MUSIC: Linenhall hosts celtic jazz for World Fleadh

Carmina bring celtic jazz to Castlebar


Ciara Moynihan

Carmina have pioneered an unlikely fusion of Celtic music and jazz – and somehow it works. Since forming in 1987, the band has built up a strong and loyal following – and a slew of industry accolades. On tour in Ireland this summer, Carmina are playing in The Linenhall, Castlebar on Saturday, August 1, as part of the World Fleadh Festival, before they head up to Donegal to play a headline performance at the famous Ballyshannon Festival the next night.
Carmina recently released their new studio album ‘My Crescent City’ to great critical acclaim, with Hot Press giving it an 8/10 rating and calling it “a really great album – wonderfully moody and emotional”. The Guardian hailed it as “powerful and spiritually uplifting.”
This is Carmina’s second collaboration with Irish music legend Dónal Lunny, who produced the album and features as guest musician. Since releasing ‘My Crescent City,’ the band has been signed to Peter Gabriel’s prestigious Real World music publishing company – proof positive of its success.
The band boasts some big names in British and Irish jazz as well as younger stars of Irish Traditional music. Singer and songwriter Pippa Marland has “a wondrous voice, capable of enchanting and emoting” (Time Out) and plays alto and soprano saxes and whistles. She and highly-accomplished arranger and songwriter Rob King (acoustic guitar, bodhrΡn) are the founders of Carmina and compose the songs.