ICC Digital is delighted to bring you another film in our series “The ICC Seisiúns”, starring a duo who could justly be described as ‘the pure drop’ as they play the purest of Irish trad. These two stalwarts of London’s Irish music scene are the awesome uilleann piper and tin whistle player Brendan McAuley, and the great traditional singer and flautist Mick Sands. In this 30 minute film they will play for you an entrancing set of Irish pipe and whistle tunes, along with a spellbinding self-penned song, in the Sean Nós style, ‘The Changeling’, by Sands. Enjoy!
Brendan McAuley stems from a family steeped in music. Both parents were musicians and toured Ireland with travelling shows during the 1940s and 1950s.
Although, later on, Brendan’s older brothers Pat and Jackie pursued rock and blues, playing in the world famous band ‘Them’ with Van Morrison, Brendan kept his musical sights set on American old time country and mainly Irish trad.
In 1969 Brendan moved to London and during the 1970s and 80s he found himself playing alongside many of his heroes, the great ‘Irish trad legends’ Roger Sherlock, Bobby Casey, Raymond Roland and PJ Crotty.
Brendan has worked and recorded with many bands including Jackie McAuley’s POORMOUTH, ‘Schooner’s Rig’ and ‘Guy Richie’s Punchbowl Band’. Brendan has recorded on many albums including the soundtrack of Guy Richie’s Sherlock Holmes films working with Hans Zimmer.
In 2015 Brendan released his solo album ‘The McCartneys of Pennyburn’which received outstanding reviews. To buy a copy go to www.brendanmcauleymusic.com
Mick Sands’ family originally came from County Monaghan. He was born in the North-East of England and has been a traditional singer and musician for 50 years.
He was a founder member of the legendary London Irish band ‘Le Cheile’. He has recorded with the RTE orchestra and was in 2014 won ‘Vocalist of the year’ on the U.S. radio station ‘Live Ireland’.
Mick was also a theatre composer for 25 years, working at the RSC, the Royal National Theatre, the Peter Hall Company,(where he was nominated for an EMMY for his music for a documentary about the making of the epic theatre piece “Tantalus”.
Mick recently released his solo album ‘The Ominous and The Luminous’with guitarist Clive Carroll. The album is available to buy on Amazon.
