If you like what you hear please support the station by making a donation or by purchasing your music through our store or one of our affiliate links.

popup playlist

 

Niamh Ní Charra - A must for 2007!!! Print E-mail
Monday, 30 April 2007

Album: (Ón Dá Thaobh) From Both Sides

ImageWhen Alan O'leary at Copperplate told me he was sending me a new album that was right up my street, he wasn't kidding. This album is phenomenal. Niamh's fiddle and concertina playing are exquisitely mastered and with such charm as well! This is certainly going to be one of my top albums of 2007. I honestly don't believe she can be beaten. It's hard to pick out favourites from this album as the tunes have been so lovingly selected that you really want to listen to the whole album to appreciate the genius behind Niamh's playing.  This is quite simply, ground breaking. This is master-class musicianship, and legend in the making...
Niamh Ní Charra hails from Killarney, County Kerry in the south west of Ireland. Strongly influenced by the wealth of local Sliabh Luachra(1: see footnote) musicians, she started playing music at the early age of 4, under the tutelage of well known local musician Nicky McAuliffe. Equally talented on fiddle and concertina, she has won numerous awards, including Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Oireachtas, and Slógadh Náisiúnta and has represented Ireland at folk festivals in Britain and France. Somewhat of a child prodigy, she had support gigs for The Chieftains, and Noel Hill under her belt before she reached her teens.
  
Despite this rich background, she put aside her music to pursue a career in Electronic Engineering. After graduating with honours, Niamh was employed by an Irish software company who regularly sent her on business trips to Boston. Here she was exposed to a continuous flow of Irish musicians (Arcady, Sharon Shannon, Nomos) as well as locally based musicians (Paddy Keenan , Seamus Connolly, Tommy McCarthy).

ImageThe draw of the music proved too strong, and Niamh decided to resign from work to persue a career in music. She moved to Cork to take a year-long course in 'Music, Management, and Sound' at Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa, where she graduated with distinctions in every subject - the only student ever to have achieved this feat. The college subsequently awarded her "Musician of the Year". She swiftly followed this with recordings for Irish radio and television, and performances with Riverdance 's European troupe in Europe, Asia and on board the QE2, before joining the U.S. troupe in 1998. Niamh performed with Riverdance from that date until December 2005, touring with them in North America. From Mexico to Vancouver, and Los Angeles to Broadway, New York, Niamh has delighted audiences with her fiery fiddling, fancy footwork and dazzling smiles. More recently she shared her talents in Riverdance's Irish and Far East productions performing in her native capital as well as the more exotic locations of Tokyo and Taipei among others.

Niamh has returned to Dublin, Ireland where she is working as a freelance musician, regularly gigging across the city. She also teaches both fiddle and concertina at Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann's national headquarters, An Cultúrlann in Monkstown, and will shortly be releasing her début album "Ón Dá Thaobh / From Both Sides".

It may appear to be a long journey from sessions in Buckley's bar with the old Kerry greats to world wide spotlight in Riverdance.Niamh Ni Charra makes it seem like a short step across the road.
Real music knows no boundaries, after all, and Niamh demonstrates as uncommonly broad range of musical expression. She is equally at home in the sparse but beautiful An Raibh Tu ag an gCarraig and in full-throttle ensemble pieces such as The Broken Pledge. This breath of musical vision is also evident in her choice ot repertoire. Regondi's Allegretto No 4 - an extraordinary piece of concertina whimsy - rubs shoulder with Micho Russell's Jig. The Hungarian tune Dunantuli Friss Csardasok finds a ready partner in The Gravel Walks.)

While most musicians struggle to master one instrument, Niamh possesses as effortless fluency on fiddle and concertina, allowing her to communicate both sides of her musical personality. Scattered throughout this collection are several tunes from her fertile musical imagination. This can be a hazardous strategy inviting comparison with well-established favourites. Niamh carries it off with style; each tune sits comfortably with its neighbours while retaining its individuality.

On Da Thaobh / From Both Sides is a contemporary album with its feet firmly planted in the tradition. The old Kerry masters would be well pleased.
Pat Herring Ahern Jan 2007

ImageWhat the press are saying:

“There is spectacular work from Niamh Ní Charra, a gorgeous blonde who does things on the fiddle and the concertina, that must be seen and heard to be believed.” Slidell Sentry, New Orleans 05/2005

“Charming fiddler Niamh Ní Charra, who seemed to dance a jig while playing one, easily could have been a one-woman show.”
South Bend Tribune, South Bend 05/2005

“Of special note (was the ) beguiling fiddler / concertinist Niamh Ní Charra, who roamed and skipped the stage as she played.”
Times - Picayune, New Orleans 05/2005

“Niamh Ní Charra, the sassy electric fiddle and concertina player, was a crowd pleaser.” Charleston Daily Mail, Charleston 06/2005

“Kudos were in order for Niamh Ní Charra for her fancy fiddle work.” Arkansas Times, Little Rock 01/2005

“Fiddler Niamh Ní Charra, a striking blonde plays while skipping backward.” Star-Telegram, Grand Prairie 06/2005

“Blond fiddler phenomena!” Charleston Gazette, Charleston 06/2005

"The company’s indefatigable violinist, Niamh Ni Charra provides some fancy fiddling for the solo passages of this number, (America Wake) as well as for many other exciting moments in the show." United Press International New York 03/05

“jaunty fiddle playing” New York Times 03/05

"The jovial violinist snapped a few of her bow’s strands as she rocked her space-age Stradivarius." Erie Times 03/05
For further details of Niamh check out www.niamhnicharra.com and www.myspace.com/niamhnicharra
Notes: 
(1)  Sliabh Luachra:Sliabh Luachra (pronounced Shleeve Lew-cra) is a region in Munster, Ireland, located around the River Blackwater, on the County Cork/County Kerry borderland. This region has a unique musical style which makes heavy use of the polka and the slide. Indeed, most of the polkas and slides in Irish traditional music derive from this region.
{mos_fb_discuss:9} 
 
< Prev   Next >
[ Back ]