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Hammersmith hosts stars to promote Camden festival
 The
next in a series of concerts to publicise the 2007 Return To Camden Town
Festival will take place on Saturday, September 8 at the Irish Cultural
Centre in Hammersmith.
Featured artists are Brian Kelly, James Carty, Pete and Jackie Quinn,
Maighread and Brighid Quirke, Collette O’Leary, Jamie Smith and
Paddy Gallagher.
Brian Kelly began playing traditional Irish music at the age of seven
under the tutelage of Brendan Mulkere from Co. Clare.
He took up the mandolin aged nine and the banjo aged 10. He won the All-Ireland
banjo title aged 11 at his first attempt and went on to win eight All-Ireland
championships in total.
Brian has held prestigious residencies in London including The Swan in
Stockwell and The Stag’s Head in Camden Town with Paddy Gallagher.
He has also appeared with Alec Finn, Brian Kennedy, Brendan Power and
Ron Kavana and alongside band members of Lúnasa, the Afro Celts,
Dervish and Nomos.
In December 2003 he joined Shane McGowan’s backing band The Popes
and toured extensively with them in Europe.
Brian launched his second solo album Plain Of Jars at last year’s
festival.
Colette O’Leary was born in the highly musical area of Sliabh Luachra
in Co. Kerry.
Having won two All-Ireland titles by the age of 18 she moved to Galway
in 1992 where she teamed up with harpist Laoise Kelly and mandolin/banjo
player Mary Shannon to form the acclaimed band Bumblebees.
Their debut album was voted one of the top-10 albums of the year.
Colette moved to London in 2001 and recently recorded her first solo album
The Attic Room.
Jamie Smith was born and brought up in Scotland but now lives in London.
He plays in a multitude of bands.
Twice All-Britain fiddle champion and a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland
Young Traditional Musician Of The Year he has toured extensively in Britain
and Europe.
He is currently riding high on the success of his debut solo album released
at this year’s Celtic Connections Festival.
Guitarist Paddy Gallagher is one of the London traditional music scene’s
treasures he brings a vast knowledge of tunes and years of experience
playing with most of the great musicians who have lived and played in
the city including Tommy McCarthy, Brian Rooney and John Carty. Greatly
in demand as an accompanist, Paddy has a unique style of playing richly
enveloping with a subtle and musical choice of chords and harmonic structure.
James Carty was born in London of Roscommon and Connemara parents.
He is steeped in music through his family and also from the rich vein
of playing that existed in London during his formative years.
James featured on Joe Whelan and Liam Farrell’s album They Sailed
Away From Dublin Bay and has also recorded with his brother John.
Last year James’ own debut solo recording Upon My Soul was received
extremely positively by critics and musicians alike.
Pete Quinn is the highly-regarded pianist with The London Lasses.
Their third album Enchanted Lady was released this year and received great
critical acclaim.
Well-known on the London traditional music and session scene Pete has
recorded with flute player Mick Mulvey and fiddler Sean Casey. He has
also performed with Brendan McGlinchey and Colm O’Donnell.
Jackie Quirke was born in Cork, grew up in Dublin and learnt her Irish
in Tourmakeady in Co. Mayo and Inis Oirr.
Her repertoire of songs has been learnt along the way. She has been living
in London for the last 16 years. Jackie’s London-born daughters,
Maighread and Brighid, learnt songs from their mother and father Mossie
and are winners of the All-Britain Fleadh. |
