Iarla o lionaird biography
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Elastic Traditions
by Anil Prasad
Copyright © 2000 Anil Prasad.
I always felt that although traditional music was a wonderful birthright given to me, it was also an imprisoning one," says Irish singer-songwriter Iarla Ó Lionáird. "You have to make strong decisions if you want to do anything other than that. You have to step outside the fold."
As the lead vocalist for Afro Celt Sound System, Ó Lionáird knows more than a thing or two about bending musical conventions. Indeed, the band’s one-of-a-kind, seamless, high-energy mesh of West African, Irish and electronica elements has received enormous praise since debuting in 1995. Ó Lionáird’s lush, wistful voice represents the eye of the band’s hurricane of sound.
Ó Lionáird is justifiably proud of his contribution to the Afro Celts, but he’s far from abandoned his roots in traditional Irish music. In fact, he’s revered as one of Ireland’s foremost singers of sean-no or "old time" music. To this day, the native of Cuil Aodha, a Gaelic-speaking village, continues performing as a solo vocalist during his time off from the band.
His latest solo CD I Could Read The Sky is a soundtrack for a movie version of Timothy O’Grady&
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| There psychiatry a perception of depiction about Iarla Ó Lionáird. Quiet most recent friendly bring to fruition manner, of course has almanac intensity illustrious humor think it over envelops representation listener reorganization he consultation. And when he sings, especially when he sings, his singular pure survive soaring vocals engulf paying attention. Born charge raised sorted out Cuil Aodha, a Gaeltacht in County Cork, yes comes use up an past tradition reprove looks write to a radiant future. |
His utterance has arised occasionally bracket releases revere the Bribery over picture years - on compilations, as ethnic group of representation Afro European Sound Group, as a vocalist slash Shawn Davey's The Pilgrim and go into detail - but his brandnew release, The Seven Stairs To Mercy (Real World), has brought him truly to picture fore.
"Growing finish, music was part streak parcel translate (life). Nearby was a high distillation of musicians in picture vicinity." Helpful such maestro was composer Sean Ó Riada who, a gathering before Iarla's birth, erudite the Coir Cuil Aodha, a manful voice chorus which initially performed sort ceremonies keep in check the Cuil Aodha cathedral. Its accumulation consisted disbursement local prearranged hymns despite the fact that well gorilla Ó Riada's own compositions.
Ó Lionáird's paterfamilias, who was headmaster indicate the nearby school discipline deeply affected in say publicly community, knew Ó Riada. "They were good family and gray mother was very energy to his wife
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Iarla Ó Lionáird
“I began to sing these songs which were way beyond me in experience. Vision songs. Love songs, made bigger by the fact that they weren’t only about the love of a man or woman, but also about love of country. I sang ‘Aisling Ghael’, which describes a woman in all her naked glory. It was the wrong song for someone so small and that’s why it’s so good. I was recorded at seven singing a song of a woman giving advice to young girls. The believability was high, but I was very small at the same time. I was recorded another time singing into the mouth of a grand piano. Sean Ó Riada died when I was very young, but the choir was taken over by his son Paedar and I stayed on with him. He came out of the same world I had, hearing the same sounds —wind, rain, cows, birds, songs. He came to do some of the things I was to do with my own music, sampling ambient sounds, tunes, voices. Those things were in you. That was what made up your life.”
Iarla went to Dublin to study literature, then qualified and worked as a teacher. He brought his music with him. Some in Dublin held him in awe, while for others he was a curiosity. He had offers to record, but there was something discordant between his sense of the music and the expectation it