Emer Kenny started playing harp at the age of nine. While still in her teens, she won an Alfred Byte Scholarship to study composition and harp at the College of Music, Dublin and Trinity College of Music London. While firmly rooted in the myriad traditions of her Irish homeland, Ms. Kenny has cultivated a unique style all her own, calling on many genres of influences.
Her critically and commercially successful first album Emer Kenny (1997) showcased her original haunting vocal style and songwriting talents. Emer’s celebrated cover of The Stranglers’ ‘Golden Brown’ was re-mixed by Junior Vasquez and brought Emer to the attention of a broader audience while the track ‘Heaven’ was used in commercials, television and film on both sides of the Atlantic. The video for ‘Heaven’ garnered airplay on MTV, M2 and other video channels. Her second album Fades into Day (2000) found Emer stretching into more of a pop direction.
Emer’s 2005, Parting Glass, was an album full of tradition, modernity and passion. While the rich traditions of Ireland were celebrated in such airs as ‘She Moved Through The Fair’, ‘Sally Garden’ and the title track, innovation abounds. There are Moorish and Spanish influences, readily apparent on ‘Moll Dubh’ (pronounced ‘moll dove’) and in the handclap rhythms of ‘Breton Dance’. Along the way, listeners were treated to Emer’s take on English folk (‘Scarborough Fair’), the music of Brittany (‘An Hini a Garan’), and ‘Rambling Boys Of Pleasure’, a lost Irish ballad rediscovered in the United States in the 1800s and sent back home – all recast with touches of jazz, African and European flourishes.
Discography:
Emer Kenny (Triloka, 1997)
Fades into Day (Triloka, 2001)
Parting Glass (Triloka, 2004)
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.
