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One of the great fiddle players of his generation, Gerry O'Connor grew up in the town of Dundalk, County Louth, in a family of musicians, dancers, and singers. His mother, Rose (née O'Brien), taught Gerry and his siblings the fiddle at home, and she continued to teach them for the next 40 years. Students travelling from Armagh and Dublin, as well as those closer to home, to learn from the doyenne of fiddle teachers. His father, Peter, was a singer whose seven uncles all played music.
From an early age, Gerry was involved in Irish music and dance, winning numerous All-Ireland titles between 1967 and 1973 in a range of formations, including duet, trio, and four Cili Band titles.
Playing with Michael Coleman's contemporary John Joe Gardiner in the 1970s formed Gerry's style of music, focusing on the fluid and ornamented lyrical fiddle playing of the great Sligo masters. His background in step dancing translates into vibrant pulsating dance music for which he is noted; today, he is regarded as one of the great fiddle players of his generation.
And a special guest rhythm player will be on tour with Gerry!
Don Penzien has long been a top-flight performer of Irish traditional music. It was the never-ending traditional music playing at the Irish pub he frequented while earning his Ph.D. (clinical psychology) in Athens, Ohio, that inspired Don to play, and where he began his exclusive use of the “DADGAD” guitar tuning with tips from such notables as Zan McLeod and Daíthí Sproule.
Frequently on the road playing concerts and festivals with his many projects, including Gailfean (featuring Brian Conway, John Whelan & Máirtín de Cógáin), The Máirtín de Cógáin Project, and Shared Madness (featuring Haley Richardson & Megan Irby). Don is widely recognized for his reserved backing style, and his dexterous work on DADGAD-tuned guitar provides solid, driving rhythms to traditional tunes as well as perceptive and sensitive accompaniments to songs and airs.
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