Profile: Kevin Burke

Fiddler Kevin Burke is one of those names that just pops up everywhere, and with a lot of respect attached to it at that. From the seventies, with the legendary Bothy Band to the present, with his own Open House, has has always been one of the top musicians on the celtic scene.

Biography

Burke is London-born of Sligo parents, one of the top living Irish fiddlers, and the acknowledged exponent of the highly ornamented Sligo style. He returned to Ireland and played for a while with Christy Moore after his leaving Planxty. He then replaced Tommy Peoples as fiddle player with the Bothy Band from 1976-79. After it's demise, he teamed up with Micheal O' Domhnaill, also of the Bothy Band, touring throughout Europe and the United States and recording two albums. Their US tours included such guests as Andy Irvine and Gerry O'Beirne. One such tour, extravagantly titled "Legends of Irish Music" brought together Burke, Irvine, O'Beirne and Jackie Daly who then gelled into the group Patrick Street, which has toured and recorded several albums since. He currently plays with Open House, a band which grew out of his last solo album.

Discography

1993   Celtic Fiddle Festival         Green Linnet
1985   Funny Reel                     Shanachie 29012
1984   Up Close                       Green Linnet 1052
1981   Eavesdropper                   Green Linnet 3002
1978   If the Cap Fits                Green Linnet 3009
1977   Sweeney's Dream                Folkways FW8876
       Music Instruction - Fiddle     Homespun T 303-304 (cassette)
       Twenty Irish Fiddle Tunes      Homespun (learning tape)
       Learn to play Irish Fiddle     Homespun (2-part video)

with Open House
1995?  Open House - Second Story      Green Linnet 1144
1992   Open House                     Green Linnet 1122

with Micheal O Domhnaill
1982   Portland                       Green Linnet 1041
1979   Promenade                      Green Linnet 3010

with Patrick St
1990   Irish Times                    Green Linnet 1105
1988   No. 2 Patrick Street           Green Linnet 1088
1986   Patrick Street                 Green Linnet 1071
19??   All in Good Time               Green Linnet 1125

with The Bothy Band
1976    Old Hag you have killed me    Green Linnet 3005
1979    After Hours (Live in Paris)   Green Linnet 3016
19??    Out of the Wind, into the Sun Green Linnet 3013

also appears in
1991   The Boston College Fiddle Festival:
       My Love is in America                    GL1110
1980   An Fhidil, Sraith II                     Gael Linn CEF 069
       (Kevin Burke, Seamus Creagh, Sean Keane, Paddy Glackin)

(Thanks to Michael Henry and Mike O'Regan for contributions).

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Several of his albums are available online at a good price from CD Universe.

Copyright (c) 1996-7 Ceolas.

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