A distinguished sideman who has already recorded and performed with some of the biggest names in Jazz music (Oscar Peterson, Niels-Henning Örsted Pedersen, Herbie Hancock or Pat Metheny amongst many others), Swedish born guitar player Ulf Wakenius is a highly expressive and soulful musician. Ever since moving to the ... [Continue Reading]
guitar
The Gloaming
The Gloaming’s self-titled début album is simply magnificent. This is contemporary music that is both deeply rooted in traditional Irish music or Sean-nós singing and totally in tune with the 21st century musical zeitgeist. The group emerged in 2011 from the genuine convergence of kindred spirits who have known each other for a ... [Continue Reading]
Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli: Si tu savais
As the years go by, each day brings additional proof that there’s no need to be a jazz fan in order to develop a passion for Django’s dreamlike universe, for the poetry and that so very special tone which were his alone. Alain Antonietto – Rétrospective Django Reinhardt 1934-53 Virtuoso Gypsy jazz guitar player Django ... [Continue Reading]
Boubacar Traoré: Tunga Magni
The career of Malian musician Boubacar Traoré is rather unconventional and mirrors a life full of twists and turns. For most of the 1960s, Boubacar Traoré was a celebrity on the national airwaves as a whole generation in Mali grew up listening to his music. Adopting the rock’n’roll style spreading worldwide at the time, Traoré’s ... [Continue Reading]
Markus Stockhausen: Mona
The fruit of the pan-European cooperation between German trumpet player Markus Stockhausen, Hungarian classical guitar player Ferenc Snétberger, Norwegian bass player Arild Andersen and French drummer Patrice Héral, Joyosa (2004) is more than a traditional solo jazz recording with sidemen. Coming to life as distinct duos from ... [Continue Reading]
Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill: The castle/The nightingale
Since the mid-1990s, East Clare fiddler Martin Hayes and Chicago-born guitar player Dennis Cahill have struck the most interesting musical partnership. Martin Hayes was born into the rich musical tradition of East Clare music while Dennis Cahill's musical background is more urban and influenced by Rock and Jazz. Yet, ... [Continue Reading]
Steve Cooney: O’Farrell’s Welcome to Limerick
Steve Cooney is an Australian guitar player, arranger, composer and poet who has been a towering influence on the contemporary Irish music scene ever since moving to Ireland from his native Melbourne in 1981. A rock and blues musician originally, Steve Cooney first joined seminal band Stockton's Wing as a bass and didgeridoo ... [Continue Reading]