Cran – Sat 24th October & Mon 26th October – Return to London Town Festival

One of the truly seminal bands in Irish music today, Altan started out in the early 1980s as a duo of Belfast flute-player, Frankie Kennedy and Gweedore singer and fiddler, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh. They specialized in performing old Donegal fiddle music (then little known outside Donegal) and unusual Northern flute tunes and rapidly became known for the style, power and inventiveness of their playing.

The band has evolved over the years, in particular developing its trademark twin fiddle sound. Presently playing fiddle opposite Mairéad is the great Donegal fiddler, Ciaran Tourish. The band has recently been joined by Ciaran’s cousin, Martin, on piano accordion. Martin is also a composer of note and was the recipient of the 2008 TG4 ‘Young Musician of the Year’ award.

Altan was signed to Virgin Records in 1996, the first Irish band of its kind to sign with a major label. They have since gone on to gain gold and platinum albums and have appeared throughout the world. Their latest album, The Widening Gyre, was recorded in Nashville and is a collaboration with friends and guests to explore the influence of Appalachian music on Irish music. It features, among others, Alison Brown, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Bruce Molsky, Todd Phillips, Bryan Sutton, Darol Anger, Tim O’Brien, Eddi Reader and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Cran are Ronan Browne, uilleann pipes, flute and vocals, Desi Wilkinson, flute and vocals and Sean Corcoran, bouzouki and vocals. The band’s performances combine musical virtuosity with songs, humour, banter and stories.

They combine dance music, haunting slow airs on flute and pipes and songs, ranging from the highly-ornamented sean-nós of Conamara to the port a’bhéil or mouth music of Donegal. Their repertoire includes songs in Irish and English, covering the entire gamut from the old story-telling “long ballads” to lively comic songs of “pure divilment and rascality”.

See Also Afternoon Concert In association with Irish Elderly Advice Network – Cran / Bryan Rooney and Pete Quinn / Comhaltas in Britain – 2pm ¤ London Irish Centre ¤ £5

Cran featuring with Bryan Rooney and Pete Quinn / Comhaltas in Britain

We are delighted to feature the great Leitrim fiddle player, Bryan Rooney, in concert. Bryan was named Musician of the Year in the 2012 TG4 Gradam Ceoil awards.

He has lived in London since the late 1960s and is recognised as one of the master fiddlers of his generation. His now classic album, The Goodfather, was released in 1999 and was followed in 2002 by Leitrim to London. After a gap of almost a decade, Bryan’s most recent recording, At Complete Ease, an album of duets with the great John Carty, was released in 2011. The album, which has already become a classic, features Bryan’s son, James and his brother Mickey, together with Alec Finn, Brian McGrath and Arty McGlynn.

Bryan is accompanied today by Pete Quinn on piano. From Liverpool, Pete’s performing experience extends from John Cage at the Barbican through jazz fusion at Ronnie Scott’s to traditional Irish music at the BBC Proms. Formerly with The London Lasses, he has recorded and played with some of the greats of traditional Irish music.

Featuring many of the finest Comhaltas musicians based in London, the performers come from across the generations and include winners of several All-Ireland titles. Following the success of its nationwide tour in 2014, Comhltas UK is on the road again. Proceeds from this concert will go to the

Comhaltas provincial council off Britain and will be used to help the staging of its national events. For further information about the work of Comhaltas, please contact its development worker for London, John Devine – info@johndevinemusic.com.