electronic press kit for
Chris Newman & Máire Ní Chathasaigh
World-renowned Celtic harp & guitar duo
”Brilliant, innovative harping and guitar-playing of astonishing virtuosity and versatility”
* * * * SONGLINES
About them (in brief)
Since its début on Cambridge Folk Festival's main stage in 1987, the world-renowned partnership of “one of the UK’s finest and most influential acoustic guitarists” (fROOTS) with “the doyenne of Irish harpers” (* * * * * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY) has presented its unique musical vision in twenty-four countries on five continents to venues ranging from the tiniest of village halls to palaces in Kyoto and Istanbul, London’s Barbican, Cologne's Philharmonie, and Town Halls from Sydney to Seattle.Chris Newman has toured and recorded with many luminaries of the folk and jazz worlds, among them Boys of the Lough, Aly Bain, Diz Disley and Stéphane Grappelli, and is an award-winning composer and record producer, receiving a silver disc for producing "The Oldest Swinger in Town", a Top 10 hit for comedian Fred Wedlock.Máire Ní Chathasaigh (pronounced Moira Nee Ha-ha-sig), steeped in the traditions of her native Co. Cork, is a recipient of Irish music’s most prestigious award, Traditional Musician of the Year (Gradam Cheoil TG4 - Ceoltóir na Bliana) and a multiple All-Ireland winner; she developed profoundly influential techniques for harp performance of traditional Irish music, heard on her iconic 1985 solo album, 'The New Strung Harp' - "a milestone in Irish harp music” - which was re-mastered and reissued in 2023. “She is the great innovator of modern Irish harping, a player of outstanding technique and imagination” THE ROUGH GUIDE TO IRISH MUSIC “Máire is an absolute legend.” THE IRISH ECHO (USA)Their performances are a breathtaking blend of traditional Irish music, hot jazz, bluegrass and baroque, spiced with striking new compositions, dazzling pieces from Chris’ groundbreaking solo album Breaking Bach - and what THE WEST AUSTRALIAN calls his "delightfully subversive wit”!
Reviews
“Music of fire and brilliance from the high-wire act in traditional music” * * * * THE IRISH TIMES (Ireland) “An eclecticism and spirit of adventure that is quite thrilling” THE TIMES (UK) “Dazzling virtuosity” THE DAILY TELEGRAPH (UK) "Sublime" SYDNEY MORNING HERALD (Australia) “In a class of their own” THE GUARDIAN (UK) “Remarquables de virtuosité et de grâce” TRAD Magazine (France) „Erstaunlich“ ("Astonishing") GENERAL-ANZEIGER (Germany) "The mood is ever changing - sometimes haunting, sometimes boisterous but always magical. The pair's imaginations know no bounds" THE BRISBANE COURIER-MAIL (Australia) “Their stagecraft was masterly and their introductions informative and funny” THE CHRISTCHURCH PRESS (New Zealand) “Their blinding technique, sizzling Irish reels and hot jazz improvisation brought an extended standing ovation... Newman has the great gift of being informative and hilarious simultaneously” THE WEST AUSTRALIAN “Máire is an absolute legend... a game-changer in the world of harp-music… truly ground-breaking” THE IRISH ECHO (USA) “Blazing guitar and dancing harp” DIRTY LINEN (USA) “This celebrated duo took the place by storm. Stately Carolan tunes, jazzy Django-ish numbers, dazzling Doc Watson style flat picking fliers, driving Irish dance tunes - this pair can nonchalantly do the lot. Guitar players applauded and went sadly home to burn their instruments!” THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH (Ireland)
Other News
Chris’ groundbreaking new solo guitar album 'Breaking Bach' has received wonderful reviews (* * * * THE SCOTSMAN * * * * * FOLK WALES "Dazzling... utterly breathtaking... a triumph.” * * * * RnR MAGAZINE “A colossal achievement” THE LIVING TRADITION “A magnificent tour-de-force”, and Máire's 1985 album 'The New Strung Harp' ("a game-changer in the world of harp-music… truly ground-breaking… Máire is an absolute legend. The music here is as sublime now as it was when it was released… Essential listening” THE IRISH ECHO, USA) was digitally remastered and re-released in 2023.
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Listen to tracks from their albums
Their shop website, Old Bridge Music, has just been re-designed and re-written. Every album on the website now its own audio player, so it's possible to listen to snippets from every track.
Downloads