World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens
Nine Elms SW11 7BD
Thursday 28th March
Doors 6:30pm, Live Music 7:30pm
Tickets £16 Advance, £18 on the night
Virtuoso musicians and longstanding friends, Philippe Barnes and Tom Phelan have been exploring the rich legacy of Celtic music together for twenty years.
The mesmerising combination of Philippe’s mastery of the Celtic flute tradition and Tom’s empathetic touch on piano and his deep knowledge of harmony has already established a devoted international following for their two previous releases and their sell-out performances all around the world, from Guildhall London to festivals in Australia and South Korea. Now they’re back with a long awaited follow up.
In The Clearwater Sessions, Philippe and Tom present a selection of their favourite Scottish and Irish traditional tunes, interspersed with beautiful self-penned Celtic pieces, all delivered in their own unique style that seamlessly blends the timeless sound of Philippe’s flutes and whistles with the rhythmic drive and opulent chords of Tom’s piano. All the tunes were recorded live in the studio, with no click tracks, edits or overdubs – just the natural interplay of two friends thriving off each other’s playing.
The album was recorded in Florida at the Clear Tracks studios and engineered by the legendary Stephen Clark, whose previous credits include that famously eclectic genius of the piano, Chick Corea. The warmth and clarity of the recordings captures the magic of the performances and the total empathy and connection of the two players as they put their all into every tune. The Clearwater Sessions is a fresh new take on the tradition, direct and from the heart, that moves it fearlessly forwards to a new global audience.