John Whelan Trio – September 19, 2010
Posted in Uncategorized on April 4th, 2010 by admin – Be the first to comment
John Whelan, Charlene Adzima and Zac Leger Trio
Imagine an intimate night of heel-kicking reels, rollicking jigs and soulful songs all wrapped up in playful and dazzling showmanship. The John Whelan trio features the legendary All-Ireland accordion champion with up-and-coming Irish music stars Charlene Adzima (fiddle, vocals) and multi-instrumentalist Zac Leger (guitar, bouzouki, uilleann pipes, flute, vocals). Born in London and raised from an early age on the traditional music of Ireland, John Whelan has spent his life bringing his love of music to wider audiences all across the globe. Incorporating styles and influences from his Irish background and beyond, and with over a dozen albums under his belt, John was recently voted Top Button Accordion Player by the Irish Music Association. Charlene Adzima grew up immersed in Irish and classical music in Columbus, Ohio, and now makes her home in Reno, NV. She has multiple awards in fiddle and Irish dance including U.S. Senior Irish Fiddle champion in 2005. In 2006 she released her debut album “The Initiation” which also featured her mastery of Irish Gaelic song. Now based in Los Angeles, multi-instrumentalist Zac Leger has been touring professionally for ten years. An All-Ireland medalist on the intricate uilleann pipes, he has been a member of the Eileen Ivers Band, Celtic Crossroads, Glen Road, and is the guitarist for Scottish fiddler, Jamie Laval. Equally at home on both melodic and accompaniment instruments, and with numerous recordings to his credit, his unique approach to rhythm playing drives the music of the John Whelan Trio. Fiery, melodic button accordion, jaw-dropping fiddle pyrotechnics, stunning female vocals in Irish and English, haunting pipe solos, and innovative, syncopated guitar and bouzouki playing all guaranteed to get your feet tapping and leave with a night you will never forget.