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Irish Music Cruises the music...
Irish Music Concerts at Sea: 2009 Cruise
Cruise with the legendary Liam Clancy,
The Makem and Spain
Brothers, Robbie
O'Connell, Aoife
Clancy, Seamus Kennedy, Evans & Doherty, Gabriel
Donohue, Matt & Shannon Heaton, Hanneke Cassel, Eugene Byrne, Ciaran Sheehan, and Dan Smith. Enjoy seven days
of Irish musical entertainment by your favorite Irish performers.
Sing. Dance. Laugh. Cry. You're in for a very memorable time.
It's a great chance to meet and be entertained by some of
today's best Irish traditional musicians. Listen to a sample
of each artist's music by clicking on a picture bselow.
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Liam Clancy of the famed Irish singing group The Clancy
Brothers and Tommy Makem, and the dynamic duo of Makem
and Clancy, headlines the onboard performance. Liam
spent many years performing to appreciative audiences
in America and Ireland after starting his singing career
in Greenwich Village in New York City with the likes
of Bob Dylan. Bob Dylan said of Liam, "He was just
the best ballad singer I ever heard in my life, still
is probably".
He now lives in County
Waterford, Ireland, and continues to record and perform
in concerts around the world. From 1996-1999, Liam
toured with his son, Donal Clancy, and his nephew,
Robbie O'Connell, who are also performing on the
cruise. The group, known as Clancy, O'Connell, & Clancy,
delighted audiences across North America and Europe.
Liam currently performs as a solo act at pubs, theatres,
and festivals across North America and Ireland. |
 Liam
also runs his own recording studio at his estate in
Ring, Co. Waterford.
Apparently, Liam's writing skills are
as good as his musical talents. His book, The Mountain
of the Women, an autobiography, has gotten very positive
reviews.
Liam is one of four Clancy musicians on the cruise.
His talented son Donal and niece Aoife and nephew Finbarr
are also performing as well as his nephew Robbie O'Connell.
 Listen
to a sample sea shanty sung by Liam Clancy.
Listen
to a sample Irish ballad sung by Liam Clancy.
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 The
Makem and Spain Brothers
Shane, Conor and Rory Makem represent the third generation
in their legendary family of Irish-born singers. The Makem
Brothers, professional entertainers since 1989, have had the
unique opportunity to study first hand from many of the top
acts in Irish music, growing up at sing-songs and sessions
frequented by some of Ireland's best known and prolific singers
and musicians.
Mickey and Liam Spain grew up listening to songs at the knee
of their father in the mill town of Manchester, New Hampshire.
Influenced by such diverse acts as The Weavers, The Clancy
Brothers and Tommy Makem, Woody Guthrie and Doc Watson, The
Spains were able to take the common elements in all and fuse
them into a style all their own. Mickey's baritone voice is
strong and pure, and his deft work on the guitar and bodrhan
provide this duos sturdy framework. Around this, Liam's endless
skills on the guitar, banjo, mandolin and harmonica finish
the picture as only a true artist can. Together they produce
a sound that is original, yet still steeped in the song tradition.
Their live performances have been called an "energetic"
and "electrifying" mixture of Irish, Scottish, and
American folk songs.
Listen
to a music sample of The Makem & Spain Brothers. Read
more on The Makem & Spain Brothers
group below.
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 Aoife
(pronounced "Ee-fa") Clancy is the daughter
of another famous Clancy, the late Bobby Clancy. Her
music includes traditional ballads from both sides of
the Atlantic. Aoife's understated, affecting voice,
described by the Boston Globe as a "beautifully
honest mezzo [that] possesses a husky lower register
that sweetens into pure high sustain without sounding
forced or affected." Whether backed by an Irish
fiddle or an American Dobro, Aoife breaks down ethnic
barriers into pure music, timeless and universal. Another
reviewer wrote, "She has the breadth of styles
that makes her concerts fascinating".
In addition to performing as lead vocal with Cherish the Ladies, Aoife has toured throughout the US and Europe and been a featured soloist with orchestras such as the Boston Pops and Cincinnati Pops. |
"Her singing
would melt packed ice with its warmth and richness" - Canberra Times. "Whether
she's delivering an ancient Irish ballad, an American folk classic, or
an urgent contemporary song, Aoife sings with the same gorgeous naturalism..." -
Boston Globe. Aoife grew up in the small Irish town of Carrick-on-Suir
in County Tipperary.
She was taught to play banjo and guitar by her father
Bobby by the time she was ten and started singing in
pubs with him by age 12. ("He was and still is
a great inspiration and always encouraged me to continue
singing…I owe him a lot," she says.) Aoife's
seemingly effortless blend of warm, natural vocals,
genre-defying instrumentation, and repertoire of classic
and modern material deserves to make this Clancy Daughter
a worthy inheritor of an iconic family name
. Listen
to a music sample sung by Aoife. |
 Seamus Kennedy
Seamus Kennedy, originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, has been entertaining audiences all over the United States for the past 32 years. With a ready wit and a vast store of songs, he travels from Alaska to Florida, Maryland to California, performing for audiences which range from Popes and presidents to bartenders and bricklayers, from college students to kindergartners.
In concert or festival, in pub or club, in colleges or high schools, Seamus Kennedy has the repertoire and the ability to make folks forget their cares for a while, to relax and enjoy themselves. He encourages the crowd to sing along to silly lyrics and daft ditties or act out the choruses of children's songs. When he plays a lively Irish jig or a reel, Seamus will often coax someone to jump up and dance to the music of his guitar or bodhrán - to the delight - and often amazement - of their friends. His audience participation songs and tongue-twisters have amused the ablest of participants and the nimblest of tongues.
Seamus has an endless supply of rib-tickling jokes, stories and one liners which can leave an audience breathless from laughing so hard. Many a crowd has gone home from one of his shows giggling to one another, "Do you remember the one about...?" (Ask him to do the routine about Moms And Kids, the Nuns, or Murphy and the Snails.)
But the Irish have their serious side too, and when Seamus performs one of the more somber ballads such as Tommy Sands' "There Were Roses" or Pete St. John's "Dublin In The Rare Old Times" you can hear a pin drop as the words sink in. That moment of silence before the applause can raise goosebumps. Seamus' greatest influences have been the Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem, the Dubliners' Luke Kelly, and the Irish Rovers, so it is no surprise to find many songs that they made famous, such as "The Wild Colonial Boy", "The Wild Rover," or "The Black Velvet Band" in his performance. So come and enjoy the music and mirth of one of Ireland's most popular exports - Seamus Kennedy!
Listen
to a music sample of Seamus Kennedy.
Listen
to another music sample of Seamus Kennedy.
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Hanneke Cassel
"Exuberant and rhythmic, somehow both wild and innocent, delivered with captivating melodic clarity and an irresistible playfulness," says The Boston Globe about Hanneke Cassel’s playing. Such charismatic fiddling has brought Hanneke Cassel many honors and awards. She is the 1997 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion, she holds a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from Berklee College of Music, and she has performed and taught across the U.S., Scotland, Sweden, China, New Zealand, France, England, and Austria.
In addition to her solo act, Hanneke has played for the Cathie Ryan Band, and is a member of Boston-based fiddle bands Childsplay and Halali. She has made guest appearances with Cherish the Ladies, Alasdair Fraser, Matt Glaser and the Wayfaring Strangers, Ensemble Galilei, Aine Minogue, and Joey McIntyre (from New Kids on the Block). Her fiddling has graced the stages of Boston’s Symphony Hall (opening for Judy Collins), Mountain Stage, The Plaza Hotel, Lincoln Center, the Boston Hatch Shell, and the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage.
Listen
to a music sample of Hanneke Cassel.
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 Gabriel
Donohue, another transplant from Ireland to the U.S., will be singing
and playing the guitar and the piano for us on the cruise. He was for
a time a part of Riverdance star Michael Flatley's ensemble and they
shared an interest in Flamenco which became part of the stage show. He
has performed with a group called Jigsaw with musical friends Eileen
Ivers and Joanie Madden and toured Europe and the USA with The Chieftans
and Paddy Maloney. In 1995 Gabriel had the distinct good fortune to be
selected to perform at The White House and he has played five times at
Carnegie Hall and he has appeared on many television shows as well.
You can
listen
to Gabriel's song here.
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 Kevin Evans & Brian Doherty have been an integral part of the East Coast music scene for twenty years. They have been together as Evans & Doherty for eighteen years. To capture the essence of an Evans & Doherty performance, take a lively blend of traditional, original and contemporary songs, add a liberal sprinkling of stories and humour, then sit back and enjoy these fine entertainers.
As well as performing front and center on stage, Evans & Doherty are involved with many aspects of the music industry. Brian owns and operates Eastern Entertainment Agency, a booking agency and production company which co-ordinates tours of Atlantic Canada for many Canadian and international acts. Kevin owns and operates Modtrad Music, a publishing company, through which much of the material performed by Evans & Doherty is published and licensed. Through Eastern Entertainment Agency, Evans & Doherty have produced recordings for a number of East coast groups, as well as three compilation recordings (A Taste Of The Maritimes, A Taste Of Atlantic Canada and An East Coast Christmas) for national labels.
Listen to a music sample of Evans & Doherty.
 Dan Smith has been playing guitar since the age of 5. At 7, he was on stage. By 12 years old, he was on TV, and Dan has been playing across the country all his life. He even played for the Chief of Staff of the USAF in 1977. After leaving the military, Dan received his degree, and has given music lessons, recorded and mentored many people. Dan has been highlighted in numerous press releases, tv guides, and has been a favorite with critics. Dan comes from a musical family, and his children are following his example. Together, with his children, he often performs for the Friendly Son's of Saint Patrick, The Kennedy-Donovan Center, and many other organizations. Dan performs as a soloist in restaurants and bars from three to four evenings per week. He has 3 original CD's to his credit, a holiday CD, and many more to come.
You can listen
to Dan Smith here.
You can listen
to another Dan Smith sample here.
Ciaran was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. After college, he settled in New York City, where he studied acting with Meisner disciple Kathryn Gately and legendary Broadway director Bobby Lewis.
Currently he is studying voice with David Jones in NYC.
After winning the role of Tom in Hal Prince's acclaimed play Grandchild Of Kings, Ciaran's talent was quickly recognized and rewarded by starring roles on Broadway in such prestigious productions as Les Miserables (Babet, Marius) and The Phantom Of The Opera (1,000 performances as the dashing young Raoul, followed by over 1,000 performances on Broadway and in Toronto, as The Phantom). Broadway stage work also includes Byzantium (W. B. Yeats), The Molly Maguires (James McKenna), and Pulitzer Prize winning author Frank McCourt's The Irish...and How They Got That Way, as well as a wide variety of productions at the Irish Repertory Theatre in New York City. Television and film work includes appearances on Law And Order, One Life To Live, Late Night With David Letterman, The PBS Presentation of The Irish...and How They Got That Way, Another World, and Married To The Mob. Ciaran's singing engagements include memorable and acclaimed performances on Broadway with such theater legends as Vanessa Redgrave, Angela Lansbury, Shirley Jones, and Rosemary Clooney. He touched the hearts of millions world-wide with his rendition of Danny Boy sung at the internationally televised Memorial Mass for John and Carolyn Kennedy, Jr. at Old St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC.
Listen to a music sample of Ciaran Sheehan.
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Listen to another Makem-Spain song.
The Makem and Spain Brothers
During the winter of 2003 the Makem Brothers joined
forces with Irish music's Spain Brothers to form a quintet
as strong and unique as anything offered in Irish music
today. The result is a musical act far greater than
the sum of its parts and an electric onstage chemistry
that few acts ever achieve. Their sound comes from powerfully
backed, precise three-part harmonies, varied instrumentation
and a strong appreciation for the history and progression
of folk music. |
 Waterford-born,
American-based singer/songwriter Robbie O'Connell, according
to Ireland's Hot Press magazine is "... a man blessed
with an enviable turn of phrase and a gift for melody
bestowed only on the few... a national treasure."
Robbie is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist of exceptional
skill. "O'Connell's intimate, breathy tenor has long
been a treat while alternating songs of heart-breaking
tragedy, with those of side splitting hilarity, he defined
the Irish condition, both for natives and American-born,
in intriguing and enthralling ways." -The Post-Star
His silken voice weaves through the spare accompaniment of guitar, fiddle, whistle, accordion, and pipes."- The New Age Journal. "And his keen sense of humor is never far from the surface..." Paul Dromey, The Evening Echo
"He displays an uncanny gift for telling the clearest anecdotes in song..." - Scott Alarik, New England Folk Almanac
"... O'Connell has a unique perspective on life
from both sides of the Atlantic. His music spans a wide
spectrum of emotion, balancing cynicism with light hearted
discourse and moving sentimentality... Although he has
obvious roots in traditional Irish music, O'Connell
is never limited by its charm or range. Instead, he
pushes his music further into the mainstream..."
- Chris Fisher, The Minuteman Chronicle
His lyrical concerns are broadly based, with a strong contemporary relevance, though their melodic structures owe much to the native tradition, an impression enhanced by the intelligent use of instruments such as fiddles, banjos, flutes and pipes.
Listen to a sample of Robbie's music.
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Eugene Byrne is first and foremost an entertainer. During his long career he has worn various performing hats, but in every guise, he remained, an entertainer.
Show business is not new to Eugene Byrne. He came to North America for the first time in 1967, playing Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, and a coast-to-coast tour of Canada and the USA with the Irish Rovers.
Later he became entertainment manager for Harp and Bard, Inc., a chain of Irish Pubs in the Boston area, and subsequently took over Harp and Bard productions, which represented Tommy Makem.
He worked with Tommy for almost 20 years—at Irish Festivals in the summer, concerts, cruises, and for many years he cohosted trips to Ireland with him.
Eugene Byrne's act is good, polished and professional. His performance is music and laughs, life and carousing, enthusiasm and careful consideration of a poignant lyric.
He is at his best in front of a live audience, and the key to his success is the pleasant and warm feeling he always generates in his audience.
Groups he's been
part of:
Blarney Folk
New Folk Trio
Garrison Brothers
Musicians he's preformed on the same bill in concert with:
Tommy Makem
Liam Clancy
The Dubliners
Clancy Brothers
Jim McCann
Breandan Grace
Freddie White
Cherish the ladys
Donal Lunney
Billy Connelly
Fury Brothers
Irish Rovers
Wolf Tones
Chieftains
Stan Rogers
Kingston Trio
Tom Paxton
Highway Men
Ian Tyson
Danny Doyle
Hal Roach
Phil Coulter
Paddy Reilly
Shaw Brothers
Schooner Fare
Barley Bree
Don McLane
Pete Seeger
Johnnie Cunningham
Battlefield Band
Christy Moore
Eileen Ivers
Concerts and Festivals
Garden State Arts Center
New Jersey
Plas D'Arts
Montreal
Madison Square Garden
New York City
Felt Forum
New York City
Carnegie Hall
New York City
Confereration Center Calgery and Edmonton
Royal Theater
Victoria, British Columia
Queen E Theater
Vancouver, British Columia
Milwaukee Irish Fest
San Francisco Irish Festival
Texas Irish Festival
Cleveland Irish Fest
New Orleans Celtic Fest
Television Appearances
Late Late Show
Dublin Ireland
Good Day Show Boston
A Time for Music PBS
Merv Griffin Show
To-Day Show
Boston
Makem Sing
BBC
Showband Show
RTE
Maritine Country
CBC
Barney Bree Show CBC
New Folk Trio Sings PBS
Albums
Away from Home
Well-Loved Refrains:
a tribute to the song writing of Tommy Makem
Recordings
Sound of Ireland
Blarney Folk
London International
Live at the Harp and Bard
Bard Records
Touch of Ireland
Blarney Folk
Decca
Let Those Irish Brown Eyes Shine at Me
London International
Ballads for Drinking and Craic
Tribune Records
A Wee Bit of Scotch and a Lot of Blarney
Bard Records
Introducing the New Folk Trio
Tugboat Records
Songs and Stories
Boot Records
Live at the Black Rose
Bard Records
People and Places
Finglas Tapes
Eugene Byrne "LIVE"
Finglas Tapes
Listen to a music sample of Eugene Byrne. |
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