CIARÁN O'KANE
Round & Round
Philippe Cousin
Ciarán O'Kane grew up on the North-East coast of Northern Ireland, in the heart of the Antrim Hills, and from a very young age he remembers always singing with his parents who were themselves musicians and singers.
He has just released his debut album Round & Round, on which he reveals a certain talent. His music, although with strong traditional accents, has undeniably contemporary influences. Ciarán himself claims the influence of singers such as Seán and Dolores Keane, Paul Brady or Bob Dylan.
So here we have a collection of songs plus a few instrumentals, including four traditional ones, one by Ger Wolfe, The Curragh Road, and eleven personal compositions.
Among the traditional songs, The Banks of the Lee, which opens the album beautifully, a capela with only a throbbing drone in counterpoint. Also featured is the melody Lord Franklin, on which Ciarán is joined in harmony by his mother Helen.
The album's title track is Round & Round, which is performed twice, once with his musicians and to close the album, in a nude voice version with just a bodhrán in the background.
Ciarán called on a few friends, including Gary Graham on guitar, Michael Sands on guitar and Seamus O'Kane on bodhrán. He himself is an accomplished musician who plays bouzouki, accordion, The Ranaghan Reels, The O'Num Polkas, and whistle in addition to singing in a warm, clear voice.
Let's hope that he won't stop there and that he will offer us more albums in the not too distant future.