ABOUT COLM

Colm Gannon Was born, in Dorchesrter, Boston, Massachussette of Connemara parents. His Father John, from Droim and his mother Gerry from Tuirin. He learned to play his music from his father and his brother Sean. Colm won the all Ireland in 1994 on the button accordion and then moved to Ennis, Co. Clare with Fiddler Jesse Smith where he got to live and play with all the great musicians there. After a couple of years there, Colm was asked to join "Riverdance the show" which he toured with for four years. Colm has toured the states with world-renowned Sligo based band "Dervish". Colm also performed with Dolly Parton, in "Dollywood" with the show Ragus. Colm is now living back in his father’s homeplace, Droim, and is currently playing all over the country and the US promoting his new album with Jesse Smith and John Blake; "The Ewe with The Crooked Horn" after the great success of his solo album "Return to Droim", which featured guest artists such as; John Carty on Banjo, Jesse Smith on fiddle and John Blake on Piano, Guitar and Bouzouki.

COLM RECOLLECTS

My first memories of music are of my Dad, John Gannon, playing the box at the kitchen table at our house in Dorchester, Boston, Massachussettes where I grew up. Dad came over to the states in 1959 from Droim, Connemara and my mother, Gerry Gannon, came in 1954 from Tuirin, Connemara. I learned music on the box from my Dad and my brother, Sean. There was always music in our house, recordings of Seanin Phat Mylea McDonough, Kevin Coyne, Finbarr Dwyer, Joe Burke and Martin McMahon were playing night and day, and were the first big influences on my playing.

My Mother started taking me out to sessions and concerts, at a young age, where I got to meet people such as Tina Lech, Jimmy Noonan, Frankie McDonagh, Brendan Bulger and Larry Reynolds. Through these musicians and many like them, and also people like Coley and Annie Mullen, giving us videos and tapes, I had no limit to the music that I could get my hands on. Frequent trips to Ireland gave me a chance to hear and play with lots of great musicians i mightn't have come across in Boston.

In 1998 myself and good friend, Fiddler Jesse Smith, moved over to Ireland. We were based in Ennis, County Clare, and I stayed for a couple of years. Before leaving Ennis I was asked to join Riverdance, and spent four years touring the U.S, Canada, Mexico and Europe. Since 2003 I have lived in Droim, Connemara and have been playing music all over Ireland ever since.

Irish music has been passed on one way or another throughout the years. All this great music keeps us going. As a musician I listen to and learn from the music that I've heard during my life and this has infuenced my music immensely, there have been a lot of influences on my playing, that’s how traditional music keeps surviving, by respecting what came before us. I hope this recording represents some of the great music I've heard over the years whether it be at late night sessions, tapes given to me, 78 recordings or tunes heard at the kitchen table.

- Colm Gannon


MEAITI JO SHEAMUIS ON COLM'S "RETURN TO DROIM" ALBUM:

I am honoured to be associated with such a delightful recording. No words capture the sheer pleasure I've had listening over and over to this beautiful album. Wonderful playing indeed, giving the accordion fresh dimensions of great style and tone and exciting rich renditions of regular, simple tunes, reminding one of times past.

Shades of some of the old master music-makers such as Coleman, Morrisson, Killoran and Tuohy are much in evidence and although this is Colm's first album, one could be misled to assume that it is one of his many albums because of his maturity and masterful playing. This is a truly traditional music lovers CD: rich in all its free flowing style and yet original in variation and creativity.

The sense of surprise in Colm's variations will continue to hold one in suspense while an ever present spiritual lift would inspire one to the dance floor, none more so than the very last set, where his grand uncle's interpretation of songs equalled even that of the "Proffessor" Morrisson himself! And surely Colm's interpretation of present day great sean-nós singing style is equally reflected in his unique playing of Thois ag an Tobar! Up Droim, Inis Treabhair agus Boston!

- Meaiti Jo Sheamuis

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