Córas Trio will represent Northern Ireland on the Horizon's Stage at WOMEX 24 (Worldwide Music Expo) in Manchester this October. We asked them the BIG questions . . .
The Horizons Stage celebrates the diverse music from England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland/Alba and Cymru/Wales, helping homegrown artists gain international recognition on the world stage.
The Horizons partnership - comprising Arts Council England, Culture Ireland, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Creative Scotland, Wales Arts International, Arts Council of Wales, British Council and British Underground - was founded over 10 years ago at WOMEX 13 in Cardiff.
Since then, the Horizons partners have come together each year at WOMEX, providing advice, funding and showcasing opportunities to grassroots musicians from each of the five nations.
The full line-up for this year’s Horizon’ Stage is: Amy Laurenson (Scotland/Alba), Balimaya Project (England), Cerys Hafana (Wales), Córas Trio (Northern Ireland)
Gnoss (Scotland/Alba), Gwenifer Raymond (England), N’famady Kouyaté (Cymru/Wales), Rioghnach Connolly & Honeyfeet (Manchester) and Strange Boy (Ireland).
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
Kevin: Córas Trio used to be called McAuley/McKeown/McCullagh but we thought it was a bit of a mouthful. All three of us studied at the Sonic Arts Research Centre at some point or other. Conor and I had been playing as duo for a few years before Paddy joined the band
How would you describe your music?
Kevin: Our music is about all three of us playing in a way that is very personal and true to our own life experiences and letting the music that comes out inform what happens next. We sometimes think of it as being like a river, it can flow in layers and at different rates depending on how deep or shallow the layers are, whether they are diverging around a rock on the riverbed or being obstructed by a felled branch on the surface or whatever. The layers are fairly independent yet they all form part of the same river and are interconnected.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Conor: There are many, including Brian Irvine, Steve Davis, Jack De Johnette, Elvin Jones, John Coltrane, Brian Blade, Planxty, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, The Bad Plus, Shane Latimer, Paul Stapleton, Simon Waters, Adam Pultz Melbye, Michael Speers, Kevin McCullagh and Paddy McKeown, Róis, Huartan, Brian Finnegan, Aidan O’Rourke, This Is How We Fly, The Olllam, Milford Graves, Tony Oxley, and many more. Also, anyone who writes records and releases music today.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
Paddy: Status Quo with my dad when I was about six or seven years old. I’m still wearing the double denim!
What was the first record you ever bought?
Kevin: It was probably actually a cassette and was just some pop music that appeals to your average 10-year-old boy. However, some of the albums that had an influence on me earlier in life would definitely be Ó Riada sa Gaiety, which my parents had on vinyl, I 'discovered' a great album in the Belfast Central Library in my early teens, a Gael Linn compilation featuring Kevin Burke, Paddy Glackin, Sean Keane and Seamus Creagh, which I listened to at least a million times, Kevin Burke and Seamus Creagh in particular had this otherworldly aspect to their playing which appealed to me greatly.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Paddy: I can’t ever say there is one thing that is my favourite right now, but I’ve really been enjoying Horse Lords, Avocet by Bert Jansch, Cormorant Tree Oh, Jan Akkerman, and Sam Amidon.
Favourite lyric of all time?
Conor: "Woke up it was a Chelsea morning and the first thing that I knew, there was milk and toast and honey, and a bowl of oranges too, and the sun poured in like butterscotch, and stuck to all my senses". Joni Mitchel, Chelsea Morning - only one of my many many favourite lyrics of all time. I’ll also sneak in the line by Jeff Buckley - she’s a tear that hangs inside my soul forever.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Conor: There are too many beautiful songs, and I can’t really pick the heart wrenching ones like Ghosts by LAU, despite the context of it being so relevant in todays world. It’s about migrants and refugees, and I think we could all do with listening to it given the current global climate of war and displacement. I would need to pick an upbeat one….like, perhaps, Jamie Lidell, Another Day? Actually, I think I would go for Soona Lucky Da by Aldoc – great tune and great band.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Paddy: Instagram, Bandcamp, Spotify, and keep an eye out for our debut album released on all platforms Friday 26th July. Follow us for updates and come see us live on 26 July in The Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast, 31 July in Sandinos, Derry, and the 3 August in The Cooler (IMC), Dublin. We’ll have more Irish dates announced in the coming weeks so look out for those. Hope to see you there.
Alan Corr
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