We are very excited to kick off our 2020 House Concert Series with the return of JigJam, from Tullamore, Ireland!
JigJam are a multi-award winning quartet from the heart of the midlands in Ireland. Blending the best of traditional Irish music with Bluegrass and Americana in a new genre which has been branded as ‘I-Grass’ (Irish influenced Bluegrass), their onstage energy along with their virtuosic musical ability has captivated audiences throughout the world.
Jamie McKeogh, Cathal Guinan and Daithi Melia all hail from Tullamore, Co. Offaly with Co. Tipperary born Gavin Strappe completing the quartet. All four members grew up immersed in Irish traditional music and culture which is reflected by the band collectively achieving over twenty All-Ireland titles at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann competitions. They have now developed their own unique style of music influenced by American Folk music whilst staying true to their Irish roots. Described as ‘The best Irish group so far in bluegrass’ this sharply dressed outfit deliver an energy-fuelled, foot-stomping live performance. All multi-instrumentalists, JigJam interchange between banjos, guitars, fiddles, mandolins and double bass onstage which creates an experience which is pleasing to both the eye and the ear.
Date: Friday, April 17, 2020 at 7PM Location: 1206 Mowery Ridge Rd., Frenchville, PA Bring your favorite beverage and if you like, you may bring a snack to share (optional). RSVP: ann@oakmountainhideaway.com
What a privileged it is to be hosting four members of The Crannua Collective at Oak Mountain Hideaway House Concerts!
The Crannua Collective features three generations of writers steeped in the the transatlantic tradition. They have come together to construct a new and original voice, creating a contemporary body of work, drawn from their collective and individual music history.
In 2015, Cormac De Barra was the Irish Cultural liaison for the World’s Fair in Milan. Knowing Ashley’s passion for writing within the Irish tradition, Cormac invited her to join him for a week, to curate a group of writers who also draw from the tradition to create contemporary works. The original members of The Crannua Collective (Moya Brennan, Éamonn De Barra, John Doyle, Cormac De Barra and Ashley Davis) collaborated during that week, producing live recordings and shows. From this work, John envisioned that they would create an album, blending the Gaelic traditions and Irish vocal traditions with Ashley’s traditional American roots. As the project grew, so did the collective. The group added new instruments and writing talents, as Dave Curley, Colin Farrell, Mick McAuley, Gawain Mathews and Cathy Jordan joined in 2017. Through this growth, the album’s transatlantic vision came into greater focus. This Collective would create a collection of original, contemporary works, drawing from the furthest Gaeltacht in Donegal to the Kansas prairie. It is with great pleasure that we offer you this new music, grown by The Crannua Collective from seed to flower.
We will have two of the founding members, Ashley Davis and Cormac DeBarra, as well as Dave Curley and Colin Farrell with us for this concert. Here is a little background on each of them.
Ashley Davis
Ashley is a singer and composer whose work spans many genres. A native of Kansas, she studied music first in Nashville and went on to immerse herself in the sean-nós Gaelic singing tradition in Ireland. She has released five solo albums to date, toured as vocalist with the group Lúnasa, and has collaborated with many artists including Sara Watkins and Paddy Moloney. We are very happy that Ashley has pulled together these members of the Crannua Collective to play here! www.ashleydavisband.com
Cormac De Barra
Raised in Dublin, Cormac De Barra is the third generation of harper in the family, and was taught first by his grandmother. He has been playing professionally since age 17, performing across the globe and with many artists including Hazel O’Connor, Brian Kennedy and The Chieftains. We have had his brothers, Éamonn (Slide and also a member of The Crannua Collective) and Fionán (Runa) here before. What a treat to have yet another fantastically talented member of the De Barra family play here! www.voicesandharps.ie
Dave Curley
Returning again, with yet another Irish group (he’s in high demand, …a testament to his talents) is Dave Curley. Dave is a Galway man and is regarded as one of Ireland’s leading traditional male vocalists. He is also a virtuoso on mandolin, banjo and guitar and is a member of various traditional music groups, most notably Slide and One for the Foxes. We are always excited to have Dave play and sing here at Oak Mountain Hideaway! www.davecurleymusic.com
Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell hails from Manchester and has been performing on the world stage for over two decades now. Equally at home on the whistle as he is on the fiddle, he has made a name for himself performing and recording with an array of great musicians in Europe and the US, including such groups as Flook, Grada, Karen Casey, The Elders, Julie Fowlis, The Michael McGoldrick Band and is currently playing with the band Lúnasa. Colin previously played here with John Doyle and we are thrilled to have him back! www.colinfarrellmusic.com
Date: Friday, June 12, 2020 at 7PM Location: 1206 Mowery Ridge Rd., Frenchville, PA Feel free to bring your favorite beverage and if you like, a snack to share (optional). RSVP: ann@oakmountainhideaway.com
