Comprised
of three of Europe's best Celtic musicians,
Munnelly, Flaherty & Masure have made a name
for themselves on the European concert & festival
circuit. With members hailing from Ireland,
Scotland, & Belgium, the group features multi-award
winning Irish button accordionist & composer
David Munnelly, delightful Scottish singer Helen
Flaherty, & Belgian guitar/cittern virtuoso
Philip Masure.
Munnelly,
Flaherty & Masure have been featured in America
on NPR & on radio programs in Ireland, the UK,
& Europe. They have performed at the Dranouter
Festival, Brussells Jazz & Folk Festival, Liverpool
Irish Festival, the Labadoux Festival, & Leopoldsburg
Cultural Center (BE). In 2007, Munnelly Flaherty
& Masure will make their much anticipated North
American Debut Tour in 2007.
Multi-award
winning Irish button accordion wizard &
composer David Munnelly was
born in Belmullet County Mayo and comes from
a long line of traditional musicians. He grew
up in a house filled with Fiddle and Accordion
music.
David has been playing since the age of seven
and draws on the music of the past masters including
the Roaring 20's Flanagan Brothers and JJ Kimmel
for inspiration.
David, with his own band, has toured extensively
in Europe & Japan and North America. His
two albums, “Swing” & “By
Heck” have garnered critical acclaim &
broken Irish music sales records in Asia &
at festivals in North America.
Before
founding his own group, David personally toured
& performed with The Chieftains, De Danaan,
and numerous legendary Irish artists. He is
featured on The Chieftains’ CD, “Water
from the Well.” From same talented family
that has given the world fiddle sensation Eileen
Ivers, David is the latest member to take the
international Celtic music world by storm.
In 2001, David released his first CD, Swing,
based in part on the music & exciting feel
of the American Irish Dance Hall scene of the
Roaring 20's. 2003 saw the band join the prestigious
Irish Unplugged tour of Holland with Francis
Black & Kieran Goss. In 2004, David's second
CD, "By Heck," was released to critical
& popular acclaim in Ireland, Europe &
Japan.
Helen
Flaherty is a much-loved Scottish singer
and bodhran player. Her repertoire consists
of both traditional and traditionally-based
recent compositions. Her solo album, "Oft
Times I've Been Cheery," is available through
the Music & Words label online or through
record outlets in Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg,
France and Germany.
Helen was also a member of the well-known European
Celtic group Shantalla, and has appeared as
a guest vocalist with The David Munnelly Band
on the Irish Unplugged Tour, has toured and
recorded with Philip Masure, Comas and Daithi
Rua and has recorded with the Connemara Sean
nós singer, Mairtin Tom Sheainin.
Although
Philip Masure plays a number
of instruments, he is particularly well-known
in Europe as a guitar player. He has specialised
in open-tuning (DADGAD) and has played and recorded
with numerous bands including Orion, Laïs,
Carlene Anglim (winner BBC2 Young Tradition
Award), Mugar, Ambrozijn and Garva. He is also
a member of Urban Trad (2nd in the Eurovision
in 2003) and the international Celtic group
Comas.
Philip has given guitar workshops all over Europe,
and has become "one of the most sought-after
guitarists on the Celtic scene" (Irish
Post). Philip is also in great demand as a studio
musician and producer.
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