MUSIC Don Baker to play in Ballina

Baker to play Ballina as part of album tour


Legendary Irish blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and harmonica player Don Baker will play in Ballina Arts Centre on Friday, November 15, as part of a nationwide tour to celebrate the release of his latest album, ‘My Songs, My Friends’.
The new album features guest appearances by an impressive array of Irish performers singing Baker’s own songs. Released on October 18, its star-studded line-up of guest singers includes Liam Ó Maonlaí, Brian Kennedy, Gemma Hayes, Finbar Furey, Sinéad O’Connor, Eleanor McEvoy, John Spillane, Mick Pyro, Clara Rose, Rob Strong, Pat Collins, Martin Furey, Paddy Casey and Declan O’Rourke. There are also three live bonus tracks recorded by Baker at The Olympia.
For Baker, the idea for the album grew from a chance meeting and quickly snowballed into a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  “Normally I put a lot of thought into planning my albums,” he explains, “but ‘My Songs, My Friends’ took on a life of its own, as if some spiritual force was guiding me through it.
“It actually started after I accidentally met the superb singer Clara Rose in a music shop. Having been much taken by her solo album I invited her to record one of my songs with me. Studio engineer Stuart Gray was so impressed with the result that he suggested I invite others in to sing my songs.
One by one they all agreed, and it became a tremendously uplifting experience for me. That such talented people would give so generously of their time was an experience I’ll never forget”.               
While Baker is already acknowledged as one of the top blues harmonica players in the world, another key feature of ‘My Songs, My Friends’ is the quality of his guitar playing and the range and depth of his songwriting. ‘Politician’, featuring John Spillane, castigates our politicians, while there’s a suave gospel elegance to ‘Lord Have Mercy’, a duet by Eleanor McEvoy and Brian Kennedy. Sinéad O’Connor is in vintage form on Baker’s ‘Cinderella’, while ‘Maureen’, sung by Baker himself, is a touching love song à la Mark Knopfler.
At the close of the upbeat ‘Little Rock’n’Roll Band’, Finbar Furey sings, “Come on, Don, write me one more song.”  That sentiment superbly encapsulates the esteem in which Baker is held by fans and musicians alike.

Don Baker will perform in Ballina Arts Centre on Friday, November 15. Admission €15/€12 concession. For more information, contact the centre on info@ballinaartscentre.com or 096 73593.