Music Performaces (World Music)
Lunfardia
Ioana Petcu-Colan: Violin
Ariel Hernandez: Guitar, Vocals
Dermot Dunne: Accordion
Malachy Robinson: Bass
Lucas Gonzales: Percussion, Guitar
Latin American group Lunfardia perform a vibrant mix of song and dance music from countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay, Bolivia and Peru. Lunfardia bring together original compositions by Ariel Hernandez alongside traditional Latin-American pieces: from the heart of Buenos Aires through the magic Tangos, Milongas and Candombes the Chacareras and Zambas from the Argentinean northwest, the Huayno from Bolivia, the strong percussive beats of Afro-Peruvian rhythms and the fast melodies of Choros from Brazil. Lunfardia is an extraordinary 5 piece ensemble combining the talents of international world class players.
Lunfardia's new album Acollaradox was given a four-star review by The Irish Times. The sound is a sophisticated mix of South American idioms with elements of classical and jazz, always highlighting the characteristics of its virtuosic musicians.
Ioana Petcu-Colan
An Irish violinist of Romanian origin, Ioana is an established soloist and chamber musician travelling internationally to perform from her current home in Barcelona. Ioana's solo appearances with orchestra have featured Khachaturian, Shostakovitch, Bruch, Beethoven, Mozart and both Prokofiev Violin Concertos as well as works by Saint-Saens, Wieniaswki, Mozart and Sarasate and concertos by Bach performed both on modern and baroque violin.
Ariel Hernandez
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina Hernandez moved to Ireland in 2004 where his versatility as a composer and performer have led to a number of musical projects in Ireland and abroad. Presently, his love of Argentinean folkloric music and jazz have brought about some wonderful collaborations and ensembles across two continents. Ariel has shared the stage with such leading Argentinean musicians as Ariel Ramírez, Domingo Cura, Suna Rocha and Verónica Condomí.
Dermot Dunne
Born in Dublin, he studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kiev. Since winning the RTÉ Musician of the Future in 1996 Dermot has become a regular performer throughout Ireland, appearing at all major venues and festivals including the NCH, Ulster Hall, Kilkenny Festival, Vogler Spring Festival and West Cork Chamber Music Festival. Dermot has also performed as soloist and chamber musician with orchestras including the Ulster Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra and Irish Chamber Orchestra. Apart from Ireland, Dermot has performed in France, Portugal, Germany, Serbia, Macedonia and Ukraine. His styles range from baroque to contemporary classical and from Bulgarian folk to Argentinean.
Malachy Robinson
Malachy Robinson is a dedicated chamber musician taking in everything from early music to contemporary classical and jazz. Principal double-bass with the Irish Chamber Orchestra since 1995, he is also a founder member of the Crash Ensemble, as well as appearing with period-instrument orchestras such as the Irish Baroque Orchestra and the Academy of Ancient Music. Malachy has performed with the Vanbrugh, Callino, Con Tempo, Parisii and Vogler Quartets as well as Daghda Dance Company and cabaret diva Camille O'Sullivan
Lucas Gonzales
A versatile musician whose interests cover a variety of musical styles, including flamenco, classical and contemporary film scores. Lucas has been performing and recording as a Flamenco guitarist and percussionist since 1997. He has collaborated with Trafalgar (Argentina), Roberto Obregón (USA), El Candil (Switzerland), Sólo Flamenco and Aires Flamencos (Ireland). In 2008, he toured Ireland with García Flamenco, and performed with musicians such as Salvador Andrades and José Parra. Gonzales performs regularly with bailaor Felipe de Algeciras in Ireland and plays guitar and cajón for Flamenco dance workshops with artists including Concha Jareño, Maria la Serrana, Felipe de Algeciras and Cristina Hall.
Bahh Band Bazaar
Brian - bodhran, Ceara -voice, Ciro - tabla, Goisha - voice, Mattu - sarod, Pauli - double bass, Tom - dobro/voice
What happens when thousands of years of tradition in Indian classical music wash up into the little melting pot on the edge of the Atlantic know as Galway City?
Bahh! the Bengali word for something that is satisfying beyond words.
Indian Instruments; the 25 stringed Sarod and the tabla (percussion) converse with bodhran and dobro (resonator guitar). The meeting ground is often original compositions, but can just as easily be ancient Indian classical compositions or contemporary western melodies by Bella Fleck or Jeff Wayne (War of The Worlds). Add in double bass and sean-nós and Eastern European (Polish) vocalists and you have the Bahh sound, as represented on the new CD Worlds Colliding (2010). Bahh performances involve 8 musicians and singers, guests performers, projections, incense and chai for the audience, but smaller arrangements can be configured for educational settings.
World Music Experience
Niwel Tsumbu – Guitar and Vocals
Éamonn Cagney – Percussion Instruments
A Concert Workshop or Performance which can be tailored for music students, arts festivals or world culture events. Niwel Tsumbu from Congo, Central Africa and Éamonn Cagney from Donegal, Ireland, have been making music together for 3 years. They play regularly as The Niwel Tsumbu Duo all over Ireland and also as part of a 10 piece band called The Clear Sky Ensemble. They weave together many styles of music; Traditional music from both their countries, Jazz, Funk, Classical, Latin, Afro-beat and lots of other sounds and ideas.
Éamonn Cagney is a Drummer and Percussionist who plays many different drums from different parts of the world - Africa, Latin America, Middle East and of course Ireland! He has traveled to places such as Ghana West Africa, Australia, France and England to learn from teachers and play drum!
Niwel Tsumbu is a Guitarist, Drummer and Singer who composes music as well as playing traditional music from his home country, Congo. His journey has taken him all the way to Ireland where he now lives and works as a musician. He loves jazz and all kinds of WORLD Music and is always seeking new sounds and inspiration.
The performance consists of music composed by Niwel and Éamonn, with some traditional roots here and there also. Both musicians are happy to talk about their backgrounds, musical or otherwise, so allow time at the end for questions as well as lots of musical interaction with the audience.
Niwel Tsumbu trades in good vibrations. His wayward incantations and surgically precise guitar lines were a breath of fresh air… Congolese-born but resident here, Tsumbu radiates energy. Irish Times 2007.
Wassa Wassa
Working with Artscope since 2008 Dublin based collective Wassa Wassa features a colourful stage show of West African percussion, song and dance. With members from around the world who share a common passion for rhythm Wassa Wassa add their own contemporary twist to the traditional compositions of West Africa with really exciting results. Wassa Wassa is constantly evolving with regular new recruits to the collective ensuring a rich variety in the musical results. Wassa Wassa invite African Master Drummers and Dancers to train and play with the collective annually and have previously been privileged to support legend of West African Percussion Mamady Keite.
Wassa Wassa invite Amara Kante
Cross-cultural exchange and collaboration are key to the success, strength and truly delightful shows produced by Wassa Wassa and in summer 2011 Wassa Wassa will welcome African master drummer Amara Kante to Ireland to perform at festivals across Ireland. Of Malinké origin Amara started playing percussions at the age of seven when he joined Koteba d’Abidjan to train as a percussionist and dancer. He was so exceptionally talented that he was able to work with the Koteba group and the Ballets Africains de Guinée, touring through Africa, the United States and Europe. His extensive professional experience has attracted famous international artists such as Mory Kante and Peter Gabriel and in 1997 he created the Benkan Foli troupe with the purpose of bringing together the greatest artists (drummers, dancers, and singers) to share the richness of the traditional Manding culture with audiences throughout the world.
Ile-Ife World Music Concert
Celebrates the meeting of two cultures in a perfomance of African drumming, singing and traditional Irish flute together Solomon Ijigade, Gabriel Akujobi, Gwen Frin and Brian Fleming use song, melody, story and an array of Irish and West African percussion instruments to bring to life songs and rhythms from Ile-Ife to the banks of the Liffey.
Ile-Ife is the Nigerian town from where the Yoruba people trace their origins. Since 2000 Solomon has been bringing his own version of Yoruba culture to schools and audiences around Ireland. Originally a native of Dublin, Brian has played traditonal drums at festivals and theatres all over the world. He has a particular connection with West African drumming and led the Dublin based world music group De Jimbe for 12 years. With a practice that encompasses music, theatre and community arts, Brian is probably best known in Ireland as the creator of the world's biggest drum, the Millenium Drum, Guiness Book of Records 2001.
With Gabriel Akujobi from Nigeria and Gwen Frin from Britanny, the group is a complete package which was chosen to welcome Kofi Annan to the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin in October 2008. They also played at the Media and Multi Culturalism Awards (MAMA) in the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in November 2008 as well as performing for Christmas shows at The Ark, children's theatre in Dublin.
Derrière la Cravate
Monsieur Franco – Accordion
David Burgos – Vocals, Guitar
Olivier Bensoussan – Clarinet
Established in 2003 and taking their name from a French metaphor for life after the office, ‘once the tie is undone’, this Parisian trio combine clarinet, accordion, guitar and vocals to create original compositions that exploit each instrument’s harmonic range. Playing a repertoire of their own works where love, humour and mood songs alternate, Derrière la Cravate explore themes of childhood, love, friendship and old age. Awarded the Pic d’Or in 2004, the group are fervent believers in bistro-style culture allowing artistes to express themselves freely. The music of Derrière la Cravate reflects a musical world without borders, drawing on numerous influences including tango, waltz and gypsy jazz to create a style of their own most aptly described as ‘songs with text and swing’.
Derrière la Cravate have worked with Artscope since 2005.
Dunne & Hernandez Accordion and Guitars 
Dermot Dunne born in Dublin, he studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kiev. Since winning the RTÉ Musician of the Future competition in 1996, Dermot has become a regular performer throughout Ireland, appearing at all major venues including the NCH, Ulster Hall, Kilkenny Festival, Vogler Spring Festival and West Cork Chamber Music Festival. Dermot has also performed as soloist and chamber musician with orchestras including the Ulster Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra and Irish Chamber Orchestra . Outside of Ireland Dermot has performed extensively in France, Portugal, Germany, Serbia, Macedonia and Ukraine. His style ranges from baroque to contemporary classical and from Bulgarian folk to Argentinean.
Ariel Hernandez took his first guitar lessons at the age of eight and continued with lessons in percussion, charango and jazz guitar before entering the prestigious Avellaneda Music School where he studied jazz, tango and Argentinean folk music. In 1999 he joined the Argentinean folk group Huancara, writing and arranging most of the group’s repertoire. Since then Ariel has shared the stage with such leading Argentinean musicians as Ariel Ramírez, Domingo Cura, Suna Rocha and Verónica Condomí.
When Ariel Hernandez arrived in Dublin in 2004, with little save some guitars and a repertoire of songs from his Argentine homeland he enlisted the formidable services of Ireland's leading classical accordionist Dermot Dunne and so this instinctive musical partnership was born. Hernandez brings a wealth of Latin music and folklore to the encounter, while the virtuoso Dunne assimilates its intricate phrasing and nuance with casual ease and authenticity. Together, they illuminate the music of the Argentine from the familiar Tango and Milonga of Buenos Aires to the exotic Chacarera and Huayno of the North, while also exploring music from other parts of South America such as the Brazilian Choro and Venezuelan Joropo. Moving freely between songs and instrumental, originals by Ariel Hernandez are also performed which add a jazz accent to the folk styles of the region. An unforgettable duo!
Jabba Jabba Jimbe
This highly interactive and entertaining group have worked with Artscope entertaining and educating schools groups and performing at fe stivals around Ireland since 2005.
Jabba Jabba Jimbe give a unique insight into the percussion, songs and dances of West Africa through interactive music programmes.
Akrowa the Jabba Jabba Jimbe show is a pulsating performance using a variety of different instruments from West Africa alongside informative descriptions of their history and use in African culture, allowing the audience to experiment with rhythm, song and dance.
The members of Akrowa are Thomas Annang, a drummer and dancer from Ghana, West Africa and Jabba Jabba Jimbe founder, David Day, a percussionist from Ireland, who has studied drumming in Europe, US, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Ghana as well as West Africa. This is an entertaining show suitable for festivals, cultural events, schools, youth and community groups.
Spotlight on India with The Dublin Gurus
A Dublin based Indian band playing music from the Indian classical
and folk traditions The Dublin Gurus combine hip-hop rhythms and beats with the lilting melodies from India.
The Dublin Gurus have performed at the Festival of World Cultures, Fused*, Seotur Festival and Ruaille Buaille! Lucan Children's Music Festival.
