Gráda
Encyclopedia
Gráda is a traditional Irish music
band, founded in 2001, whose members are a mix of Irish and New Zealand musicians. Gráda are based in Dublin and Galway, Ireland, but spend much of their time touring internationally. In 2006, Gráda played in 16 different countries.
The group draws from a wide range of influences, which has seen them working with Dave Hingerty (The Frames
, The Swell Season
); Vyviene Long (cellist with Damien Rice
); and, as a producer, Trevor Hutchinson (Lúnasa, Sharon Shannon, The Waterboys). Further additions have included Dublin based trumpeter Bill Blackmore and percussionist Rasmus Skovmand.
Gráda have received critical acclaim, with their latest album Natural Angle being voted as one of the top folk albums of 2010 in the USA by NPR / Folk Alley and the IMA music awards. http://compassrecords.com/news.php?story=735 Their previous album, Cloudy Day Navigation appeared multiple times in Irish Music
's Top 10 charts. http://www.irishmusicmagazine.com/charts/ Gráda have received glowing reviews from Irish Music, http://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews7.htm Sing Out!
, http://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews6.htm The Irish Times, http://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews5.htm http://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews2.htm The Evening Herald http://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews4.htm and The Event Guide. http://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews3.htmhttp://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews1.htm
In 2008, it was announced Colin Farrell had decided to leave the band. Multi-instrumentalist David Doocey is currently touring with the band. In April 2009, Alan Doherty left the band and was replaced by Stephen Doherty (no relation). Alan returned to the group in 2011.http://www.gradamusic.com
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
band, founded in 2001, whose members are a mix of Irish and New Zealand musicians. Gráda are based in Dublin and Galway, Ireland, but spend much of their time touring internationally. In 2006, Gráda played in 16 different countries.
The group draws from a wide range of influences, which has seen them working with Dave Hingerty (The Frames
The Frames
The Frames are an Irish band based in Dublin. Founded in 1990 by Glen Hansard, the band has been influential in the Dublin rock music scene. The group has released six albums...
, The Swell Season
The Swell Season
The Swell Season is a folk rock duo formed by Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová. "The Swell Season" name is derived from Hansard's favourite novel by Josef Škvorecký from 1975 bearing the same title...
); Vyviene Long (cellist with Damien Rice
Damien Rice
Damien Rice is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who plays guitar, piano, clarinet and percussion....
); and, as a producer, Trevor Hutchinson (Lúnasa, Sharon Shannon, The Waterboys). Further additions have included Dublin based trumpeter Bill Blackmore and percussionist Rasmus Skovmand.
Gráda have received critical acclaim, with their latest album Natural Angle being voted as one of the top folk albums of 2010 in the USA by NPR / Folk Alley and the IMA music awards. http://compassrecords.com/news.php?story=735 Their previous album, Cloudy Day Navigation appeared multiple times in Irish Music
Irish Music (magazine)
Irish Music is a monthly music magazine covering folk and traditional Irish music....
's Top 10 charts. http://www.irishmusicmagazine.com/charts/ Gráda have received glowing reviews from Irish Music, http://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews7.htm Sing Out!
Sing Out!
Sing Out! is a quarterly journal of folk music and folk songs that has been published since May 1950.-Background:Sing Out! is the primary publication of the tax exempt, not-for-profit, educational corporation of the same name...
, http://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews6.htm The Irish Times, http://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews5.htm http://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews2.htm The Evening Herald http://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews4.htm and The Event Guide. http://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews3.htmhttp://www.gradamusic.com/gradaNEW/reviews1.htm
In 2008, it was announced Colin Farrell had decided to leave the band. Multi-instrumentalist David Doocey is currently touring with the band. In April 2009, Alan Doherty left the band and was replaced by Stephen Doherty (no relation). Alan returned to the group in 2011.http://www.gradamusic.com
Band members
- Andrew Laking (double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, vocals) - Nicola Joyce (vocals, bodhránBodhránThe bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
) - Gerry Paul (acoustic and electric guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, bouzoukiBouzoukiThe bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
, vocals) - David Doocey (FiddleFiddleThe term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, ConcertinaConcertinaA concertina is a free-reed musical instrument, like the various accordions and the harmonica. It has a bellows and buttons typically on both ends of it. When pressed, the buttons travel in the same direction as the bellows, unlike accordion buttons which travel perpendicularly to it...
, and WhistleWhistleA whistle or call is a simple aerophone, an instrument which produces sound from a stream of forced air. It may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means...
s) - Stephen Doherty (Flute)
- Alan DohertyAlan DohertyAlan Doherty is a former member of Irish trad band Gráda.He plays the Irish flute, the whistles and the uilleann pipes and is best known as the Irish whistle soloist on the track Concerning Hobbits from the The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack...
(flutes, whistleTin whistleThe tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
, vocals)
Former members
- Anne Marie O'Malley - vocals and bodhrán
- Brendan O'Sullivan - fiddle, viola, and vocals
- Colin Farrell (fiddleFiddleThe term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, vocals) (2006–2008)
Discography
- Off to Sardinia - 2001 (out of production)
- Endeavour - 2002
- The Landing Step - 2004
- Cloudy Day Navigation - 2007
- Natural Angle - 2010 (CompassCompass RecordsCompass Records is a Nashville-based independent record label founded in 1995 by musicians Garry West and Alison Brown. Currently home to nearly 100 folk, bluegrass, Celtic, jazz, and new acoustic artists, the label releases about 20 records a year...
)
External links
- gradamusic.com - the official website
- Gráda's MySpace - the official MySpace page