The Haar brings the fresh talent of traditional Irish singer Molly Donnery combined with three of the most exciting instrumentalists on the folk and traditional music circuit:
- Cormac Byrne (The fourth member of Show of Hands and Instrumentalist of the Year 2019, FATEA Magazine Music Awards), That means that we will have had all 4 members of “Show of Hands” (in instalments, can’t afford them together), over the years!
- Adam Summerhayes (‘a Paganini of the traditional violin’ fROOTS)
- Murray Grainger (‘Gorgeous stuff’ BBC Radio 3).
The band has its origins in a chance meeting between Adam, Cormac and Molly at a trad session at Craiceann Bodhrán Festival, Inis Oírr, resulting in an improvised live performance recorded by the shipwreck of the Plassey on the wild Atlantic seafront.
It was to become typical of the unique ‘live reactive composition’ that characterises their music. With the addition of master accordionist Grainger, they entered the studio at the end of 2019 to record their debut album ’The Haar’ with no plans or arrangements, guided only by the live musical landscapes they created – the music was recorded as it flowed, often in the first and only take.
Mike Harding said: “I think it’s an absolutely amazing album. Full of great traditional music, just sung and played brilliantly.”
“We need more music like this; spontaneous, alive and affecting, The Haar will take you on a journey and have you appreciating the purest of life’s pleasures. Wonderful stuff.” Folk Radio.
Visit the artists’ website here.
