With their unique style of playing, as wild and free as the rugged West Coast of Ireland, The David Munnelly Band is making waves on both sides of the Atlantic. Their traditional and ragtime-inflected Irish tunes are inspired by the golden era of the Irish-American dance hall, and the exuberant spirit of the 1920s and ’30s masters including the Roaring 20’s Flanagan Brothers. In concert their tunes are, for the most part, played fast with immense precision and with a live excitement not often duplicated.
Born and raised in County Mayo, David is an exciting young Irish button accordionist and an award-winning composer. He toured with The Chieftains from the age of 21 to 25, and is featured on their CD Water From the Well. He also performed with De Dannan and other legendary Irish artists. His second CD, By Heck, received critical and popular acclaim in Ireland, Europe, Japan, and the United States of America.
He was honored as the 2004 and 2005 Composer of the Year in Ireland. He and his band have appeared worldwide on BBC World Television’s program Destination Music, and in America on PBS-Television and National Public Radio specials.
The band features Andrew Murray, a Galway singer named Male Vocalist of 2006 by LiveIreland.com; Paul Kelly, who was a member of the Sharon Shannon Band, on fiddle and mandolin; Tony Byrne on guitar, who has played with Michael McGoldrick and John McSherry among others; David’s younger brother Kieran Munnelly on bodhran, snare and flute, Ryan Molloy on piano, and Daire Bracken, a founding member of Danu, on fiddle.
Selected discography:
Swing (Music & Words, 1999)
Whenever (2006)
By Heck (Mad River Records, 2006)
Live (2007)
Tight Squeeze (2009
Accordion Samurai, with Riccardo Tesi, Markku Lepistö, Bruno Le Tron, Didier Laloy (Materiali Sonori, 2011)
‘Tis What It Is (2012)
Aonair (2017)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
