Celtic Music: Gráda

Ranked #10,034 in Music, #272,129 overall | Donates to KIVA

Talent and Worldwide Influences Come Together

Grada, a group based in Dublin and Galway, are a quintet that can play the traditional material while expanding it with their own compositions. You may have already heard Alan Dougherty of Dublin, who plays flute and sings. His solo flute work was featured on the Lord of the Rings soundtrack. Andrew Laking, from New Zealand, sings and plays double bass. Nicola Joyce is the featured vocalist, and she adds bodhran, guitar and percussion to the group's sound. Gerry Paul was born in Ireland and raised in New Zealand. He sings and plays guitar and bouzouki. Colin Farrell, a former member of Flook, is from Manchester, England, and plays fiddle, viola, and sings.

Breaking Through Is Not Easy

Getting to be a "name" in Irish music takes a lot of work in addition to talent. It takes a love of the music, dedication, and belief. Gráda has proven it has what it takes by playing extensively at home and on the road and getting together with talented professionals for work on their albums. They've been fortunate to work with producer Trevor Hutchinson of Lúnasa, so there's talent behind the scenes as well as on stage.

The sound of Gráda has been described in The Irish Music Magazine as "full, yet light." It was also described by guitarist Mike Galvin, who plays for The Bridies, as "a very, very pleasing sound." However it's described, it is definitely Gráda's own.

Natural Angle

Released in 2010 on Compass Records

Track Listing:
1. Abe's Axe
2. John Riley
3. No Linen, No Lace
4. The Hull Reels
5. The Butcher Boy
6. Five Jumps
7. Panama
8. Pretty Polly
9. Dotsy's
10. Louis Collins
12. Bottom of the Hill
13. Salthill Bugalú

Order from Amazon.com
Order from Amazon.com

Cloudy Day Navigation

Released in 2007 on Compass Records

This is a CD and DVD combination. The DVD is of a live show in Dublin.

Track listings:
1. Cooler At The Edge
2. Twenty-One Foot Man
3. Fifty-Ninth Street
4. Red Civic
5. Carousel Of Life
6. The Queen And The Soldier
7. Maria Letizia's
8. River
9. Lazy Sunday Morning
10. The Eighteenth Of June
11. The Gammel Dansk
12. Steerer John Begg

Order from Amazon.com
Order from Amazon.co.uk

Endeavour

Released in 2005 on Compass Records

Track listing:
1. Cathain
2. Pint Of Reference
3. Biodegrádable
4. Swallow
5. Anto's Gambit
6. Diamantina Drover
7. Madam I'm A Darling
8. Out In Otaki
9. Once I Loved A Boy
10. Snow Leopard
11. Mini Minor
12. Endeavour

Order from Amazon.com
Order from Amazon.co.uk

The Landing Step

Released in 2004 on Compass Records

Track listing:
1. Tread Softly
2. Go N'éirí an Bóthar Leat - Inis Dornish / Roskilde Reel
3. Isabelle
4. Weight of the World
5. Seven of Eight - Duke Adaptation / Seven of Eight / Birdman
6. All in One Day / End of Story
7. The Back of Beyond
8. Manuka Swing - Tea Tree Point Waltz / The Pixie Dance
9. Shock On - Crib of Purchase / The Holly Bush / Wes and Maggie's Ceili Croft
11. À L'envers - Rideé Six Temps / La Place / Hässling Hasi

Order from Amazon.com
Order from Amazon.co.uk

Video: Gráda Live in Harbor Springs, MI

Loading

Gráda Links

Gráda's Official Website
Learn about Gráda, their music, when and where they'll be appearing, and more.
Gráda's page on MySpace
Listen to samples of Gráda's music, read their blog, see tour dates, leave a comment.
Other Celtic music lenses by MobyD
A lens to help you find similar lenses I've made.
Gráda at HavePun-WillTravel.com
This lens recreated as a page on my website.

Share your thoughts about Gráda

Join Squidoo and create your own lenses. They're free and you might even make some money at it through affiliate marketing. Lenses are web pages, but the Squidoo folks call them lenses because the pages focus in on topics. Everyone's an expert on something. Music, humor, books, travel, food, wine, collectibles, sports, movies, photography -- anything that interests you probably interests someone else. Ready to start? CLICK HERE

  • Margo_Arrowsmith Dec 8, 2010 @ 7:29 pm | delete
    This is wonderful music
  • sandralynnsparks Nov 1, 2009 @ 7:21 am | delete
    I hadn't heard Gráda yet - thank you for this lens - such good clear simple playing!
  • susannaduffy Jan 20, 2009 @ 10:29 pm | delete
    Your work is fabulous. Clear, concise, informative and entertaining. Always a pleasure to visit. I really like Grada, the music is alive.

Please Bookmark This Lens

If you enjoyed reading this lens, then why not share it with your friends. I'd appreciate it very much!

Add this to your lens »

Bookmark and Share

Please donate!

The Squidoo Charity Fund has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity. Thanks to the Squidoo community, we've built schools in Cambodia, given underprivileged classrooms computers and software, funded important reseach against Juvenile Diabetes

by

MobyD

I'm very interested in Celtic music and have created a series of lenses about performers. See Celtic Music: Lenses (named Lens of the Day on March 16,... more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!