After blowing away audiences at the recent Woodford Folk Festival, FourWinds have their eyes set on the Illawarra Folk Festival.
"FourWinds were a perfect introduction to our audiences for our new Irish partnership," says Chloe Goodyear, Woodford Folk Festival Head of Programming. “So energetic, such great tunes, and lovely folks to deal with.”
With a one-off show in Brisbane with Irish folk legend Andy Irvine last week, the band list their favourite, classic Irish traditional albums.
1. Paul Brady and Andy Irvine
This album came out in 1976 and consists of mainly Irish and English songs. The arrangements are subtle and came right after Planxty's first outcome. It was produced by Donal Lunny and it is probably the best singing album of all time. It resonates of the '70s and still delivers magic every time. An all-time classic. (Daoiri's choice)2. Meitheal
Feisty West Kerry accordion music along with soft singing in the Irish language. This classic recording came out in the '80s and shed light to the music of West Kerry. This is Caroline's choice as she resides in Dingle. This beautiful recording from Seamus Begley and Steve Cooney is also a classic in the sense that it is deeply rooted in a local tradition but also embraces the genius of Steve Cooney's backing (on guitar, bass and even didgeridoo). Slides and polkas all the way!3. Doublin - Paddy Keenan and Paddy Glackin
"This album is the soundtrack to my childhood," says Tom. "It is a simple duet of uilleann pipes and fiddle. To me Paddy Keenan is my biggest influence and his lively and soulful playing resonates in this recording of timeless, Irish classic session tunes."4. Danu - All Things Considered
Danu has been at the forefront of Irish music since the early 2000s. They are one of the bands who made FourWinds realise that it is possible to play traditional Irish music in a 'straight' manner and deliver it in a lively way to a new audience. Their album 'All Things Considered' is Robbie's album of choice. "Young, energetic music played and sung beautifully and straight from the heart."5. The Bothy Band - Old Hag You've Killed Me
This is an all-time favourite of the band. Pure passion! The blend of instruments is seamless, the arrangements as simple as they are effective. Music comes first and the energy produced is second to none. The selection of songs and tunes will forever remain in the folk repertoire. An absolute belter! A must-have for any Irish music enthusiast.FourWinds Shows
11-15 Jan - Illawara Folk Festival17 Jan - Wauchope Arts Hall (NSW)
18 Jan - 5 Church Street (Bellingen)
20 Jan - The Unorthodox Church of Groove (Newcastle)
21 Jan - Metropole Guesthouse (Katoomba)
22 Jan - Django Bar (Sydney)
23 Jan - Smith's Alternative (Canberra)
24 Jan - Spotted Mallard (Melbourne)
26 Jan - Four Winds Festival (Bermagui)
