We mourn the untimely passing of Johnny Cunningham who died
in NY in Dec.'03
(The Celtic Fiddle Festival with Johnny Cunningham center)
(The
Celtic Fiddle Festival with Johnny Cuningham center)
Kevin Burke wrote, Scottish
fiddler Johnny Cunningham and myself had talked for years about touring together but never did much about it until Robert
Browning in NYC put on a concert with the two of us. The concert was so enjoyable that it led to more discussions and finally
a decision to do a full tour in 1992. Instead of a "Johnny and Kevin" tour we decided to invite the great Breton fiddle player,
Christian Lemaitre, to join us and we became known as The Celtic Fiddle Festival. We had thought initially that it was a tour
that would work very well but probably just the one time.
However, it was so successful that a second tour was being
booked while the first one was still underway and we were also invited to bring the group to Europe. Ever since then The Celtic
Fiddle Festival has toured regularly on both sides of the Atlantic and we have 2 CD's released, both on Green Linnet records,
"The Celtic Fiddle Festival" and "Encore".
And from Green Linnet's site... The
Celtic Fiddle Festival
Sold-out tours and standing ovations are testimony to the
electricity and excitement generated by The Celtic Fiddle Festival. Called "three of the finest folk violinists anywhere"
by The Washington Post, Kevin Burke, Johnny Cunningham and Christian Lemaître are masters of their respective styles of Ireland,
Scotland and Brittany. The three showcase their regional repertoires and together conjure an experience of breathtaking performances.
Originally conceived as a special one-time tour in 1992, audience
response was so great that a live CD of that first tour, called The Celtic Fiddle Festival (GLCD1133), was released in 1993.
Subsequent popular tours in Europe led to a second album, Encore (GLCD1189) in 1998, this time recorded on tour in England
with the talented Breton guitarist Soïg Siberil. Rendezvous (GLCD1216, due in Nov. 2001) is their third album together and
their first to be recorded in the studio, with accompaniment by acclaimed guitarist Ged Foley and cellist Christine Harrington.
In concert, each musician first steps out separately. The
great Irish fiddler Kevin Burke, former member of The Bothy Band, plays the ornamented Irish reels, slip jigs and slow airs
he's known for in his silkily graceful, soulful style. Lemaître displays unerring control and propulsive energy on the
hypnotically rhythmic Breton dance tunes.
In ensemble, the fiddlers play with such relentless precision
and fire that tunes escalate into inspired climaxes. A spirit of spontaneous fun strings the evening together, as the musicians
trade hilarious jokes and commentaries. With warmth and wit, The Celtic Fiddle Festival is an evening of winning hilarity
and unforgettable musical thrills.
Band Members
Kevin Burke (fiddle)Kevin Burke is a world-renowned Irish fiddle master, playing
the beautiful fluid, highly ornamented style of County Sligo. Kevin has been a mainstay of several seminal Irish supergroups,
from The Bothy Band to current all-star Irish band Patrick Street. Born in London to Sligo parents, Kevin moved to Ireland
in the 1970s to play with Christy Moore. He was then invited to join The Bothy Band, perhaps Ireland's most influential traditional
group. Kevin has also recorded with Kate Bush, Arlo Guthrie and Paul Brady. Now living in Portland, Oregon, his most recent
solo album is In Concert (GLCD1196), recorded live in Portland.
ANDRE' BRUNET started life in 1976 with a strong interest in music that was quickly noticed and encouraged by his parents.
While his first instrument was guitar, he soon showed an interest and talent for fiddle and began lessons at the age of nine.
Inspired and assisted by Réjean, his brother with whom he formed the duo, Les Frères Brunet, he also learned to play piano.
Accompanied by his brother, André entered and won countless fiddle competitions in Canada and is still the youngest competitor
ever to have won the junior national championship in Québec at age twelve. Like Réjean, André has a hand in the duo's arrangements
and has also composed numerous tunes.
Since 1997, his exuberant style and refined playing have served
him well as fiddler for the legendary Québec group La Boittine Souriante, (The Smiling Boot). They largely contributed to
making this music known by introducing new instrumentation and musical ideas. They spread the culture québécoise abroad more
than any other artist québécois during 20 last years.
Christian Lemaître
Christian Lemaître is from Brittany, the Celtic region in
northwest France. A master of traditional Breton music, Christian honed his playing at festou-noz (festive evening barn dances)
throughout Brittany. His fiddle playing represents the exotic, rich cadences of the Breton tradition, as well as influences
from Southern and Eastern Europe. He has toured and recorded with the outstanding Breton groups Kornog, which included Soïg
Siberil on guitar, and Pennou Skoulin.
In Memory
Johnny Cunningham
Johnny Cunningham was a founding member of the legendary Scottish
group Silly Wizard. One of the finest fiddlers of any genre, Johnny's dazzling style was dynamic and technically superb, from
emotive and eloquent airs to lightning-fast reels. He was a sought-after record producer (Solas, Cherish the Ladies), and
had created the music for the acclaimed play and soundtrack CD, Peter and Wendy. Johnny was a former member of the Celtic
bands Nightnoise and Relativity, and frequently performed with Irish singer Susan McKeown (to see Susan's bio, click here).
He lived in Massachusetts.
