Pastorius Park Concerts
Solas shines this week in Pastorius Park
The Boston Herald called them “the best Irish traditional band in the world.” The Philadelphia Inquirer called their music “mind blowing.”
Who has been getting all this attention? It’s the Irish-American “supergroup” Solas, who is coming to play at Pastorius Park, on Wednesday, Aug. 3, at 7:30 p.m. as part of the ongoing summer concert series. The rain location is Springside School, 8000 Cherokee St.
Solas, which means “light” in Gaelic, is a five member band that has received international attention and praise for their eclectic mix of Celtic, Irish and American music. Their eight albums combine creative covers with original music that explores the meeting of tradition and innovation.
Based in New York City, Solas has been compared to masters such as Bela Fleck, Yossou N’Dour, Taj Mahal and Johnny Cash for their ability to defy categories and experiment with different musical styles.
Seamus Egan (flute, tenor banjo, mandolin, tin whistle, low whistle, guitars, bodhran), born in Hatboro and raised for a time in Foxford, County Mayo, is the leader of the group. Not only has he released three solo albums, but he has performed on a soundtrack tied to the 1995-Oscar winning movie Dead Man Walking and wrote a “crisply pulsative score,” said Billboard editor-in-chief Timothy White, for the Irish stage show Dancing on Dangerous Ground. He also wrote the score to The Brothers McMullen, including Sara McLaughlin’s haunting theme song, ‘“I Will Remember You.”
Winifred Horan, fiddler, is a native New Yorker and a violin graduate of Boston’s New England Conservatory of Music. She previously toured and recorded with Cherish the Ladies and The Sharon Shannon Band. A nine-time Irish stepdancing titlist and an All-Ireland fiddle champion, Winifred has made guest appearances on many albums, including those of Richard Shindell, Patty Larkin, Seamus Egan, Pierce Turner, Karan Casey, Liz Carroll, Sharon Shannon, Mick McAuley, Eileen Ivers and Cathy Ryan. Her solo album, titled Just One Wish, was released on Shanachie Records in October of 2002 to much critical acclaim. The album appeared on many top 10 lists, including the Boston Globe, the Irish Times, the Irish Echo and Philadelphia Weekly. Winifred also recorded and released another album last year, titled Winifred Horan and Friends.
Mick McAuley plays the button accordion, concertina, piano accordion, low whistle and is a backing vocal for the group. From Callan, Kilkenny, Mick started on the button accordion at age nine, rapidly becoming a virtuoso on it and other instruments. Among the many musicians he has recorded or performed with are Ron Havana, Niamey Parsons and Karan Casey.
Deirdre Scanlan sings lead vocal. Just before joining Solas in 1999, Deirdre released her solo debut, Speak Softly, which attracted widespread praise in Ireland. A native of Nenagh, Tipperary, she also appeared on a recording by Nenagh Singers Circle and played fiddle with the Paddy O’Brien Ormond Ceili Band in her home county.
Eamon McElholm — guitars, vocals, keyboards — was born and raised in County Tyrone in the North of Ireland. He was brought up playing all types of music, from Irish traditional to rock and classical; so when it came to writing his own material, he had plenty of influences in the melting pot. In recent years he has been heavily involved with well-known Irish band Stockton’s Wing as singer, songwriter and guitarist. He has worked throughout America and Europe with people like Cathal Hayden, Dezi Donnelly and Mike McGoldrick, playing a mixture of instrumental roots music alongside his own original songs. A few years ago, while he was a student in Manchester, England, Eamon was awarded the Performing Rights Society/ John Lennon Songwriters Award. As well as writing songs, Eamon has written numerous instrumental pieces that have been recorded by many Irish groups and artists. He plays guitar, piano and cello and frequently appears on other artists’ albums.
The Pastorius Park free concert series will feature Philadelphia’s own Time for Three, a young virtuoso string trio, on Aug 10, and the Luv Park band, which specializes in jazz fusion, on Aug 17.
The Pastorius Park concerts are presented by the Chestnut Hill Community Association, with the support of the shops and businesses of Chestnut Hill, the Merrill Lynch-Nottingham/Sarian Group, Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development, and the Pennsylvania’s Council on the Arts.
All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. For more information about this or any other CHCA-sponsored event, call 215-248-8810.
Remaining concerts:
• August 3: Solas, back by popular demand, brings exciting traditional Irish music to the park.
• August 10: Pastorius Park is thrilled to welcome the virtuoso trio, Time for Three, in what will prove to be one of the most memorable park concerts in its long history.
• August 17: The concert series concludes on a high note with local jazz piano master Orrin Evans and his band.
