Biography
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Years Active
2015 – present (9 years)
Anam was a band from the Celtic Nations playing modern folk in Celtic musical traditions from Ireland, England, Cornwall, Scotland and Nova Scotia. Formed by Brian Ó hEadhra in Dublin in 1992, they made their concert debut at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Lorient, Brittany, where they were awarded the "best band" trophy. The band ceased being active in 2005.
Since forming, Anam has been delighting audiences throughout the world with their eclectic mixture of traditional and original songs and tunes, which are drawn not only from the Scottish & Irish idiom, but also from other musical influences including jazz, country, singer/songwriter, Eastern European and other world music.
One line up had some of the most acclaimed and skilled musicians and singers to come out of Scotland and Ireland in recent years. This line-up, each member well-known in their own right, was:
Brian Ó hEadhra: vocals (Gaelic & English), guitar, bodhrán, bouzouki
Fiona Mackenzie: vocals (Gaelic & English), bodhrán
Gordon Gunn: fiddle, mandolin
Nuala Kennedy: vocals (Gaelic & English), wooden flute and whistles.
Music critics often comment on the strength of their arrangements of traditional and contemporary songs and tunes. Anam’s popularity with all ages and musical tastes has been attributed to this refreshing approach, along with the band's original compositions and the stunning vocal harmonies.
Over their career, Anam played major international festivals and venues, including: Folk Alliance Conference (official showcase), Memphis, USA; Port Fairy Folk Festival, Australia; Taipei National Concert Hall, Taiwan; Altan Festival, Tokyo, Japan; The Fleadh, London, England; Sidmouth Festival, England; Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland; Dranouter Festival, Belgium, Milwaukee Irish Festival, USA; San Francisco Celtic Festival, USA, Celtic Connections (Scotland), Irish Festival (Finland), Feis an Eilein (Skye-Scotland).
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WHO'S WHO…
Brian Ó hEadhra
Brian Ó hEadhra formed the traditional & contemporary Celtic music band - Anam while studying for a BA Hons. degree in University College Dublin in Irish Folklore and English Literature in 1992. As band manager, singer/songwriter & guitarist, Brian has toured the world over (Europe, Far East, Australasia, North America) with Anam playing festivals, concerts, TV & radio.
Brian has played as a live and recording session musician with many accomplished Celtic music acts/artists over the years including Deaf Shepherd, Tabache, Mackenzie, Upstairs in a Tent, Cliar, Sandy Brechin, Bruce MacGregor, and Christine Primrose. He also has taught guitar, bodhrán, and traditional singing at various festivals and music schools such as Celtic Connections, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Fèisean Nan Gaidheal.
As well as being a musician, Brian has been director of various music and cultural festivals in Scotland - Ceòl Nis & Fèis nan Òran, and is on the board of the new pan-highland festival - Blas. In 2003, Brian recorded an album with the acclaimed Gaelic singer Christine Primrose, called 'An Turas', on his own record label Anam Music.
Fiona Mackenzie
Fiona Mackenzie, from the Isle of Lewis, began singing at an early age in her local Gaelic choir. After leaving the island to study in Glasgow, she joined the Edinburgh-based Celtic band, Seelyhoo, with which she recorded two albums. She then went on to join, and record with, the internationally acclaimed band, Anam, whilst continuing to sing with two of her sisters in the trio, Mackenzie. They have released two albums (Camhanach and Fama Clamosa) and are still doing various recording projects. Fiona is currently working on her self-penned debut solo album which will be released in 2006. Since moving to Inverness in 2002, she has also been working as a Gaelic singing tutor for various Fèisean, with most of her workshops taken for Fèis Rois.
Nuala Kennedy
Nuala grew up surrounded by traditional influences in her native home of Dundalk, Co. Louth where from a young age she played flute with the award- winning ceilidh band Ceoltori Òga Oghrialla. In 1995 she moved to Edinburgh to study ceramics at the College of Art and soon found herself hosting the regular Friday night session at Sandy Bells.
After completing a postgraduate in primary school teaching, Nuala decided to pursue her musical ventures and went on to form Fine Friday and the Marvellous Magic Ceilidh Band. She is also a member of Harem Scarem – a folk pop 5 piece with whom she has also recorded (Vertical Records).
Gordon Gunn
Gordon Gunn is one of Scotland's most accomplished fiddle players who regularly plays at concerts, festivals, with his own Band - The Gordon Gunn Band - and with Session A9. He regularly teaches with Feis Rois, the Sabhal Mor Ostaig summer schools, and the Highland Council and is available for private fiddle tuition and workshops, etc.
Gordon is in demand as a session musician and has played many albums. Gordon is a past winner of many Scots fiddles competitions, was twice runner-up in the Golden Fiddle awards and six times winner of the Caithness & Sutherland Mod. He has recorded many radio broadcasts with Addie Harper and The Wick Fiddlers, and more recently on BBC radio Scotland's Take the Floor, Live at the Lemon Tree and Mr Anderson's Fine Tunes, plus live work on BBC Radio 2. Gordon has also written and performed music along with Ruby Rebdall for BBC TV's Beechgrove Garden and more recently the Gordon Gunn Band appeared on Grampian and STV's Northern Nights, for which the band received rave reviews. Gordon is a prolific composer and his tunes have been covered by other artistes such as Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham.
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WORKSHOPS
The members of Anam give workshops on the instruments played by the individual members. Ask management/agent for more details.
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ALBUM REVIEWS
“Subtly sophisticated instrumental arrange¬ments, stirring twin lead vocals and well crafted folk/pop song-writing, in both English and Gaelic. (4/5) THE SCOTSMAN
"A towering colossus… one of the finest folk albums for years." (Riptide) TIME OUT - London
"Anam are a truly contemporary example of how traditional music can be delivered into the new millennium… Enchanting." HOT PRESS
“Gorgeous Celtic folk pop… who have the class and energy to beat Capercaillie or Clannad to the top of a lucrative market.” MUSIC WEEK
“…the energy they bring to their music is palpable, both in their traditional outings and the quite beautiful self-penned tracks… that this album (First Footing) flows as smoothly as it does is a tribute to the insight of these particular musicians who manage to combine elements of the best céilidh you have ever been to, sensitive song-writing and interpretation, energy and passion and I believe I even detected a tinge of jazz… Anam’s star would appear to be in the ascendant and I would advise you to see them…” IRISH POST
“…the inspiration and delight they draw from traditional music is a constant pleasure”. Q Magazine
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LIVE REVIEWS
“As musicians, their performances were flawless and sometimes inspirational, and the programme was arranged so that it was easy to appreciate each player’s talents in equal measure, no one performance claiming more than a fair share of the audience’s attention. It was a difficult evening to fault.” LIVING TRADITION
“Anam play traditional music very well, but are not afraid to push back the boundaries… an exceptionally talented band, playing with a combination of emotion and intelligence. Well worth hearing.” IRISH MUSIC
“Anam provided an evening of entertainment the theatre audience likely will not forget. Offering a mix of melodic and upbeat instrumentals, sweet vocal harmonies and light hearted banter with the audience, Anam performed with a sound truly its own.”
THE COURIER-JOURNAL, Louisville, Kentucky - March ‘99
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DISCOGRAPHY
Anam - 3 CD Box Set (Linn records) 2005
A Celebration of Scottish Music (compilation) (Sff Records - SFF002) 2004
Triocha (compilation) (WFUV Radio, USA – TR2004) 2004
Tine Gheal/Bright Fire (Linn records) 2000
Focal Point-Edinburgh (compilation) (Greentrax Recordings Ltd. Cdtrax 168) 1999
Riptide (Linn Records) 1998
First Footing (Linn Records) 1997
7th St Patrick’s Day Celebration (compilation) (Hypertension Music) 1996
Sisters Folksong (compilation) (Sorores Mundi Records) 1995
Saoirse, Songs from Brian Ó hEadhra and Aimée Leonard (Ceirníní Anam CACD002/CAMC002) 1995
Anam (Ceirníní Anam CACD001/CAMC001) 1994
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