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"Music of fire and brilliance from the
high-wire act in traditional music!" - The Irish Times.
Máire Ní Chathasaigh grew up
in a well-known West Cork musical family and she began to play the harp at the age of 11.
As a teenager her originality was quickly recognized: having won the All-Ireland and
Pan-Celtic Harp Competitions several times, a number of TV and radio broadcasts followed.
In 1985 she recorded the first harp album ever to concentrate on traditional Irish dance
music, The New-Strung Harp - "a mile-stone in Irish harp music": the techniques which she
invented for the purpose have been profoundly influential - "a single-handed reinvention
of the harp". Máire's unique approach to her instrument has had a profound influence on a
whole generation of Irish harpers. She has developed a variety of new techniques, particularly
in relation to ornamentation. In the faster tunes, her technique in maintaining a crystal
sharp melody plus rhythmic and harmonic devices all up in the air is unique. Her harp has
tuners on it enabling her to rapidly change key while playing. Máire also sings, plays tin
whistle and piano.
It was announced in Dublin on
October 2, 2001 that Máire Ni Chathasaigh was the recipient of the TG4 National Traditional
Music Award for Musician of the Year 2001 (the highest possible honour for a traditional Irish
musician). Máire was presented with this award at a live televised awards ceremony in the
Cork Opera House on November 17, 2001. (TG4 is Ireland's Irish-language TV station.) The
citation says: "For the excellence and pioneering force of her music, the remarkable growth
she has brought to the music of the harp & for the positive influence she has had on the
young generation of harpers".
Chris Newman began to play
guitar at the age of four and at fourteen gave his first paid concert in a folk club. Chris
is one of Britain's leading guitarists. He dabbled in the jazz scene in his late teens
(playing with and learning from people like Stephane Grappelli & Diz Disley). A foray
into the commercial world resulted in a silver disc for producing The Oldest Swinger in Town.
A prolific composer, arranger and record producer, he now concentrates on traditional music
and composition. Chris spent many years with a variety of acoustic bands, producing an
eclectic body of recorded material culminating in the release of two solo albums Chris
Newman and Chris Newman Two. One day in 1985 he decided he'd really rather play interesting
music than pursue interesting paychecks and thereafter became immersed in the traditional
music of Ireland and Scotland. In 1995 he joined celebrated Celtic band Boys of the Lough
and toured with them until August 1997. "Dazzling" - Acoustic Guitar "Revered" -
Taplas
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