Gino Lupari’s London Album Launch Featuring guests & friends Tim Edey, Dermot Byrne, Gerry “Banjo” O’Connor

Gino Lupari

Gino Lupari is a renowned bodhrán player – possibly the world’s best known, celebrated for his rhythmic mastery in Irish music. He got his first bodhrán aged 14 and taught himself how to play. A founding member of Four Men and a Dog, Lupari’s work has greatly enriched both traditional and contemporary Irish sounds with his infectious energy and percussive brilliance.

With the band Gino has released 6 albums to huge critical acclaim and he has played on at least 40 other albums as a guest musician – so he is no stranger to the studio or indeed the stage and has been preforming around the globe for the last 3 decades. He has recorded with such artists as Sinead O’Connor, Shane MacGowan, Rick Danko, Levon Helm (The Band) and Garth Hudson (all inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) to name but a few.

It’s been eagerly awaited, but finally – THIS IS GINO’S FIRST SOLO ALBUM.

“This album is like finding a forgotten mix tape of wide and varied collection of your favourite songs” Seamus O Rourke

Tim Edey

“Musical genius doesn’t really cover it. Probably one of the finest musicians on the acoustic music scene today, a joy to work with!!!” RICHARD LINDSAY, ULLAPOOL GUITAR FESTIVAL

“My favourite guitarist and nicest person in the world!”
NATALIE MACMASTER

A ferocious passion and a beautiful tenderness, sensitivity, respect, understanding and love perpetually shines out through the music of virtuoso musician Tim Edey.”
SHARON SHANNON

BBC RADIO “Stunning” ALED JONES BBC RADIO TWO

“One of the world’s greatest melodeon players” MIKE HARDING

Tim Edey; BBC Radio Two’s Musician of the year (BBC R2 FOLK AWARDS), and nominated again for the same award this year…

Virtuoso guitarist & accordionist, top draw entertainer, multiple award winner & singer.

A multi- instrumentalist and singer, he has toured the world and recorded with most of the major names in Celtic/Contemporary roots music including; The Chieftains, Christy Moore, Sharon Shannon, Natalie MacMaster, Altan, Capercaillie, Brendan Power, Gino Lupari,Michael McGoldrick, Seamus Begley, Dougie Maclean, The Barra, MacNeills, JP Cormier, Shaun Davey, Session A9, Lunasa, Vinnie Kilduff, Mary Black, Session A9, Julie Fowlis, Frankie Gavin to name but a few…

Now a name on the world stage in his own right after seventeen years of hard work, he is rated by many to be one of the world’s finest ever Melodeon and Guitar players in the folk & contemporary scene today!

Originally from Broadstairs in Kent and of Irish descent, he now resides in Donegal where he is based with his family, and from where he tours all over the world. Tim’s live solo shows are a stunning mix of world music inspired instrumental virtuosity and passion with a strong Celtic theme, to audience – chorus lines, and above all a highly entertaining night of musical genius.

Dermot Byrne

Dermot Byrne is one of Ireland’s most outstanding traditional accordion players. For many years a member of Altan, Dermot performed, recorded and toured extensively with the group along with artists like Donal Lunny, Steve Cooney and Stephane Grapelli, bringing the beauty and joy of traditional Irish music to audiences all over the world. In other collaborations he has performed previously with KGB, Frankie Gavin, Sharon Shannon, and The Stunning along with many other outstanding Irish and international musicians. For his contribution to Irish music Dermot was chosen as TG4’s Traditional Musician of the Year 2013.

Gerry “Banjo” O’Connor

Gerry O’Connor was born in Tipperary in 1960 into a family steeped in Irish Traditional music . Learning music from his parents and grandparents he started playing banjo and fiddle in his early teens.

In 1977 while attending UCD in Dublin he joined popular folk band Tipsy Sailor and made numerous TV appearances with them. He joined The Wild Geese in 1981 and toured Europe extensively, recording two albums with the group .

In 1984 he joined Dublin ballad group Moonshine and also Jury’s Irish Cabaret which became the worlds longest running cabaret show and attended by millions of people over the years. During this period he also recorded tutor books and DVDs on tenor banjo which were highly successful and distributed worldwide .

1990 saw the release of his first solo album “Time To Time” on the Mulligan label.This album received rave reviews and is considered a classic benchmark for banjo in Irish music with many of the tracks used for TV programmes . The track,”Funk the Cajun Blues ” became a popular radio single and also featured on the big selling “Trad at Heart”Irish compilation music album in 1994.

Gerry joined the band Four Men and a Dog in 1992 ,the first Irish band to win UK Folk Roots album of the year. Over 12 years they did four albums and became one of the most popular Irish Trad groups on the touring circuit worldwide. Highlights were performing at the Olympic Games in Atlanta 1996, recording and touring with rock and roll legends “The Band “.

Between tours Gerry did countless recording sessions in Dublin for many artists , including Christy Moore, Bonnie Tyler,and the “Lord of the Dance “soundtrack.

He joined The Sharon Shannon big band in 2008 recording two CDs and two DVDs.The song “The Galway Girl”became the most downloaded song in Irish music. He also recorded and toured with Sharon Corr and has also played on The Corrs album “White Light” .

In 2011 he joined rock guitar superstar Joe Bonamassa’s Acoustic Band recording 2 U.S. Billboard No1 albums and DVDs “Live in Vienna Opera House” and “Live at The Albert Hall”. Multiple tours followed including a world tour in 2013.

Following the death of friend and banjo legend Barney McKenna, Gerry guested with The Dubliners on their 50 years anniversary tour. That year The Dublin Legends were born and continue to carry on the legacy and spirit of The Dubliners.