Now based in Germany Liosa Murphy has put together a new backing band of guitar, drums, bass and pedal steel. All German with no connection to Ireland, the musicians have interpreted Liosa’s album ‘Skylark’ making it a captivating live show like no other.
Liosa Murphy is a new name in Irish music. The singer and whistle player has picked up rave reviews for her debut album ‘Skylark’, the words ‘fresh’, ‘modern’ and ‘a new sound journey for Irish folk’ are some of the positive notices.
The album ‘Skylark’ mixes well loved Irish songs with jigs and reels and Liosa marries her own vocal percussions to a backing world rhythms and electro pop. Her rendition of ‘Nancy Spain’ re-imagines the classic song for a new generation and her playing of The Skylark / The Union Reel gives her traditional reels and jigs a new energy.
Líosa was born into a family steeped in folk and traditional music. Her father is a singer and guitar player and Líosa began learning the whistle when she was six years old.
Now based in Germany, Liosa has toured over thirty countries worldwide as part of Irish dance and music shows, most recently with The Rhythms of Ireland but with the release of ‘Skylark’ the musician has collected together the music that she has wanted to perform.
Liosa agrees that Germany has long been a welcoming audience for Irish music.
“They absolutely love it, they really do. It’s good to see so many people from Germany playing Irish traditional music. I was at a session in Stuttgart, It was the best wee session with lovely music. There wwere about 12 musicians – mostly German, some English and Irish.”
While on tour in Germany Liosa put together her new backing band of guitar, drums, bass and pedal steel. All German with no connection to Ireland, the musicians have interpreted the album ‘Skylark’, making it a captivating live show like no other.
Liosa was contacted by the pedal steel player who was keen to play in the band.
“It just fitted”, Liosa observes, “and now we couldn’t be without him. Hopefully he will be a fixture in the band for a long, long time.”
While people associate the pedal steel with country music, the instrument brings an other world atmosphere to Liosa’s music.
“He knows what to play and where to play it.”
Rehearsing a band that had never played Irish music has produced exciting and promising results. For a track like ‘The Storm’, the band re-imagines fishing boats in a storm off the Atlantic with the sound of the wind from the pedal steel and waves crashing from the drummer’s cymbals.
“We are trying to tell a story and create an atmosphere with the instruments and hopefully the audience gets swept along in the end.”
For her show in Belltable expect an eclectic mix of Irish trad and folk music favourites and jigs and reels on the whistles. For Liosa’s backing band it will be their first visit to Ireland.
Limerick Post wondered if Liosa will bring the quartet to visit the Wild Atlantic Way to see what a real Irish storm looks and sounds like?
“Och, no! I’m hoping there is going to be a heatwave!” she laughs in her Northern brogue.
The ever optimistic Líosa Murphy and her band will play Belltable on Saturday August 13. Book at www.limetreetheatre.ie online.
