Bernard O’Neill and takes the format of arehearsed session. Themusicians met for the first time onWednesday last, and by 11pm that day had put together thefollowing outline programme, whichmay change!

1. SongDoes This Train Stop OnMerseyside2. Tunes The Red-Haired Lass / TheMerry Blacksmith3. Song Fear a Bhata4. Tunes The Other Side (waltz) / Tripping Down The Stairs5. Sea Chantey Yaller Girls6. Song IWish I was Back In Liverpool7.ReelsMangersta Beach / The Beoga Reel / McFadden’sHandsome Daughter

8. Song England Loves A Poor Boy9. Tunes!10. Song Tell MeMa11. Tune Inis12. SongRocky Road To Dublin

Interval

14. Tunes The Blackbird set15.More Tunes!16. SongMountains of Mourne17. Tunes Paddy Cronin / Tickle Her Leg / The Chicken That

Made The Soup18. Song Back Home In Derry19. Tune TheMaid Behind The Bar20. Song Set In Stone21. Song TheWater IsWide22. Song Sing All Your Troubles Away23. AndMore Tunes!24. Song The Leaving Of Liverpool

Bernard O’Neill was born inDublin, Ireland. He studiedpiano, cello and composition andworked in orchestras, theatresand sessions until he moved toLondon in 1987. Amove toDouble bass at this time and achancemeeting with thelegendary bassist DannyThompson altered his careerentirely. In the past twenty yearshe has recorded on over 200albums on Double bass, bassguitar and cello for a diversegroup of artists including RufusWainright, Sinead O’Connor, JeffBuckley, Natacha Atlas, AndrewCronshaw,Marius De Vries, LittleAxe, Temple of Sound, LoreenaMcKennit, LauraMichelle Kellyand Rolf Harris for whom he hasbeenmusical director and recordproducer since 1993.

‘The idea of the Irish Sea Sessionsis to bringmany different sectionsof the Liverpool/Irish traditiontogether, celebrating songs andtunes that have enduredmanyrough seas. The crew for tonightare all well provenmusicians butcome togetherwith realexcitement andmuch experienceto bring to Liverpool a newpresentation of talent andtradition’.

Terry Clarke-Coyne is one ofMerseyside's most respected andinfluential traditional musicians.Born into a family steeped in thetraditional music of Ireland, hestarted playing the flute andwhistle at the age of 11. His fatherwas amember of the worldfamous Liverpool Ceili Band inthe 1950s, and with his brothersEamon (fiddle-player, now amajor figure in Boston’s Irishmusic scene) andMick (pipes)Terry was amainstay of the greatsessions of the Liverpool IrishCentre onMount Pleasant in itsheyday. He is a formermember ofthe traditional group Garva and

has played extensively atcompetitions winning tophonours in world championships.

'I have lived and playedmusic inLiverpool all my life. The IrishSea has brought a host of topclass solo artists and groups toour city over the years but Icannot recall such an ambitiousand talent-loaded project. Thiswill be talked about for years tocome, and I am proud to be apart of it!’

Alan Burkemade his name as thelead singer, guitarist & bodhranplayer from Irish bandAfterhours, indeed he played withthem for over 10 years in the ‘80sand ‘90s. Alan is well respectedmusician amongst hiscontemporaries, having anextraordinary voice which is fullof power and sensitivity - as is hisguitar playing. Born in the heat ofthe London Irish community andsetting out in life as a drummer,

Alan has settled back in Dublinand has become a fluent Gaelicspeaker, with an almostinexhaustable repetoire of songsincluding traditional, Gaelic andcontemporary numbers.

‘This is a great pool of talentassembling in Liverpool! Thewealth ofmusical knowledge andtalent is inspiring.What’sfascinating is not only areweseeing just howmuch Liverpooland Ireland have influenced eachother’s cultures, but there’s a realsense that these artists fromdifferent generations and verydifferingmusical backgroundshave somuch in common. It’sthese traditional stories, tunesand songs that bring us alltogether. I started out as a punkrock drummermany yeas back,but have grown into a traditionalmusician; in this project I’vecome across people like IanProwse, a great Liverpool high-energy singer-songwriterwho isjust now beginning to immersehimself in traditionalmusic, andI’m looking forward toworkingwith a polymath like LizzieNunnery, alongside greatwellestablished tradmusicians likeLiverpool’s Terry Coyne andIreland’s NiamhParsons, aswellas powerfulmusicians likeDamienDempsey and bassistBernardO’Neill.’

NiamhParsons has come to beknown as one of themostdistinctive voices in Irishmusic.Her voice has drawn comparisonsto such venerated singers asDolores Keane, June Tabor andSandyDenny. The great Scottishballadeer Archie Fisher said ofNiamh ‘a songstress like hercomes along once or twice in ageneration.’

‘I’m looking forward toconnecting upwith fellow Irishmusicians andmeeting newLiverpool musicians at thisexciting project - and learningnew songs too’.

YoungDublinerGrahamDunne isawell-known guitarist in the IrishTraditionalmusic scene.He isknown for his sensitivity of touchas an accompanist, and his fieryability as a soloist. Based in Ennis,Grahamworks as a full timeguitarist withNiamhParsons.

Many have calledGino Lupari‘king of the bodhrán’;When asked,inRhythmMagazine, who herfavourite percussionists wereEvelynGlennie responded‘Anything byGino Lupari of FourMen and aDog’. Gino hasrecorded and performedwith,SinéadO’Connor and ShaneMcGowan andThe Popes andappeared in the BBCdramaThePassion.We’re it not for his greatmusicianship it’s probable thatGinowould have a career as acomedian!

Ian Prowse is asinger/songwriter fromMerseyside. A popular performerin his own right, Ian was founderand front man of legendaryLiverpool band Pele, and nowfronts the band Amsterdam.When Christy Moore asked Ian ifhe could do a version of Ian’ssongDoes This Train Stop OnMerseyside, there began afriendship which has seenChristy appear on Amsterdam’smost recent album, and Ian writeaMasters dissertation onChristy’s role in Irishmusic.

Photo:MarkMcNulty

The Irish Sea Sessions crew (left to right)Terry Clarke-Coyne Flutes, whistles / EimearMcGeown FlutesLizzie Nunnery Vocals, guitar, ukulele / Damien Dempsey Vocals, guitarIan Prowse Vocals, guitars / DavidMunnelly Button accordion, pianoBecky TaylorUillean pipes, whistles / Bernard O’NeillDouble bass, pianoCarlene Anglin Fiddle / Colette O’Leary Piano accordionGrahamDunne Acoustic guitar / Niamh Parsons VocalsAlan Burke Vocals, guitar / Gino Lupari Bodhran, percussion, vocals

Northern Ireland born flautistEimearMcGeown is based inLondon, graduating from TrinityCollege of Music in 2005 with theBMus(Hons) degree with 1stClass and the TCM Silver MedalAward. She has wonmanyawards including British runner-up of the Lion’s EuropeanMusicCompetition 06,Winner of the

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