Traditional duo set to perform
LEGENDARY Irish accordion player and singer Seamus Begley and guitar virtuoso Jim Murray are joining forces once again with a tour to celebrate Seamus’ 70th birthday.
The duo will perform at Mermaid Arts Centre on Thursday, June 25, at 8 p.m. Tickets are €20 or €18 concession and are available at mermaidartscentre.ie.
Accordion player and singer Seamus, who hails from Dingle, has a unique style and is considered to be one of the finest players of the dance music of West Kerry.
Seamus is one of the most popular Irish traditional musicians, coming as he does from one of the most musically acclaimed Irish families. He is the quintessential Irish musician, an eager storyteller known for his sharp wit and famous for pumping out tune after tune at all-night sessions.
He plays with an energy that is alarming, bringing a frisky spontaneity to his box-playing, belting out jigs, slides and polkas with rapid sprays of reckless ornamentation before making a sudden key change into a bitter-sweet air, sung or played on the accordion. His repertoire reflects his own place and his style of playing is much influenced by a now gone generation of accordion and fiddle players who came to céilí in his family home.
Seamus’ style is unique and he is never happier than when people are dancing to his music. He divides his time between his small holding in the West Kerry Gaeltacht and in travelling around Ireland and the world playing music.
He has toured extensively with Jim Murray, Altan, Téada, Steve Cooney and Mary Black to name but a few.
Jim Murray’s formidable reputation has been established as a player of traditional music – both as a melody player and as an accompanist.
Throughout his childhood, Jim, who hails from Macroom in West Cork, performed with various groups including his father’s ceilidh band. In his late teens, he formed a group with fellow local musicians which quickly led him to be invited to play professionally with many of Ireland’s renowned artists.
Over the last decade, Jim has combined a wide range of music and influences to create an exciting modern sound in guitar accompaniment.
Jim plays regularly as a member of Sharon Shannon’s band and has also toured and recorded with Altan, Mary Black, Sinead O’Connor, Steve Earle, Donal Lunny and many other musicians.
Jim continues to tour and record with an array of artists while basing himself in West Cork.