James Keane (musician)

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James Keane (Irish: Séamus Ó Catháin; born 7 February 1948) is an Irish traditional musician and accordion player. The Italian Castagnari company issued and continues a line of signature instruments called keanebox in his honor.[1]

Early life

James Keane was born in Drimnagh, south Dublin City in Co Dublin. He reportedly began playing at age six, and lilting since before he could talk. The Keane house in Dublin was a musical landmark on the traditional music scene in the 1950s and 1960s. Keane's mother and father were both fiddle players from musical communities in County Longford and County Clare, and would play host to the legendary players who traveled from all over Ireland to perform in the capital city. These guests greatly affected James and his brother Seán Keane, the fiddler with the Chieftains, as did their summer trips to Longford and Clare where they encountered the music at its roots.

By the age of ten, James had become a fixture on the late 1950s Dublin traditional scene regularly performing with

Céilí Band competition in Thurles
in 1965.

He won the senior Accordion Championship while still a junior in the Dundalk open accordion championships in 1964, 1965 and 1966. He won the All-Ireland junior (under 18) Championship at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Mullingar in 1963.

Move to the United States

Keane emigrated to New York City in 1967

Céilí Band, which was formed for the Smithsonian Institution's Centennial Celebration honoring the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. In 1991, Keane was made Traditionalist of the Year by The Irish Echo, and his album Sweeter as the Years Roll By was chosen as one of the top twenty traditional albums of the last twenty years by Irish America
magazine in their anniversary edition.

He is a founding member of Fingal, the critically acclaimed [10] group with Randal Bays and Dáithí Sproule, he tours regularly, performing music and lecturing in colleges about the history of Irish traditional music. He has been flown back to Ireland on numerous occasions for awards and performances, including a trip to participate when the City of Dublin was deemed a European Capital of Culture by the EU. In 2004 an event to honor Keane was organized by Luke Kelly's biographer--Des Geraghty—held at Liberty Hall, and attended by dignitaries including Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, prime minister of Ireland.

Discography

Solo albums
Group album - with Randal Bays and Dáithí Sproule
Artist Compilations
  • Live at the Embankment (1965) Keane accompanied by Dónal Lunny
  • Sweet and Traditional Music of Ireland (1971) classic album also featuring fiddler Paddy Reynolds and button accordionist Charlie Mulvihill.
  • Irish Traditional Instrumental Music (1997) Rounder Records
  • The Rights of Man (1991) The Concert for Joe Doherty
  • Atlantic Wave (1997) Kells. Track listing at irishtune.info.
  • The Boston College Gaelic Roots (1997) Kells Music
  • The Tocane Concerts (2000) with Kieran Hanrahan
Books & CD
Session Work

References

  1. ^ "Shaw Communications". Members.shaw.ca. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b Osbourne, Evelyn. The Most (Imagined) Irish Place in the World? (PDF) (PhD Thesis). Memorial University of Newfoundland.
  3. ^ Ryan's Fancy – A Time With (1979, Vinyl), retrieved 27 October 2021
  4. ^ "Ryan's Fancy | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Ryan's Fancy - Sea People". Discogs. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Ryan's Fancy - Dance Around This One". Discogs. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  7. ^ "Pirate's Gold". Lake District News. Burns Lake, British Columbia. 4 June 1980. p. TV Scene, p. 2.
  8. ^ "Christmas Caroling". Calgary Herald. 19 December 1980. p. 60 (TV Times).
  9. ^ Peacock, Bruce (13 March 1981). "Stage & Screen". Regina Leader-Post. p. A 18.
  10. ^ [1][permanent dead link]
  11. ^ The album title Sweeter as the Years Roll By is taken from the song composed by James Keane, which has no connection with the gospel blues song of the same name.

Sources

External links

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