[caption id="attachment_69887" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Ashley Davis."]
Ashley Davis grew up on the plains of Kansas where she drew inspiration from the bluegrass and folk music that surrounded her. Andreas Durkin is a County Cavan native known for his Irish country pop sound and the musical talent he inherited from his mother, Kathy Durkin. Although Ashley Davis and Andreas Durkin have very different backgrounds and musical styles, the two have more in common than just their initials. For starters, they both have new albums out this year, and they’re both be in the Big Apple this week to celebrate their new projects and share their music with New Yorkers as we gear up for the St. Patrick’s Day season.
“Songs of The Celtic Winter” is the third album from Ashley Davis, featuring music that captures the tranquility and magic of the winter season. Davis’s lyrics are full of beautiful imagery as she paints pictures of moonlit gardens, frozen ponds and delicate snow falls. And her voice, sweet and delicate, adds to the dreamlike feeling of the album. Ashley Davis will celebrate the launch of “Songs of The Celtic Winter” at Joe’s Pub in New York on this Thursday evening with harpist Cormac De Barra and other guests. Her music will give you the taste of winter that us New Yorkers have been missing this year.
“Roll Back the Clouds” is the second solo album from Andreas Durkin. Recorded in Barna, Co. Galway, the album features songs that will most definitely strike a chord with Irish music fans. “Killbegs,” “The Irish Rover,” and “Homes of Donegal” are mixed with some not so familiar songs including “If I Should Fall Behind,” a duet with his mom, Kathy Durkin. For a night of dancing, singing, and mother–son duets, you should help Andreas celebrate the launch of “Roll Back the Cloud”s along with Kathy Durkin and other special guests at the Glenrowan in Yonkers on Saturday.
It’s not just the timing of their album releases that Davis and Durkin have in common. The two are both young and so full of such passion for Irish music that they have pursued it as a career.
Davis holds a Master’s degree in traditional Irish music from the University of Limerick, and Durkin gave up working in business to pursue his calling full time. When Andreas Durkin sings about making music in the title track of his new album he says: “I give my heart to every part.” Take one listen to the music of either of these talented and passionate musicians and you’ll see that both have given their hearts to listeners in their latest albums.
Two musicians, two new albums, two very different sounds, and one city that is lucky to have them both in town this week. Why not treat yourself to two nights of great live Irish music? Tis’ (almost) the season!
