Dervish THE GREAT IRISH SONGBOOK VOL 2: POETS & STORYTELLE
(LP)

Dervish is a celebrated Irish traditional folk band from County Sligo, formed in 1989. Fronted by charismatic singer and multi-instrumentalist Cathy Jordan, the ensemble also includes accomplished players on flute, fiddle, guitar, accordion, and mandola, drawing deeply on the rich musical heritage of northwest Ireland. For more than three decades, they’ve become one of the most respected names in Irish music, known for their dynamic live performances and a repertoire that weaves traditional Irish music with songs by contemporary Irish songwriters. The BBC, which presented the band with a lifetime achievement award in 2019, has described Dervish as “an icon of Irish music,” and the group has represented Ireland on stages from Glastonbury to Rock in Rio.

In 2019, they released The Great Irish Songbook, an album of traditional Irish songs featuring guests including Vince Gill, the SteelDrivers, Rhiannon Giddens, Steve Earle, David Gray, and others.

For their new album The Great Irish Songbook, Vol 2: Poets & Storytellers, they shifted their focus to works by modern masters of Irish songcraft including Sinead O’Connor, Shane MacGowan, Van Morrison, Glen Hansard, and Moya Brennan. They enlisted another stellar group of guest artists including Indigo Girls, Aoife O’Donovan, Iron & Wine, Sarah Jarosz, Sister Sadie, Madeleine Peyroux, the Del McCoury Band, Eddi Reader, and the aforementioned Glen Hansard and Moya Brennan.[info sheet from distr.]