After two stripped back solo albums, Dan Walsh returns with a brand new album featuring the new Dan Walsh trio with award winning fiddler Ciaran Algar (Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar, Sam Kelly and the Lost Boys) and mandolin maestro Nic Zuppardi (Shackleton Trio).
After a successful first tour for the trio last year, the new material is now captured on record ahead of an album launch tour in May and festival appearances in the UK and Europe over the summer (as well as a solo tour for Dan in the USA). Four of the numbers were premiered on BBC Radio Scotland in mid-January with presenter Bruce MacGregor pronouncing Dan ‘one of the most incredible musicians I’ve heard in years‘. Once again, the album is produced by long-time collaborator Mark Hutchinson
The new trio features virtuoso picking, sweet harmonies and imaginative arrangements. The album features Dan’s trademark wide range of influences centred principally around Scottish and Irish folk and bluegrass. It features seven instrumentals including hard driving bluegrass-style ‘Late Night Drive’, Celtic influenced ‘Tuesday Night Session’ and ‘Plan B’ as well as an imaginative Indian-influenced ‘Lydian Set’ and an African flavoured number ’80 Years Of Pleasant Half Hours’.
The five songs primarily focus on real life characters including a moving story of a homeless lady Dan met in Vancouver (‘Life On The Ground’) and a homage to a charismatic street cleaner in Dan’s hometown of Stafford (‘Same Time Different Place’). There’s also a cover of classic bluegrass standard ‘Sleep With One Eye Open’.
BBC Folk Awards Best Musician nominee Dan Walsh combines ‘virtuoso playing and winning song writing’ (MORNING STAR). Describing what Dan does is no easy task but at the heart of it is British, Irish and American folk music delivered with a healthy dose of funky grooves – all performed with his unique and dazzling take on clawhammer style banjo helping to challenge all preconceptions about the instrument. Add to all that poignant songs, astonishing musical departures and lively humour and the result is a truly memorable live show which has wowed audiences across the world from intimate seated rooms to huge dancing crowds in festival fields.
Walsh has recorded four albums to much critical acclaim with a new one to be released in May and he is an in demand performer with a hectic touring schedule in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and throughout Europe.
Both solo and as a member of the award winning Urban Folk Quartet, as well as guest appearances on stage with Imelda May, Joss Stone and the Levellers, this unique and eclectic musician has stunned audiences across the world.
His eclectic and innovative approach has led to many exciting collaborations alongside his solo work and the UFQ. The latest is the all new Dan Walsh trio with award winning fiddler Ciaran Algar and mandolin maestro Nic Zuppardi. He also works in duos with North East concertina legend Alistair Anderson and fellow banjoist John Dowling, combining beautiful harmonies with red-hot picking. Other work has included tours with sensational Indian sarangi player Suhail Yusuf Khan and Canadian country singer Meaghan Blanchard. Dan is also an in demand session musician with recent guest appearances, on stage or in the studio, with the likes of Imelda May, Joss Stone, Seth Lakeman, the Levellers, Duane Eddy, Martin Simpson and even the City of London Sinfonia.
He is also greatly in demand as a teacher and teaches banjo both in person and over Skype and is the only international banjoist to be invited to teach at the Midwest Banjo Camp in the USA. He also teaches at Newcastle and Sheffield universities. Dan also retains a passion for outreach work and through the prestigious Live Music Now scheme has performed throughout the UK in hospices, hospitals, special schools and care homes.
2019 album release tour dates.
May
02 PENRITH Sunbeams Music Centre
04 KIRKBY FLEETHAM Stapleton House
05 NEWCASTLE Gosforth Civic Theatre
09 NORWICH Anteros Arts
10 CAMBRIDGE Folk Club
11 WOLVERHAMPTON Newhampton Arts Centre
17 ASHINGTON SUSSEX Music At The Buildings
19 WOODBRIDGE SUFFOLK The Froize
22 STAFFORD Gatehouse Theatre
26 NORTH YORKSHIRE Swaledale Festival
28 MALDON Blue Boar
29 MILTON KEYNES The Stables
30 LEICESTER The Musician
31 BRISTOL Folk House
June
27 SHREWSBURY Stop Café
For more information and the latest news, please visit www.danwalshbanjo.co.uk
‘Absolutely terrific’ Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2
