Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman
Albums
Duo Albums
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Old Bridge Music OBMCD20
“A delightful, original, refreshingly unpredictable take on festive favourites... Gorgeous, enchanting, uplifting”
THE LIVING TRADITION
“From the entrancing and delicate to the wildlycelebratory, they have an absolute ball!”
* * * * FOLK WALES
“De délicates fantaisies de cordes ensorcelantes”
LE PEUPLE BRETON
DIALOGUES / AGALLAIMH
Old Bridge Music OBMCD14
“A rich and breathtaking album, in which the various styles and instruments discourse together with consummate ease, grace and joy” TAPLAS (Wales)
“A delight” SING OUT (USA)
“Terrific: brilliant, beautiful, rich, virtuosic, delightful, classic, perfect!”
THE SUNDAY TRIBUNE (Ireland)
"Perfekt gespielt und glasklar gemixt" FOLKER (Germany)
LIVE IN THE HIGHLANDS
Old Bridge Music OBMCD08
“Music of fire and brilliance from the high-wire act in traditional music” THE IRISH TIMES
“Captures the essence of these two remarkable performers in a rare and priceless way. Absolutely essential” FOLK ROOTS
“Blazing guitar and dancing harp”
DIRTY LINEN (USA)
"Blistering... Another triumph for this sparkling partnership.”
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
FIREWIRE
Old Bridge Music OBMCD17
“Dazzling virtuosity... exquisitely delivered” * * * DAILY TELEGRAPH
“In a class of their own”
* * * THE GUARDIAN
“An eclecticism and spirit of adventure that is quite thrilling”
* * * THE TIMES
“Brilliant, innovative harping and guitar-playing of astonishing virtuosity and versatility”
* * * * SONGLINES
THE CAROLAN ALBUMS
Old Bridge Music OBMCD06
“A masterpiece of virtuosity... A must for any folk-related collection”
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
“If Máire wasn’t around, Irish harping would be so much the poorer. Her work... could be described as an attempt to restore the harp to its true voice... Unfussy, with all the spaces left empty and resonating, the long arm of the music reaches back into a noble tradition” THE IRISH TIMES
“Faultlessly played, with consummate skill and a perfect understanding of the grace and elegance of the music... Breathtaking. Máire’s... deep understanding of the music, combined with technical skill and passion mark her out as the foremost modern interpreter of Carolan” TAPLAS
“Magnificent... in a plethora of Carolan records, this is the best”
FOLK ON TAP
“The playing of this duo exhibits a virtuosity and balance of expression combine with a simple elegance which has a reviewer running to the thesaurus in search of superlatives. Enchanting, expressive, a remarkable piece of work” TYKES NEWS
OUT OF COURT
Old Bridge Music OBMCD03
"Gloriously adventurous offering from Máire Ní Chathasaigh, a scholarly Irish harpist, in truly inspired union with Chris Newman, a quirky English master of the acoustic guitar... (It is) of course a showcase for their startling virtuosity; but it adds variety through songs; gloriously adventurous and jazzy sounds from Newman's 1930 Martin guitar; and sterling assistance from Danny Thompson and Simon Mayor among distinguished session musicians."
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
“Displays a stunning array of techniques and moods... supreme musicianship... one of the most refreshingly innovative releases in recent years” FOLK ROOTS
"An album of sheer delight... superb" TAPLAS (Wales)
THE LIVING WOOD
Old Bridge Music OBMCD07
“The pairing of Chris Newman and Máire Ní Chathasaigh is one of those inspired moments of musical imagination... Both are in the virtuoso class.”
THE GUARDIAN
“As uplifting a set of tunes as I have heard in years… a perfect showcase for the skill and panache which distinguish Máire's playing of the Irish harp, and the brilliant way Newman has with his 1929-built Martin guitar…The folk album of 1988... in the top ten of the decade”
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
“Finger-bustin’ wizardry: riveting, impassioned”
THE SCOTSMAN
“Extraordinary... showcases this remarkable duo’s virtuosity and technical brilliance” FOLK ROOTS
“The Living Wood represents the coming together of two virtuoso performers… Máire is arguably the finest traditional harp player of her generation, whose revolutionary approach to her instrument has had a far-reaching and profound influence on the harp world”
EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS (Scotland)
Solo Guitar Albums
BREAKING BACH
Old Bridge Music OBMCD23
* * * * THE SCOTSMAN
* * * * * FOLK WALES
* * * * RnR MAGAZINE
* * * * SPIRAL EARTH
* * * * 5PLANÈTES
Album of the Week, RTÉ Lyric FM
"Groundbreaking - a magnificent tour-de-force... a toweringly impressive achievement" THE LIVING TRADITION
* * * * * FOLK WALES
"Dazzling... utterly breathtaking... a triumph."
* * * * RnR MAGAZINE
"Life-affirming... (Newman's) achievement is colossal... Elegant, stylish and unmistakeably from the heart."
* * * * THE SCOTSMAN
"Audacious and eminently enjoyable"`
* * * * SPIRAL EARTH
"Unplugged splendour... Chris Newman is in a class of his own."
* * * * 5PLANÈTES
"Un album fort original et novateur..."
CHRIS NEWMAN 2
Old Bridge Music OBMCD16
Chris' second solo album, first released in LP format in 1983.
FRETWORK
Old Bridge Music OBMCD11
"A stunning and stylistically-varied album, heaving with good tunes, from one of the UK’s most staggering and influential acoustic guitarists” FOLK ROOTS
"Dazzling" ACOUSTIC GUITAR (USA)
"Nothing short of brilliant”
DIRTY LINEN (USA)
"The John Williams of folk guitar…takes the breath away. Newman wears his virtuosity lightly and his music has immense vitality and charm” THE INVERNESS COURIER (Scotland)
“A veritable feast of immaculate guitar playing - a marvellous achievement… A testament to Newman’s ability to make the guitar grab your attention and never let you go. A great album from a respected and revered folk guitarist” TAPLAS
“Guitar players don’t come any better than Chris Newman.. I’d blithely cross snow-capped mountains and ford raging rivers to see him play”
THE LIVING TRADITION (Scotland)
STILL GETTING AWAY WITH IT
Old Bridge Music OBMCD19
“Astonishing - a joy- filled romp through blues, back-porch pickin', Quebec reels, Django swing jazz chordings, bluegrass, African high- life, ragtime, latin, Irish jigs and beyond, and a must-buy for any guitar player”
* * * * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY
"Beauty and virtuosity from a master craftsman at the peak of his abilities... I couldn’t recommend an album more highly"
* * * * MAVERICK
“A triumph... I'm fully conscious that I'm in the presence of greatness here... one of the top guitarists of his ilk anywhere”
THE LIVING TRADITION
“Precision-engineered, lovingly crafted tunes... Playful and incredibly dextrous”
* * *THE IRISH TIMES
“Dazzling... A genuinely uplifting album of some of the most remarkable - yet accessible - guitar playing you're going to hear all year." * * * * * ROCK N REEL
Solo Harp Album
THE NEW STRUNG HARP
Old Bridge Music OBMCD25
"An intensely passionate and intelligent record... a masterpiece of virtuosity... a milestone in Irish harp music" CORK EVENING ECHO
"A classic exercise in music-making" THE SCOTSMAN
"Exquisite... exhilarating harp virtuosity... an undoubted classic" THE IRISH PRESS
“One of the loveliest albums for many a year... if you have tears to shed, prepare to shed them... The Celtic harp is not generally associated with the dancing rhythms of the reel and hornpipe... but in Ms Ní Chathasaigh’s nimble fingers the already rapid fountain of notes is further embellished by an astonishing display of decorative ‘grace notes’... The whole album is practically faultless... a glorious record.” FOLK ON TAP
Trio Album (Máire with her sisters, The Casey Sisters)
SIBLING REVELRY
Old Bridge Music OBMCD22
“First-class musicianship... wonderfully atmospheric” * * * * THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
“Intimacy and intuition are at the heart of this radiant collection... a treat” * * * * THE IRISH TIMES
“Superbe” * * * * TRAD Magazine (France)
“Blissfully beautiful... channelling mythology, nostalgia and geography to bewitching effect in heartfelt music” * * * * SONGLINES
Quartet Albums (Máire and Chris together with Máire's sister, Nollaig Casey and Nollaig's late husband, Arty McGlynn
HEARTSTRING SESSIONS
Old Bridge Music OBMCD18
“Outstanding”
* * * * * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY
“A dream quartet - the sweetest and most exciting music to emerge for a long time... amazing, majestic, delightful” DIRTY LINEN (USA)
“Inspired... a contender for album of the year” fROOTS
BRAVOS Award! “Attention, chef d’oeuvre!” TRAD (France)
“Traditional music at its very best” * * * * THE IRISH TIMES
“A tour-de-force of breathtaking order” THE LIVING TRADITION
HEARTSTRING SESSIONS 2
Old Bridge Music OBMCD21
The second album from the quartet. Recorded in January 2015 just prior to their seven week long tour of Australia, but never formally released.
Another eclectic mix of traditional and original pieces, including an adaptation of a tune by Handel...and a song written in 1931 and popularised by the Boswell Sisters!
Sheet Music
Harp Books
'THE IRISH HARPER' VOL. ONE
This book contains the first arrangements of Irish traditional dance tunes ornamented in an authentic style ever to be published (though also included are two songs, plus three pieces by Turlough O’Carolan), and sold out its first print run of 1,000 copies within weeks of publication in 1991. More information and purchase links here.
The fruit of many years’ experience of performing and teaching Irish traditional music to harpers by the pioneer in the field, it represented the first attempt in print to analyse and explain the aesthetic principles which inform the stylistically correct performance of this music on the harp. Suitable for intermediate to advanced players.
Available as a printed book or as a download.
'THE IRISH HARPER' VOL. TWO (NEW ED.)
The Irish Harper Volume Two: 24 Pieces by Turlough O’Carolan Arranged for the Irish Harp by Máire Ní Chathasaigh was first published by Old Bridge Music in 2001. It has been amended, updated and given a new cover for the Second Edition. More information and purchase links here.
The book contains original arrangements of 24 of Carolan's beautiful tunes (with suggested fingering), a brief biography of Carolan, historical notes on the pieces and performance guidance. Suitable for intermediate to advanced players.
Available as a printed book or as a download.
Guitar Books
ADVENTURES WITH A FLATPICK
Published in 2001, this book contains guitar transcriptions (in normal notation and tablature) of Chris’s best-known pieces. Several of them, including the celebrated Mathematician, are to be found one of his solo CDs, Fretwork. His carefully-worked fingerings and cleverly-designed preparatory exercises bring this wonderful music within reach of the intermediate-level player for the first time and will be immensely illuminating for the more advanced player.
In the course of Chris’s touring career with Máire and with Boys of the Lough, he’s given workshops and masterclasses throughout Europe and North America and some of his most-requested teaching material appears in this book. More information and purchase links here.
Available as a printed book or as a download.
