Kevin Burke
Kevin Burke
SLIGO MADE, the latest CD, now available on Loftus Music.
And a long awaited tune book, THE SOLO ALBUMS
“Lyric, fluid and precisely as tricky as he needs to be…probably the greatest Irish fiddler living.” The Village Voice
From early days with The Bothy Band to his celebrated solo performances, Kevin Burke is considered one of Irish music’s luminaries. The recipient of a National Heritage Fellowship from the NEA in the US, and in Ireland the prestigious Gradam Ceoil award, he is acknowledged as a master of the tradition. Although Kevin has spent much of his life playing in a group context, he has never lost his love for solo fiddle music – the “naked fiddle” as he sometimes puts it.
A native of London, Kevin inherited his love of Irish music from his parents who emigrated from County Sligo, Ireland. Burke’s music career began in 1974 with a move to Ireland and joining seminal Irish group The Bothy Band. Since then, he has formed the renowned bands Celtic Fiddle Festival, Patrick Street, and Open House, and worked with many great artists including Arlo Guthrie, Kate Bush, Tim O’Brien, Christy Moore, Dervish, and Lunasa. His highly ornamented Sligo style of fiddling is beloved in all corners of the globe.
In concert, Kevin’s own patter brings his audiences closer to him, to the tunes, and to the musicians and places he evokes.” As Burke said, “I think it helps to give listeners a bit of context to hang their hat on. I try to make it light-hearted but informative, almost like education by stealth. And I think it’s nice for people to understand that I’m really just a link in the chain.”
His latest recording, Sligo Made, launched at The Fiddler of Dooney in October 2019, is a return to his roots both musically and geographically. Recorded in a studio overlooking Innisfree,these tunes learned from the legends of traditional music, performed by the legends of today, are another strong link in the chain.
Reviews & Remarks
“Sligo Made is a lovely album and a must have for Burke’s fans. The music is well-heeled, played with extraordinary nuance, and gets to the spirit of the Sligo fiddle tradition … There’s a special swagger and depth in this music that is immediately engaging.” Daniel Neely / The Irish Echo
“A fiddle icon.” Irish Music Magazine
“A lyrical player of emotional electricity.” The Washington Post
“Burke imparts a rhythmic intensity that is remarkably powerful…a superior instrumentalist in any idiom…impressively virtuosic.” The New York Times
Photos, press kit, and international touring schedule at www.kevinburke.com
2023
Feb 24, Chico CA, MONCA, https://www.monca.org, Info Email
Feb 25, Sacramento CA, The Sofia, https://bstreettheatre.org
Feb 26, Little River CA, Little River Inn, https://oakandthorn.wordpress.com/events/
Feb 28, Berkeley CA, H C info to come
Mar 3, Tehachapi CA, Fiddlers Crossing, https://www.fiddlerscrossing.com/
Mar 4, Los Gatos CA, H C Email for reservations
Mar 5, Soquel CA, Celtic Society of Monterey Bay, https://www.celticsociety.org
Mar 11, Portland OR, Alberta Rose Theatre
Mar 15, Rockport MA, WGBH St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Sojourn
Mar 16, Groton Hill MA, WGBH St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Sojourn
Mar 17, Northampton MA, The Parlor Room www.parlorroom.org
Mar 18 Cambridge MA, Sanders Theatre, 2 shows, WGBH St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Sojourn
Mar 19 Beverly MA, The Cabot, WGBH St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Sojourn
Mar 25, Online, 12 noon PST, The San Francisco Maritime National Park Association
April 22, Naul, Co Dublin, Seamus Ennis Centre, https://www.tseac.ie/
Aug 10 – 14, Oslo, Norway, Féile Oslo, www.feileoslo.com