WOMAD

Davy Spillane

From Ireland (Irish Republic)

A key figure in the Irish music revival of the past decade, Davy Spillane has also worked far beyond the Celtic fringe, and the distinctively haunting tone of his uillean pipes has featured at festivals, on albums, and in films. Davy was still only a teenager when he became one of the founder members of Moving Hearts, the most influential Irish band of the seventies. With Christy Moore and Donal Lunny, he helped create a folk/rock/jazz fusion that worked better than any of the three could have hoped. In its 10-year life, this band paved the way for Irish groups of all kinds, proving that international success was a real option. As a solo artist, from 1986 onwards, Davy has made five albums and contributed to classics by other artists, including Sinéad O'Connor and Kate Bush. His playing on Elvis Costello's 'Spike' album (notably on 'Tramp The Dirt Down') was inspirational, while one other session in particular has sparked a new genre in music. Davy played on Baaba Maal's 'Lam Toro' album in 1992, working in a studio decorated in Celtic images provided by Jamie Reid, the graphic artist whose work was crucial to the image of the Sex Pistols. The combination of the music and imagery stirred something in producer Simon Emmerson's consciousness that led to the start of the Afro Celt Sound System. In another, entirely different field, Davy has been a central part of the Riverdance explosion with his lament 'Caoineadh Cuchulainn' punctuating the otherwise frenetic activity on stage. He's been in New York with the show, and this year has made hugely successful festival appearances in Spain, Belgium and Germany. Last year Davy also provided music for Neil Jordan's magnum opus, 'Michael Collins', which starred Liam Neeson. Busy is hardly the word for it.