Chicago Based Irish fiddle player, John Daly

The long-awaited self-titled recording by Cork-born fiddle player John Daly was released on June 7th 2003 before a capacity audience at the Lowell Stahl Cultural Center in Chicago. Daly’s release concert was one of the major Irish music events of 2003 in Chicago. The concert was opened by local fiddle legend Liz Carroll accompanied on piano by Marty Fahey followed by the uniquely talented Donegal fiddler Tommy Peoples accompanied by guitarist Dennis Cahill, the producer of John’s album. During the second half of the concert, Daly brought his album to life on stage. With Marty Fahey and John Shine on pianos, Daly added the superb classical touch of Liz Knowles on fiddle and Alexa Ramirez on cello. This combination was followed by the traditional fiddle style of accomplished 19-year-old DePaul music student Cleek Schrey from Charlottesville, Virginia, and later by the rousing fiddle style of 20-year-old Donegal fiddler Matt McGranaghan, in town specially for the concert. For a spectacular finale, all the aforementioned artists joined Daly on stage together, bringing the crowd to their feet for two encores. John Daly’s Chicago album release concert brought together and enlivened musicians, fans and friends.

Daly, who lived in County Cavan for twelve years until he moved to Chicago in 1997, had already launched his debut album in Ireland in March of 2003. That concert was another landmark event in the Irish Music calendar back home. Held at the Lakeside Manor, Virginia, Co. Cavan, attendance exceeded six hundred people. RTE, Irish national radio, recorded the entire launch concert for broadcast on their weekly “Ceili House” Irish music program. In spectacular style, Daly was supported that night by some of the best-known names in Irish music. They included Galway accordionist Joe Burke with his wife Anne on guitar, Sligo native Seamus Tansey on flute accompanied by fellow Sligoman Kevin Brehony on piano, and a 30-minute performance by the legendary fiddler Sean McGuire accompanied by guitarist Pat Conroy. A host of local musicians Daly met while living in Cavan joined him for highlight after highlight. It was a remarkable night indeed.

Recorded in Chicago, John’s current home, his album features Irish traditional fiddle music, his own original tunes composed in the traditional style, slow airs from the Shetland Islands and a track of Cape Breton and Scottish reels. The album has earned John the “New Male Artist of the Year Award for 2004” from acclaimed reviewer Bill Margeson of liveireland.com. John is accompanied on the album by no fewer than five piano players. John Shine, Marty Fahey and Cleek Schrey from Chicago, Kevin Brehony from Sligo and Davie Keith from the Shetland Islands all lend their own distinctive supporting styles. The harmonies of Liz Knowles from Chicago on viola and violin raise the slow pieces on this album to new heights as does the Cello playing of Chicagoan Alexa Ramirez on a set of John’s own Jigs.

The album is produced by Chicago guitarist Dennis Cahill of Hayes & Cahill fame. Dennis believes that less is more when it comes to accompanying Irish music. The album is solely about the tunes; new, old, accompanied and solo. It features three moving slow airs in the Scottish / Shetland style as well as critically acclaimed “Alcie”, John’s own air.