Anam

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Since its formation in 1993, Anam has been delighting audiences throughout the world with their eclectic mixture of traditional and original songs and tunes, which are drawn not only from the Scottish & Irish idiom, but also from other musical influences including jazz, country, singer/songwriter, Eastern European and other world music.

The current line up has some of the most acclaimed and skilled musicians and singers to come out of Scotland and Ireland in recent years. The members, each of whom are well known in there own right, are:

Brian Ó hEadhra: vocals (Gaelic & English), guitar, bodhrán, bouzouki

Fiona Mackenzie: vocals (Gaelic & English), bodhrán

Gordon Gunn: fiddle, mandolin

Nuala Kennedy: vocals (Gaelic & English), wooden flute and whistles.

Music critics often comment on the strength of their arrangements of traditional and contemporary songs and tunes. Anam’s popularity with all ages and musical tastes has been attributed to this refreshing approach, along with the band's original compositions and the stunning vocal harmonies.

Anam continue to record, tour and play to new audiences around the world. Over the past 11 years Anam have played majorinternational festivals and venues, including: Folk Alliance Conference (official showcase), Memphis, USA; Port Fairy Folk Festival, Australia; Taipei National Concert Hall, Taiwan; Altan Festival, Tokyo, Japan; The Fleadh, London, England; Sidmouth Festival, England; Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland; Dranouter Festival, Belgium, Milwaukee Irish Festival, USA; San Francisco Celtic Festival, USA, Celtic Connections (Scotland), Irish Festival (Finland), Feis an Eilein (Skye-Scotland). Anam have recorded 5 albums over the past 9 years.

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WHO'S WHO...

Brian Ó hEadhra

Brian Ó hEadhra formed the traditional & contemporary Celtic music band - Anam while studying for a BA Hons. degree in University College Dublin in Irish Folklore and English Literature in 1992. As band manager, singer/songwriter & guitarist, Brian has toured the world over (Europe, Far East, Australasia, North America) with Anam playing festivals, concerts, TV & radio.

Brian has played as a live and recording session musician with many accomplished Celtic music acts/artists over the years including Deaf Shepherd, Tabache, Mackenzie, Upstairs in a Tent, Cliar, Sandy Brechin, Bruce MacGregor, and Christine Primrose. He also has taught guitar, bodhrán, and traditional singing at various festivals and music schools such as Celtic Connections, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Fèisean Nan Gaidheal.

As well as being a musician, Brian has been director of various music and cultural festivals in Scotland - Ceòl Nis & Fèis nan Òran, and is on the board of the new pan-highland festival - Blas. In 2003, Brian recorded an album with the acclaimed Gaelic singer Christine Primrose, called 'An Turas', on his own record label Anam Music.

Fiona Mackenzie

Fiona Mackenzie, from the Isle of Lewis, began singing at an early age in her local Gaelic choir. After leaving the island to study in Glasgow, she joined the Edinburgh-based Celtic band, Seelyhoo, with which she recorded two albums. She then went on to join, and record with, the internationally acclaimed band, Anam, whilst continuing to sing with two of her sisters in the trio, Mackenzie. They have released two albums (Camhanach and Fama Clamosa) and are still doing various recording projects. Fiona is currently working on her self-penned debut solo album which will be released in 2006. Since moving to Inverness in 2002, she has also been working as a Gaelic singing tutor for various Fèisean, with most of her workshops taken for Fèis Rois.

Nuala Kennedy

Nuala grew up surrounded by traditional influences in her native home of Dundalk, Co. Louth where from a young age she played flute with the award- winning ceilidh band Ceoltori Òga Oghrialla. In 1995 she moved to Edinburgh to study ceramics at the College of Art and soon found herself hosting the regular Friday night session at Sandy Bells.

After completing a postgraduate in primary school teaching, Nuala decided to pursue her musical ventures and went on to form Fine Friday and the Marvellous Magic Ceilidh Band. She is also a member of Harem Scarem – a folk pop 5 piece with whom she has also recorded (Vertical Records).

Gordon Gunn

Gordon Gunn is one of Scotland's most accomplished fiddle players who regularly plays at concerts, festivals, with his own Band - The Gordon Gunn Band - and with Session A9. He regularly teaches with Feis Rois, the Sabhal Mor Ostaig summer schools, and the Highland Council and is available for private fiddle tuition and workshops, etc.

Gordon is in demand as a session musician and has played many albums. Gordon is a past winner of many Scots fiddles competitions, was twice runner-up in the Golden Fiddle awards and six times winner of the Caithness & Sutherland Mod. He has recorded many radio broadcasts with Addie Harper and The Wick Fiddlers, and more recently on BBC radio Scotland's Take the Floor, Live at the Lemon Tree and Mr Anderson's Fine Tunes, plus live work on BBC Radio 2. Gordon has also written and performed music along with Ruby Rebdall for BBC TV's Beechgrove Garden and more recently the Gordon Gunn Band appeared on Grampian and STV's Northern Nights, for which the band received rave reviews. Gordon is a prolific composer and his tunes have been covered by other artistes such as Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham.

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WORKSHOPS

The members of Anam give workshops on the instruments played by the individual members. Ask management/agent for more details.

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ALBUM REVIEWS

“Subtly sophisticated instrumental arrange¬ments, stirring twin lead vocals and well crafted folk/pop song-writing, in both English and Gaelic. (4/5) THE SCOTSMAN

"A towering colossus… one of the finest folk albums for years." (Riptide) TIME OUT - London

"Anam are a truly contemporary example of how traditional music can be delivered into the new millennium… Enchanting." HOT PRESS

“Gorgeous Celtic folk pop… who have the class and energy to beat Capercaillie or Clannad to the top of a lucrative market.” MUSIC WEEK

“…the energy they bring to their music is palpable, both in their traditional outings and the quite beautiful self-penned tracks... that this album (First Footing) flows as smoothly as it does is a tribute to the insight of these particular musicians who manage to combine elements of the best céilidh you have ever been to, sensitive song-writing and interpretation, energy and passion and I believe I even detected a tinge of jazz… Anam’s star would appear to be in the ascendant and I would advise you to see them…” IRISH POST

“…the inspiration and delight they draw from traditional music is a constant pleasure”. Q Magazine

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LIVE REVIEWS

“As musicians, their performances were flawless and sometimes inspirational, and the programme was arranged so that it was easy to appreciate each player’s talents in equal measure, no one performance claiming more than a fair share of the audience’s attention. It was a difficult evening to fault.” LIVING TRADITION

“Anam play traditional music very well, but are not afraid to push back the boundaries… an exceptionally talented band, playing with a combination of emotion and intelligence. Well worth hearing.” IRISH MUSIC

“Anam provided an evening of entertainment the theatre audience likely will not forget. Offering a mix of melodic and upbeat instrumentals, sweet vocal harmonies and light hearted banter with the audience, Anam performed with a sound truly its own.”

THE COURIER-JOURNAL, Louisville, Kentucky - March ‘99

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DISCOGRAPHY

Anam - 3 CD Box Set (Linn records) 2005

A Celebration of Scottish Music (compilation) (Sff Records - SFF002) 2004

Triocha (compilation) (WFUV Radio, USA – TR2004) 2004

Tine Gheal/Bright Fire (Linn records) 2000

Focal Point-Edinburgh (compilation) (Greentrax Recordings Ltd. Cdtrax 168) 1999

Riptide (Linn Records) 1998

First Footing (Linn Records) 1997

7th St Patrick’s Day Celebration (compilation) (Hypertension Music) 1996

Sisters Folksong (compilation) (Sorores Mundi Records) 1995

Saoirse, Songs from Brian Ó hEadhra and Aimée Leonard (Ceirníní Anam CACD002/CAMC002) 1995

Anam (Ceirníní Anam CACD001/CAMC001) 1994

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