Dermot Byrne celebrates debut solo album

TG4’s Traditional Musician of the Year of 2013, Dermot Byrne has reunited with musicians Steve Cooney and Trevor Hutchinson to celebrate his ground breaking debut album released all of twenty years ago.
Dermot Byrne is one of Ireland’s finest traditional accordion players is now on tour to mark the twentieth anniversary of his solo album ‘Dermot Byrne’ released in 1995.
For many years as a member of Altan Dermot performed, recorded and toured extensively with the group bringing traditional Irish music to audiences all over the world.
In recent years he tours a records with his partner Floriane Blancke. Flor was born in Paris, France. The talented harpist, fiddler, pianist and vocalist has been embraced into Irish Traditional music circles for many years.
Dermot’s solo record ‘Dermot Byrne’ was hailed on its release and still stands as one of the foremost albums of the genre. The album was recorded as live while Demot toured the West of Ireland in the company of Steve Cooney on guitar and Trevor Hutchinson on bass.
The recording were made by Hummingbird Records at intimate gigs in The Lobby Bar in Cork, DeBarras in Clonakilty and McCarthys in Baltimore.
“Dublin based Humming Bird Records brought a mobile studio down just hung cables out the window and recorded everything that moved for us for three nights,” explains Dermot.
The venues with their long tradition as fine venues added to the atmosphere of the recordings.
“DeBarras has a great atmosphere. It is an earthy pub and there is a lovely room out the back of it for gigs. The Lobby had a great atmosphere upstairs. A lot of trad gigs passed through there. Its a lovely part of the country.”
Australian-born guitarist, bassist, producer and didgeridoo player Steve Cooney is considered by many as one of the most dynamic modern performers in traditional music, Steve has played with Stockton’s Wing, Sharon Shannon, Seamus Begley and Sinead O’Connor along with many other groups over the years. Dermot was fulsome in his praise of his guitar sidekicks.
“Steve Cooney brings a lot of energy to the music. He is right on top of everything that you do. And Trevor is an amazing bass player. They give you a good solid place to sit into,”
Dermot Byrne, Steve Cooney, Trevor Hutchinson play 69 O’Connell Street this Thursday November 5.