FEBRUARY 19

Both musicians have a long-standing history in the acoustic music movement: Jon has spent the last 12 years in Ireland developing a modal, percussive style which drives the music and which has been described as "quantum leaping" by Irish Times music critic Siobhan Long. He has travelled Europe, America and Australasia and performed with the likes of Mary Black, Steve Cooney, Vinnie Kilduff, Kila, Altan, Paddy Glackin and Seamus Begley. He is also recorded on Benny O'Carroll's Sessions from the Hearth, Geantraí, An Droichead Beag's Mighty Sessions, with German virtuoso violinist Tony Geiling, Tony Small's Galway, Eilis Kennedy's Time to Sail, Muireann

McAuliffe (of Danú) on Morning Star and Eoin Duignan's Ancient Rite. He most recently produced and arranged Blasket island singers Áine Uí Laoithe and Eilín Ní Chearna's critically acclaimed cd, Mná an Oileáin.

Mark has recorded previously with Parisian street band Dalriada, now sold as The Crickard Brothers; with Susan McKeown, John and Brian Doyle and Donogh Hennessy as The Chanting House; and again with Donogh on The Hurricane. In Portugal, he formed Irish pub band The Wingers with Joe Connolly and Liam Smythe, touring the country's festivals extensively, opening for Billy Bragg at Lisbon's Rock and Revolution festival and including as impromptu guest, singer Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam.

Jon Sanders and Mark Crickard

Salsa Summer ***

Sub-titled "Music from Ireland and other Atlantic shores", Salsa Summer is a lot more than its modest title suggests. Casting a line towards Portugese, Brazilian, southern US and Donegal shores, guitarist Jon Sanders and fiddler Mark Crickard share an eclectic taste for the more sublime tunes to be found skirting the Atlantic. Crickard's fiddle travels a languid pathway through the Brazilio-Portugese opener, Rumba Negra and the robust Donegal reel, The Nine Points of Roguery.

Jon Sander's intricate accompaniment is a delicate cross-stitch that demands repeated listening to appreciate its breadth and depth. Fellow west Kerry musician Eilís Kennedy lends faultless vocals too. Occasionally a touch rough around the edges, this is still a refreshingly original collection which, judging by their recent live performances, excels in 3D.
Siobhan Long The Irish Times

"Jon Sanders should be cloned and a copy offered to every guitar player..Mark's fiddle style is fluid, lovely, has more of a hint of Scottish in it, and together they're a powerful combination."
Sue Iken. Review from Wellington Folk Club, gig Tuesday 6th April 2004.

Home