FolkWorld #45 07/2011
© Florian Fürst/ff-musikbüro

Article in German

Harmonicas & Harmonies

Pure Irish Drops Logo

"Pure Irish Drops 2010"

www.myspace.com/pureirishdropseurope

Pure Irish Drops -- 22.10.–23.11.2011.

In this part of the world the harmonica (mouth organ) is rather not well know as an instrument of the traditional irish music. Fortunately there are some real top-flight musicians, who master this little instrument, that is everything else but a toy. John Murphy is one of the two sons of the harmonica legend Phil Murphy from Wexford, who unfortunately passed away in the year 1989. Button accordion and melodeon master Benny McCarthy adds his hand-harmonicas to the project and the third musician in this project is Dónal Clancy, also son of a legend, who masterly interprets traditional irish music with his guitar...

John Murphy, Benny McCarthy, Dónal Clancy

Benny McCarthy @ FolkWorld: FW#36, #45

www.myspace.com | www.youtube.com

Dónal Clancy @ FolkWorld: FW#32, #44

www.myspace.com | www.youtube.com

www.donalclancy.com

John Murphy - Harmonica

John Murphy from Bannow in County Wexford is one of Ireland's leading traditional harmonica players. He played with his late father Phil Murphy, who also was a marvelous harmonica player, at many festivals and folk clubs throughout the seventies and eighties. John's younger brother Pip completed the harmonica playing trio, who performed extensively until Phil's death in 1989. John and Pip continue to perform as solo artists and as a duet. Just three weeks before Phil's death the murphys recorded their legendary album "The Trip to Cullenstown". John has performed extensively on radio and TV, and had numerous LIVE gigs in Ireland, Britain, France, the US and Canada. He also can be heard regularly in his own pub "Colfer's" of Carrig-On-Bannow, County Wexford.

Benny McCarthy - Hand-Harmonicas

Benny comes from Deelish, West Waterford, and is a founder member of Danú. He began to play the accordion at the age of 13 and absorbed influences from other players including Jackie Daly, Joe Derrane and Máirtín O' Connor. As his career has progressed, Benny has developed his own uniquely personal style, clearly influenced by his melodeon playing. He has participated in PURE IRISH DROPS projects already three times, 1999 "The Young Generation", 2006 "Music from the Déise" and 2008 "20 Years Anniversary". His unbelievable virtuosic playing, which makes him the powerhouse of every group he plays with, blows every audience away. His tours led him apart from almost every European countries to North-America, Japan and even to India. Off course he enjoys this success, but remaines true to himself, and till this day he is, what he always was, a grand brilliant box player, who loves to play music, be it alone or with others.

Dónal Clancy - Guitar

Dónal was born into a very musical family in An Rinn in County Waterford. His father is Liam Clancy, one of the legendary Clancy Brothers, his uncles and aunts are all singers, actors and musicians. It was inevitable that he would follow in their footsteps. Donal represents the next generation of the Clancy family. He is among the most in-demand guitarists anywhere in Celtic music. Not only does he use his guitar with virtuosity as instrument for his empathetic and powerful accompaniment, but he also plugs with ease irish tunes on it … and then there is really something happening. 2006 he was already on tour with the Déise project of the PURE IRISH DROPS.

Photo Credits: (1) Pure Irish Drops Logo, (2) John Murphy, Benny McCarthy, Dónal Clancy (by Florian Fürst/ff-musikbüro).


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