The Gloaming

THE GLOAMING is Irish music super group Iarla Ó Lionaird, Thomas Bartlett, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill.

Listen to a live recording from the National Concert Hall in Dublin last summer.

"The music of the Emerald Isle may have spread far and wide, but there is little that will be performed that sounds like The Gloaming." The New Yorker

The Gloaming carves new paths connecting the rich Irish folk tradition and the New York contemporary music scene. From haunting sean-nós songs to rousing instrumental medleys, they make music that is both ancient and utterly new.

This group of extraordinary virtuoso musicians each have their own highly successful individual careers, but came together with a shared musical aesthetic to form a band with a sound all of its own. The five players met to explore new music at Grouse Lodge Studios is West Meath, Ireland, in early 2011. At once they made music that is sparse and beautiful, authentic and tune-filled.

Featuring New York pianist Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman), Chicago guitarist Dennis Cahill, fiddle master Martin Hayes, hardanger innovator Caoimhin Ó Raghallaigh and Irish singer Iarla Ó Lionaird -- well known for his contribution to the legendary Afro Celt Sound System.

The band performed their first tour in Ireland in August 2011 including a sold out debut show at The National Concert Hall, Dublin. Summer 2013 saw their welcome return with concerts in London, Amsterdam, Paris & New York.

The debut album, entitled simply 'The Gloaming', was produced by Thomas Bartlett (Glen Hansard, Sam Amidon) and mixed by Patrick Dillett (David Byrne & St. Vincent). Set for release in January 2014, 'The Gloaming' has already been heavily touted by the Irish Times, NPR and The New Yorker Magazine, who recognized that The Gloaming "moves the music of Ireland in captivating new directions."

"Their live performances so far have been revelatory... Future dates are likely to cement them as one of the great forces in Irish music." - The Irish Times

The Gloaming are in no particular order...

Iarla Ó Lionaird :

Iarla Ó Lionáird grew up and learned his craft in the musical heartland of Cúil Aodha in the West Cork Gaeltacht. Ó Lionaird established himself both as a masterful exponent of Sean Nós Song and as a pioneer in its renewal and development. Always an artist on his own journey Ó Lionáird signed to Real World in the mid 1990's where he would go on to make many ground breaking recordings with the multi million selling Afro Celt Sound System. His solo career was inevitable and would begin with the acclaimed and powerful "Seven Steps To Mercy". Produced by Michael Brook, the album saw Ó Lionaird create a new and unique work in which is his voices soars with power and tenderness. He went on to release the soundtrack for "I Could Read The Sky", and "Invisible Fields" which melds electronic soundscapes with sean nós to stunning effect. He released his latest solo album "Foxlight" on Real World in 2011.

Martin Hayes:

Martin Hayes' unique sound, his mastery of the fiddle, his acknowledgement of the past and his ability to place the tradition within a wider contemporary context, combine to create a unique and insightful interpretation of Irish music. He has drawn inspiration from many musical genres, but remains grounded in the music he grew up with in East County Clare where the tradition he inherited from his late father, P. Joe Hayes, was the formative influence on his musical accent and ideas. He has recorded two acclaimed solo albums, "Martin Hayes" and "Under the Moon" on the Green Linnet label and three duet albums with Dennis Cahill: "The Lonesome Touch", "Live in Seattle", and "Welcome Here Again". His latest release is Triúr sa Draighean with Peadar Ó Riada and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh.

Dennis Cahill:

Dennis Cahill is a master guitarist, a native of Chicago born to parents from the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. He studied at the city's prestigious Music College before becoming an active member of the local music scene. Cahill's spare, essential accompaniment to Martin Hayes' fiddle is acknowledged as a major breakthrough for guitar in the Irish tradition. In addition to his work with Martin, Dennis has performed with such renowned fiddlers as Liz Carroll, Eileen Ivers and Kevin Burke, as well as many Irish musicians on both sides of the Atlantic. He is a sought after producer for musical artists whom he records in his own Chicago studio and is also an accomplished photographer

Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh:

Dublin-born Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh plays traditional and contemporary folk music on fiddle, 5-string viola and hardanger fiddle in small intimate listening venues. In 2007, he released Where the One-Eyed Man is King, an adventurous, self-produced little EP: Caoimhín has recently been studying the work of contemporary folk fiddlers from other countries, including Nils Okland, Dan Trueman and Johan Hedin, and has been writing new material that continues to explore that region where Irish traditional music begins to disintegrate. He has recently been involved in two acclaimed recordings, Le Gealaigh/A Moment of Madness with Brendan Begley and Triúr sa Draighean with Peadar Ó Riada and Martin Hayes.

Thomas Bartlett:

Thomas Bartlett, aka Doveman, grew up in Vermont, and began playing ukelele at age three, after the wardens at his daycare found him strumming a block and decided he could probably put resonant strings to good use. He began playing piano at age five, and never stopped -- dropping out of high school to study in London with Maria Curcio, one of the 20th century's greatest classical music teachers. Thomas went on to Columbia University for a year but dropped out, again -- this time to concentrate on his classical music studies, until he dropped out, again! -- this time to play with bands. He quickly became one of the most in-demand sidemen in New York City. Thomas has played or recorded with Antony & the Johnsons, Nico Muhly, Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Glen Hansard, Bebel Gilberto, Arto Lindsay, The National, and Yoko Ono. He makes music as Doveman. His latest release is The Conformist on Brassland. 

Watch and listen the videos: 

The  Gloaming, Peppercannister Church, Why I love Irish music, Samhradh Samhradh, The Gloaming Part 1, The Gloaming Part 2, The Gloaming Part 3, The Gloaming Part 4 and at Globalfest.